So this is one of the chapters I've most been looking forward to, and I think all of you have been looking forward to it to. Now, it may not be all that long, and it isn't just going to cover a four month old Tsuna, but at least it's published. There will be more Reborn and Tsuna in the future. I solemnly swear it!
Summary: In this story Tsuna grew up in the mafia, his parents weren't often around –to the point that Tsuna almost didn't remember them- so instead, little Tsu~ was raised by his many different Mamas and Papas. This is a collection of his milestones and those who were there to witness them. First up Mama!Lussuria. Adventure cause what else is Child-rearing?
Definition of Family:
Four months old: lullabies and Gun shorts with Papa Reborn
"Hush now, what did I say about crying, Tsuna?" The voice was heavy and calm; there was affection in the tone even if it was hidden behind a bravado that not many could see through.
The man was sitting in a dark, baby's room in a rocking chair that overlooked the balcony. Soft moonlight was cast across his legs as he rocked a fussing child. The child was only four months old, but he trusted the man who held him more than anyone else.
As the man rocked he hummed in his deep voice, the song was pretty, a lullaby from his own childhood, the Mafioso would never have imagined he'd be singing the song to anyone else, but he was so glad that he could sing it to Tsuna.
As the baby calmed from his fussing he opened his large brown eyes and hiccupped, he had woken to the dark room without his nightlight and hadn't been able to see the one who had put him to bed. Terrified and tired he had cried, knowing someone would arrive soon, as usual, the man rocking him in the chair had appeared even before the third scream had left his lips.
Smiling up at the shadowed face, Tsuna gurgled and reached towards the gun holder strapped to the man's chest, under his arm. A small smile lifted Tsuna's lips as he listened to the humming and was slowly dragged back into sleep. The man leant down when the eyes slid shut and placed a small kiss on his little forehead.
"That's better."
Reborn continued to rock the child for a long while; he knew that the baby was asleep, of anyone who cared for young Tsunayoshi it was Reborn who would know the child's every motion and every little quirk. It was Reborn, after all, who cared for him the most, who was there when he cried first, and who was the guardian over Tsuna's crib when darkness descended.
Rocking gently, the double doors that lead out onto the balcony open to let in a gentle breeze, Reborn let the Italian lullaby drift past his lips in that deep, soothing voice of his. He was, well he had no other word for it but comfortable. He was comfortable with Tsuna, sitting in the little room, singing soft songs and protecting the abandoned child. he never thought he would be, but holding the innocence that depended on him made Reborn feel more human than he'd felt in a long time.
Without realising it Reborn had stopped singing, he continued to rock the well-oiled rocking chair, but his melodious voice paused in the middle of the gentle song. Dark eyes looked out onto the balcony where moonlight spilt across the marble like snow; Reborn smiled in spite of himself and allowed himself to imagine what the young ward in his arms would be like in the years to come.
Tsuna fussed in his arms, sniffling before whimpering softly. Tsuna was never extremely fussy, only screeching in that childish way when he was alone and frightened, when he was with someone he trusted- Reborn and Xanxus especially- he would whimper for comfort and sniffle for attention. He was a rather demanding child, in his own way.
Dark eyes swiveled down to the baby wrapped in orange blankets with an amused-exasperated smirk on tilted lips. "You're going to be quite a trouble-maker, aren't you, Tsuna?"
But despite those words Reborn wasn't annoyed nor worried, he could already feel it- had been there to see the child react to Vongola Timoteo- the boy had flames as big and harmonising as the Earth's gentle shift into each season. Nothing Reborn had ever seen compared to the harmonising quality of Tsuna's flames. For them to call out even to Reborn's hidden, shielded rays of yellow proved that the boy would be unstoppable as an earthquake and as gentle as a feather's kiss.
The boy would be beautiful and worth any kind of trouble he made.
Tsuna's wide eyes followed Reborn as he walked around, being stuck in his soft-crib wasn't any fun, and he was really curious. At just over a year Tsuna spent a lot of time with Reborn, and the man had a foldable crib-playpen in the closet just for Tsuna.
Noticing the staring Reborn paused in his pacing to lift the child to his chest. Settling the baby on his hip, Reborn's critical eyes observed the child. Tsunayoshi's brown eyes blinked at Reborn happily before trailing up to his fedora, and Reborn understood exactly what Tsuna had been starting at.
Reaching for his partner, Reborn held his hand out to Tsunayoshi and allowed the baby and animal to meet for the first real time.
"This is Leon, Tsuna. Leon is my partner."
Tsunayoshi seemed to contemplate that in his baby way, a small hand reaching out to stroke the green thing with a gentleness unnatural to most babies. Leon leant into the touch, feeling naturally at ease as her partner smiled and coaxed the baby into a similar level of comfort.
Feeling generous and calm, Leon allowed her tongue to flick out and miss the infant's hand gently, she would have smiled in happiness at the received laughing-squeal of joy that left the baby's mouth form her action if she could have.
"'eon, Papa! 'eon!"
Reborn chuckled deeply as he swayed with Tsuna in his arms. "Very good, dame-Tsuna. This is Leon."
Reborn was a man of sentiment, not many people knew this, but he was. Little things truly brought the warmest feeling to his heart, and sometimes, the simplest actions of appreciation and love meant the most.
Tsuna would never know it, because Reborn would never in a thousand years tell him, but when he called Reborn 'Papa' for the first time, when Tsuna clapped happily in his arms and smiled warmly at him- when Tsunayoshi trustedhim- Reborn never felt so much love for anyone else.
Reborn's greatest achievement and most prideful moment was being called Papa by Tsuna. The boy, as he would be even before Dino, was Reborn's one and only son. The child, so young and innocent and pure was the only thing Reborn always wished for, someone to love him unconditionally and someone he could protect with no bias or boundary.
Yes, Tsuna was young and could do nothing for himself right now, but that didn't matter to Reborn, because that was what babies were. They were clean slates waiting for guidance and care, Reborn was a Spartan tutor, who got the job done, but his wards were his pride and he never tainted or damaged such a powerful cause.
"I'll make sure you grow up to be a strong, and I'll keep you safe from any and everything." Reborn's deep tenor hummed to the two year old Tsunayoshi.
It had been a long day, from painting and training to teaching Tsuna Japanese, Reborn had been on the move practically all day; he didn't mind but he was tired. Usually he did not condone naps, they were a waste of time, but when he had Tsunayoshi for a day he finally saw the brilliance of even a half-hour power nap. Sheer genius.
So that was where they were, Reborn had noticed Tsuna flagging during their second hour of Japanese and when he turned his eyes to the time he was relieved to find it was Tsuna's afternoon nap. Snagging the child from the table Reborn cuddled him close to his chest, humming and rocking as if the child were younger than he was. Everyone thought the boy younger, given his size and some mannerisms.
"Papa, I'm not tiwred." Tsuna had tried to defend, though with half-lidded eyes and yawns singing from his lips Reborn had his doubts.
"Whatever you say, Dame-Tsuna." Ignoring his charge's moan of rebuke, Reborn settled himself onto his bed with Tsuna lying peacefully across his chest and abdomen. The Hitman flicked the TV onto some news channel for background noise and made sure Tsuna was comfortable and secure.
With Tsuna drifting, but not sleeping, Reborn chuckled and began humming the soft, deep lullaby that seemed to have been ingrained as naturally soothing into Tsuna from his infancy. As his chest vibrated and that rumbling sound reverberated through Tsuna, Reborn only just caught the soft, sighed words that drifted from the sleepy toddler's lips.
"Love my Papa."
Reborn had just come back from a rather tense meeting with the other Arcobaleno, they were discussing the enigma that was Checker-face and the various things they needed to put into place to detain and investigate the man.
The only problem then was that none of them could agree upon anything. Fon wanted a passive-aggressive approach, Colonello wanted a clean hit- over and done with- Lal agreeing with him to a point, Luche simply rubbed her stomach with unease, she was heavily pregnant and Reborn could see the stress getting to her.
He of course could see that no one wanted to really act upon anything. Checker-face had been quiet up until then, he hadn't chased them or offered any kind of deal since he first appeared five years ago. Of course, Reborn was a strong believer in Murphy's law. He would not make a decision until all his cards were dealt and his win was assured.
One of the rare things that he and Mammon could agree on.
That and the care and safety of one young child.
Sighing angrily Reborn diverted his route to Tsunayoshi's classroom- the boy should be learning geography from one Brow Nie Jr. at that time- and instead stalked towards the firing range, Leon already comfortably situated in his pale hand.
It did neither him, not Tsunayoshi's kind heart any good if they spent the day together with Reborn tense and angry. Tsuna usually took it as his fault that Reborn was angry, last time the boy had been crying with a Sippy-cup of coffee in his hands blabbering about being sorry –for making Reborn mad, for not being allowed to carry coffee in a mug- and Reborn couldn't help but let an honest to god smile flick at his lips at the memory. Tsuna was too considerate and adorable at times.
As he arrived at the emptied firing range Reborn let himself fall into the rhythm of load, fire, reload, fire and allowed himself to fire off spinning round after round until his hand actually numbed from the softened recoil of his customary gun.
Sighing to himself Reborn allowed Leon back onto his fedora before running a hand through his untamed hair. His fedora was sitting on the firing table and as his fingers left his hair, Reborn pulled the ear plugs out of his ears. Okay, he admitted it, it was rather childish to let out his frustrations on the target and Leon, but it was his way and people better damn well stay out of his way and let him release his damned frustration!
Replacing his fedora- sleeping Leon and all- Reborn turned towards the exit of the firing range, however he paused when he spied a concerned looking brunet peering into the plexi-glass observation window; when Tsuna had arrived Reborn didn't know.
"Papa! I'm glad you're back!" Tsuna chirped as Reborn entered the waiting lounge. He ran up to his Papa and clung to the black-trousered legs, looking up into dark eyes with a radiant smile Tsuna welcomed Reborn home.
Reborn reached down and settled Tsuna comfortably onto his hip, smiling and asking Tsuna about his day Reborn settled into their usual routine. But suddenly Tuna physically turned Reborn's head to face his, startled and curious Reborn complied.
He soon found his and his ward's foreheads placed together and Tsuna's deep, golden-brown eyes staring into his.
"Papa, you don't need to be fwustered." Tsuna babbled in a moment of pure seriousness.
Reborn's eyes widened, Tsuna was intuitive- pure Hyper-Intuition running in his veins- but to be read so easily by the child startled even the great Hitman Reborn.
"I love Papa-Reborn, and I always will love Papa with my everything."
Reborn's face broke into a warm, unguarded smile, he leant forward- ignoring his Fedora shifting and revealing his face- to place a loving, exuberant kiss to Tsunayoshi's forehead.
"And I love you more, Tsuna."
A two year old Tsuna stood to the side of the entrance hall as the members of the Varia made their way into the grand foyer and towards the medical bay, Xanxus breaking off from the crowd to shuffle off to his father's office and report in.
It was like normal, Tsuna had heard news that the Varia were returning home from one of their longer missions and had immediately run off towards the entrance hall to greet them; just like normal. He didn't pay attention to the panic or unease in the maid's and butler's voices as they spoke of the squad's arrival home- his Papas, Mamas and Brother were home that was all that mattered to Tsuna.
When Tsuna had arrived at the foyer, expecting to run and tackle Papa-Xan in a hug, be scooped up by Mama-Luss and Mama-Mammon, and be able to sneak Bel-nii's crown away the little boy was shocked into silence when his family appeared, limping and tattered in the entrance way. They were covered in red and black, their clothes were tarnished and their faces grim. They walked funny too, and Tsuna was immediately assaulted with a scent that wasn't like death (usually meaning success), but wasn't like life (a scent that hung around everyone when they didn't go on a mission). He found himself shaking despite himself, and though he didn't really understand the feeling, his body was telling him to get away from the red yet investigate it.
Shuffling appeared at his side and Tsunayoshi's wide, curious eyes met with a deep, dark brown. The man was tall and wide, his hair was a tousled red- a deep red closer t brown then ginger- and his shoulders were wide set. He had a caring smile, if not a rather stern and scary face. But he was charismatic and loyal, even to the child at his feet.
"Fratello, whas dat awl ova my Mamas an' Papa?"
Dark eyes looked up to the precession of scowling Varia members, running a wide, scarred hand through his already messy hair the man turned to answer the ever-curious child's question.
"That, little Tsunayoshi is blood. The Varia were injured during their last mission."
"In-jud?" the young boy tried to mimic.
"Yes, that is blood Tsunayoshi, it means that they were hurt and they were defeated."
Tsuna didn't really understand that 'defeated', he had never seen so much red and had never seen his family look so broken. Tsunayoshi did understand hurt; like when he scraped his knee; like when he fell over and winded himself. That Tsunayoshi understood.
"I dun like it."
The man sighed and lifted the young boy into his arms, he knew the shock of watching an assassination gone wrong- it was usually a messy affair to bring the hit back into your favour- Tsunayoshi was a little younger than they had expected, but for the family it was time he learnt.
"No, but you need to accept it. Let's go find your Papa, huh?"
Tsuna could only cuddle into the older man's neck, unsure of what he had seen and what it meant for the future. All he knew was that his Papa-Xan was covered in red- blood- and it meant he was very hurt.
No, Tsuna didn't like that at all.
So there was your little hint for the next chapter... now you may or may not be able to guess who that character interacting with Tsuna is, that could be because he isn't really 'well explored' in the Manga, or because I'm not very good at description... so have a guess, here's the title; Two years old: Blood, injury and training; This is...Have fun guessing XD
I'm sorry this is so late, things have... happened that were beyond my control and I just let this slide... not to mention how much everyone has been looking forward to Papa!Reborn, I didn't want to disappoint anyone... anyway...
So I've simply decided to make many Papa!Reborn chapters, because there is too much fluff to be had with Papa!Reborn!
Thank you for reading! Please review!
~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3