Thank you for the wait. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I certainly did myself. I hope my errors are not too much. I work my hardest on those. I have many ideas but my writing skills are a work in progress.

Disclaimer: DO NOT OWN KHR

Chapter 8

The sun was setting as the group arrived at home. Once everyone was inside, Tsuna leads the group of kids upstairs as Mama headed upstairs with Fuuta to find clothes that would fit him.

"Let's get you guys clean and get you some clothes. After we're done, we can eat some of Mama's delicious dinner," Tsuna spoke to Ipin as the walked into his room. Gokudera and Yamamoto walked in after Lambo. Tsuna went to a big box that contained some of Tsuna's old clothes that were for Lambo. Ipin was the same size as Lambo, so he looked for something to give Ipin. Even though the two kids were the same size, they did not act the same. Ipin was a timid girl. She looked around scared now that she was separated from her friend. Tsuna could see in her eyes fear and pain, but he could also see_.

"It's okay Ipin-chan," Tsuna said in a whisper to the girl as he sat next to her on his bed. "We just want to help you and Fuuta-kun out. We hope you two stay with us for a long time!" He smiled down at the small child as he handed her a red shirt and black shorts. She accepted them as Lambo jumped on the bed next to her. He was laughing loudly while the bed bounced him and Ipin. Even Ipin couldn't help the giggles that came out.

"Tsuna-nii is a good guy! Mama is great too!"

"Tsunayoshi is a kind person Ipin-chan. Staying here will be great. You will be fed and taken great care of, and Mama's cooking is the best around." Yamamoto was now squatting down staring into Ipin's eyes as he spoke. His smile was bright and happy. Tsuna swelled up with happiness at what they said. Mama came back with Fuuta and began to talk to Ipin.

"Ipin-chan, do you want me to help you in the bath? We'll get you all cleaned up." Ipin nodded softly and followed Mama out with her new clothes in her hands. Tsuna took and placed Fuuta's folded clothes on his bed.

"Fuuta-kun, if you don't mind, you can bathe with us? We love to play around in the tub. Right, Lambo?"

"Yeah! We play games and Tsuna-nii tickles Lambo!"

Fuuta stared at the two smiling boys as they grinned back at him. He nodded his head at them. Tsuna continued to stare into his eyes. He began to notice Fuuta's eyes showed a very distant and zoned off look. It made him seem like he was in his own world. He was looking and seeing thing Tsuna could not. He wondered what the small 10-year old was thinking. Ipin came in with mama closely behind.

xxxxxx

The boys had begun to move everything out of Lambo's new room to have it set up to paint tomorrow. Mama came into Tsuna's room with Ipin closely behind her. Gokudera and Yamamoto were pulling out their homework as Tsuna was going to the door with Fuuta's hand in his own.

"I'm going to start cooking. Could you boys look after Ipin?" She asked the gang of boys. Tsuna walked over and reached out his other hand for Ipin.

"Of course Mom. We were just about to go look at the other rooms and pick one out for Fuuta-kun. Let's pick one out for you too Ipin-chan! Just in case!" Tsuna exclaimed excitedly. Tsuna, with their hands in his, walked them out the door and down the hall. Gokudera and Yamamoto watched as they left. They were sitting at the small table in his room. They stared at the door for awhile before turning back to their homework they now had out.

"Ahoshi, how has it been for you?"

"It's been great!" Lambo screamed from his place on the floor as he sucked on a grape candy that magically came out of nowhere, or so one thought if they did not know Lambo. Gokudera knew him though, and he knew the trick with Lambo's hair was that it was a magical portal or possibly a vortex where Lambo stored his things in.

"I'm scared I'm being replaced," the small boy whispered. Gokudera stared at him a second seeing the fear and terror in his eyes.

"You won't be. Tsunayoshi's happy to have you."

"Promise?"

"Promise"

Gokudera was silent as he continued to stare at the small boy. His eyes had teared up but he rubbed them away before smiling to himself.

"Lambo knows that! Lambo was kidding!" He laughed obnoxiously to himself as Gokudera's eyes softened as he saw the boy play with his building blocks and plastic toy soldiers.

xxxxxx

Tsuna came back into the room a little later with Fuuta still in one hand but no Ipin in the other. They looked up at Tsuna looking questioning him with their eyes except for Lambo who ran to get Fuuta to play with him.

"Ipin wanted to go cook with Mom. So we took her downstairs. She looked excited to help cook so she'll have fun. Fuuta, Lambo, let's go take you guys a bath now!"

"Yay!"

"..."Fuuta was still silent but he walked to the bed to grabbed his clothes and came back to grab Tsuna's hand again. Tsuna smiled happily knowing that he was coming around slowly. Lambo followed the older child's lead and grabbed Tsuna's other hand. They headed out, leaving Goludera and Yamamoto to finish their work.

Fuuta was still silent but he walked to the bed to grabbed his clothes and came back to grab Tsuna's hand again. Tsuna smiled happily knowing that he was coming around slowly. Lambo followed the older child's lead and grabbed Tsuna's other hand. They headed out, leaving Goludera and Yamamoto to finish their work.

"Tsuna seems happy," Yamamoto whispered as he continued to write and erase at the same problem over and over. Gokudera stared at him so a moment before glaring slightly.

"You can't call him that… You're right though."

"..."

"..."

"I remember him." He spoke softly again. Gokudera didn't even look at him this time.

"I barely remember him."

"Me too, haha." Gokudera stared at him as he grinned. He glared again but not without a grin himself.

"Stupid baseball brain. I don't even understand what happened? I remember I was... that he was just gone."

"I don't understand too. I just remember playing with him at the park and we were smiling. Then I just remember me, being sad."

"..." Gokudera remained quiet as he replayed his own memory in his mind. He knew there was so much missing.

"I barely had a memory over the weekend."

"I remembered around that time too."

"But you don't remember everything?"

"No," Gokudera growled as he was getting frustrated trying to remember it all. "I just know I've seen him before and Tsuna-sama was really amazing."

"Me too. Tsuna was just important to me is all I know."

"..."

"..."

"We are not going to have a lot of time to study with all the kids now."

"Haha! You're right! I should finish this before they get back."

"..." Gokudera began to work in silent thought.

"Do you think... he remembers anything?"

"Maybe... but he hasn't said anything yet."

They didn't speak again and began to work on their homework. The only words they said was in their minds.

'Tsuna'

'Tsuna-sama'

xxxxxx

Gokudera finished just as Tsuna and the kids got back. The kids ran in excited and laughing. Yamamoto smiled watching them. He could tell they bonded in the tub and had a lot of fun.

"Haha, Fuuta you look all squeaky clean now," he said to the now blushing boy. He bent his head down before he spoke showing he was still shy but not scared.

"... Yeah"

"Speak up. We won't bite."

"R-right," Fuuta stuttered trying to speak louder after being surprised by the silver haired teen.

"Haha, Gokudera is just like that. Don't worry about him Fuuta-kun." The smiling baseball freak said trying to calm Fuuta down after the shock. "Is that scarf important to you?"

Fuuta stared at Yamamoto uneasily before he reached his hands to grip the said scarf. It was dirty and they say it was dirty but Tsuna saw Fuuta grabbing it and placing it with his new outfit before bathing.

"I-It's important to me," he spoke softly to the boy as he continued to grip it in fear of it disappearing.

" Well no one is going to take it from you, but maybe you can let Mom wash it for you? It won't take long." Tsuna spoke trying to make the little boy calmer and knowing that they won't take it from him. Fuuta nodded his head in acceptance. "I'm happy you look more relax now, Fuuta-kun," he said making the boy blush and smile again.

Tsuna and his friends sat down and began to work on their homework again. Tsuna got help from Gokudera as Yamamoto was finishing up what he had left.

"When I'm done we should go play downstairs or something right?" he called to the kids

"Yeah!" They said excitedly as they continued to play with Lambo's blocks.

Tsuna smiled at Yamamoto who flashed a smile back at the struggling teen. He knew that Yamamoto was just helping him focus instead of worrying about the bored kids. He knew that he could not understand what was said to him by Gokudera because he glanced at the two every few seconds. Once Yamamoto got down with his work and left it there for Gokudera to check for him, he took the kids out. Finally, Tsuna could start focusing on his studies that Gokudera was teaching him.

"So do you get it?" his tutor asked.

"I t-think so."

"Try this one."

"R-right."

"Relax. You don't have to worry just focus. You got this."

"Right, thank you." Tsuna smiled brightly up at at the older teen.

"You're welcome," Gokudera mumbled as he looked away blushing at the wonderful smile and feeling useful. Tsuna began to work hard on the next problem. Gokudera could see how hard he focused on it. He began to check Yamamoto's work as Tsuna worked. IT was quiet in the room. Gokudera called this a calm atmosphere. An atmosphere he appreciated and enjoyed.

"Done!"

Gokudera looked up at the brunet smiling. He reached and took the paper back. He looked at the problem and his answer.

"Way to go. It's correct and no errors I see." He handed back the paper. Tsuna took it still smiling and then looked at the last question he had left. Gokudera told him it had a few extra steps to it and he told him he would check it and help him with it, but Tsuna said he was determined to do it for himself. Gokudera now sat in his corner of the room reading a book he had under his cot in Tsuna's room. They were in their calm atmosphere again. They've gotten used to each others presence easily. Now, they felt at peace like they were always best friends.

"Thank you for all the help, Gokudera-kun."

"You are the one who works so hard on this. I did nothing but show you how."

"It's almost impossible for me to learn though." Tsuna closed his book sighing softly. "I'm going to take a break."

"Alright… do you want to go see the kids and baseball freak?"

"Mmm, in a second."

"Okay."

Gokudera went back to his reading but watched Tsuna over the rim of his glasses. Tsuna laid in his bed for a few minutes. Gokudera could see in his eyes that he was in deep thought.

"I can't believe all the changes that have happened in such a short amount of time. I haven't been called Dame for some time now and not often at all."

"It's cause you defeated that idiot."

"Haha! I don't think that is all it is. Right?" Tsuna smiled as he looked over at the silver teen. Gokudera continued to stare at his book as if not knowing what he meant. Tsuna laughed as he remembered a few days ago.

xxxxxx

Tsuna and Gokudera were asked to help carry some boxes the teachers needed to be taken to her office. Tsuna had been carrying light weight boxes and Gokudera helped with the heavier boxes. Tsuna lifted two more boxes that were a little heavier than the others. He was walking out of the room when he knocked into someone.

"Whoa!"

"Hey watch it!"

"I-I'm so-sorry!" Tsuna stuttered as he saw the basketball star on the ground. The athletic teen looked up and saw who it was that knocked into him. Dame-Tsuna.

"For real. Just my luck to run into you. Can't you watch where you're going Dam-"The star player ran screaming as Gokudera reached down to help pick up the stuff.

The star player got up quickly and ran off screaming. Tsuna stared cluelessly at the teen as he ran off. He was confused as to what happened. Tsuna felt himself be lifted off the ground by the collar of his shirt and then he knew what had happened. Gokudera must have come out of the room with his boxes and glared at the poor teen. Gokudera reached down to help Tsuna pick up the stuff on the floor. Tsuna smiled at the silvered haired delinquent.

From then on Tsuna began to notice no one calling him names with Gokudera around. What shocked him more was that even when he was around Yamamoto the other teens would not dare say anything to him.

xxxxxx

Tsuna lifted himself out of his bed. He picked up a stack of blankets and began to open them up. Gokudera grabbed the other end and helped spread it out.

"Should we get another blanket and move the table?" Gokuderad asked Tsuna as he stared at the small blanket that wouldn't fit all six of them.

"Yeah, let's do that." They moved the table to the corner of the room by Gokudera's bed. Tsuna came back with another big comforter and a few more pillows.

"Lambo-kun loves pillows so I decided to bring more in case he hogs them."

"Right."

They finished setting up the blankets and threw the pillows to one end of the blankets. They knew body parts and heads will be all over the place like usual. After they were finished, Tsuna walked downstairs while Gokudera was a step behind him. They saw the kids in the living room surrounding the TV. Tsuna could see they were playing a video game. Lambo looked like he was losing to Fuuta but Yamamoto was losing on purpose so he would not be in the last place. Tsuna looked to the dining room where Ipin was with Mama setting the table for dinner.

"Hey guys, why don't you pause the game. It looks like dinner is just about ready."

"Haha, Alright. You guys ready for food?" Yamamoto asked as he paused the game.

"Yay!"

"Yes."

Fuuta followed Lambo who ran into the dining room.

"I hope everyone likes it," Ipin spoke for the first time as everyone entered. Tsuna was happy she was starting to find the courage to speak out.

"Ipin-chan helped a lot. She's helped with the chowder and had a wonderful flavoring idea I just had to try!"

Tsuna took a bite, "Wow! It tastes great!"

"Yay!" Lambo screamed as he began to eat. "Hot hot!"

"Ahoshi! Eat slower and don't waste any food!"

Everyone laughed before tasting the food themselves. Tsuna watched everyone as he ate. Lambo was engulfing everything on his plate. Fuuta wasn't far from it. Gokudera was yelling at Lambo to slow down and have manners. Yamamoto was trying to mediate between the two but succeeding in getting yelled at by Gokudera. Ipin was trying to help Fuuta and Lambo every time they choked on their food and then scold them both to chew before swallowing. Mama was laughing and smiling at the excited and active atmosphere of them all. Tsuna continued to watch them as he ate. He felt a weird feeling inside himself that he had no clue of what it was. He finished eating first and left to bathe. As he left, everyone quieted down until he got further away. Mama sighed and everyone looked to her curiously and concern.

"What's wrong, Mama?" Lambo said. Mama shook her head.

"I'm just tired. It's been a hectic day. Hasn't it?"

Everyone nodded their heads feeling tired themselves.

"We best go to bed early today," Gokudera said softly as he continued to eat and everyone followed in doing so.

"Haha, yeah. Did Tsuna finish his homework?"

"Not yet, he was on the last problem."

"I-I'm sorry. But did Tsu-kun allow you boys to call him that?" They looked to Mama who sat staring at them. They could not tell how she felt or what she thought.

"Sorry, I forgot not to…"

"It's okay. He's just… it makes him go through all kinds of feelings. I guess."

"We won't say it in front of him. We don't plan to upset him."

xxxxxx

The group moved into the living room after dinner. Mama was in the kitchen washing dishes. Normally, Gokudera or Yamamoto offer to help her, but today they felt that they needed to entertain the kids. Tsuna came back down stairs to find them screaming and playing. Gokudera was playing against Lambo and Ipin now. From the look of it, Gokudera was losing to Ipin. Lambo was doing his best but he had the handicap setting, so he wasn't far from Gokudera.

"Come on!"

"Haha, it's just a game Gokudera," Yamamoto said succeeding in angering him more.

"Shut up, I know that!"

"Yamamoto-kun, I'm out if you'd like to go bathe next."

"Oh, Tsunayoshi! Sure!"

Yamamoto raised off the couch from where he sat with Fuuta. Tsuna could see they were having fun laughing at Gokudera and his suffering. The tall teen left to bathe still grinning and laughing as he hear Gokudera scream to Ipin to slow down. Tsuna sat with Fuuta as the trio continued to play enjoying themselves.

xxxxxx

"Hey, I'm out," Yamamoto said as he sat on the couch next to Tsuna. Gokudera, sitting on Tsuna's right, was reading his book that he got after losing to the 6 year old. He nodded his head and finished reading the page he was on. He got up from the couch and headed out to bathe. The older two teens watched the young ones continue to play the racing game.

"I need to finish that last problem so I'll see you guys upstairs," Tsuna said as he left to his room after awhile.

After he left, the kids played a few more rounds before deciding to head upstairs to their room. The kids ran into the room as Tsuna sat at his desk. The one he never uses anymore, and they jumped into the blankets that were spread out on the ground. Tsuna knew it was already their bedtime as he watched them begin to yawn. Tsuna continued to finish up his work as Yamamoto moved to the movie collections they had. He was picking out the movie that they will be playing as they fell asleep. It became a habit that they made after the first time they slept over. A habit that they enjoyed doing. As Yamamoto was putting the movie in to start, Gokudera walked into the room. He head to his cot and pulled out his book that he was reading. It looked like he was finishing it up. Tsuna planned to buy him a book tomorrow if they get time to. He continued to read before they went to sleep.

Yamamoto took the lead in getting the kids into the bed for sleep. He knew that Tsuna was finishing up his work and Gokudera was waiting on him before he sleeps. He layed down with the kids holding on to Fuuta and Ipin. Lambo lyed next to Fuuta waiting on his big brother. Finally, Tsuna finished his work and went to turn on the movie. He saw Gokudera closing his book and went to lye between Fuuta and Lambo. He held them closely. Ipin left to the bathroom as Gokudera headed to turn off the lights. Lambo was already snoring in between Gokudera and Tsuna when Ipin returned from the restroom. Tsuna reached over to lift her up and place her next Lambo. The kids were asleep immediately after lights were out. Tsuna laid there listening to the soft sound of the movie. He looked up to the ceiling feeling the kids' heavy breathing. He begins to think of the time he went to bathe. When he went to escape.

xxxxxx

Tsuna walked slowly to his room. He wasn't feeling too great. He didn't know what he was feeling. He grabbed his night shirt and pants and went to the bathroom. Step by step he took and he felt lost in his emotions. He felt like his emotions were taking hold of him. They felt heavy. The water was now pouring down on his head. Tsuna's intuition went on high alert. Tsuna hadn't noticed but all day, and especially since he got back, his intuition had been screeching in his head. He felt his body shake like it was freezing under the warmer water.

'What is going on? What are these feelings in me?' he thought to himself. He rubbed his head. He felt a headache taking over. A headache that had been acting up all afternoon. He sighs to himself.

"Dame-Tsuna, look at these people you've gathered around yourself. Such innocent people getting involved with you. Such innocent people…. More like your future bullies. People who will hate you and blame you for all the misery that will come. Think about it. They will grow tired of you and move on from you to something better. Your new family members, yeah right, they are going to take your Mama away because you're no good. You will be left all alone again with no one around. What will you do then huh?"

Tsuna stared into the mirror of the bathroom. He could see tears falling from his eyes. Tsuna wanted to get away. He only felt the dread and hate he felt for himself. He felt his throat clamp up and his dry mouth. He could hear his blood rushing in his ears and feel his heart beating in his chest. He could not believe how he felt at that moment. What could he had done to deserve this? He did not hate anyone but he just wanted to get away from everyone. Tsuna went into the tub to soak. He still felt his blood rushing in his ears and head. He stood there feeling tears sliding down his face.

"Dame-Tsuna, what are you trying to do? Make friends? They don't like you, you are just a burdening on everyone. They feel the need to protect the weak boy you are. Why are you so weak and worthless? What good do you do? You are just trouble to these people. They hate you and they don't care about Dame-Tsuna. They must talk to about Dam-Tsuna all the time. They must talk about how he is stupid and deserves to disappear from here. What would happen if you did disappear? Would your family and friends be relieved to see you gone?"

Tsuna quickly wanted out of there that moment. He rushed out of the tub after a quick clean. He got out of there quickly and went to his room. He went to the stairs and stopped. He took a few deep breathes to calm down before heading downstairs. He could hear laughter as he took each step down. It got louder and louder. He could hear the laughing and talking and screaming of the people down there. They were enjoying themselves.

xxxxxx

Tsuna looked to his left and then his right. He can see the kids breathing in and out. They were sleeping so peacefully. They looked so calm in their sleep. 'They look so happy. Am I happy too? I am. Is this going to last long? If it doesn't, at least I had it for awhile. What about…?' Tsuna forced his mind to silent. He looked to his desk one more time. He stared at the drawer in it. He felt his eyes get heavy and began to close them.

'Goodnight'

Thank you for reading and please review.

This chapter was longer than most and it would had been longer but I decided to separate it. The next chapter is half way written so it shouldn't be long before I put that one out.

Hoped you enjoyed. Don't worry I have so many ideas for this story even though it is still in a work in progress.