You guys are the best thing to ever happen in my life, I hope you all realise this. I am going through a really hard time and you guys are the reasons I smile and get on with the day. I want to give a huge thank you to everyone who favourite and followed this story and to all those who reviewed. You have no idea just how much it means to me and how much I appreciate you doing it for me. So truly and wholly Thank you very much for everything you all do for me.
Just a warning: none of these will be in coherent order. I will write them as I think of them, so be aware of the title. One minute Tsuna may be six months old, and the next four years. Hope it isn't too confusing!
Definition of Family.
Sixteen months old: Fear of the bathtub with Papa Colonello and Mama Lal
Nono looked down on the young child sleeping in his arms with a dear fondness that entered even deep into his eyes. He cradled the boy as he rocked and paced around the office in a comfortable, familiar way. How many years had it been since he had been able to do that with his own sons? Surely more than twenty, his boys were grown and gone now.
Nono had been apprehensive about young Tsunayoshi entering the Vongola, of course he had been, but now having had the boy in his life for the better part of a year and a half, well the aged Don could not regret it.
There was something special about a young child, so dependant and pure, that will train a Mafioso out of the blood. Tsunayoshi had been very good at helping soften the people under Nono's wing in a way that left them not vulnerable, but more purely protective of those they had a duty to protect or love; including, young Tsunayoshi.
But there was bitterness in the situation; something Timoteo was eternally regretful of.
He never imagined that his 'Young Lion' would turn out to be such a negligent father, and Nana, Timoteo never pegged her as so frivolous. Though he knew he was partly to blame, he should have never allowed the pair to go off, now they did not know the hardships of parent-hood nor of the love of a child. Tsunayoshi was still imprinting, but not on those of his blood and birth.
Nono loved Iemitsu as his own son, and Tsunayoshi was more a grandchild than any other child under Vongola's wing. But still, the boy didn't deserve to have his parents away so often, though he wondered if Tsunayoshi ever noticed, so surrounded by people as he was. That was why Nono made it his duty to spend as much time with the child as he could. He wanted to make up for the lack of 'parental' love the child received, make a routine with someone for the child, even if Tsunayoshi got ten-folds of the same kind of love from others that entered and left his life regularly. However, Nono was a Don; he could not spend all his time with the young brunet babe, as much as he wished he could.
Sighing and shifting the young baby in his arms, Timoteo sat at his desk and pulled the phone to his ear, cradling it in his shoulder as he dialed the familiar number.
"Colonello, Kora." A warm, boisterous voice greeted the aged man and made him smile.
There was the rustling of papers then a cry of pain from the energetic blonde. "CEDEF here, Lal Mirch speaking." Was the monotone of the female CEDEF officer that greeted Nono instead.
"Good morning Lal, I have a favour to ask of your and Colonello; if you have the time." There was laughter in his tone and as usual it set to relax Lal's naturally tense shoulders.
"Of course, Nono, what can we do for you?" she asked with a professionalism that never failed to make Timoteo shake his head with fondness, the woman was the best, but she could do to relax a little when she wasn't on a mission.
"I need you to look after my grandson for the evening and possibly into tomorrow as well, I have meetings and I don't like the thought of having him wander the mansion with no one to look after him. Would you mind? I know its short notice; if not I can see if Xanxus or one of the others is free."
Now, it wasn't as if Nono didn't trust the boy, but he was one; the main fact was that even at one and a half the boy had a delicate personality. He liked to be held and close to people. He needed attention and he was often subject of bouts of tears because he was alone. It hurt Timotei to see it and when he could he ensured that the boy wasn't just with the maids of the mansion but one of the main famiglia. A maid is what usually raised mafia children, but Tsunayoshi wasn't simply a mafia child.
"Of course we'll care for the kiddo, Kora." Colonello's enthusiastic voice never ceased to bring a smile to the lips of the Don, the man was especially enthusiastic around Tsunayoshi and it was wonderful to see. "We'll come pick him up in an hour or so."
There was more shuffling and shouting. A "Don't be disrespectful to Nono, brat!" and a confirmation from Lal that they would be at the doors of the mansion in an hour before taking Tsunayoshi to the CEDEF mansion and their little apartment within that.
XXXX
Colonello arrived at the door first, completely thrilled with the idea of taking Tsunayoshi for a few days, he truly loved the little tyke. The boy started giggling and reaching for the blonde even before the sniper was fully through the door. Timoteo chuckled fondly; Tsunayoshi was awfully intuitive about the people who were around him.
"Hey there little Tune!" Colonello smiled. "You lookin' forward to staying with us for a while, Kora?"
Tsuna squirmed until the old man holding him almost lost his grip, but by then the boy was already in the safe confined of a trained assassin's arms. The boy cuddled up close, smiling and happier than Timoteo had seen him lately. The boy had been very confused by the arrival and disappearance of his mother and father earlier that week. He knew who they were –for now- but not why they kept leaving. It was weighing on Tsunayoshi to watch them arrive and go with no rhyme or reason.
Another reason Timotei was sending Tsuna off to see some other people who loved him.
"Papa-Co!" Tsuna practically squealed into the man's chest.
Tsuna loved his papa, he was bright and calm all at the same time. Tsunayoshi didn't know why the man was so energetic, but he loved to play with and be in his papa's arms. They were safe and warm and he knew his papa would fight all the monsters under his bed and the boogiemen in his closet. But his Papa-Co also taught Tsuna to be strong and to fight the boogiemen on his own- but Tsuna still called Papa-co, just in case.
He hadn't seen his Papa or his mama in a long time; they worked for his Nonno-Nono and were always away. He didn't see them, or his other Papas and Mamas who were a part of their group. So when Grandpa Nono had told Tsunayoshi that he was going to stay with Lal and Colonello for a few days, well, Tsunayoshi had laughed and smiled until he cried. He missed everyone when they left. He would miss his Grandpa, but he would see him soon. He lived with his grandpa and his other Papa's in the mansion. He wouldn't be gone long.
"Bai, bai Nonno-Nono." Tsuna giggled as he and Colonello walked away, he kissed the man on the cheek before they turned away. He waved as his Mama-Lal walked up to his grandpa and smiled as Colonello started ticking and teasing him.
For Colonello it had been far too long since seeing the child. "Ah, we're going to have so much fun, little Tune, Kora!"
"Sorry for the short notice Lal." Nono divulged as they watched the blonde soldier spin Tsunayoshi around. "I wouldn't ask if I could help it." The old man really meant it. Tsunayoshi was the world to him now that he was under his primary care.
"It's fine, Nono, if we didn't want to take him we would have said. The idiot over there enjoys his company." She gestured with her chin towards the blonde sniper and young child as she took Tsunayoshi's bags off of Timotei.
"But you do too." It wasn't a question and he couldn't help but chuckle under his breath at the short flush on Lal's cheeks.
The woman was finally beginning to loosening up, for that Timoteo couldn't be happier.
They ate a small, simple lunch when they got home, there was wonderful giggling and happy 'Kora's' all around. Both the adults were contented and the child was over the moon. After all, being able to spend time with both his Mama and Papa was rare. If one wasn't working the other usually was.
For the past few months Tsuna had a fascination with building block towers, Colonello had heard this and made Tsuna some blocks during his free time. They were all perfectly square, painted and carved with either animals or the alphabet, small enough to fit in his hand and large enough that Tsuna had to use two sometimes. Colonello sat on the floor with Tsuna as Lal finished cleaning up the kitchen and was setting Tsuna's clothes in his room. It was strange to refer to it as Tsuna's room, but the empty spare room in their two bedroom apartment- three if you count their study- had since been filled with a little crib, toy upon toy- all bought or made by Colonello- and it was only natural that the little room was soon painted a pretty blue and deemed Tsuna's room. From the round-label on the door it was obvious that the two adults living in the west wing of CEDEF's mansion truly loved the little boy it belonged to.
Tsuna toddled around the blocks in amazement, picking some up before putting them down, his eyes were wide and filled with amazement and Colonello couldn't help but chuckle. "Do you like them Tsuna?" he asked with a smile.
"I wike 'em Papa." Tsuna grinned. The boy was starting to get some teeth through, slowly but surely. The boy was also waking incredibly well, not running yet – much to Colonello's annoyance- but better than most eighteen month olds.
"Well guess what, Kora?" Colonello grinned when Tsuna tilted his head to the side in silent askance. "Your Papa made those."
Suddenly brown eyes widened and the block in Tsuna's hands dropped to the floor. "Papa did?" there was awe in his voice and Colonello had to stop himself cackling and cuddling the boy. Instead, the sniper nodded enthusiastically.
Suddenly he had an arm full of Tsuna who was babbling on about how amazing his papa was and if it was okay for him to play with them. Colonello felt a swell of pride bat against his chest and a small burn of tears in the corner of his eyes. He indulged in Tsuna's hug and nodded back at the boy. "Now, shall we show your mama how amazing you are and built a giant castle for her?"
"Un!" was the boy's only reply but the brightest smile he owned, one he only ever gave to his Mamas, Papas and siblings.
When Lal came in there was a small castle of blocks with Tsuna 'bouncing' around it in joy. She still didn't really understand everything about children, but she knew Tsunayoshi inside out. To know he was so happy over simply building a castle made her walk over and sit cross-legged on the floor with him.
"What's this brat?" she asked with all the love and affection in her voice that Tsunayoshi craved in the big empty mansion.
The boy spun around to face his mama- who he hadn't heard enter- and grinned before wobbling over to her and sitting in her lap. "Tsu never made a cawsil befow!" he grinned babyishly. "Papa-Co made it for me."
Lal ruffled the head of chestnut hair fondly, "Well you better learn to build a better one then. You wouldn't want this slacker to outdo you, now would you?"
Tsuna adamantly shook his head with a look of shock on his round, chubby face, "No!" he giggled. "I wanna' be good as Mama!"
She smiled again and hid her eyes behind the fringe of blue hair. Colonello simply burst out in outrageous laughter at Lal's predicament. Tsunayoshi continued to babble along about different things that neither adult could understand, but both smile regardless. "Aw Lal, are you being embarrassed by a child?" he laughed; he didn't notice the smirk Lal sent him.
"Don't let yourself get like that idiot, alright Tsunayoshi?" she explained to the curious child with seriousness, and not to displease his mama, of course Tsuna nodded adamantly.
"O-oi, Lal!" he shouted in indignation, "Don't tell Tune that I'm useless!"
Soon enough they had finished playing with the blocks and Colonello decided to break out the easel and the paints. Tsuna used his hands to make shapes and patters, but in the end it turned into a huge mess. Though Tsuna was adamant that the two colourful blobs were his mama and papa. The two soldiers could only laugh along and nod, though Lal simply shook her head in exasperation.
"Looks like it's time for someone to take a bath, Kora!" Colonello smiled as he saw Tsunayoshi's painted predicament.
Young Tsunayoshi was covered in paint, greens splattered his clothes, and yellows and reds were all over his arms. There was some paint on the floor and even streaks across his cheeks. Considering he painted with his hands it wasn't really surprising.
As soon as the words left Colonello's mouth the blood in Tsuna's face had drained away and he was as pale as a sheet. When Colonello approached–with sheer worry- the boy sprang from the paint set and started skittering around the room. He couldn't 'run' yet, he was still a little unstable in his walk, but when he was training he was more balanced the faster he went, in an enclosed space and scared Tsunayoshi's pace became something unachievable to any other below three year old. Though it was still clumsy and unrefined, he still tripped and it was only his small size that let him get through his mama and papa's arms.
"Papa! No!" Tsuna screeched as he tried to escape from his Papa's arms. "No Baf!"
"Brat! Get back here!" Lal had been amused, watching her 'student' try to catch a well-trained, scared one-and-a-half-year old. But now the brat was testing her patience.
Yes, Lal loved Tsunayoshi and never failed to petition with her boss to come home and spend time with the young child- especially now when the signs of separation anxiety were making themselves known in the little child, he was imprinting quickly, on her, on Colonello, but especially on a few of the others; none of them Iemitsu or Nana.
Lal was thorough if nothing else in her job, she considered the care of Tsunayoshi one of those jobs. She had researched it; it was at this age that separation anxiety started, already, during the first six months his parents had only been there for the beginning, Lal doubted Tsunayoshi even truly knew who his 'parents' were. The trust babies are suppose form with their blood-kin , in Tsunayoshi had been given to the famiglia members who lived with and cared for him, not to Iemitsu and Nana.
Of course, her boss would not listen. 'Tsu~ is fine' and 'I saw him only a little while ago' Lal worried sometimes that her idiot-boss had forgotten that he didn't have to hide the Mafia from his child any more. Why else would he not want to spend time with such a wonderful young child? Of course, Lal didn't think that at all. Not that Tsunayoshi was working his way into her heart or anything.
"No! Mama!"
Tsuna continued to run around the living room, avoiding his Mama and Papa with agility that was certainly not suppose to be in an child who had been walking only eight months.
Something deep in her warmed when she heard the boy call her so warmly, she had pride to know that she was one of the first – the ninth to be specific- to be called so brightly, but it helped that the Arcobaleno – and her being in CEDEF- played a large hand in the Vongola and therefore in Tsunayoshi's life, but that didn't make it any less special when love laced the simple word. Lal would never admit it, but she longed for the day she could take it easy and have children of her own even if her pride lied with protecting the Vongola that gave her a home.
It wasn't even that long ago Tsunayoshi had truly started speaking, even now the tyke could say a select few words- Mama, Papa, no, yes, juice, box, ring, bed, sleep- things of that nature, their names of course, though some better than others, but to know she was one of the ones he thought so highly of was wonderful.
Only four months ago she would not touch the boy. When Colonello would throw him up and catch him with a carefree laugh and some pretty high screeches from the child, well Lal didn't know what to think.
She had met him at his fist birthday party- one his parents didn't arrive home for- and she had been surprised to see exactly who was present and who was not. It was strange to see such hardened Mafioso surrounding the little boy who was warm and generous, and just pure. There were the Varia, Arcobaleno, Cavallone and even the various young children of the famiglia's under Vongola's care or the orphans who were a part of the famiglia.
Though at the time Lal only went for protection, and because Nono had invited her, she didn't feel a bond to the boy, nor any enjoyment in the party. She felt it her duty to show her face and besides, Colonello was so excited about the party.
The man was completely captured by the baby, throughout the party he tried to get her to play with the boy, to have a hug or simply to go near him, but she remained adamant. She was not meant to hold or care for children; she was a Mafioso for god's sake. He was a child. It wasn't meant to happen.
Colonello had given up and went to play with the boy and the various 'Vongola children' -as they were more commonly know as- when they played silly games under the watchful eyes of one very protective group of adults and older teens.
It was towards the end, when the young children had been taken away, and duty finally taken the adults back to work that Lal, Colonello and a select few were left in the family room watching over the Cavallone boss' child and Tsunayoshi.
The heir was playing with a few of the other adults, his father included, when Tsunayoshi had approached her on not so wobbly feet- he had been walking since nine months. He was far more stable on his feet than most one year olds, and it was because Nono had ensured the boy was trained- softly for now- so he would not he injured or taken advantage of in his Mafia future. So with sure steps, the young birthday boy approached Lal and latched onto her leg.
She looked down in surprise, and in the corner of her eyes noticed Colonello sit straight when the boy approached her. Looking into the clear, golden-brown eyes she couldn't help but see the burning fire behind them and see the potential in his body. Lal supposed at the time that it was the boy's lineage that made her so interested; he was Primo's final descendent after all that was enough to get half the mafia- and the rest- interested in the boy.
"What do you want, boy?" she asked in a tone that was probably harsher than it needed to be. The other mafia members in the room had stiffened up when they heard her voice, having for the better part of the night forgotten the steely woman was there.
Colonello watched the scene with interest, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. Lal didn't notice really because the boy lifted his arms up and made grabbing hands in askance. "What's that?" she had asked, not about to let the boy become demanding.
"Up!" he called out in a toddlerish voice, but with better inflection than most. Again, Nono insisted he get tutored from a young age, he wouldn't have the boy taken advantage of because he didn't fully understand mafia-etiquette. Though the lessons were few and far between- besides the private 'tutoring' the young child received from those around him.
"Up peas." He smiled and she sighed through her nose. He wanted up.
Suddenly the boy squeaked as he was hoisted up into the arms of the blonde sniper. He called happily as he snuggled into the willing arms of the man, and Lal couldn't help but smile.
She would never admit to loving the fool to anyone. But the man was her best friend, and despite their bickering and their squabbles they were close enough to make their relationship seem non-existent while enjoying the company of the other. To see him handle the child, to pick him up and coddle him. Well, Lal couldn't help but enjoy the scene.
"Papa-Co!" The boy babbled in the man's arms, smiling and happy, and kissing the blonde's cheeks with love lacing his movements. It made Lal smile even more, because she couldn't see any place the blonde belonged more than with a child in his arms.
"I want you to meet someone, Lal." He called over to his fiancé with softness that startled her a little. He rarely used such a soft voice.
"What is it?" she demanded rather coolly. She walked over to the man and was surprised to see young Tsunayoshi making 'grippie' hands at her again with a small pout on his face. She could do nothing but blink at the child. Really, what did it want?
"This is Tsunayoshi. Little Tune this is Lal."
The child looked at her again with those warm brown eyes, Lal watched on curiously but with enough space between them that the baby couldn't touch her. She wasn't really sure how to react around children; they always cried and needed support and love. She wasn't that kind of person, she taught her students with a stiff, brutal hand, the brunet in front of her looked to break with even a misplaced breath.
But nonetheless, Colonello placed Tsunayoshi into Lal's arms and held him gently there until Lal could hold him on her own with no fear of her suddenly dropping the child. Lal of course was stood stalk still as her fiancé placed the young child into her arms. He moved her to shift her weight, and naturally she shifted as he wanted. Soon enough she had a curious boy looking up into her as if she were suppose to do something.
"Lal!" the boy smiles, such a wide, warm smile. "Nice to mweet ou." Tsuna smiled toothily.
Again, Lal could only stare at him and nod mutely. Again, not sure what she was suppose to do.
Then Tsunayoshi leant forward with a determined glint in his eyes and a serious look on his little round face.
"Ne, Lal, you're awful pwety." He said softly, so quiet that no one in the living room but Lal and Colonello could hear it.
Lal almost instantly tightened her grip- only a little- on Tsuna and flushed a light pink that slowly grew darker as the young boy turned to his 'papa' to hell at him for laughing. "She is a pwety wadey, Papa-Co!"
Colonello, despite himself and his ass later, had broken down laughing and was clutching at his stomach with only a hand on the mantelpiece to keep him upright. Nothing has prepared him for Tsuna's little compliment. The boy was so perceptive, if not brutally naive. It was something warming and something sweet, even if in the future Colonello knew that innocence would disappear.
Lal had stuttered for a moment, not sure whether to look and the laughing idiot on his way to collapsing on the floor, or the young child with such sincerity in his words. Lal was not confident in herself at all, she was also not very 'lady-like' to be called pretty by such a young child, one who could definitely not know about deceit- despite his current company- was something that warmed her deeply.
"Thank you, bambino. You are very cute too, for a brat."
That had been four months ago, and two months ago the boy had called Lal 'Mama 'for the first time while they were cuddling on the couch, and she would be rather die than admit that she almost cried. Cause damnit she was a Mafioso. She didn't care about the child. She didn't want him to keep calling her by that damned name!
Suddenly the boy rounded the corner of the couch with Colonello chasing after him and Lal moved in. She picked up Tsuna up from under his arms and cradled the thrashing body of the almost-two-years old against her while rocking a little as she did to calm him.
"Now now brat, you need a bath. Your Nonno told us to give you one." Okay so a little lie wouldn't hurt the brat.
"No Mama!" tears started glistening to the horror of the gathered adults.
Tsunayoshi was a cry baby, but he didn't often use it to get his own way. He seemed genuinely scared of the prospect of a bath. He wasn't a child to use crocodile tears, he often tried to hide his tears from the adults unless he was genuinely in a lot of pain or was suddenly or seriously scared of something- he was far too perceptive of the worry the adults held over him.
"What's wrong with the bath, Little Tune?" Colonello asked as he approached Lal and the child.
There were some babbled answers that made little sense to the adults, but Tsuna was trying to wipe his tears away and was obviously really scared. "B-baf wiwl eat Tsuna!" he bawled as he buried his face in Lal's hair as it tumbled down her shoulder.
Both adults did a double take, neither were quite sure what the boy meant, but apparently something about the bath made it seem like a monster. Lal sighed with frustration as she walked Tsuna to the bathroom, Colonello hot on her tail.
"Brat, the bath isn't going to hurt you. Watch." Lal sat him on the counter by the sink while Colonello held him.
Sitting on the edge of the stand-alone bath, Lal leant over and turned the taps on, when the loud rushing water hit the basin of the tub Tsuna cried a little louder and covered his ears. Lal and Colonello gave each other sceptical looks but carried on anyway while giving Tsuna lots of comfort via a warm hand rubbing his back thoroughly.
Once it was filled enough Lal turned off the tap. "Come on Kiddo. Time to wash." Colonello set the child on the floor and stripped him down putting his clothes to the side to get washed. He handed the boy off to Lal and leant on the sink just watching for a moment.
What neither was prepared for was the sheer struggle Tsuna would put up to stay out of the bath. He flailed around, sheer panic making his usually intermediate kicks a little stronger, he clung to Lal as if the earth was tilting and she was the only stable point. He kept screaming and crying until finally his babble made sense.
"No! It hot!" he screeched as he grabbed anything to keep himself out of the bath. He pushed his little foot against the sides of the tub, crying, trying to tell him Mama and Papa why they shouldn't put him in the tub.
Colonello took a turn to look surprised as he raised his eyebrow. He crouched near Lal and dragged his hand through the water. For him it was cold, he liked a practically scalding bath- as did Lal- but he knew this temperature shouldn't hurt Tsunayoshi. Did he get hurt by hot water before?
"Tsuna," he spoke softly as he leant up a little to run his wet hand alone Tsuna's leg, showing the boy it wasn't hot, "the water isn't hot. I promise."
"Papa-Co pwomeses?"
With a nod from his papa the boy finally settled down with a scared frown on his lips, one that crunched his little eyebrows together, and tears still clinging to his eyelashes.
They finally had Tsunayoshi in the bath, the struggling and fearful screaming had died down enough that he was quietly contemplating whether the bath was safe or not, obviously assured that the water wouldn't burn him. Then Lal did something unexpected. Grabbing a soap bottle she poured generous dollops of soap into the warm water before aggravating it and causing a mass of fluffy white bubbles to start to form.
Lal smirked and started splashing Tsuna, bubbles flying everywhere as she laughed with him. "Come on, Brat." She giggled softly –a scowl still on her face even if softer- "Is that all you got?"
"Mama-Lal!" Tsuna practically screeched with laughter, "Stop, Tsu's getting buboos everywhere!"
Colonello sighed at the sight, it looked aggravated but he was so content with the image. He walked out of the room to get towels for Tsuna and Lal, but when he got back he couldn't help but sigh again, this time with pure happiness. Lal was washing Tsuna gently while the boy played with the mass of bubbles surrounding his pale body and his lush chestnut hair.
Colonello caught the warm, beautiful smile on Lal's face. It wasn't often she let herself feel, but when she did it was open and warm and totally unbridled. It was becoming increasingly common around young Tsunayoshi. The second most reason that Colonello insisted that they visit the lad so much.
Reason three was because the boy was pretty much abandoned by his own family. Colonello had never personally met either Nana or Iemitsu, but that was probably for the best, because he would give the both of them a rather stern word about the treatment of their first born. But it was for the best he didn't meet them, he wanted Tsuna to himself, even if he had to share the boy with people that wholly loved the boy.
Reason one was the sheer joy the boy brought him, Colonello was pride filled and protective of - to the point that it rivalled even Reborn's protectiveness- when the boy called him Papa. Colonello has the right to boast that he was only the fifth to be called so respectfully by the young child.
He had met Tsunayoshi when the boy was only four months old. Luce had brought the boy to one of their Arcobaleno meetings –one Lal didn't attend for this or that reason- having been asked by Nono to look after the child for the evening. It was fair to say he, Skull and Fon fell in love with the child, though Fon was more appreciative of the purity than 'in love' with the child at the time.
Luce said it would do them well to care for Tsunayoshi, and they had him for the entire weekend to do so. Apparently Luce had met Tsuna not long after he was born, so the boy wasn't so upset with the sudden disappearance of Nono and the others who lived in the mansion with him.
The weekend was amazing, even if the boy was only small and could not do much more than goo and gaa with funny little expressions on his beautiful round face, Colonello found himself totally enthralled with caring for the child.
Though he noticed the way the boy seemed already comfortable and trusting of them, strangers as they were. He had questioned Luce about this and the woman almost had a sad look in her eyes as she gazed at the brunet babe cuddling into Skull's chest, almost sleeping.
"He is incredibly pure, his intuition is strong and his flames will be powerful; I think he just knows that none of us will hurt him. We're all strong, he knows this instinctually."
Of course that was met with some scoffs of 'who won't hurt the kid?' and 'I'm losing money, leave me out of it' but Colonello could only grin, deciding he would steal the child from Skull and Fon and go play within him in the peace and quiet.
From there he really hit it off with the kid, the child fed off of his powerful, energetic aura and Colonello fed off of the pure, innocent joy the child displayed. He knew, somehow, that Tsunayoshi would be perfect. He soon introduced Lal to the child, and to see the results sent his heart fluttering. After all, Lal was the only woman he truly loved. Watching the woman, scarred and stiff, play with the child as if he were her own, listening to the loving laughter of 'Mama' cooed from Tsunayoshi's soft voice, well, Colonello couldn't help but like the image.
When Lal reached for a towel and wrapped the boy up before cuddling him instinctively Colonello wrapped the second towel around Lal's shoulders and wrapped his arms around her waist. She would normally have reacted violently to this with Tsuna in the room, but with the boy in her arms she could do nothing but flush and glower.
Then he leant in and kissed her cheek, whispering softly in his husk voice. "I love ya' Lal."
Tsuna looked on curiously as his Papa-Co smirked and his Mama-Lal blushed. He didn't really understand why his Mama was blushing, people always kissed Tsuna and he didn't get like that.
"Papa! What did you do to Mama?" Tsuna asked with a small tilt of his little head.
Colonello was shocked but smiled softly and kissed the boy's cheek. "I kissed your Mama 'cause I love her." Colonello grinned at the boy and when he saw the warm smile he couldn't help but feel proud.
Then Tsunayoshi leant forward and pressed a soft, sloppy kiss to Lal's exposed cheek as she was turned away to glare at Colonello. "Tsu' loves Mama too!" He grinned, mirroring- almost- Colonello's smile. Lal blushed darker and Colonello grinned more like a Cheshire than before.
"That's my boy!" He smirked.
"Colonello!" Lal almost seethed. "What are you teaching the brat?"
Of course Tsuna could only smile and cuddle his Mama as they walked into the living room of their little apartment. He was handed over to Colonello for drying and changing as Lal went to make some coffee- some milk for Tsuna- all the while grumbling about 'stupid men'.
As Colonello was finishing drying the young child off, Lal walked back with the drinks and as soon as she sat next to Colonello a wobbly, sleepy Tsunayoshi crawled onto her lap before settling himself comfortably in her arms with Colonello's surrounding them both. Lal leant against Colonello, and he didn't tease her this time, because it wasn't often him and his ex-teacher got some quiet time- they got even fewer moments with Tsuna.
Tsuna yawned quietly as the TV was flicked onto some news channel and asked his Mama and Papa when he'd get to have a bath again. Colonello and Lal couldn't have been happier, because the way Nono had explained it those who tried to bathe Tsunayoshi ended up near exhausted and completely guilty from forcing the youngster to go into the 'bad tub'.
Both Colonello and Lal had heard some awful stories from Brow Nie Jr. about his experience trying to give Tsunayoshi a bath. Though Colonello joked that that may have been where the boy's fear came from.
"See, Tsuna, the bath isn't so bad kora!" Colonello smiled and ruffled the tyke's spiky hair until it was even messier than it normally was. The boy laughed and tried to push away the offending hand, but seeing as Colonello was already retracting it, it didn't matter much.
"No Papa-Co!" Tsuna smiled brightly as he snuggled into his mama's chest. "Tsuna loves the baf. Espesly wif Mama and Papa!"
Colonello couldn't help the light smile as he watched Lal blush lightly and Tsuna cuddle even more. Tsuna was beautiful and wonderful. He was kind and smart in his own way, and he had a gravity that could not be compared. Both Lal and Colonello looked on at him with totally loving, indulgent eyes. Yes, neither Lal nor Colonello were Tsunayoshi's mother or father, but surely that didn't matter, because both of them loved Tsuna like their own child and would do anything for him.
"No Papa! You can't leave! You're not allowed!" Tsuna cried large, fearful, hurt tears. His first papa was leaving again. This time, his Nonno had told him it was for a long time. Tsuna didn't like it.
His papa told him he wouldn't leave, his papa promised. Tsuna didn't understand why his papa would lie to him. Lying was bad. That's what Mama-Luce always told him.
"Tsuna-trash what did I say about crying?" a deep voice greeted young Tsuna's ears as a large hand descended to ruffle his untamed brunet hair.
(Especially with Mama and Papa) - That's in case you didn't understand little Tsuna at the end.
So I put in a little ColonelloxLal love. I think it would be adorable! (Hint would anyone like to draw that scene for me? XD) don't you think so?
I want to thank you all again. Truly I never thought I could write anything fluffy. I love you all! Thank you!...
So... I think I made that hint a little too obvious... next chapter: "2 and a half years old: Separation anxiety and..."
Please review! Thank you all so very much! I love you.
~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3