Chapter Four "It's like the first time we met but with more nakedness."

Day Forty Four (One Month, Day Fourteen)

"It's like the first time we met but with more nakedness," Tsuna noted despondently, tugging absently at his restraints and wondering how he got himself into these messes.

"Except this time you're legal," was the reply he was given and Tsuna found himself nodding before the words registered and he turned to the other person present, mouth falling open as he made to voice his despair -

"Not you -" (too!)

- and was cut off by a lollipop being shoved into his mouth.

"Calm down Vongola. I'm not going to hurt you or anything."

A jingle of metal, the creak of bedsprings and then a soft rustle of baggy clothing.

"Then why are you getting closer?" Tsuna mumbled nervously from around the lollipop in his mouth.

(At the vague taste of coffee mixing with the orange, he realised that his companion had been drinking the bitter hot beverage before he'd started on the lollipop – Tsuna almost spluttered when he realised that he had basically been given an indirect kiss but he was neither a young boy nor a girl and so couldn't really complain.)

"I told you I'm not going to hurt you already."

"That's what Enma said before he attempted taking my pants off."

"That sounds like a challenge to me. You haven't got any pants on for me to take off though..."

"Let go of that pillow before I murder you, Spanner." (That was his 'Patented Boss Voice'. It was designed to get even the most unruly of Famiglia members to listen regardless of the situation – Tsuna still had to deny, even though there was an inkling of truth in it, that he got some sort of pleasure from watching normally dismissive people like Mukuro or Hibari snap to attention when he used the voice.

The effect was ruined only slightly by the fact the lollipop had fallen from his mouth during his warning and had landed on his chest, just below his collarbone.)

"Duly noted." Spanner let his fingers unhook from the pillow that was on Tsuna's lap, keeping him covered, and then sat back on his knees next to Tsuna. The young Vongola boss was, at the moment, handcuffed to the bed frame completely nude apart from the aforementioned pillow, with no explanation as to how he got there.

"Where am I? And what are you doing here – Spanner!" Tsuna's voice pitched embarrassingly high and almost cracked when the blonde reached forward, picked up the lollipop from Tsuna's chest and then leant forward to run his tongue against the sticky, pale orange residue left against the Decimo's chest from the sweet.

"Oh? That was an interesting noise, wasn't it?" Spanner twirled the piece of candy between his fingers before leaning close again. He stopped short at Tsuna's yelped words of –

"If you don't do that and help me get out of these cuffs, I'll spend a whole working day with you in the near future to further perfect the X-Burner!"

Spanner tapped the lollipop against his teeth speculatively, the clicking noise the motion made sharp, before he nodded and crunched down on the sweet, leaning forward to squint at the handcuffs.

"These are mine, Vongola. They restrict Flames for your more voracious enemies."

"I already know that Spanner, otherwise I would have been out of them a long time ago. Can you get me out or not?"

"Did you have an interesting night?" Spanner deadpanned and was rewarded by Tsuna bucking his body in indignation, face bright red. (He had to fight the urge to choke in panic when he almost dislodged the pillow – he'd noticed how Spanner's eyes had darted in the direction when the pillow had shifted half an inch. Tsuna still couldn't get Hibari to stop talking about it, he'd no idea what Spanner would do should he catch a glance.

He silently despaired when he remembered the days when nobody wanted to see him nude – at least to his knowledge.

All of those times his clothes were torn or he lost them when hit with the Dying Will Bullet suddenly seemed more ominous.)

"Spanner!"

"Next time invite me along, Vongola. I have plenty more toys for you to try."

"Spanner!"

A click and the cuffs fell away, Spanner leaning down slightly so he was hovering over Tsuna, rolling the lollipop stick between his teeth as he murmured, twirling the cuffs lazily around on a finger, "I'll be waiting."

(Tsuna still loathed admitting that the next time he saw those cuffs involved Spanner again too though, thankfully, the incident involved more clothes and less attempts at removing anything. He was still the one to get tied up, however.

And he never found out what he was doing in a foreign bed (until the next day) or why Spanner was there when he first woke up (he was never offered an explanation) or even how he'd been stuck to the frame to start with. He only vaguely remembered white hair and a grinning face. (And then it became obvious)

When he was asked later on that day why he hadn't been at the Vongola Headquarters in the morning and had just arrived in the early afternoon instead, dressed only in a jumpsuit several sizes too big that smelled strongly of oil and Spanner, he was too embarrassed to admit what had happened.)

Day Forty Five (One Month, Day Fifteen)

Tsuna felt the weight on the bed shift and, after a few mutterings of discontent from the others, a body dropped heavily on top of him, driving the air out of his lungs. Too tired to deal with it almost, Tsuna squinted his eyes open to glare at Byakuran, seeing the flickers of orange in his eyes reflect in Byakuran's own.

"What do you want Byakuran?" he hissed quietly (and likened himself to sounding angry when, at the most, he sounded like a disgruntled kitten).

"When I tie you up on my bed with specially made handcuffs, please don't escape before I get home again."

"It was you who undressed me?!"

(And that was how Tsuna found himself sleeping on the couch in his office again after having to order his third bed of the month.

He thought he'd be by himself. Turns out, the others – after the epic battle that went down between his Guardians and Byakuran (he wanted to know so badly how Byakuran had been given a bloody nose by a pillow but didn't dare ask) – had gathered their duvets and pillows and camped on the floor of the office. He found out when he woke up to go to the toilet, tried to get out of bed and stepped on Mukuro's stomach.

The Mist Guardian had then dragged him down and didn't let him go – as soon as he woke in the morning, he was off like a shot to the bathroom, probably breaking Mukuro's nose while he was at it - and, despite the fact they had started out spread out across the room, the others in the room steadily made their way closer during the night. Tsuna only figured this out when, after escaping Mukuro, he had tripped over Yamamoto, accidentally elbowed Lambo and then ended up kneeing Gokudera in the groin before he managed to get to his feet again.

It might have been somewhat cute if it wasn't terrifying.)

Day Forty Seven (One Month, Day Seventeen)

Tsuna swallowed the horror that threatened to overwhelm him as he stared at the slight woman in front of him.

"Tsu-kun!" Nana called enthusiastically, dropping her small travel bag (there were suitcases piled behind her, dragged there by Famiglia members) and quickly stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Tsuna and hugging him. "It's good to see you!"

(Tsuna tried to hurriedly recap the last few days up until the last few hours so he could remember whether or not he had red marks visible on his neck or if they were only peppered across his chest and hip – He still needed to have a word with Mukuro about what he was teaching Chrome. She kept trying to – what she thought was discreetly – slip her hands under his clothes while next to him in bed and had the tendency to nibble on his collarbone when she thought he was sleeping. It was a little endearing, almost adorable, and a smidgen creepy, if invasive. Yes. He needed that talk with Mukuro.)

"M-Mama...It's good to see you but how come you're here...?"

"Oh, Papa invited me! Isn't it wonderful?"

"V-Very...Papa too?" Tsuna tried to keep the fright he was feeling out of his voice upon seeing Xanxus over his mother's shoulder, the older man giving the pile of suitcases a very unimpressed, critical look.

(His stress levels were climbing and his stomach was basically eating itself with anxiety at the moment. He didn't want Xanxus to do anything foolhardy.)

"Yes! We're staying until after New Year's, too, but Papa doesn't get here for a few days yet!"

Xanxus caught sight of him.

(Tsuna felt something in him crumble away to dust – he thinks it was his soul - as the Varia leader raised an eyebrow upon seeing him.)

An unholy expression crossed the tall male's features and then he was approaching them and Tsuna was trying to stop himself from having an aneurysm induced by stress, frantically trying to remember his breathing exercises so he wouldn't have a fit then and there.

Reluctantly, he let go of his mother and forced a smile just as Xanxus stopped next to them and greeted him with a sombre, "Tsunayoshi."

"Oh, Tsu-kun, is this a friend of yours?"

"Busi – "

"Boyfriend," Xanxus immediately broke in, face impassive though when Tsuna turned to look him, he was sure he saw the glint of evil or...something in his eye.

Nana barely missed a beat smiling brightly at Xanxus before she turned to Tsuna, "How wonderful Tsu-kun! How come you've never introduced him before?"

(Because he's not my boyfriend Tsuna wanted to wail. Because I'm eighty percent sure he wants me dead and this is all a ruse for me to lower my guard.)

Instead, he smiled and forced himself to say without even the slightest hitch, "I was a little worried of disappointing you Mama, in case you wanted grandchildren."

"Because you like men, darling? Oh, I've known since you were just a teenager that you liked men Tsu-kun, with all those cute boys you surrounded yourself with. Some pretty girls too, but mostly boys." Nana reached up to pat his face gently, smiling, before she turned to Xanxus, offering her hand towards him.

(Not you too, mama! Tsuna sobbed mentally. Why am I the one who found out last?)

"I'm Nana Sawada. You are...?"

Xanxus shot a smirk towards Tsuna as he pulled Nana's hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles, while Tsuna almost cried at her soft giggle. "Xanxus Vongola. Let me help you with your bags and then perhaps we can talk."

"What a wonderful idea! I'll see you at dinner, Tsu-kun! Reborn-san told me it would be around seven, is that right?"

Tsuna just gave a weak smile and watched as his life fell to pieces in front of him in the guise of his mother and the man pretending to be his boyfriend.

(Xanxus was the devil incarnate he decided. But that wasn't his immediate concern. His concern was having his Guardians behaving at dinner and not going at Xanxus' throat should he show up and start spouting out lies again.

Tsuna casually walked towards the wall and pressed his forehead to it before he sank to the floor on his knees, repressing the urge to sob. As one would expect, he failed miserably)

"You are all going to listen to me now!" Tsuna roared it, raising his voice for the first time in a while, with the Patented Boss Voice , and slammed his hands down on the desk for emphasis, hearing the telltale crackle of a Flame blooming on his forehead.

All noise in the room faded away and all eyes turned to face him. Tsuna had thought ahead and gathered not only his Guardians but the Varia members in his spacious office in case they came bursting in at dinner time, the topic of this gathering – as they were prone to do.

"My mama is here." He let his eyes flicker around the room and noted an almost humoured expression on Reborn's face. "She'll be joining us for dinner tonight and I assume for other nights as well, if she isn't spending them with papa. I want you to be on your best fucking behaviour."

(There was the smell of burning from underneath his hands but he studiously ignored it, as well as the almost...he didn't know what the expression Belphegor had made because of what he had said – he suspected it was the voice more than the words - but he didn't want to analyse it either. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew what it was and quickly pushed his thoughts away from that route.)

"That means up to and including, no groping, no rude comments, no inappropriate actions of any kind and..." Tsuna sighed here, resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose because it would probably end in agonising pain. "Until stated otherwise, from today onwards, Xanxus is my partner. At least until mama has gone or I can convince her we're not 'dating' as he insinuated."

Silence.

"What the actual fuck?!"

And then there was pandemonium.

"Enough!" Tsuna shouted, and attention was on him again. He kept the Voice up to have their attention, fingers now digging grooves into the desk (he had the sense to not sob at the loss of another piece of furniture but it was bound to be lost sooner or later). "You're going to take it and like it. Best behaviour. Or there will be consequences."

The room was quiet for a moment before Fran asked, "Could you repeat that first part?"

Tsuna blinked a few times and then slowly said, "You're going to take it and like it...?"

"Ah. Well, I can't do that, Vongola-san." Fran cocked his head to the side. "I prefer to 'give' rather than 'receive'. I can give it to you and like it, but I won't take it that well."

Tsuna face palmed (and subsequently singed his shirt and tie because his hands had been burning faintly) to hide the blush that had spread across his face.

(While his face was covered he was glad enough to hear the soft thud of impact that suggested Fran had been hit because of his comment.

Tsuna almost started planning on faking his death and then absconding to the Caribbean when Mukuro casually commented something about teaching the other well.)

His heart almost stopped when Reborn came right up into his personal space and looked just about ready to murder him, hands clenching and relaxing before he suddenly grabbed Tsuna's hair and stole another kiss with a (filthy) murmured promise.

Hell, predictably, broke out again.

(Tsuna had been too busy catching his breath to stop them because Reborn used the distraction to take another kiss, deeper this time and almost dirty, all teeth and tongue and accidental whimpers, before one of his Guardians – Tsuna didn't see who – ripped Reborn away and dragged him into the fight in a whirl of limbs.

It took minutes of frantic teeth brushing until the taste of black, bitter coffee was out of his mouth.)

"X-Xanxus move your hand." Tsuna jogged his leg violently to try and get the Varia leader to move his hand which was (high, way too high!) on his thigh, the thumb rubbing his inseam. (Tsuna felt as if his face was bright red, and was pretty sure his mama knew what was going on because she was peering at him over the table and giggling happily for him.)

"Tenth asked you to move your hand, so I suggest you move it," Gokudera hissed from Tsuna's other side. He always sat at the right of the Decimo. Xanxus, being Tsuna's 'boyfriend' had claimed the seat on his left.

"You think you can tell me what to do?" Xanxus bared his teeth at Gokudera, sliding his hand up further.

Tsuna abruptly stood, knees banging into the table as he did so, and almost fell over had he not braced his hand on Xanxus' shoulder. Xanxus then took the initiative to wrap an arm around his waist and tug him closer. Only by squeezing Xanxus' shoulder did Tsuna not topple into the other's lap.

Slowly leaning down and keeping a perpetual smile on his face, Tsuna whispered out of the corner of his mouth, into Xanxus' ear, (studiously ignoring Nana's giggles), "If you don't let me go, you'll have to eat your meals for the next week through a straw."

He likened himself to sounding threatening because, at the least, Xanxus let his arm slide away – though not after an inappropriate enough grope that Tsuna choked back a squeal by coughing it into his palm as he sat heavily into his chair, swatting Xanxus' hand as it crept towards his leg again, hissing, "Act your age already."

"I would like to, but unfortunately you're stopping me from doing so."

"At least not at the table, Xanxus." Tsuna felt his upper lip twitch, and briefly wondered if it would scare his mother should he suddenly stand again and attempt to flee. (Though, he somehow knew, if he tried to run away then at least three people present – more, definitely more, - would tackle him and give him some impromptu touches before they tried to help him up.)

The rest of the dinner, inevitably, went downhill from there.

(Nana had garnered the – correct – assumption that Xanxus wasn't who he said he was to Tsuna, and that the other males in her son's life were more than just friends, or, at least, striving to be more than friends.

Tsuna periodically checked his face in every mirror he passed because he was certain that he was permanently red from blushing since Nana tracked him down later that evening and pushed a packet of condoms into his hand with a murmured 'be careful', 'choose well' and 'I think they're all sweet' before she merrily walked away as if she hadn't traumatised her only child for life.)

Day Fifty One (One Month, Day Twenty One)

Tsuna felt the stirrings of horror (and a little hate of the Christmas season) stir up inside of him as he glared at the object of his ire, a sprig of mistletoe hung to the doorframe of his office, far too high for him to reach. (He was hoping the offending plant would burst into flames with his fierce stare, but it wasn't happening.)

The mistletoe wasn't the only problem. It wasn't even the biggest problem.

Mukuro was stood on the other side of the doorway, smug smile on his face as he waited for the Decimo to step forward, as he inevitably would have to.

Tsuna, in the safety of his mind, cussed out the Christmas season (Mukuro was a full eleven days early and it had soured Tsuna's mood) and made to slowly back away, before turning away from Mukuro and stalking back over to his desk, deciding that staying stuck in the room wouldn't be too bad for a couple more hours. (He ignored his male Mist Guardian's simpering complaints from the doorway and willed his headache to leave already.)

That was when he was abruptly tackled from behind and flipped onto his back, Mukuro having snagged the mistletoe from its high perch somehow and waggling it above his head with an almost lecherous expression.

(Gokudera helpfully informed him later that day, that Tsuna's screech of outrage and the ensuing noises of destruction afterwards had been heard on the other side of the property. His Storm Guardian had then cocked his head to the side and told him; in such a frightening tone that Tsuna almost gaped at the attitude of the other, that he hoped Mukuro hadn't done anything untoward to him.

Tsuna, worried he may lose one of his Mist Guardians should he say something that would give Gokudera the slightest implication something had happened, simply shook his head, afraid his voice may have betrayed him.

Despite denying that Mukuro had touched him, Tsuna could still remember the warm, dry lips that had pressed chastely to his cheek before Tsuna had shoved the elder male away.)

Day Fifty Three (One Month, Day Twenty Three)

"I'm not sure if I should congratulate you on having such a strong family, or worry for you, Tsuna."

"Please worry, papa." Tsuna said to his desk, cheek pressed to his worksheets and arms hanging loosely to his sides. "Mama's already trying to set me up with one of them. Or two. Or all of them."

Iemitsu choked softly in surprise and turned it into a quiet clearing of his throat. "How many are there?"

Tsuna was silent for a long, long moment. Eventually, brow furrowed, he lifted his head and muttered, "At the moment, at least twenty."

Before Iemitsu could reply a soft voice called from the doorway, "Please, Tsuna-dono, change thine number to twenty one. I too – "

"Don't finish that sentence Basil!" Tsuna launched himself to his feet, and was wholly unprepared for the dark expression that chose to cross Iemitsu's face as he advanced upon the lithe, blue eyed young man, slapping his hands down onto small shoulders.

"You, I, and the rest of Tsuna's admirers are gonna have a long, nice talk about whether or not it's appropriate to perve on Tsuna."

(From that moment, Iemitsu completely redeemed himself in Tsuna's eyes, from a lazy, no-good father, to his saviour. His newfound admiration of his father spiralled down the drain shortly after because Iemitsu wouldn't tell him exactly what it was that caused the normally mild mannered, if happy-go-lucky Yamamoto to approach Tsuna later that day just to shove a hand down his pants.

Gokudera once again told him his screaming was heard from the other side of the property.

Yamamoto crept into the meeting later that evening with a sheepish expression and an arm in a sling. Tsuna was blushing too hard to meet his eye.)

Day Fifty Four (One Month, Day Twenty Four)

"But you – "

"No."

"But you let that – "

"No. You've already stripped me naked. You had your chance and you lost it Byakuran."

"Tsuna-chan!"

"Whining will get you nowhere."

"All I want to do is get in your pants!"

"No."

Day Fifty Five (One Month, Day Twenty Five)

Tsuna felt the air leave his lungs explosively as something clipped the side of his ribcage, sending him hurtling to the floor before he managed to manoeuvre himself to land on his feet, hands clenched to the sound of his gloves creaking. He almost flinched at the appearance of Reborn by his side (it was hard not to be a little scared of the man because of his younger years but, at the moment, Reborn's expression was death itself) and a hand glowing with Sun Flames settled on the sluggishly bleeding wound that had been caused by a grazing bullet.

Focused on Reborn's healing, Tsuna was surprised at the lack of being attacked – he was only trying to practice and hone his skills and the would be assassin had shot him out of the air from he wasn't sure how far – because surely, if his assailant had known he wasn't dead, he would have been approached once more.

At the scream of horror no more than a hundred metres in front of him in the forest behind the property, and the flare of purple flames that peaked above the tallest trees, Tsuna knew the hired killer had met the most awful of fates.

Not two seconds later, Hibari was stalking out of the foliage like some sort of wild cat, face blank as he walked towards Tsuna, hands still gripping bloody tonfas.

Tsuna was a little upset to realise he was expecting it when Reborn scooped him up, ran off, and was promptly chased by Hibari.

(He was frightened it would degrade into another tug-of-war. He didn't know whether or not to be thankful that Basil snatched him from Reborn's arms as the hitman ran by – to the comical look on Reborn's face, Tsuna gleefully noted – before disappearing into the Vongola mansion, quick enough not to be caught.

It was almost sweet that, when Basil later backed him against a wall, the young man whispered for forgiveness in touching him, and then asking permission to do so again. Sweet as it was though, Tsuna wasted no time in ducking under an arm and running for it, hoping, with every corner he turned, he'd be safe.)

Day Fifty Six (One Month, Day Twenty Six)

"W-What is that?" Tsuna asked apprehensively, dressed in no more than a baggy shirt (that used to belong to Yamamoto) and loose silk boxers (that once belonged to Hibari and had all but been forced onto Tsuna with the threat to wear) as he nervously eyed the contraption his father held.

Iemitsu, stood in the doorway of Tsuna's bedroom and letting his eyebrow twitch as he observed the multitudes in Tsuna's bed, held the device up and cheerfully stated, "It's a chastity belt!"

"Get out."

(Tsuna wasn't sure who said it, from the bed behind him, but chills ran down his spine and he gave his father an apologetic smile as he reached out to, reluctantly, start to close the door lest a fight break out.)

There we go! Chapter Four while I can get it out!

My first exam is tomorrow (13th of May) and my last is on the 6th of June. Needless to say, I'm not gonna be on much (only on now because this exam is a resit and I know what I'm doing. Mostly.)

Anyway, thanks for all of the reviews and etc!

Keep telling me your favourite characters! I'm not going to keep the list on here but on a separate document and I'm also gonna stick a poll up!

Anyway, enjoy!