I hope you don't dislike it too much. I am having A LOT of trouble at home and school right now and had to take a step away from FanFic for a while. Please Vote on my profile for which stories you want me to concentrate on during this semi-temporary Hiatus.
To the Untrained Eye.
Touching Reunion.
Sena soothed his frazzled nerves with his routine afternoon jog, as of late, with so many people in and out of his life, Sena's thoughts had been drifting into the past. He was daydreaming more often, and had attacked more of his brothers in his sleep than usual. But then again, when they were under a lot of stress from moving or hiding it happened to Sena a lot. This time, seeing as two of his brothers were missing, it made the transition even more difficult, more difficult again by the fact that Sena didn't know where Acciaio was.
Acciaio was fundamental to Sena, he couldn't run his family even half as well now that the man was gone, but he had learnt to cope. It was simply difficult to have moved so suddenly with no confirmation from the man that he knew where they were. As he jogged – his brothers somewhere close but not next to him- Sena's mind was cast back to a time when the Mafia started.
When Sena was carted off in the helicopter he arrived at the mansion where his mafia life began and his innocence began the slow, painful spiral into nonexistence. Sena had received a guard as soon as he arrived in the mansion and was settled in. The boy was his age, he was the son of Sena's god-father and had been training in kick-boxing and muay-tai since he could walk. The boy was strong and stern, but he was also soft and loyal.
"Sena, you understand now what is happening don't you?" his god father had asked him only a week after his arrival.
Sena had nodded, he knew. He was to be boss, his daddy and mommy had told him the truth when they said they wouldn't be around forever, and now they were gone Sena had a duty.
"I need to look after my famiglia."
The man sighed sadly. The boy had at least five official years left of peace, and now, because his father had been naive, the boy had none. "Do you want us to find your friends and bring them here?"
Sena hesitated, but knew that his friends would not like it if he told this man no, so he nodded and his god-father put on another one of his sad, useless smiles. Sena could read through them, even at nine, and he knew the man wished to stop Sena from seeing the rest of the mafia world.
"Okay then, I will collect them. Sena, from now on your life will be hard. You will have to train a lot and learn many things. Your friends too. You will have little freedom now." He wasn't sure the boy would understand, but he needed to, and so Anthony could do nothing but hope the boy was as intuitive as his father seemed to think he was.
"I know, Uncle-Anthony. I just want my famiglia safe."
With that the tall Italian nodded and left the room- one Sena had locked himself into as soon as his parents' funeral was over- only to return with another boy, maybe a year older than Sena, though by his face and stance you'd assume at least three or four years difference between them.
"This is my son; he is going to look after you from now on. You don't need to like it, but please just accept it." He paused as he pushed his son forward. He was selfish in his reasoning for putting the two boys together, his son needed a friend- a proper famiglia- and Sena was so accepting and warm that Anthony could only hope the boy would accept his cold son and open him back up into the world. "I need to take my leave now. Get to know each other. Maybe look around the house. I'm sure you'll find something to do."
With that Anthony left and Sena was left with the strange –nervous- boy who stood like a soldier. The boy had thick black hair and a body unbefitting of a young boy. His lean body rivaled even Seijuurou's and Sena worried this boy was unhealthy and abused too, though he doubted his father, or Uncle Anthony, would let anything like that happen.
"Are you going to be my friend?" Sena asked. His nervousness surfaced and caused his voice to sound meek and scared. He was scared, but not of the boy.
"I'm your guard." The boy's accented Japanese was funny sounding, but Sena didn't like the answer he gave.
"I know that. Are you going to be my friend? I want you to be my friend, because then you can be my famiglia."
The young boy was taken aback. In all his time he had never met someone so open. The mafia broke you in so many ways, this boy was obviously not the mafia, and that touched the lean boy in ways he didn't understand. There was something about Sena that he didn't want broken. He was lightened by Sena's smile. He wanted to protect that smile. He wanted to be a part of this 'famiglia' that made Sena smile like that.
He could only nod to Sena, whose reply was a smile brighter than a star, more powerful than even the kicks that he had been trained to deliver. "Good, but, nii-san, I don't know your name."
Smiling lightly, quirking his lips and leaning forward to embrace Sena, the boy whispered his name in Sena's ear. "But, I don't want anyone to know that name, so if you would, call me Acciaio."
Sena smiled brightly, he liked the boy's name it was so suiting and so wonderful. Though, he was determined not to call the boy by his mafia name when they were alone. Famiglia didn't do that after all.
Sena hadn't seen his guard Acciaio since he sent him on a mission four years ago. It was a hard decision for a twelve year old Sena, but he was the only member of Di Fortuna that could pull it off, the only one whose face wasn't well known. The mission was infiltration and information gathering.
Acciaio was Sena's advisor. He went to every meeting with Sena and guarded him from every threat. He was not officially a 'brother' as the others of Sena's more immediate famiglia were, but everyone in Di Fortuna and the mafia knew that Acciaio was precious, not to be trifled with, and a brother to Meteora.
The mission Sena has sent his guard on was dangerous; it was long-term and would leave Di Fortuna somewhat vulnerable for the time being. But in the end it was hoped that they would be stronger once Acciaio returned. But, they had had no news from the man since last year when Sena was in America. Though no one wanted to say it, the entirety Di Fortuna was convinced that the ex-guard now brother was dead. He was so precise when it came to keeping in contact- with Sena especially- for him to suddenly lose contact was a concern. But no one, not even some of the more disrespectful of Sena, wanted to see him cry anymore over the loss of another family member.
It had been a hard year, and Sena had to stop himself from sending more people out to search for his brother. He knew it wasn't right to want to risk others for one man, but Sena worried. Today was just another day where his memories were taking over and leaving him depressed. For once he looked forward to football training.
Hiruma was surprisingly lenient during practice, mumbling about a missing member and stupid old men. All of the members of the Devil bats were doing strength training and Sena had to be careful not to give away his true strength. He lifted 40Kg for the record, but his actual record was something around 80. Jumonji, Kuroki and Shozo also lifted only half their record of 75KG and despite the scowl on the Hiruma's face, Sena knew that the man couldn't actually yell at them. All four of them were above high school averages, and Sena especially was better than what anyone's eyes would say. Fast and Strong, a rare combination.
However, the man was more lenient than usual. Weight training only lasted half an hour before they were back on the field doing drills. The three Huhs were being trained by Kurita and were making good progress. Sena hadn't seen them having so much fun training since Acciaio was training them.
The man had a way with people; he could make you learn even during an argument.
Jumonji had taken up smoking at one point, and while Sena hated the habit he didn't have the heart to tell the blond Frenchman 'no'. Acciaio on the other hand had snatched the stick from the teen's mouth and promptly stomped it out.
Of course that had ignited a whole host of arguments, in three different languages; Acciaio had simply stared Jumonji out and made a deal with him.
"If I quite will you?" now, Sena knew how hard it was for the man to quit smoking, it was the only thing that reminded the older teen of his late father. The man always had a snuffed out smell of cigarettes about him, without it Sena knew the man would feel at a loss.
Yet he did quit.
He had quite for Sena and Jumonji's sake.
Sena's thoughts were taken from Jumonji as Hiruma launched another ball at him, trying to get him to learn to catch. Sena knew he wasn't the best catcher, but he was better than saw someone who had never played football before. He missed a few on purpose, but had to admit that the Hiruma was not a half-bad teacher. Already he knew how to catch about 50% more passes than he could before.
Suddenly, playing a sport didn't seem half as bad as he had thought it would.
Practice after school lasted for maybe three hours, then, with no kind of signal the blonde demon packed up and told the boys to shower and go home.
"And you fucking wimps better not be late for morning practice. We're running laps."
Sena sighed in relief and went with Jumonji, Kuroki, and Shozo to shower before they were going to meet up with their brothers in a local cafe.
They were just leaving the cafe when Sena's instincts spiked. He had a feeling of familiarity all afternoon. There was the tell-tale feeling of being close to someone he knew, but at the time thought it was the face that Mamori had been clinging and suspicious of him all day at school.
However, when they entered a more busy part of the town, where construction was underway, Sena knew why he was having spiked of excitement and anticipation all day.
He recognised one of the workers leaving the construction site.
Watching the man walk through the streets, Sena was immediately drawn to his stride. The man was well built, old-faced, but had that stride of a young man, of a teen trained into battle. Especially his legs.
They were thick branches, yet were lean and toned. Even under the breezy jeans the man wore, Sena could see the definition in the thighs and calves. They were the legs of a man who fought with them, who couldn't run, but had the power of ten in his kicks. Then he turned.
Even before his brothers understood what was happening Sena was gone. His speed bursting through the streets as he approached the man with the old face and lean body. There was no mistaking the stride, or the shaggy black hair that was held back with a bandana.
"Musashi!" Sena's tears were unhindered as he buried his head in a warm, firm chest. The scent of the man- faded cigarettes, sweat and wet cement- the thick sound of his beating heart, and the deep, startled breaths were proof enough, fact enough to tell Sena his brother was alive, was back; had found them again.
"Sena?" the voice wad thick with tears. It was obvious to Sena. Thick arms encircled his back, reciprocating his suffocating hug- with less strength but enough. Sena felt warm breathe in his hair and felt the tickle of water. He didn't care. He didn't care that the rather reserved Japanese people were looking at him odd.
Acciaio was back! Musashi was alive. Musashi-nii was home.
Hollered calls assaulted Sena's ears as his brothers finally caught up to him. But the calls were silence when deep, old, brown eyes bore into each bother. There was a moment of silence before Jumonji, Kuroki, and Shozo were part of the group hug.
Of all the brothers, bar maybe Seijuurou, they were the closest to Musashi. They had the most respect for him and he seemed to help them cope with the transition –both from country and innocence- when they joined Sena and his brothers in the Mafia the most. They had all been silently devastated when Sena broke the news to them- bawling as he did- that Musashi was MIA.
"Where the fuck have you been, old man?" Jumonji was the first to break the silence, his blues watered down but smiling.
"I'm sorry. So sorry." he couldn't explain, not here, not where they weren't safe.
Sena, as usual seemed to sense that, he grabbed Musashi's hand gave it a gentle tug towards the smiling, relieved others. All of them would give Musashi a hiding when Sena was in bed or was out, because the man had caused their brother-boss so much grief and pain over the past year. But right now they were too overjoyed that he was alive really, truly, here and alive.
"Let's go home, Musashi-nii. I think you need to explain."
Short chapter... so sorry Not happy with this at all, but I'll try to do something better soon.
So, who saw that coming? I mentioned I think the chapter before last about Sena's guard, Acciaio. It means Steel in Italian (internet again) and I couldn't picture anyone better to be Sena's guard and advisor than Musashi/Gen whatever... He will fit in with the future plot and I will explain his relationship with Hiruma and Kurita later... for now, thank you for reading. Please review.
Love you all
~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3