Hello lovelies! I know it's been a while, but here is a cute little update, since I wanted to write something. So I hope you enjoy, please review!
Sometimes it was nice to be a Normal Dad.
"I'm leaving; Nobu is coming with me." Tsuna's voice carried heavy in the hallway, and he could feel the tension in the air. "I have my phone, and my tracker. I will call if I need picking up."
"But Tsuna," Takeshi tried, smile strained as he stepped forward.
But Tsuna already had a hand up. "No, I am stressed." He admitted with gritted teeth. He hated to admit it, because he wanted to be the faultless Sky for his Guardians. However, he had learnt upon returning from the future that he needed to let his elements see all of him so that they better understood themselves, and didn't feel like burdens. If he leant on them, let them know how he was feeling, they would do the same. It still sucked to admit it though. "So I am going to get some groceries, with my son. Alone."
"I understand, Tsuna-sama." Hayato tried, looking tense around the eyes. Shit, Tsuna hadn't meant to let it get this bad. "But do you have to go alone, and take Yoshi-sama?"
Tsuna sighed through his nose, trying not to snap. But his eyes were burning with frustration and anxiety. He felt trapped right now. "I have to. Sometimes just I need to be a dad, Hayato. Right now I need that."
Still, even Mukuro was looking a little fidgety, eyes looking between Tsuna, and the child that Chrome held. So Tsuna had to forfeit something.
"Fine, how about a few of you meet me in a couple hours at the Pottery Café for lunch?" Tsuna smiled then, because the shoulders around him eased up and there were nods and hums of agreement.
Yes, Tsuna hated to be tired down, and when he was stressed out he needed to stretch his wings –his breadth as the sky –but he knew when to fold, when his Guardians needed more than he did.
"Alright, call us when you're in line at the grocery store, and we'll meet at the café." Ryohei agreed with a soft smile. He clapped Kyouya on the shoulder before calling out a challenge to the Guardians. "Now, we haven't been on our bikes for a while. Who's up for a race?"
Laughter filled the room courtesy of Tsuna and Chrome, the other men just groaned, but took up the challenge anyway.
"Here you go, Boss." Chrome smiled softly from behind her delicate eye patch. She had asked to have Yoshinobu for the afternoon since she had been away for almost a month on a mission.
Tsuna smiled and took the large cut of dark-orange fabric from Chrome, Mukuro passed him two, large silver rings and with practiced twists and shifting Tsuna had Yoshinobu against his chest and wrapped in a sling. "Thank you, both. Will you be joining us for lunch?" Tsuna asked, he shifted a few more times. He tucked the outer edge of the fabric underneath Yoshinobu's knees before adjusting the fabric as it went through the rings. He finished tightening his ring sling while holding Yoshi in position, before looking at the pair of mists.
Chrome tilted her head before shaking her head. Mukuro on the other hand said he'd be there, and asked that Tsuna be careful. Tsuna sighed again but agreed. He could not tell himself that he hated the over-protectiveness, because it was aimed at his son as well as himself.
"I will, I promise. See you in a little while."
Namimori was really such a calm town. When you looked past the delinquents, and the Mafioso –the latter of which only those in the know could see –anyway. Of course, Kyouya kept a tight ship, especially since Tsuna's son had come into the picture. He had started to tighten rein and organize his criminal task force as soon as the Vongola base had started to be built, but it became near-frantic with the thought of his Sky's –and closest friend really –son entering the picture. Tsuna appreciated the town of course. Yoshinobu would be in Italy soon enough, as would they all, but for now Tsuna wanted to just be a father. To do that, he didn't want to worry about the mafia watching his boy grow, or try to ensure he never would. Right now Tsuna wanted to be able to become a good father, and boss-hood would come after.
According to Reborn, Tsuna couldn't have tried to be as good of a boss as he was becoming without Yoshinobu there. Apparently the child bolstered Tsuna's protective instinct and his drive to do well.
Talking about Yoshinobu, the boy had started fussing, tugging at Tsuna's collar. Laughing slightly, Tsuna bounced as he walked, kissing his boy's forehead. When his son didn't settle he sighed and reached into the small bag clipped around his waist. Hayato had designed it so that Tsuna could carry Yoshi and all his supplied without being weighed down too much. Especially since there was always a chance Tsuna would have to run and hide, or even fight.
So, Tsuna pulled out a pacifier and settled Yoshi as they walked to the store.
It had been a long time since Tsuna let the stares of those around him get the better of him. It had been years since he was embarrassed by attention. Now, especially, when he had nothing to be ashamed of, Tsuna didn't even acknowledge the stares and whispers when he walked into the main shopping district with a child strapped to his chest. Instead he let the heat flow through him and his son, he rolled his shoulders back, and he thought about all the pride he had for his son.
Other people tended to be embarrassed and looked away quickly after this.
It made Tsuna viciously proud.
Shopping was always extremely therapeutic. Getting a shopping cart, and walking up and down the aisles, choosing what he needed, and what was the best quality and price, it soothed Tsuna in a way he would have been embarrassed about in his lower teens.
Now though, with Yoshinobu strapped to his chest, listening to his heart, Tsuna could lose himself in the routine. Especially since he was safe in the store, he was never in a blind spot because his intuition enjoyed small spaces the best. More places to hide, more distractions, places he could manoeuvre that enemies never could.
Tsuna's eyes looked over the boxes in front of him. They were all cake mixes, all ranged in type and flavour, some were bight, and some were plain. Tsuna mulled over them for a moment before sighing and grinning to himself. Rather than grabbing the boxes, he strolled down the aisle and grabbed the raw ingredients to make a few different cakes.
His Guardians had been working extremely hard the last few weeks, since the Varia had decided to come and train them for a while.
They loved Tsuna's treats.
After picking up the flour from the bottom shelf, ignoring the scowl from an old lady down the aisle –because apparently, men couldn't carry babies and do grocery shopping without being automatically bad -Tsuna leant back slightly, one hand on Yoshinobu, stretching out his back. He groaned loud before huffing and smiling. He kissed Nobu's forehead, before chuckling lightly. The boy was still sleeping, which was good, but it amused Tsuna. The boy could sleep for days. Apparently he was the same as a baby.
Perhaps the boy's flames were starting to stir. He was almost one now after all.
Quickly adjusting the sash, Tsuna walked towards the cash. He called his Guardians and loaded the conveyer belt.
It was an ingenious device, this ring sling. Tsuna realised that it had been used for generations, but given the numerous modern devices that could be bought, he had thought that the traditional fabric sling would be uncomfortable. But no matter the baby carrier designed by Giannini, or the numerous packs bought for him, it was Hana and Haru that had bought the sling for Tsuna.
It was a long, warm strip of fabric, a burn-orange with a small embroidered version of Tsuna's Decimo sigil in one corner. To attach it was simple. Tsuna formed a loop with the fabric, and used the two metal rings to hold Yoshinobu against his side. The sling went under his son's bottom and over Tsuna's shoulder and around his waist. Yoshi was always less fussy in the sling, and it meant that Tsuna and the other Guardians could have the boy with them constantly.
It was comfortable, and more importantly it was secure. Tsuna felt that he could fight in this sling, and Yoshi was closer to his skin.
Tsuna paid and started walking towards the café where he would meet his Guardians, enjoying the feeling of Yoshi's breath against his chest, where the dress shirt he was wearing was pushed aside.
It amazed Tsuna, even to this day, just how powerful skin-ship with his son –his son –was. Just lying bare chest to bare chest with his baby, feeling him breathing, feeling his breathe, or watching Yoshinobu watching Tsuna, it was just. It was indescribable. It was terrifying, to have this baby rely on him, but also the most startlingly beautiful feeling. It filled Tsuna up and sometime he just wanted Yoshinobu to never leave.
He wanted the moments where he and Yoshi were skin to skin to last forever.
But Tsuna was a mafia boss, and thus, nothing lasted forever.
Tsuna hit the panic button before the men arrived in the glade, and his flames roared in fury. He had just calmed down, the shopping had distressed him. Now someone dared to disturb Tsuna and his son. They were going to burn.
The Guardians arrived on an awesome scene. Tsuna, alight in sky flames, with one hand on Yoshi's bottom and the other at his side, was surrounded by a ring of sky flames. He had a cool scowl on his face, and fire in his eyes. Nobu, for his part, was giggling and patting at Tsuna's face, curious about the flames.
After all, flames called to flames, especially that of blood. The flames that cradled Tsuna also pressed around Yoshinobu, keeping the blood of his blood safe and warm. No bullet would get through the wall of flames, and Tsuna knew it from the smirk.
It was a quick massacre from there, bodies fell and people shouted orders. Still, there was a quick and precise manner to which the Guardians acted to protect the heir. It wasn't even ten minutes before Tsuna put the flames away and Yoshinobu muttered in disappointment.
A gun shot went off and Tsuna was quick to throw up a flaming hand, it still nicked him in the wrist and the sound had been deafening. Kyouya was quick to end the man if the choked screech was anything.
All else was drowned out by the sudden, horrified screaming from Tsuna though. Or, not Tsuna, but Yoshinobu.
The child's eyes were wide and tears were pouring down his face. Ryohei was already healing Tsuna, but it didn't matter. The boy had been startled by the loud noise, and the fear and anger and pain in Tsuna's flames. He was reacting and thrashing in the only way he knew how to.
Tsuna rocked his boy, pressing his lips to his forehead, eyes closed. "Daddy's got you, Yoshinobu, daddy's got you."
And that seemed to do it, because the boy sniffled and held tight, but started to calm before falling asleep.
Tsuna sighed, it sounded painful, and he did in face lean his head against his son's before walking towards his Guardians.
"Let's go get lunch." He sounded relieved, and tied. Which wasn't all that unusual anymore.
"Che, you'd think these idiots would understand the sanctity of grocery shopping."
"People are EXTREMELY rude."
Tsuna laughed at his Guardians, but appreciated it. So, each of them grabbed a bag –leaving Tsuna with only Yoshinobu against his chest –and walked towards the café. They knew that Reborn would already by getting the bodies cleaned up.
So yeah, Tsuna would always have to worry about the mafia coming after him, after his child, and he would always have to keep his guard up.
But sometimes he really did need to take the time, and the risk, to be a regular father, and let his child be just that. Besides, with Guardians around, the risk was diminished; they were Tsuna's wall, and Yoshi's guard. With them, Tsuna could take a breath and raise his son. They all could.
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