The New Generation: Vongola X
Summary: It's been 10 years since the battle with Byakuran. Sawada Tsukiko is now 24. She has inherited the Vongola Sin from the Ninth a year ago. Now, she officially bears the title of Vongola Decimo. The Arcobaleno have also broken their curse and have assumed their adult forms. What new adventures will Tsuki face along with her guardians? Fem!Tsuna. Smart!Tsuna. ALLx27
Author's note: Thank you so much for the reviews, the favorites, and the follows. It really warms my heart to see people interested in this small project :D And I'm so happy to hear that the characters weren't OOC *phew*
To answer a few of your questions, first this will be an ALLx27 fanfic, this includes most if not all of the unavailable, unattached, (and close to Tsuki's age) KHR characters. This includes the Simon family :D. I will try to depict them to the best of my abilities hahaha! And it's only until the beginning. Tsukiko eventually ends up with someone in the end and as to who it is, my lips are sealed hahaha!
I'm afraid I'm not a consistent writer, so depending on my schedule I tend to update from as often as twice a week to as long as once a month. However, right now I am trying to challenge myself to update at least once in every two weeks :)
Also, the story will have a few new character antagonists, but the story won't revolve around it. The basic genre of the fic is romantic comedy. I'm sure you will have a better grasp of what I mean after reading this chapter :) Enjoy :D
Disclaimer: I do not own KHR, if I did I would've kidnapped Hibari by now 3 (sorry 'shi-chan hahaha)
Chapter Two
"Gokudera-kun, how is this?" Tsukiko asked, her delicate eyebrows knitted together in concentration. Her face was a mixture of anxiety and anticipation as she turned the screen of her laptop toward the silver haired genius.
Gokudera leaned in from behind Tsukiko, his accessing eyes looking through her work, "Yes, this should work, you are learning quickly, Tenth"
Tsukiko beamed, "Oh no, I only learned everything cause you taught me well"
"Thank you, Tenth" Gokudera smiled, adjusting the glasses on the bridge of his nose. With a closer look, it was obvious that his cheeks were tinted with a slight hint of red.
Tsukiko smiled, contented with her work. She leaned back on the plush executive chair in her extravagant office. Everything inside the room was furnished with mahogany furniture. Each piece of furniture was an antique, looking to date back decades ago. Just moving around the spacious room made Tsukiko nervous. It was like walking in a room full of glass.
"Good work, Tenth" Gokudera said as he assumed his position in front of Tsukiko's desk, "We've managed to sort through all of Vongola's accounts in a week's time"
"Now everything is settled and dealt with" Tsukiko smiled, "How's the budget going over there?"
Gokudera glanced at his laptop with a smile, "Everything is taken care of, the figures have been sent to our accountant, and I have also sent him instructions about the allotment of the budget. He will take care of the rest. I've instructed him to send me a monthly report of the current funds and the breakdown of expenses of each estate"
"I don't know what I would do without you, Gokudera-kun" Tsukiko said, smiling warmly at her Storm Guardian and her right hand man.
Tsukiko had been close friends with Gokudera Hayato since their middle school days. He fought alongside her in battles. He was with her in defeat and in success. In the years they had spent together, Tsukiko watched him grow with her own eyes. It wasn't just his physical body that changed, he also matured psychologically. He used to be moody and temperamental, now he was calculating and somewhat irritable. The latter was something that never changed in Gokudera, and Tsukiko was thankful for it. It gave her some kind of assurance that the old childish Gokudera was still in there despite his serious exterior.
Of course, Gokudera also changed physically. He had grown past her height years ago. He was now as tall as Yamamoto, who had a good two feet on her. His frame grew muscular through countless battles. But one thing never changed, the kindness in his eyes whenever he looked at her. Tsukiko always found that reassuring.
"Please, your kind words are wasted on me, Tenth"
"Don't ever say that, Gokudera-kun" Tsukiko said with a shake of her head, "You are a precious person to me, I treasure you dearly, along with all of our friends"
Gokudera smiled despite the small disappointment that slowly crept in his chest, "Thank you, Tenth"
Tsukiko stretched and yawned, thinking to lighten the mood, "I'm a bit hungry, would you like to get something to eat?"
Gokudera glanced at the small clock on the table, "five o'clock in the morning, we could wait in the drawing room, breakfast should be ready in a few minutes"
Tsukiko nodded and walked towards the door, Gokudera following close behind. They had pulled another all-nighter. But now everything was accounted for. Tsukiko mentally ticked off each task in her mind. She had gone to visit Varia exactly a week ago. Check. She went through all of the current financial standings of all the estates that were under the Vongola Famiglia. Check. Gokudera had taken care of the specific allotment of funds, all the expenses, the profits from the lands, and the accountant. Check. Now all she needed to do was to assign her guardians their specific duties and she would have finished all of the things in her list.
Of course, by then a new list would be waiting for her. Tsukiko sighed, it was a never ending pile of paperwork and decisions.
Decisions. Decisions. Decisions.
By then Gokudera had come to a full stop right in front of Tsukiko. Tsukiko was too deep in thought to notice, and she ended up bumping right into Gokudera's back. Before Tsukiko could stumble backwards, Gokudera had quickly turned and caught her with ease.
"M-My apologies, Tenth" Gokudera stuttered, "Are you alright?"
Tsukiko nodded, rubbing the small ache on her nose. Wait. Gokudera was stuttering?
Tsukiko looked past Gokudera's broad shoulders to find no one other than his sister, Bianchi arranging the rows and rows of flowers which now decorated the entire common room. Tsukiko heard herself gasp, it was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. Daffodils, roses, and orchids brought the cream colored drawing room to life.
"S-S-Sister" Gokudera managed with a small cough to hide his anxiety.
After ten years, Gokduera still felt uneasy whenever he saw his sister. Luckily, the stomach aches were gone. Tsukiko was thankful for it. Now they could properly spend time together as brother and sister. It was obvious how much Bianchi had treasured her brother, even if she didn't show it most of the time.
"Bianchi, what brings you here so early in the morning? And who are the flowers for?" Tsukiko inquired as she entered the room
Bianchi turned, and her entire expression lit up upon seeing Tsukiko and her brother. Her face had matured over the years. Her frame grew more elegant and her hair slightly longer. Tsukiko also noticed that Bianchi's eyes had shined with wisdom, something that wasn't there before.
"Hayato, Tsuki, good morning" Bianchi said smiling, "These were actually outside when I came in, I just had the butlers bring them in, it would have been a waste if you didn't see them, Tsuki"
Tsukiko tilted her head in question, a habit she often did when she was confused or deep in thought.
"As I thought, Reborn hasn't told you anything" Bianchi commented with a wistful smile, "Here, read one of the cards"
Tsukiko stepped forward to take the card from Bianchi, "Roses with thorns, just like the ever beautiful and dangerous Vongola Decimo. Naito Longchamp…?"
"Naito Longchamp, from the weird Tomaso Famiglia?" Gokudera commented in disbelief
"Here's another one," Bianchi called from the other side of the room, reading the card aloud, "Your eyes have pierced more hearts than ever did the bullets of war. Signed Alceid Beccio from the Beccio Famiglia"
"Did those men just compare me to rose thorns, and gun bullets?"
"Can't get any more romantic than that" Bianchi said sarcastically with a wave of her hand
Before Gokudera could comment, a knock was heard on the door frame and several butlers lined up to first bow to Tsukiko then to Gokudera and Bianchi, "Miss Bianchi, we have brought in the rest of the flowers"
"There are more?!" Gokudera's eyes widened, "This is ridiculous"
"Actually…" Bianchi began but was interrupted when the head butler, a man in the old age of seventy, cleared his throat.
"Pardon me, Miss Tsukiko, you have a visitor"
"Who is it?" Tsukiko inquired
"Man, looks like I came too late huh?"
From the doorway, a tall blond haired man walked inside. Tsukiko couldn't believe her eyes, "Dino!"
"Yo, my cute little sister" Dino said with a smile as he opened his arms just in time for Tsukiko to throw herself in them.
Tsukiko had truly thought of Dino as her older brother. He was always there to guide her along the way, and whenever Reborn's techniques were driving her insane, she knew she could always rely on him to encourage her to move forward.
Remembering herself, Tsukiko disengaged from Dino's arms with a small sheepish smile on her face. She could still hear Reborn's voice in her head reprimanding her for her actions. Tsukiko cleared her throat in an attempt to clear her thoughts as well, "Dino, you should really cut your hair, its growing way too long, soon we won't even see your face anymore"
Dino chuckled, "Really?"
Just for good measure, Dino took a strand of hair between his fingers to survey his hair, "Hmm, you might be right, but again, I've lost track of what I was supposed to do here"
From the other side of the room, Dino could feel the cold glare that Gokudera was sending him. He should get things over and done with before Tsukiko's guardian murdered him. Dino and Gokudera never did get along, "Romario"
Romario seemingly materialized in front of the doorway, a medium sized bouquet in his arms. He handed Dino the flower arrangement, grinning from ear to ear, "Here you are boss, don't mess it up"
"Romario!" Dino scolded, but the statement was dulled with the kindness in his eyes. Dino then turned his full attention to the girl in front of him.
No Dino shook his head. It wasn't fair to call Tsuki a girl, she was a grown woman by her own right. In his mind, he could still hear Reborn's words, Better catch her before someone else does
Dino smiled and took Tsukiko's hand in his. There was a question in those big chestnut eyes, but Dino still continued.
"Tsuki, these are for you" Dino smiled handing her the bouquet of flowers Romario had handed him. It was an entire bouquet filled with roses of different color, all of which had been placed in a circular arrangement.
"Thank you Dino, these are lovely, but what are they for?"
Dino silenced Tsuki with a small gesture to his lips, "I'm not finished yet"
A small O formed in Tsuki's lips. Dino fought the urge to laugh at the sight of it. Tsukiko simply looked adorable as she gapped at him.
Dino cleared his throat, "Flowers are pleasing to the eye and fragrant, but did you know that they held meaning as well?"
Tsukiko could barely feel her head nod in a single form of acknowledgement. Satisfied with her answer, Dino continued. Dino reached for Tsukiko's hand (the one that wasn't holding the bouquet) and with her hand in his, he slowly maneuvered her fingers to touch the yellow flowers at the other most circle of the arrangement. "These yellow roses represent what we have, they mean friendship."
With deliberate slowness, Dino then moved Tsuki's hand to touch the next set of roses, "Those pink roses surrounded by the yellow ones mean devotion. Something I have always felt for you"
Then, Dino guided Tsukiko's hand to rest at the middle of the arrangement, where he finally let go of her hand, "And those three white roses in the middle, they mean pure love"
Tsukiko was speechless.
Dino looked at Tsukiko. He wasn't surprised to see confusion in her big doe eyes. His guess was right. Reborn didn't tell her anything. He inwardly smiled, this placed things in his favour. Things were a lot more unforgettable when one was caught off guard.
"Tsuki" At Dino's words, Tsukiko snapped back to reality. Just long enough to see Dino raise her hand to his lips and plant a soft lingering kiss, "I hope you accept these flowers I brought you, along with my intention of courting you"
C-C-COURTING ME!?
Tsukiko seemed to awake from her stupor after hearing those words. She turned left and right to find Bianchi fanning herself and Gokudera staring daggers into Dino's skull. Romario was still standing in the doorway, nodding his head in approval.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Tsukiko's stern tone broke everyone from their daze and they all started to talk all at once. Tsukiko raised her hand for silence and everyone immediately complied. When it was clear that no one had any intention of speaking, Tsukiko addressed the blonde in front of her, "Dino, why would you propose something like this all of a sudden? It's not like you at all"
Dino blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then his laughter filled the room, "I guess I have to come clean, you're gonna want to sit down for this Tsuki, it's gonna be a long story"
Tsukiko nodded her head, moving a few flower arrangements to the side to make room for her and Dino. Tsukiko promptly sat on the sofa (not very ladylike if I might add) and Dino followed suit beside her.
"You see…" Dino began
And all Tsukiko could see afterwards was red
A red haze of confusion.
And Anger.
Apparently, in her one week of absence, a certain rumour had spread throughout the Mafia. Tsukiko was looking for a husband. She was open for the market, and the lucky man who would become her husband would live beside her as she ruled the Vongola Famiglia.
"Now every Famiglia is racing against each other to have your hand in marriage" Dino finished with a small sheepish smile
Gokudera looked at Dino, "Their goal must be to take control of Vongola's vast power and influence"
Dino nodded, "Yeah, it's safe to say that it is their likely intention"
"What of you, Bucking Horse?" Bianchi spoke the question that was in everyone's minds, including Tsukiko's
In response, Dino took both of Tsukiko's hands in his. Then he looked straight into her eyes, "Tsuki, I want you, I don't care about Vongola. You could leave it behind to another successor for all I care. You might not believe me yet, but give me a chance to show you how much I care for you"
Tsukiko's eyes widened. She could faintly sense the silence which engulfed the room. Everyone was holding their breath waiting for her reply.
Tsukiko swallowed.
"I-I-I"
The situation was turning her into a mute Tsukiko thought inwardly berating herself. It was like she was returning to her No Good Tsuki days.
Tsukiko swallowed again.
"I-I'm going to Japan"
If there was one thing Sawada Tsukiko hated herself for, it was when she had uttered those words. Yet there she was, on the private Vongola jet heading towards Japan with her two guardians, Gokudera Hayato and Yamamoto Takeshi. She felt like she was running away from it all, and she probably was. But all she wanted right now was the safe haven of her mother's arms and some hot Japanese tea.
Maybe she'd even get a Takoyaki.
At the other end of the globe, a tall man wearing a black suit and wearing a matching black fedora sat on one of the bars in the local area.
His lips formed a small smile.
He took a sip of the hot espresso and exhaled in delight.
It's a race against time. Now…what will they do?
Author's Note: Aaaaaand we are back to Japaaaaan! :D A bit of a twist hahaha I've always wanted to write something like this. Hope Dino wasn't too cheesy hahaha! Now it's clear how the story will eventually become ALLx27. Tell me what you think :)