EDIT: Sept 9/2018. Touched this up, changed just a few things.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Harmonization with a Sky can differ from person to person. Most simply feel comfortable, maybe 'at home', some have a feeling of safety and security. It all depends on the Sky's personality. Outside feelings, such as genuine affection and desire for another, are all the individuals. Children, on the other hand, tend to feel like the Sky is a brother/sister or even a mother/father type figure. Like-wise, depending on their personality a Sky will likely view a child they have formed a Harmony with as their own kin, either sibling or more. With how much of a caretaker this Tsuna can be whether he's fully aware of it or not, which is more likely?
THANK YOU: Arashi - IV of VI, general zargon, XxShadowfangxX, sympatheticassassin, Demon Hound, shukkets, Caro, Sawada Ten-chan, Snickering Fox, , Kuroi Rin, Natsu Yuuki, Guest, and Zivyx!
sympatheticassassin: Oh, he definitely comes to the conclusion that he cannot, will not, be what the mafia world really wants him to be. Second-hand trauma from a character is what sets him on a certain path for real and makes him firmly believe in the world needing a change, however small and slow. Relationship with the mafia, definitely not good, but relationship with certain people involved with the mafia? Will be good enough. ;) There will be Nana-going-at-Iemitsu action in the Ring Battles arc. Once she snaps anyway. *plotful smile*
WORD TRANSLATIONS: Up here just because.
Mazakuma: Motherbear.
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"The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other." ~ Mario Puzo.
Mercifully after the Kidnapping Incident Tsuna's life remained fairly calm and average barring certain times.
His grades remained three or four points above his bad average in the classroom, while homework fortunately kept him afloat at a steady C+ to B-. He had a weekly sparring match with Hibari that Hana, as she had promised, witnessed with supplies on hand. More often than not Kyoko watched from the sidelines too, her big eyes worried and her presence so gentle that she drew out more oomph each match. Ryo-Aniki begged for a fight everyday but, as with Hibari (who grudgingly allowed the once-a-week rule thanks to it being on Gyudon Tuesday) Tsuna would only spar once with the boxer each Saturday. Nobu's training had only grown in harshness and gained a more military-like quality as Nobu gave him a diet plan lasting only six months while upping the weight and stamina training he went through.
Tsuna was surprised he'd made it without more than four trips to the hospital, nearly all for his clumsiness and one being misfortune. He was knocked through a glass window while shopping with the girls, which resulted in Hana pretty much ripping the head off a fat, mildly drunken man that decided to flee in the face of her rage. Kyoko, meanwhile, had already called an ambulance before she and Hana started wrapping up some of the worst wounds with first aid kits they carried.
In Tsuna's all too humble opinion he hadn't changed much from his Health-Hazard self pre-friends. He still had trouble concentrating in a room full of students and teachers who enjoyed belittling him, without too much 'cheating' with his Static his Gym grades remained below average as he disliked abusing his power, and he was still widely known as either No-Good or Health-Hazard Tsuna.
He was still the same loser he always was, but then again Tsuna always had far more trouble seeing value in himself.
o o o
Over the last few months Tsuna had noticed his three same-age friends looking tired and, with the exception of Kyoko aside from scraped knees and hands, a bit battered. Tsuna reasoned out that Kyoko had actually started training her running speed and stamina, and Hana was probably learning some form of self-defence. As for Takeshi, when Tsuna asked why he looked beat up and had a cut on his cheek, the boy always grinned and said it was a surprise. Every single time.
It's only natural that Tsuna worried for his friends well-being, but Ryohei reassured him it's natural for them to want to make things better. Ryohei never did clear up what things meant, but Tsuna's martial arts training under Nobu was distracting enough for him to forget and simply continue worrying. To alleviate his nerves Tsuna made sure his friends had a good Nana-quality bento to refuel with at lunch, then stuttered through pestering them to drink more milk and to please stop pushing themselves so much.
Consciously mothering his friends always did make the boy nervous and prepared for mocking despite logic and friendship telling him they wouldn't. His group liked that he took care of them, and in turn they did their best to watch out for him to varying success.
o o o
After nearing a year of listening to a semi-crazy martial artist talk about stuff (why he laughed after mentioning wanting something called a chimichanga was mystifying) Tsuna was positive that he had seen all the human weirdness possible. That was before he, on a rare day when he did not wear his weighted under clothes, flopped onto the grass of his favorite park (Nagakusa) for a rest in the cooler shade. This was the day he was approached by an adorable little boy in late March.
"Sawada Tsunayoshi?"
Tsuna sat up with a light groan and blinked in surprise at the boy. "Yeah... why do you ask?"
"My name is Fuuta de la Stella." This Fuuta held a ginormous book in his arms and his large eyes, so like a baby animal's, instantly had Tsuna's heart melting. "You're number one... least able to say no to kids needing help! You're also number one to refuse to use kids!"
Tsuna used the tree to haul himself up and smiled worriedly. "Of course. What, uh, do you need help with?"
Fuuta perked up, looking hopeful. "People are after me and I've been running for months! They-"
"There he is! Get the brat!"
A group of seven older men in black suits came charging into the park. Seeing this, Tsuna immediately went from what his friends secretly think of as Nana's Tsu-kun Mode to Protective Lion Mode as he snapped to attention and pulled the kid behind him. He tossed his cell phone to Fuuta and instructed him to call Hibari for damage control.
"You, shrimp! Get out of here before we shoot you! We just want the book-brat and you can go free."
Tsuna's face darkened and his eyes blazed green as he settled protectively in front of the shaking boy who, commendably, appeared to already on the phone with Hibari and explaining their situation and position. Static sparked and filled Tsuna's every cell, wreathing him in a slight aura of wild green sparks as he concentrated the majority of it into his skin in preparation of at least surviving being shot.
The first bullet hit near Tsuna's foot, drawing a scream from Fuuta who dropped the phone in his fright. This was a choice- stay and shield the boy they obviously want alive, or take a risk and go at them. Well, there is a third option.
"Fuuta, climb the tree and tell me when you're up there as high as you can go."
"Okay!" The quick sounds of scraping and the slipping of feet, followed by rustling leaves that rapidly grew quieter, followed. More bullets were shot and two grazed Tsuna's bare calf and neck. Nothing but faintly pink lines could be seen. "Done, Tsuna-san!"
A relieved look flashed across his face before he twitched and blurred right toward the Bad Guys still pointing their guns at him. With icy Intuition playing him like a fine instrument Tsuna listened to what his body wanted, moving and twisting around bullets until he was close enough to lash out with a foot that crashed into one man and sent three behind him flying into a heap of tangled limbs. Tsuna did not stop there, he knew that to stop moving was to give the scumbags time to properly shoot him. Along with the three that went down with the first unconscious body, the group of eight men withdrew various weapons like knives, formidable steel batons and a pair of sai. Tsuna felt no guilt about using his advantages on them by releasing a burst of his Static with each hit to send men flying into the black of unconsciousness.
More men came out of the woodwork and Tsuna gravitated toward Fuuta's tree in time to knifehand the neck of one industrious crook attempting to climb up. Bullets began to fly again as his attackers gained numbers and Tsuna screamed as four hit him in the sternum, chest, stomach, and thigh; mercifully all four were shallow hits thanks to his supercharged skin. He could feel the bullets there, and what had to be a cracked rib, each slowly working free as he continued moving and striking, quite used to the pain of broken bones and Nobu's brutal training.
Hot blood soaked his shirt and long shorts and Tsuna was beginning to feel the sharp teeth of terror start gnawing at his unraveling calm - and NO, he can't lose his head! A little boy trusted Tsuna to help him without even knowing him, and while the absurdity of that would hit later, the young Sky would rather be damned than let a child be taken for Kami knows what sorts of vile torture.
Tsuna had sent one man flying back and into another when he heard some of the most beautiful sounds in the world:
"Otōto!"
"Tsuna!"
"Attacking a student from Namimori means death, worms."
The group of (Yakuza? Other?) turned at these words in time to be taken out by three very irate school children releasing a frightening amount of anger (and killing intent). Tsuna watched with a numb sort of relief as the group of thirteen remaining jackasses were rapidly taken out via gloved fist, tonfa and aluminum bat, and piled high on top of the nine Tsuna had finished off with applications of Static. Movement drew his attention to the left and Tsuna's legs gave out in relief at the sight of Hana and a tearful Kyoko rushing to his side, the former holding a big grey duffle bag over her shoulder. His wounds tore a bit, the last bullet from his chest slipping out from beneath his shirt and hit the grass. He felt dizzy and a bit sick as the girls immediately forced him to lay down.
Kyoko had Tsuna's head in her lap and her trembling voice was soothing as she brushed his hair and used a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat off his face. Hana used medical scissors to open up his shirt and she paused with a sick expression on her face at both the sight of his wounds and pink scars stretching from one shoulder and clear across his clavicle. Marks made, no doubt, by an older man who had hurt him. Smothered protective rage welled up in Hana as she began to carefully clean each wound with saline spray. Kyoko was crying quietly as she continued to hold Tsuna and try to comfort the now perfectly calm, if pained and slightly whimpering, boy. Tsuna dimly registered when Kyoko's touch became hot and invigorating in a way not unlike his Static, only the pain was fading and he felt stronger as each second ticked by. Tsuna opened his eyes to look up at Kyoko as she gazed at him with a grim determination marred by sadness, and he felt his heart skip at the bright yellow glow turning her eyes gold.
So, Kyoko-chan has special energy too, like madre and me... Tsuna smiled and reached up to wipe away her tears. Seeing him strong enough to move already brought a lovely smile to his friend's face as she held his hand to her cheek, taking comfort from it. Tsuna turned his attention to Hana, who was watching the bullet wounds on his torso glow yellow and close. His heart started pounding in a trickle of fear and resignation at how both his closest second and third friends saw the scars he did his best to hide. When the wounds were healed and nothing but tender, dark pink scars remained, Hana looked up in time to see Kyoko sway a bit where she sat.
"Kyoko!" Hana said, immediately moving to cradle her friend as she slid sideways. "Talk to me, are you okay?"
"I-I'm okay, Hana-chan. I think I healed Tsuna-kun! I wanted him to feel better more than anything and look!" Kyoko's hooded eyes spoke of tired satisfaction as she gently brushed one dark scar on his shoulder. "Now I know how I can help!"
Tsuna sat up with a worried smile as he held his shirt closed. "Thank you, Kyoko-chan... but you need to learn how to control it before you do that again, okay? You have to give the energy time to grow with you, I think."
She looked at him with a cute little pout before nodding. "Tsuna-kun, you know about this, right? You glow green and turn super-human, so you can help me, right? Please?"
Hana rose an eyebrow at Tsuna, evidently not bothered or surprised at the development now that she verified that her friend is okay. That by itself speaks for how odd his friends are if even Take-No-Shit and Highly-Skeptical Hana is accepting the bizarre happening as nothing to freak about. Tsuna swallowed and nodded touching a scar on his stomach.
A hand gripped his upper arm and he found himself hauled up and off his feet by Hibari, causing him to lose his grip on his shirt. The boy inspected Tsuna's stiff body and his sharp eyes narrowed at the new scars exactly where he'd been shot, then he reached out with his other hand and touched the scar overtop the heart.
"Ah! H-Hibari, I'm okay. Y-you remember that green electricity I have?" A nod, eyes flickering to the tired and smiling Sasegawa female. "Kyoko-chan, she has yellow energy that healed me. I don't feel any of the blood loss, and the fatigue from my run is also gone."
Hibari looked Tsuna up and down and dropped his arm.
"Tsuna-nii! Is it safe now?"
Tsuna, holding his shirt closed, jerked and looked up in concern. "Fuuta! Y-yeah, come down! Just be careful!"
The sounds of a rapid descent followed before a branch snapped and the kid shrieked. When Fuuta's little body came crashing though the lush tree Tsuna paled and let out a strangled yell. He made to catch the boy, which would have resulted in a painful landing for Tsuna, but Fuuta was easily plucked out of the air by Hibari of all people. Tsuna's mouth dropped open along with Hana's.
Fuuta looked a bit star struck before he smiled brilliantly. "You're amazing, mister! Thank you very much!"
Hibari grunted in reply, nodding, and after placing the kid down with remarkable care for a carnivore like himself, pretty much shoved him at Tsuna, who quickly caught Fuuta and held the boy steady.
"Watch your chibi, Anaguma."
Tsuna swallowed as he gently, and absently, returned the tight hug Fuuta was giving him. "M-my chibi?"
Hibari smirked. "You shed blood in protecting this little cub, and by protecting him you made him yours. It's what a creature like you does."
With that Hibari turned, smacked Ryohei for being in his direct air space*, and left the park. Had it not been for Kyoko needing a piggy-back ride Ryohei would have gone tearing after him for an extreme fight. Fuuta had yet to let go, perfectly content hugging a dazed Tsuna as the young Sawada's mind twisted and, to his private horror, understood exactly why Hibari said what he said. By protecting Fuuta he had staked his territory, claimed the kid as "his" to care for and protect, and-and... Well, shit.
"Hana-chan... am I easy to predict?" Tsuna said, voice sounding dangerously close to a whine. He petted Fuuta's hair and sighed, not even realizing what he was doing. "I mean, why did he have to go and say that?"
A laugh was all he recieved in answer before Hana went into her duffle and handed him a sweater, a familiar oversized striped one he'd misplaced two weeks ago. He shrugged it off, not at all bothered by his clothes being taken (they're so comfortable, and it's not like him to get too angry over pilfered possessions unless they're special) and gratefully pulled it on before more than the girls and Fuuta could see his scars.
Takeshi, whether by providence or not, chose then to leave the unconscious Baddies and move to Tsuna's side where he crouched to talk face to face with little Fuuta. To Tsuna's embarrassment the baseball player was telling Tsuna's 'cub' that he would have a great time living with mama and her son, and that Tsuna will make the best brother ever. Ryohei was already declaring Fuuta to be his little brother too, and even Hana, who usually dislikes all children on principle, seemed tolerant of Fuuta who was polite, sweet, and though Tsuna didn't realize it, strongly reminded the group of their Sky. Kyoko was mothering him too, cleaning dirt off his face, and right then Tsuna was hit with an epiphany.
He tended to think of them as his family mainly as a comfort and pretty self-delusion, but it was the truth.
They really were family (Hibari being that reclusive and terrifying relative only a select few ever want to visit), and that family had come to his rescue. Had Hibari called them after hearing gunshots and Fuuta's scream? That had to be it. Takeshi was dressed in his baseball uniform and Ryohei was dressed in his usual boxing outfit, and even Health-Hazard Tsuna could come to the conclusion that they had dropped everything to come help him. Tears pricked at his eyes and he stubbornly clamped down on the maelstrom of near overwhelming emotions threatening to break his walls. It wouldn't do to break down and have to answer inevitable questions.
His madre accepted Fuuta into the house as easily as she breathed and Fuuta was the perfect little helper. With his impeccable manners and naturally adorable appearance, the boy was a knockout combination. Wherever Fuuta went with Tsuna exclusively old ladies and teenage girls were quick to flock and coo, which would lead to Tsuna clamming up and not talking until they were well out of range where he relaxed. Fuuta also had a strange ability to dispell gravity in the area directly surrounding him and to make very truthful rankings.
Of course, listening to Fuuta read aloud what he wrote in that secretive book of his was both embarrassing and intriguing. Mostly morifying.
"Tsuna-nii is number one for greatest potential, sixth for biggest heart, in the top three for most protective of their Famiglia, in the first 200 of several thousand for pain tolerance, is in the top ten for most maternal males, and tenth for most most unlucky."
The negating gravity and making rankings bit was surprising and had warranted a yelp and minor panicking until he realized that Fuuta was okay, that the floating stuff was a normal occurrence and nothing bad was happening. Then he shrugged it off, accepted that he had another peculiar member of the family who took to him just as much as he did to madre, and took care of Fuuta as best he could. Piero had even taken the kid under her paw, so to speak, following him around like she did for Tsuna when he was younger and much more helpless, and she was quite the Mother Bear personified as a huge cat.
o o o
Tsuna didn't notice when his madre began nudging him toward taking care of Fuuta more and more. Her reminders to him to remind Fuuta to drink his milk, eat his vegeables, and brush his teeth eventually grew into Tsuna mothering the sweet-natured boy who was so mindful of his manners. Reading a story to Fuuta each night became an everyday thing that, unlike homework which he occasionally forgot, he never missed out on, just like with movie night involving everyone in Tsuna's group minus Hibari (who occasionally visited for madre's food and seemed to tolerate Fuuta's presence).
It bothered Tsuna less than he pretended when Hana and Takeshi teased him for acting like a mom to Fuuta. More and more often Nana began referring to Tsuna as the man of the house and that, as the big man who likes to look after everyone, he definitely has to be a good papa to Fuuta. This flustered the young Sky more than it bothered him, and Fuuta began calling Tsuna papa to giggle over his 'big brother' stuttering and blushing like a tomato. That sight seemed to amuse everyone, even Hibari when it was just Tsuna and Fuuta in the same room as him.
Nearly five months after Fuuta first entered Tsuna's life the kid came up to him one afternoon on a Sunday and stood there fidgeting for several minutes before the future Decimo pulled him onto the couch and into a side hug.
"You don't have to be scared to ask me anything, Fuuta-kun," Tsuna said soothingly as he tapped his pencil on the rough sketch of a sparrow he saw the day before. "I'm not going to judge you, promise."
"Okay... um..." Fuuta played with the thin blue and white stary patterned summer scarf. He'd recieved it as a joint present from the Sawada mother and son.
Patience was becoming one of Tsuna's better virtues, the few he felt he had, and he smiled at the anxious silence Fuuta fell into, so put his pencil and sketchbook to the side and pulled his Something-or-Other (brother felt like too weak a word) into a proper hug and ruffled his hair. Taking strength from Tsuna's hug, Fuuta took a deep breath and derailed that peaceful Sunday afternoon.
"C-can you be my papa? I've never had one and... and I think you feel like one."
Tsuna was frozen, tense and half waiting for his little housemate to yell "HAHA, it was a prank, Tsuna-nii!" but Fuuta's earnest, big Bambi eyes held nothing but sincerity and Tsuna felt a part of himself flinch in terror and another part wanted to say yes right away. There was a lot of fear in the child's eyes and Tsuna saw that Fuuta was preparing himself for rejection.
"I-I... I wouldn't be a good d-dad... especially since I'm a kid, you know?"
Understanding dawned in Fuuta's doe-eyes and he threw his arms around Tsuna, accepting all the fear and insecurities his savior and male role model.
"You're already like a papa, Tsuna!" And Fuuta proceeded to point out all the times the older boy acted like a guardian, parent, and friend, then the kid admitted that he had never felt so loved before and he didn't care that Tsuna had no faith in himself, Fuuta believed enough for the both of them. He was absolutely certain that Tsuna was his papa already.
Logic, Tsuna found, was frequently punted aside in his life, but he couldn't bring himself to hate it. Not when looking after Fuuta had become so important and a different sort of support he hadn't realized he'd needed. His madre needed him, yes, and she took care of him in any way she could, but Fuuta calling him papa and relying on him, needing him in the same way Tsuna needed his own madre, it soothed a piece of that supposedly rotting part of his heart. A constant and in-his-face reminder that he was important enough to be needed by someone not of blood.
He wouldn't pull an Iemitsu, that was for damn sure.
Tsuna was too scared to make the promise but he had secretly vowed to be his best for Fuuta. Starting with saying goodbye to Lady Panda, his giant panda plush. Fuuta had fallen in love with the giant fluffy toy and Tsuna found he couldn't say no to the unspoken question and had sneaked it into Fuuta's room when he was out with Nana, who the littlest honorary Sawada had taken to calling zia, meaning auntie.
o o o
A lot of people were after Fuuta it seemed. Once the onslaught began Tsuna quickly discovered that, despite his aversion to such things, brutal mercy was his only method of taking out the threat before Fuuta, madre, or Piero could be touched. By brutal mercy the Narrator means he breaks the legs and arms of men if they appear semi-immune to his Static, and for women he uses pressure points Nobu taught him, and then leaves all 'bodies' for Hibari to dispose of, as it seemed he was wont to do since the day he decided Fuuta belonged to Tsuna.
No one taken away by Namimori police, or Hibari's vigilante pack, were ever seen from again, or so the rumors say.
This only meant that the number of those seeking Fuuta grew to the point where not only did Hibari increase patrols around the general area, Takeshi volunteered to sleep over for added protection. For months the he became a fixture in the Sawada household. He never commented on the 'game' Tsuna made of flipping all pictures containing Iemitsu so they can't be seen, that Nana, minutes or hours later, would walk through the area humming as she righted the photos. No, it didn't matter if Tsuna's kind and caring nature went sour towards his blood-father, he was human and allowed to feel negative emotions. What mattered was his friend could smile and laugh, and Fuuta was obviously very important to him, and thus very important to Takeshi and the others.
Eventually Ryohei stayed over and the young Yamamoto stayed home for a month, intent on completing something for Tsuna and Fuuta, and returned with a real blade, a blunt steel practice one that, regardless of edge, he used most effectively in following Tsuna's example of Brutal Mercy while drawing little blood. He called this guarding of Fuuta the Protection Game to Tsuna's great exasperation. At least it was a game taken most seriously.
Nana had more than a few confrontations with would-be kidnappers invading home while her eldest sons (she viewed Takeshi, Ryohei and Hibari as such) were at school. This was the first attack after Fuuta's stay and Tsuna, who was planning to do homework with Takeshi, had nearly fainted at the sight of his mother whacking a slumped man with her marble rolling pin. Piero was closely following Nana's steps, favoring her back paw.
It was only Takeshi that kept him standing until Fuuta left his hiding place, wherever that may have been, and quickly clutched Tsuna in a desperate hug, muttering that zia had been attacked and I'm sorry, please don't kick me out, papa, I like it here! I'm safe here, I don't have to feel scared when I'm with you and zia and your Famiglia! Please! Once Tsuna, Takeshi and Nana assured the boy he was here for life, he'll never leave unless he wants to, Fuuta was practically a pile of mush from relief.
To Tsuna's surprise his madre explained that she had had another Episode, as she called her use of the Indigo Light. They were trying to take her son's boy and he was crying, and it was all so unacceptable and she knew Tsuna would fight, but she wasn't a fighter, and all she could do was desperately call upon that light to cripple them with fear before knocking all fifteen men out with her favorite rolling pin. Tsuna had bent to examine one and found that the knockout hits had been hard enough to draw a bit of blood. He was impressed and worried over the changes his madre was developing, but his Intuition whispered it was good for his unofficially adopted son and that was enough.
Knowing his madre was serious about protecting Fuuta filled him with adoration and even more respect for her and he had thought that impossible. Respect that Hibari seemed to share a bit of if his smirk, worn while directing his own gang of 'peace-keeping' miscreants, to take the bodies to Namimori's police, was anything to judge. He had nodded at Nana, a certain amusement clear in his sharp eyes, and when he turned to look at Tsuna sitting on the couch with Fuuta using his lap as a pillow, there seemed to be a private joke going through his head.
It became clear exactly why the tonfa wielder was mildly amused when he called Nana Mazakuma* when he left. Tsuna went to bed with a headache that night.
o o o
Tsuna snapped awake at the sound of an alarm clock given to him by Nobu, one than sits on a wall mounted shelf all the way across his room. These days, when he remembers to set the clock that forever resets to default no alarm mode each morning, Tsuna wakes up to a scary series of tiger roars until he can stumble across crumpled failed drawings and sketchbooks to slap the cancel button. Standing there slumped beneath his shelf, Tsuna debated the pros and cons of crawling back into bed since Nobu had gone away for a while to take care of "catfish-trafficking business" and therefore wouldn't be pestering him.
"Papa?" Tsuna looked up, rubbing sleep from his eyes, and smiled at Fuuta poking his head into the room. "Zia has breakfast waiting downstairs and I made the okayu all by myself today!"
Tsuna shuffled over and gave his bambino a hug and gently pushed him off to go eat. The usual morning routine followed and he slowly made his way down the staircase with his own school bag over his shoulder. He decided to forego his normal morning run in favor of eating with Fuuta and watching a cartoon with the boy before walking to school with Takeshi and the rest. By this time his friend slept over less often as the number of Fuuta Hunters dwindled.
Downstairs, however, he was met with a peculiar sight. A frowning Fuuta was staring down some strange child-thing and instinctually Tsuna stepped in between, shielding his son from what did not give off the feel of a baby. The not-child was the size of a small toddler and dressed in a smart suit and fedora that served as a perch to one cute but odd chameleon. Black eyes, large and unfathomable, looked at Tsuna with an unusual severity not found in normal kids. Ten seconds of mutual staring occurred before Tsuna forced himself to relax and put on his best Cyanide Smile. It got a blink in response. Evidently a look like that on him was not what most people expected.
"Hello there, my name is Tsuna. How did you get in here and why?"
The baby was silent for a moment, looking at him in a measuring way, then -
"Tsu-kun!" His madre walked in from the back-garden with some ripe vegetables and berries in separate baskets, and paused at the odd sight that she did not like. Fuuta huddled behind Tsuna, frowning at Reborn and clutching her son in a way that seemed protective, and Tsuna had a familiar stance that made him a living shield. "This... is your home tutor, Tsu-kun. Reborn, my sweet boy and his son, Fuuta-kun!"
Reborn's dark eyes narrowed slightly. "Son?"
Tsuna frowned and nodded. "It just kinda happened but yes, Fuuta-kun is my bambino. As long as you treat him well you and I won't have a problem."
Nana clapped her hands in cheer, always happy when her son took his fatherly duty seriously, and within moments everyone was seated with a plate of food before them.
Reborn wasn't sure how she did it, but at least the food was delicious. He listened and watched the future Decimo interact with his 'son', pointing out that the boy had to have his milk and his eggs or he'll be scrawny when he grows up, a statement the present Arcobaleno found amusing since the older boy before him was willowy and delicate looking.
Nana explained to Tsuna that he, the tutor, was there to help him become the leader of his generation, and doesn't that sound good? Noticing her son's pinched expression and reluctance she smiled and patted his cheek before saying the words that condemned him: "I know you don't like this, Tsu-kun, but you know you need help, and I would be very happy if you gave your tutor a chance. Can you do that for your madre?"
Fuuta, evidently aware of what Reborn is and who he represents, looked a bit heartbroken and worried when his papa agreed in the face of his mother's earnest concern and request.
. . .
Observing Tsuna throughout the day was both boring and intriguing. He had his own circle of friends capable of abilities that, had they not been in close contact with such a powerful sealed Sky, would have made Reborn a bit antsy, though if one used that word with him they would be riddled with holes, healed, and shot again.
A dish in the sink had broken without anyone realizing it and Tsuna had given himself a nasty cut on what Iemitsu's report said was his dominant hand, and all anyone did was wrap his wound up well and send him off with a firm order to get Kyoko, one of his close friends, to fix him up. The girl in question, sweet in nature and cheerful, had scolded Tsuna for not being careful and, without any difficulty, summoned sparkling Sun Flames to her fingers and held his hand. A pink scar remained on his palm when the bandages were removed, but for someone not using a ring that was impressive, even Reborn could privately admit that.
Perhaps there was more to Iemitsu's son than the gossipy moron knew, because on the way to school Kyoko's friend Kurokawa Hana smirked in triumph and showed the purple ringed Rain flame she could summon to her palms. Two boys met them on the way and Tsuna, looking resigned, worried, and proud all at once, asked them how they were doing on practicing using their 'energy'. Yamamoto Takeshi displayed a palm full of brilliant Rain that beat out Schnitten Brabanters* own flame purity. Then there was Sasegawa Ryohei, Kyoko's older brother, and his eyes even gained a glow as he summoned flames to his fist.
"All that leaves is Hibari-senpai," Tsuna said, gazing at his own fist of Lightning. "His must used inwardly. It's probably why he's got a monster's physical power..."
Takeshi wrapped Tsuna in a side hug as the group walked to school. "Maa, Tsuna you can worry until you're old and gray, but Hibari will be Hibari and you can't control the wind, right?"
Tsuna hung his head and nodded. "I'm not worrying about him, guys, I'm worried for my own health. He's frustrated that he hasn't been able to bring up his own energy and he takes it out on me every time we spar. It's starting to feel like a death match..."
Ryohei ruffled Tsuna's hair. "Relax, Otōto, we're always there watching from a distance! If he gets too excited we'll jump right in and Kyoko can heal you before he drags you back!"
"Yeah..." That sure sounded comforting. "Hibari is still terrifying."
Hibari Kyoya, son of an agoraphobic daughter of a filthy rich corporation that funds the Namimori police, the hospital, and most major businesses here, and is what gives the Hibari family such sway in the quiet city. If Reborn had his information right, and it should be since the Irukaza Yakuza, Vongola allies, are the mogul's owning Shichishoku Corp. A monolithic corporation specializing in several areas: Medicine and Health, Survival Tools and Supplies, Weapons and Tech, and even Botany. Hibari Mitsuko was a hitwoman who was fraternal twin to the monstrously strong Irukaza boss, which made Hibari Kyoya more than slightly "pedigreed" as his mother once changed the landscape of a large island base that was taken over by the Irukaza. What was more, she clearly had control over her Cloud Flames as she had been known for never running out of knives or dart-bombs. Mitsuko had given her services exclusively to the Vongola as per her father's orders, and years after the birth of her son she suffered a trauma before disappearing from the underworld.
Interesting choice of associate this future boss has, whether he knows it or not.
As Tsuna and his group entered the school gates and started heading for the main building Tsuna turned to face a tall black haired boy sauntering toward them with a smirk on his face and his lecherous gaze on Kyoko. Reborn could feel a change in the air and smell ozone as Tsuna slid between Kyoko and the newcomer.
"Mochida-senpai, I'll make this clear once more, Kyoko-chan has as much interest in dating you as she does in kissing a viper. Back. Off. Now. Before this gets difficult."
There was a hard and curious tone in Tsuna's voice, a quality that grabbed attention and almost inspired respect. Beside him Takeshi and Ryohei turned, body language ready to fight and defend. This Mochida brat sneered and grabbed Tsuna by the front of his shirt and it was a good sign that the other two boys, including Hana, shifted as though about to lunge at the brat holding their friend, and the only thing keeping them in their place was faith in their Sky.
Tsuna sighed. "I don't want to fight you, Mochida-senpai, but I will if you keep bothering Kyoko-chan."
By this time dozens of students had gathered to watch the proceedings at a distance. Mochida growled, displeased that Tsuna was neither scared nor bothered by being in his sights, and shoved Tsuna back before demanding a fight that would decide who Kyoko belonged to. At that exact wording Kyoko glared, Takeshi frowned, Hana bristled and snarled, and Ryohei cracked his knuckles. Tsuna's hand blurred as he quickly entered Mochida's personal space and twisted his wrist. The brat let out a muffled scream.
"Kyoko-chan is no prize and no object, you maggot," he said, voice too soft to be a growl but still quite dangerous. He persisted in the painful hold. "It's a pitiful way of thinking. How fitting for you."
Mochida knocked himself free of the hold because it was allowed. "F-fine! Whoever beats the other in a fight after school today gets to take her out on a date! If you win I'll never bother her again!"
Tsuna still had an angry look in his eyes as he nodded, placated by the change of 'prize'. There was no chance he'd lose. Mochida turned and fled into the school and the other students who had watched looked gobsmacked by Tsuna's defending Kyoko in such a way. Either he keeps a low profile in school or he was such a wimp he ran from every trouble and Reborn's own appearance had simply shaken him. Somehow, the Arcobaleno doubted his presence had off-balanced Tsuna all that much, not when he has his own fledgling Famiglia backing him.
The intriguing Decimo walked into school with his arm held hostage by an amused Hana who began poking one of both red cheeks. Reborn smirked, almost pleased that it seemed he wasn't teaching another Dino, but that remained to be seen. He had only observed a few sides of Tsuna, but what he saw was quite promising. The rest, that curious development of taking the Fuuta de la Stella on as surrogate son, was a blip that wouldn't be repeated, he hadn't taken on a total bleeding heart as a student, he was sure.
And that weird chill he felt? The cold wind of a storm developing.
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About Fuuta being able to rank who would most likely help him? Nobu. Leavin' it at that! :D
HIBARI SPEAK: Herbivores are the general populace he views as harmless, weak, stupid, ETC, and therefore not worth thinking about- they haven't done anything to arouse his bloodlust, like his father used to do. So calling someone a worm means Kyoya (and the rest of the Hibari's) are in a Mortally Maim Some Bitches mood. If someone really catches a Hibari's attention then they generally assign a sort of nickname bluntly showing and telling how they view somone.
** About Ryohei Being In Hibari's Air Space: Has anyone ever seen more than a few episodes of Hey! Arnold? I... I kinda imagined that scene as Ryohei being Brainy and Hibari being Helga. I'm trying not to laugh as I type this.