Chapter 11: Training (Thanksgiving too!)

It was around the time of Thanksgiving. The weather was unusually cold, and a slight wind was blowing, snow falling and making a blanket for the sheet that already covered the ground. "TC!"

"What, Tsunayoshi? Don't start complaining."

"Forgive me, but it really is cold outside! I didn't think I'd have to spend my first snow day training..."

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. You're complaining too much."

TC had him strapped to a sled, and he was sitting on it enjoying a nice hot cup of Espresso. "Start running..."

"But I don't want to! I'm cold!"

TC grabbed a dog whistle and blew into it. The high pitch frequency left a ringing in Tsuna's ears. "What was that for!"

Off in the distance, he heard the barking of dogs getting closer. "W...NO NO NO NO NO NONO NOOOOO..." He ran off, full speed.

Tsuna lay face down in the snow after running around Namimori 5 times. "That...was mean..."

"It got you to run, didn't it?"

KT walked out in a very cheery mood. "Hey! Boys! Come inside! I made dinner!"

Tsuna brought his head up quick. "Food?"

He got up and ran to the house, then slid to a stop in front of her. "What kind of food?"

"Thanksgiving food...like turkey and stuffing, you know...the good eatin'."

The dinner table was set, the decor matching the season. She gestured for them to sit. "I prepared it all myself..."

TC stood counting the table settings silently. "Wait...why are there so many place settings? It is just us right?"

"Well...you see...it's Thanksgiving, and you have to celebrate it with everyone you know. So, I invited a few people..."

"Who else is coming!"

The door bell rang. KT's eyes sparkled with delight. "She made it!"

TC twitched. "I feel a disturbance in the balance of the universe..."

"Is it CT?"

"No...even worse..."

"Mom!" KT opened the door, then hugged the woman in the doorway. ~Wait...I thought she said her mother was dead!~

The woman was stunningly beautiful. She walked into the house. "It's so beautiful in here...and your garden, it's absolutely breathtaking!"

"Thanks, mom." They walked into the dining room. There was an instant static connection between TC and his ex-wife. "Gaia..."

"TC..."

"Wait...I don't understand...I thought..."

Gaia walked up to him, and stared him down. "Who are you?"

"I-I'm Tsuna."

The door bell chimed once, then the door was swung open. "To the fucking dong! How's everybody doing!"

"Hey! All good here! How's Karen?"

"She's good, she's absolutely fine. Hey! Pipsqueak! Get over here, little mother fucker!"

Tsuna turned around and walked quickly away, then dashed away. ~Don't wanna die, don't wanna die...~

"Get your ASS back over here BOY! Quit your running!"

He jumped behind KT. "I'm sorry, Tsuna, but I'm staying out of this..." She sidestepped. CT appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the poor unsuspecting Tsuna by the neck, and pinned him to a wall. "Why the hell did you run from me, boy? I don't bite...yet."

"I-I wasn't running..."

"Don't lie to me boy...I saw you jet like yous was being chased by the police."

"I-I'm sorry...y-you kind of scared me...you are my enemy..."

"It's Thanksgiving, boy...even I don't...don't...what was I saying?"

"How you're going to let me go free..."

CT looked over at the table. "Ooh food!" He held Tsuna by the back of the neck and dragged him over to it. "Sit here, boy."

~Help...me...~

"You're going to have to get used to it, kid..."

Tsuna looked over his shoulder. Tsune was clad in full tuxedo carrying a silver tray. "Trust me...I'm still a lackey...Diva Vodka anyone?"

"Wait! Not all the guests are here yet!" He snapped. "We're cool."

The guests that appeared included: Josh, Habira and Hibari, plus Ty, who was dragged with him. Gokudera was as well. "Oh! And everyone, this is my friend Ewan."

"I've got a bad feeling about this..."

"Why did you bring one of your friends along, TC?" Tsuna asked. TC grabbed a bottle of Vodka. "For the drinking contest, of course! This is a tradition! It shall not be broken! Everyone, and I mean everyone, must participate."

Habira ran over to Tsuna. "Tsuna-san! You didn't tell me there was going to be a party..."

"To be honest, I didn't know either..."

"Yo, Dame!" He walked up and hit him in the back. "Sorry I didn't get to finish beating your ass at the Halloween party..."

Hibari walked over. "That wasn't an apology, herbivore..."

"Well sorry to bust your bubble, Hibari, but I'm not apologizing."

Guns all appeared in the hands of the gods, and Ewan. Ty turned, his hands up in surrender. "Y-you guys can't take a joke? I was just kidding! Tsuna is a friend of mine, you guys...for real!" He grabbed onto him, hugging him. "See? We're all good friends here."

The guns disappeared. KT interrupted everyone's chatting. "Hey. We still have to eat. So everyone just take a seat..."

Though many were still confused to why they were there in the first place, they took a seat at the table. KT stayed standing. "Though, this is a tradition not formally celebrated in Japan, Thanksgiving is something I want to share with everyone. So, before we all dig into the food, I want to go around the table, and have everyone tell me what they're thankful for. I'm thankful that we're spending this time together as a family...you're first, mom."

"I'm thankful for this chance to see you..."

Josh was next to her right. "I'm thankful for my foot only being shattered in a few places."

TC was next. "I'm thankful for my charm, my good looks and my sense of humor."

"Great...next?"

"I'm thankful for your friendship..." Habira said sweetly. Hibari grunted.

"I'll be thankful when I'm not stuck in this crowd-"

"I'll be thankful when I can leave!" Ty cut in. Hibari hit him in the back of the head with his hand. "Shut it, herbivore."

Tsune lean back in his chair. "I'm thankful that there's such a thing as alcohol so I don't actually have to listen to you guys..."

Ewan nodded and pointed to Tsune. "I agree with that guy completely."
"I'm thankful that I can eat something that isn't poisoned," Gokudera put in.

"I'll be thankful when I can eat some turkey! So speak, boy!"

Tsuna looked down for a second. "I'm thankful that I have amazing friends who I can share these precious moments with...these precious moments of my life...and I would do anything to keep it that way."

Josh threw up his glass. "L'chaim!"

Everyone else joined him. "L'chaim!"

Dinner ended with everyone full to the brim with food. They all sat in the living room. TC stood. "Alright! It is time for the traditional drinking contest! For those of you too young to drink, to bad, you're doing it anyway! Everyone grab a bottle of vodka."

"You can't let the kids drink underage, TC..."

"STFU Tsu-senpai! What do you know, you've already implied you're an alcoholic."

"I did not...but, I will say I'll have a better chance against you this time. I'm being serious here TC, at least exclude those two." He pointed to Hibari and Habira. Plus, I want to see that bastard child Ty suffer...

-You're evil Tsu-senpai! OKAY.- TC sighed. "Fine...but Tsuna has to, and you too Ty. It's mandatory."

He handed both a bottle. "I am the undefeated champion of this competition. So give it all you've got!"

[Towards the end of the competition]

There were 6 competitors left: TC, Tsune, Tsuna, CT, Ewan, Gaia and Josh. Everyone that lost were watching in anticipation. Another round of bottles was passed out. Tsuna's eyesight was swimming. "TC..." He closed his eyes and heaved a hiccup. "I don't think I can take anymore..."

"Nonsense, Tsunayoshi...you're doing great! Everyone, get ready..."

They all opened their bottles. "Drink!" They drank the bottles. Tsuna fell over sideways, and hiccuped. Tsune patted his head. "You're done kid..."

"But it has only been 4 bottles!" TC tossed his to the side. "You all are just weak. So now it's just you, me, CT, Gaia, Ewan and Josh."

"I can go all day, lad!" Ewan slurred. "We do this all the time in the old country!"

"Well it's apparent that us five; Josh, CT, Ewan, Gaia and I, are going to last for a while, but I think just one more will do it for you, Tsu-senpai..."

"You may think, but my drinking ability has doubled since the last time we met, TC..."

TC clapped. "Let's double up then...two bottles each."

"Fine with me..." Oh this is going to be very bad...

They all held a bottle in each hand. "Drink!"

They chugged the first, then drank the second. Bottles all fell to the ground. Tsune fell over onto Tsuna, who squeaked in response. TC grinned. "Told you, Tsu-senpai...undefeated."

KT had sleeping bags and couches set up for those who passed out. "Thanks TC, just what I needed...a bunch of drunks sleeping at my house."

"No problem..." He crawled onto a couch. "I think I'm going to crash here too..."

She sighed. "Whatever..." She turned off the light and walked away.

Tsuna lay in bed with Tsune laying next to him, both asleep. She pulled the covers over both of them, smiling at their expressions. They've got the same expression on when they sleep...She sighed. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day..."