Sooooo I'm back! I hope you all missed me! I'm just joking; I hope you didn't miss me too much and that the last month or so was good to you. For those with exams now, or in the next few weeks, I extend my luck to you, because now that I'm finished I never want to do that again.
Please enjoy this chapter of DoF, I'm so sorry this is so short. I'll try to get back to regular length in two weeks.
For those who follow ENOIS I will have a chapter out before I post anything else, it was just that this chapter only had about two or three paragraphs to finish and ENOIS takes a lot of research so it takes me longer for each chapter-sorry to anyone waiting.
Thank you everyone who reviewed, if I didn't make it to reply to your review I am so sorry. Sometimes my email deletes my messages without me, but I read them all and love them eternally. Thank you.
Definition of Family.
Three and a half years old: Imitating with Mama and Papa Varia, Bel-nii, and Mukuro-nii
It was one of those rare, silent times on the Vongola estate. For the most part, Nono wasn't busy and the various members of the famiglia were off doing their own thing. For once the Arcobaleno were together for one of their private meetings, and half the Varia too was off doing some training. The children in the orphan's wing were also off having routine check-ups or napping in their rooms.
The only individuals free of this unusual norm were three of the probably most destructive and prone to outburst of violence and laughter; and all three of whom were extremely bored.
"Kufufufu, did the dress-up princess just throw a knife at me?"
"VOOOOOIIII! Who hid the door?! I just ran into a wall!"
EXTREMELY bored.
"Ushishishi. The prince suggests we go find something more interesting to entertain our time."
"Kufufufu, what makes you think I'm going to listen to you?"
"Vooiii! Shut up, you damn kids." Squalo sighed- though even that was loud. "I was told to watch over you while that damned old man was doing paperwork."
"Ushishishi, and what makes you think you can look after me?" Bel rose to his full height, having been leaning against the wall. "I'm fifteen, I'll be damned if you look after me; old man. Ushishishi."
"Kufufufu, a pathetic swordsman isn't enough to look after me." Mukuro scoffed, a little offended that the white-haired male had even suggested it. "I could run circles around you, old man."
"Voooiii!" Squalo's face took on a slightly embarrassed redness as he swung his sword around, "Shut the hell up! No way could any brat run circles around me, I'd slice you!"
Suddenly, without any of them noticing the door to the living room creaked open and a tuft of brown hair peered in. Brown eyes scanned the room before a huge smile burst across his face. Using everything his Papa-Reborn, Papa-Co, Mama-Lal and Fratellos had taught him, Tsuna snuck up behind an unsuspecting second in command.
"Mama-Squ!" His sharp voice sent all three males reeling, and though Squalo instinctively knew who had called him- his maternal instincts firing on all cylinders since Tsuna called him 'Mama' for the first time- the other two boys had become slightly defensive; they had no idea exactly how much training Tsuna had synthesised.
"Tuna, you know better than to sneak up on people." The commander sighed, ignoring the intrigued gaze from the storm guardian and mist child. "We're assassins." though he reprimanded the little three and a half year old Squalo still reached behind him and settled Tsuna on his hip.
"But I wus bored, Mama-Squ. Nonno-Nono wus busy." Tsuna moped, cuddling into Squalo's hair. "All my papas aren't home too. So I wanted to see Mama!" Tsuna chattered happily, loving seeing his Mama after so long.
Recently the Varia and Vongola in general were having trouble with some minor disturbances around their various headquarters; many of Tsuna's carers' were away, including Squalo. Even the Arcobaleno had been in and out of the complex, leaving Tsunayoshi frustrated and lonely. Even if Timoteo tried to subside that loneliness with his own company, he was not as young as he used to be and though Tsunayoshi didn't voice it he was bored of waiting in his Nonno's office all day.
"Ushishi, the prince thinks we've found his new play thing."
"Kufufufu, if you think I'll let Tsunayoshi go with you, you're sorely mistaken; dress-up fool." Mukuro smirked, his trident materialising in his hands just as Bel drew out his knives.
"Stop!" Suddenly Tsuna, having been placed back on the floor by Squalo, had gotten in between Mukuro and Bel. "Nii-san sul'dnt fight!" Tsuna demanded a deep look of concentration on his face, "Fighting is for tra'nin."
Both Mukuro and Bel blinked before grinning, and suddenly there were no weapons, and each boy had one of Tsuna's arms in their much larger hands. Mukuro glared at Bel, and though he could only sense it, Mukuro knew Bel was glaring right back.
"Kufufu, come Tsunayoshi. I promised to show you those pretty pictures last time we were together."
"Ushishishi, come on little princess; time to go show you how to throw knives."
Another tug on each arm had Tsuna wincing slightly, trying to soothe the two boys. However, upon seeing his 'child' wince, Squalo swung his swords toward the two older boys. Cussing, they dropped Tsuna's arms, and said child dropped to the ground having seen the same move many times over his short childhood.
"Voooii, don't touch Tsuna you stupid brats. As if you think I'd trust Tsuna with either of you."
"Kufufufu, I thought of playing with Tuna first; so back off, barbarians." Mukuro sniffed his attitude surprisingly sharp for a seven year old.
No one noticed Tsuna's face begin to panic as the three older people began to fight amongst themselves, nor did they notice when his face slowly lit up in recognition; a giggle starting to bubble in his gut and bounce out of his mouth.
"Kufufushishishi!" Tsuna giggled as he watched each and every person in the room either wince or drop their jaw. "I have nuf time for all of you, tras'! Voooooiiii!" Of course he started giggling in the middle and the words dropped onto a fit of uneven tones.
After a beat of silence and quite the look from Squalo, it was Belphegor that broke the silence.
"Ush- I can't, ushishishi, the Prince can't handle it!" He grabbed his stomach and the fifteen year old assassin dropped to his knees before rolling onto his back, he contorted with tears on his face as Tsuna continued to laugh and prance around. "Little princess, you- ushishishi- you have to stop it!"
Tsuna continued to giggle as he watched his brothers and mama try and fail to contain both their winces from the butchered speech ticks of theirs, and the laughter from the way it sounded coming from a child's mouth.
Just as Tsuna's stomach was starting to tense from all the laughter, thumping boots entered the room and the sound of confusion ground out from the back of said boots owner's throat.
"What are you bastards doing?"
Xanxus stood in the doorway, his jacket held in one hand as he observed the four people on the floor. His face was twisted in shock as Tsuna got up and strode over to him. His feet moved quickly, and even before Xanxus could prepare himself a giant smile broke out across the young child's face
"Papa, you're finally back! I'm pwaying with these twashes." Tsuna giggled happily as he clung to Xanxus' trouser leg.
"...'trashes'...?" Xanxus' face darkened as he parroted his 'son' and as he reached down to pull the child into his arms- said child clinging comfortably to his surrogate father's neck- the three other men in the room gulped and scooted at least a few steps away from Xanxus.
Self preservation and all.
"Yup." Tsuna grinned, "Bel-nii, Muku-nii, and Mama!" He chirped before a big smile lifted his lips. "Just like Papa says."
Xanxus blinked before a small grin threatened to lift his lips. "And me, little Tsuna? Am I a trash too?"
Tsuna's eyes widened then, before he leant up and patted his papa's cheeks. "Course not, Papa. Youwr not twash!"
"That's my boy," Xanxus hummed lightly, completely startling the illusionist, prince, and shark man. "I'm glad you can recognise trash for what it is."
Tsuna started babbling and giggling, patting his Papa's face. Xanxus smiled indulgently, wrapping the edges of his coat around Tsuna before turning back to his two subordinates and the illusionist child his own Varia member was training.
"While this is amusing," He began, "if I ever find out that any of you-" though he trained his eyes on Bel and Mukuro "-have taught Tsunayoshi something...'inappropriate' I will make sure to castrate you in the most painfully scarring way, and I won't be done there; not even Vindicare can imagine what I'll do to you."
With that the man turned on his heel and stalked out, bouncing Tsuna along the way and murmuring to the boy in the only gentle manner he was capable of. Squalo, Belphegor, and even Mukuro were silenced as the waves of killer intent diffused after Xanxus' very real threat.
"U-ush-ushishishi. B-boss is scary." Bel finally managed to stutter out.
"Kufufufu, seems like bears aren't the only ones protective of their young; and he calls you a Mama." Mukuro addressed Squalo; his smirk however was not as wide as usual.
"Voooi. If you knew what was good for you, you'd shut your mouths, brat."
Before either younger male could make their signature, sarcastic comment, a loud sound reached their ears trough the door that Xanxus and Tsuna had just left through.
"Vooiii! Mama, hurry up." As Tsuna's little voice entered the room Squalo flinched slightly before standing with a sigh. The sound was followed by thunderous, heavy laughter that all three remaining males recognised as Xanxus'.
"I better see what the brat wants before Xanxus has my head."
As the second in command left, Bel grinned. "The sharky-commander is so whipped." Mukuro could only laugh under his breath before suggesting that the Varia lightning-guardian should be paid a small visit.
"NO!" the childish voice was loud and solid. So much so that the woman looking after him turned and raised an eyebrow in confusion and curiosity.
"What did you say, brat?"
"I said no." Tsuna was adamant about this, he stomped his food and tried to glare up at his mama. "I dun wanna brush my teeth or clean up my toys."
Approaching her ward, the woman crouched down, leveling her dark eyes with the child trying to figure out where the heck this had come from. "I thought you wanted to come train with me? The deal was that you had to clean up your toys and brush your teeth, Tsunayoshi." she explained, "Do you not want to come now?"
"I am coming with you, Mama. But I dun wanna do those things."
"Then you aren't coming."
"I wanna!" Tsunayoshi threw his fists to his sides and started to stamp his feet, repeating the childish mantra over and over again. Tears started to gather in his eyes and his wails became more demanding and less coherent as they did.
"Brat..."
So the clue: "Four years old: Temper, temper with..."
Sorry again that this one is shorter than usual, but I'm just getting into the swing of writing again. I'll try to get them back to their usual length again soon. So please be patient and thank you so much for your patience and understanding.
This is important, I know it's not everyone but a few people have mentioned how much they dislike 'Mama-Mammon', so for anyone who reviews can you please tell me if it bothers you that much?
Thank you for reading, until next time,
~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3