Written by Meikokuran999, Edited by The Neo Productions.

Numbers of Life – Chapter 3 - Successor

Tsuna sighed, annoyed while sitting beside Reborn and Luce on a first-class flight to Italy. He had repeatedly refused to go back and see Nono in Italy. He didn't want to be the next leader of the Vongola family.

Even if it was his birthright, it was never something he'd ever thought of or wanted. That's not saying he didn't like Nono, because the man was one of the nicest people he'd ever met that was a part of the mafia. Yet, going to Italy to talk with Nono, meant more than just having a nice conversation with the man. It would mean he would have to truly come out as being the next heir to the Vongola family, and it would also mean he would have to talk to his father. This was something he'd refused to do since he'd been taken in by Reborn. As far as Tsunayoshi was concerned, Reborn was more of a father figure to him then Iemitsu had ever been.

Tsunayoshi didn't trust the man even slightly because he'd abused him every time he'd been around during his childhood when his mother was still alive. Tsuna had put up with it and not said anything because he knew his mother loved Iemitsu, and he hadn't told Reborn about the man for the same reason when he was little. But if Iemitsu became a problem then, he wouldn't stop Reborn from killing the man this time. Even if it caused problems with the Vongola family, Tsuna wouldn't even think about stopping him. It actually made Tsuna happy that Reborn had reassured him that the man would die a slow painful death if he even dared to touch Tsuna.

In the end, Reborn and Luce had still convinced him to go to Italy. But it had been with the agreement of them leaving the second that Tsuna wished, whenever and for whatever reason he gave as long as he made an attempt at talking with Nono first. Reborn wasn't forcing him to lead an entire mafia family if he didn't want too, but he also didn't want Tsuna to give up the chance because of his piece-of-trash father. Tsuna was sitting with his head resting on Reborn's shoulder looking around the plane when his eyes caught something that he normally would ignore. He sighed again, which caught both Reborn and Luce's attention. Reborn looked where Tsuna was looking but saw nothing, "What is it?"

Tsuna spoke quietly as he looked at the little girl and her mother in the seats next to theirs, "That little girl is going to die before this flight even ends."

Luce gasped and Reborn didn't show much of an emotional response not really caring about the girl but still slightly curious, "How long?"

Tsuna squinted as he looked back at the small four or five-year-old girl, "It says about twenty minutes above her head."

Reborn nodded as Tsuna just shrugged and then looked away before falling asleep on Reborn's shoulder. Reborn and Luce talked for a little while before they suddenly heard crying coming from the woman. She was screaming as her little girl was having a seizure in the seat beside her. Before anyone even had enough time to act the little girl had already stopped breathing during the seizure. Luce seemed to be a little upset while Reborn had just watched the situation play out in silence, and of course, Tsunayoshi hadn't woken up through the entire drama. Although to Reborn, it wasn't too surprising because he'd been exhausted from the last weeks' events.

When the plane landed Reborn shook Tsunayoshi awake and the three made their way off the plane. They went directly to the Vongola mansion by a car which Reborn was driving. When they arrived, the three made their way inside to see Nono. Nono smiled brightly at Tsuna as he came in, "Hello, Tsunayoshi, Reborn…, oh and Luce, it's been quite a while."

Luce smiled at the elder, "It has, indeed."

Reborn spoke up from his spot beside Tsuna, "We came to talk to you about Tsuna being your successor. Seeing as neither of you told me who he was before and now Iemitsu is investigating about him in Namimori."

Nono smiled, "I see… Tsunayoshi never told you his full name then."

Tsuna shook his head, "He would have killed Iemitsu if I'd told him before."

Nono frowned, "Why would you do that Reborn?"

Tsuna laughed before Reborn placed his hand on Tsuna's shoulder and hugged him gently against his side because he knew that this was a tough subject for the teen, "He abused Tsuna when he was little. He did things to him that I would kill anyone for. The only reason he's not dead right now is out of respect for you."

Nono frowned but sighed at the same time before looking apologetically at Tsuna, "I hadn't kept in contact enough with you when you were little, and when you went missing and your mother died, he swore he looked everywhere for you."

Tsuna smiled, "He would never have found me because as you know already, Reborn took me in after I was kidnapped."

Nono nodded, "Yes, and I was really surprised to meet you three years ago when Reborn reported the results of one of his missions."

Tsuna smiled and was about to speak when the door to Nono's office flew open and in came the one person that nobody wanted to see right now. Reborn and Luce both stepped in front of Tsuna as Iemitsu walked past them to Nono, "For the final time, I looked Namimori from top to bottom and found my son nowhere! He is dead, can you please change who your successor is already!?"

Nono smiled, "That's enough, Iemitsu. I haven't requested for you to look for him in years."

Iemitsu looked at him annoyed, "Then why won't you change your successor?"

Nono shook his head, "Because I already have known where he has been for three years. I never needed you to find him. Now, I just need you to leave so I can finish my conversation with him about being my successor."

Iemitsu's eyes widened as he looked around the room and noticed the person that was behind Reborn and Luce, "How is he alive?"

Nono smiled, "He's alive because Reborn has been raising him."

Iemitsu glared at Reborn, "How dare you keep my child from me?!"

Reborn laughed, "You're lucky that I don't kill you right now for what you did to him when he was little."

Tsuna sighed from behind Reborn, touching at his shoulder lightly and getting him to move out of the way so he could look his father in the eyes, "If I'm being honest, you're a sperm donor that my mother loved and that's it. All you ever did was abuse me and call me a freak. I may have respected my mother enough to not tell Reborn your name when I was younger but if you do anything, I won't stop him from hurting you now. You deserve it and I don't care about what happens to you anymore."

Iemitsu went to hit Tsuna but Reborn instantly had his gun out aimed at his head, "If you move even one more inch you're getting a bullet between your eyes. I swear to God…do it, give me a reason to end you right now."

Iemitsu froze completely still before backing up and looking at Nono, "How can you allow this?"

Nono frowned, "You brought this to yourself, Iemitsu… Reborn has a right to be angry with you for hurting the child he raised."

Iemitsu freaked out before storming out of the room, leaving everyone in the room slightly annoyed by his behaviour. Tsuna sighed, "And that asshole is why I didn't want to come here."

Tsuna needed all the sleep he could get so he didn't see anything wrong with Luce and Reborn going out to do Nono's request for a mission. While he was sleeping, the door to the room opened and someone quietly entered as they walked towards the bed. Tsuna had sensed them enter the room but remained still so that he could see what they were going to do. The person came up to his bed and was just about to strike when Tsuna flipped over in a split second and aimed a gun at their head. He frowned at who it was, "What do you want from me?"

Iemitsu looked at his son completely shocked, he hadn't expected for Tsuna to be trained to such a degree. He moved his arm slightly and Tsuna put a bullet through his fist, running the bullet completely through his arm shattering the bone, "Leave, before the next one goes through your skull."

Iemitsu frowned but after thinking it overturned around and left the room. Tsuna yawned before he got out of bed. He wasn't planning on trying to sleep again until Reborn or Luce were present, so he could sleep without having to keep his guard up.

He walked down the hallway, swinging his gun around his finger ready just in case Iemitsu or one of his friends decided to attack. Tsuna was reaching a corner when he heard someone running as they flew out of it. When Tsuna saw silver hair he was surprised but smiled because there was someone he could talk to well he was here alone. The person bumped into him and looked up, "Sorry… hey, what the hell? Tsunayoshi, why are you here?"

Tsuna smiled, "I'm here with Reborn."

Gokudera nodded, "Oh, but why did you guys come here, and why would he bring you to Italy with him while school is still going on?"

Tsuna explained a little more, "I came to deal with my father and talk to Nono."

Gokudera looked at him confused, "Why did you need to see Nono?"

Tsuna sighed, "I'm next in line as his successor and I came here to tell him that I don't really want to be."

Gokudera just gasped and said nothing.