THANK YOU TO: Akayuki Novak, MissSexyRain, EndlessChains, Natsu Yuuki, RavenWhiteMoi, Of Stories Told, LioPyro7890, Yumi014, JUST SET ME ON FIRE, Hime-chan Natsumi, Zivyx, SUGInaota, Kuroi Rin, Littlest1, Vampireharry the 2, demonsLOver, Yana5, general zargon, and KainVixenheim. ALSO, thank you to every person who has put this on favorites and watch, they mean a lot to me even though most of the time I'm airheaded and don't think to check when I answer reviews. x(

WARNING and CHAPTER RATING: M. Mentions and limited details of experiments on children. Also, harsh language.

NOTE: If you want to skip reading about the Estraneo experiments skip from "For testing a serum" to "In a small way ". ALSO, if this chapter disappoints any of you, I'm sorry, this is just how it happened in my head and I liked it, so there is it. Please enjoy.

SECOND NOTE: Do you guys know how much I love you all? I ran home. Ran, people, I ran. It's a little hard to breathe, my head hurts, and so does my throat. Yeah, as you can tell, I'm not much of a runner...

"As human beings we have the most extraordinary capacity for evil. We can perpetrate some of the most horrendous atrocities." ~ Desmond Mpilo Tutu.

"Kufufu." That laugh in Takeshi's voice while right against his ear sent an unpleasant shiver down Tsuna's back as he froze. "While in possession of someone I happen to have a limited access to their thoughts and feelings..."

Mukuro-Takeshi, holding the Sky's hands twisted behind his back, shifted and pressed his lips to Tsuna's neck and 's hand wrapped around his throat. Fear and horror was threatening to clog up Tsuna's throat as the familiar hand tightened and the thumb stroked his racing pulse. "The juggernaut and your swordsman have the same feelings for you as that little girl over there."

"GAH!" The sound of Ryohei's cry and the subsequent loud crashing through a wall sent Tsuna's heart speeding even faster. "K-Kyoko!? What's gotten into you?"

Little miss Sasegawa Kyoko had Mukuro's cruel smile and cracks in the side of her face as she smirked at her brother, then she turned a speculative look on the Arcobaleno, who so easily dodged the blindingly fast strike this girl's body could do. She shrugged and sauntered over to Tsuna, a sway in her hips and a shark-like look on her twisted face.

"It's really quite amusing," she said, voice husky as she stroked his cheek. "Does everyone in your Famiglia harbor feelings for you, little Vongola?"

"Th-they're my friends," he managed to force out.

"Friends that want you writhing beneath them in pleasure as they sully your body, little virgin?" Hibari said as he moved closer so that the last two words were practically purred into his ear.

A slight blush colored Tsuna's cheeks, making him look sick with the ghostly pallor to his skin. His face was one of pure disgust, for Mukuro's attempt to mess with him. From the corner of his eye Tsuna watched Reborn intercede Ryohei, heard the distant but clear request for him to trust Tsuna with saving Kyoko and the rest. That's right, Tsuna could not let Mukuro win. Destroying the world meant killing everyone he loved and though he wasn't so noble (or confident) as to claim to want to save every single innocent, he was damned if he let this mind game go on.

For anyone sensitive to Tsuna's Sky, like Reborn and the rest of the boy's group, his Presence was heavy as the temperature dropped. Reborn decided it was definitely time to sit back (but not really) and watch what his student did. As usual he wasn't disappointed. Tsuna's mind had been twisting in on itself, fighting the instinct to let the bodies of his friends do what they pleased so he wouldn't hurt them, but in doing that he would hurt them beyond anything he could feasibly do with his own power. They would never forgive him for allowing them to hurt him, and he would never forgive himself.

Frost and thickening ice spread out from Tsuna's feet, slicking the floor and creeping over Takeshi's body where it touched the young Sky's. Mukuro felt himself jerk and freeze as the strange lukewarm Sky Flames slipped into the swordsmans system, and with the girl and juggernaut crowding the Decimo they were ensnared by whatever he was doing. Soft heat grew hotter, melding with the individual Flames each person possessed and as much as he tried Mukuro could not drag himself free of the three bodies he had taken over. For the first time since his years in the Estraneo's clutches Mukuro tasted fear, and this time it was ashes and winter instead of blood, blood, blood.

"The Flames of the Sky are mysterious and I believe the limits are all in our heads... and as a Sky myself," said Tsuna, voice low as he pulled Takeshi's stiff hand from his throat with gentle fingers. "You are too weak to control the connection I have with the ones I love, Mukuro, and believing you could beat a boy willing to die for the well-being of his family was your mistake."

Three cries of pain echoed in the room as soft aura's of Sky enveloped Takeshi, Kyoko and Hibari, and all three collapsed, unconscious, free of burns and looking peaceful.

Tsuna knew he wouldn't have too much time before Mukuro returned stronger than before, so he slung Kyoko over his back, grabbed his two male friends by their arms, and hurried over to Reborn to (as gently as possible) dump them beside the tutor he trusted to keep them safe. The infant pulled a gun out as Tsuna approached the middle of the room. He did not have to wait long for Mukuro to return and watched as the Mist user stood and gouged his own red eye with his fingers. The power unleashed by that move was startling and sent a slight trickle of fear through Tsuna's heart, but it was not enough to shake his resolve to stop Mukuro here.

All at once they rushed at one another, one with his indigo-glowing staff and trident, the other with a pair of violently blazing tonfa. Mukuro was a formidable opponent Tsuna noted from a clinical part of his brain he hadn't realized he was capable of. The taller male had better reach, certainly, but Tsuna was faster and still stronger, possibly even without being imbued with his HDW. He blocked most of Mukuro's blows and those that hit could not penetrate the amber Lightning flickering over skin hidden by his Tai-chi martial arts outfit. Tsuna could see the other growing desperate, could feel it in the Mist Flames pulsing and twisting around him in an effort to ensnare him in an illusion. Mukuro was tough out of luck there, because Tsuna noted felt the attempted invasion of his Mist and burned it off mid-fight.

Eventually Tsuna pumped more of his hybrid flame into the muscles of his body, keeping his pure Sky Flame alight on his forehead, and grabbed Mukuro and threw him over his shoulder, slamming the slender male down hard enough to form a crater in the wood and support beneath. The Mist user was too stunned to move and he couldn't quite get back the breath that had been knocked out of him. Tsuna quickly had Mukuro pinned in much the way Hibari thoroughly kept him trapped once too many times during spars. Difference here is that the Mist user lacks enough heat in his Flames to reach through that of Tsuna's.

"Why are you so intent on destroying everything?" Tsuna loomed above the Mist user, voice rough from suppressed emotion and eyes rock steady. "I want to know before I end this."

Rokudo Mukuro was familiar with the concept of the fabled Sky Flames and the ability of Harmonizing with surroundings and people. Being who he is he was especially sensitive to unnatural things, though what constitutes unnatural is often up for debate in the Mafia world. What was important was that he could feel something, and it was wrapped around him, pressing gently close, caressing his skin and begging to be let in. That was probably the young Vongola's Sky attempting to Harmonize with him whether the boy was aware of that or not. Well, who was he to ignore such an opening?

Mukuro smirked darkly up at the naive boy. "You really wish to know why a world without humans would be better?"

Cold Intuition zinged down the Decimo's back before returning warmer. "Yes, I do."

Tsuna felt it the moment Mukuro's Flame latched onto his in a vicious Harmony that bordered on pain, but that was eclipsed by the crash of cold Mist flooding him and pooling in his head. Suddenly he wasn't in the heart of Kokuyo Land. He was huddling in the corner of a small, horribly smelly stone cell that was damp and cold. He was looking down at small, torn up and bleeding hands, and thin wrists with red and bleeding welts, and Tsuna felt them, as well as the bruises and needle marks in milky white arms, as were the wounds were all his own. Knowledge of a different life slithered into his head along with terrible sensations. That cell was only one of many where the children of the Estraneo Famiglia were held when not being used for experiments.

For testing a serum that speeded healing a child had large patches of skin removed. Others had organs taken for other tests and replaced with bio-robotics in attempts to make viable non-biological replacements. A growth serum combined with other specialized steroids was designed to encourage a large and powerful soldier. Full-body injections into deep muscle tissue and bone, heavily modified teeth and testing of on-the-spot mutations for super soldiers. And finally, Mukuro's own torment. Like everything else it was torture with testing involving increasingly successful health optimizing serums and drugs... and the pain that the Mist beneath him went through killed the boy six times and left him further broken until the "Supernatural Agent" project was successful after twelve other failures.

In a small way Tsuna understood the pain and anger over injustice and abuse of power. True, the Decimo was unlikely to go through anything like what Mukuro and his two subordinates did, but without his madre's love and support, the young Sky could have easily been a weak shadow of what Mukuro became: a child hating the world that hurt him, desiring nothing more than to see everyone else suffer worse than him. The part of Tsuna that was capable of forgiving to varying degrees shifted all sanguinary feelings towards people and Mafia like the Estraneo, and there would certainly be other twisted creatures wearing human skin. The problem is that they shouldn't be allowed to exist, or at the very least be free to continue spreading their darkness.

Outside of Tsuna and Mukuro's tense and stone-still forms was a bright aura of Mist and Sky, twisting together and flaring frequently. Inside the Flames Tsuna could still feel Mukuro's Mist clutching his Sky, and had it been in real life nails would be digging into his skin and drawing beads of blood. The memories ceased after Tsuna watched the Estraneo's slaughter through the young criminal's own eyes, with the cold Mist withdrawing from his head and leaving him shivering. What the Decimo did not expect was for the white-hot flare of Intuition telling him not to let go, to open up and let the Harmony complete. Not looking to ignore such a powerful nudge in the good direction of his Intuition, Tsuna did just that with a shaky sigh.

Mukuro had fully expected Tsuna to be broken by the memories of his time in the Estraneo's clutches. He expected the foolish boy to flinch away, to reject the murderer so instinctivly that he left himself open. Instead he felt the Decimo's Sky envelop him and swiftly seep in like when his possession over those three teens broke, only there was no pain of burning and turning to ashes. What Mukuro felt was warm, a relaxing embrace of gentle Flames that warmed him from the inside, exactly like the first mug of delicious hot chocolate he stole; and just like that he could feel a suffocating weight* fade from his heart. Hate for the Mafia remained, the urge to murder men and woman like the scientists who tortured him still lingered like glowing embers waiting to be stoked into full blaze, but he was thinking clearer now.

His plan would never have worked. An Arcobaleno of Reborn's caliber, the Strongest Hitman in the world, would not have hesitated to gun down the student he cared for to save Tsuna from being possessed and used to kill the people he loved. Hell, an Arcobaleno would not have had to kill Tsuna to stop the possession.

Sky and Mist receded as both teens left the trances they entered. Mukuro's eyes were gleaming, borderline frantic. It would be hard for even Reborn to say whether the Mist user was being sincere or trying to mess with Tsuna's head again as he spoke.

"Kill me. Give me death before I'm taken by the mafia again."

Tsuna shook his head, grip tightening on Mukuro's bruising wrists as he forced back his own nerves. "No, I'm not a killer, but if you want a bunch of broken bones I'm all for that."

Mukuro sneered, red eye beginning to glow, but then Tsuna slammed his forehead against his with enough force to knock him out. Tsuna stood, knees shaky from the strange feeling of that particular Harmonization, the first where he was actively aware of it forming, and he stumbled back. His eyes were scanning Mukuro for any injuries needing pressing attention just in case a mafia prison doesn't fix up its prisoners, and seeing nothing on the front he shuffled forward to kneel and turn him over. A harsh voice stopped him.

"Don't you dare touch him-byon! You filthy mafia brat!"

There behind him was the blond feral boy named Joshima Ken, body bleeding heavily from dragging himself over the ground to reach this part of the old amusement park.

Tsuna approached him and knelt out of swiping range. "Why did the Estraneo resort to... ch-child experimentation?"

Ken snarled, eyes going slit-pupiled. "Because they were blacklisted after creating the Possession Bullet-byon! No one could leave without getting shot and killed on sight!"

"Reborn, Mukuro used the Possession Bullet on himself, didn't he?"

"Yes, it's why you were nearly done in by your own Famiglia."

"Were you and the other mafia groups aware that the Estraneo were still in possession of children?" Tsuna's voice was hollow, catching Reborn's attention and calming Ken's constant snarl through curiosity. Tsuna's thoughts had turned back to the torture Mukuro and his subordinates went through while locked down together with their own flesh and blood, forgotten and abandoned by the world. There was a curious sort of stirring in his chest and it took him a moment to identify it as a growing urge to maim a lot of people, to draw more than a little blood. "A group who made something so terrible it drew enough ill-will to get them banished from the public and subjected to a kill on sight order... were allowed to keep children..."

Reborn held in a sigh that threatened to be heavy. "Yes, I knew. The Nono knew. Many of the older generation was aware of the Estraneo incident, but newer leaders, like Dino and Kiku of the Chiavarone and Irukaza are ignorant of it, because after the Estraneo were wiped out five years ago it was agreed to make it so that as few as possible knew of them."

Tsuna's mind and heart raced as he glared at the floor and clenched his fists until they ached. "Why weren't the children taken? Or, better yet, why weren't the Estraneo wiped out if they were so dangerous? Locking them inside their base... that was asking them to stew and come up with worse."

"Taking away the property of another mafia goes against rules made in much older times," Reborn tipped his hat down, hiding his eyes, "and in the underworld... children of one's blood are considered property."

Tsuna's Sky-Lightning crackled dangerously and he hunched over, clutching at his head as he began shaking with both horror and rage*. It felt like the blood was rushing to his brain and he could not help thinking of Fuuta and the other kids. If someone took them, if someone hurt them like they hurt Mukuro and dozens of other innocents... A choked whine left Tsuna and tears dripped down his face. It took a few seconds for Tsuna to gain a forced composure, but when the trembling boy lifted his head and pulled away his hands, ripping out hair without registering pain, he looked at Reborn with fierce eyes.

"Protecting children should come first, and fuck the damn rules. Anyone who can do what they did to Mukuro and the rest... they shouldn't be allowed to exist."

Reborn's face was blank as he considered his student's words and behavior. The Arcobaleno much preferred to keep his own emotions out of everything because such pesky things were a vulnerability the world's greatest hitman could not afford. Emotions were the sludge in the coffee filter, they did nothing good, and he was once absolutely certain of that. Being aware of emotions influencing Flame use and using that to manipulate people is one thing, but believing in something as inane as the "power of the heart" was what Reborn thought he would never believe in even slightly. This notion was shaken a bit after he observed and taught Dino, and later on when he took the job of prepping Tsuna for life as a boss, Reborn's world view finished its sluggish shift: emotions were not always a vulnerability. In some cases they were an advantage.

Now, the Arcobaleno tried to imagine what Tsuna would have done in the Nono's place instead of following the precedent set by other fossilized bosses, and voting for the imprisonment. It didn't need more than a moments consideration. His student would never have allowed the likes of Mukuro to be tortured into existence. No doubt Tsuna would have sought to take away the children and adopt them instead of locking them all away with their twisted Famiglia, or better yet possibly rid the world of the adult Estraneo instead of letting them fester in the dark like a deadly mold.

"Mistakes were made, and only the strongest mafia can have a hope to change the rules." Reborn slowly approached his student and looked into the boy's watery eyes. "Since you hate it so much you know what the obvious thing to do is: become strong enough rewrite the rules."

"Reborn... y-you're right. Losing my cool won't do any good." Tsuna wiped at his face as much of his anger washed away. He lost sight of what he was already doing, and that was working to become stronger for his friends, his own Famiglia, and adding this to the small list of reasons why just gave him more motivation. "I'm sorry for snapping at you... it's not like you're the one I'm mad at."

Ken gave his head a shake, hardly noticing that his ears were ringing terribly and his body was a mass of pain. None of that was new. He felt tired and angry and even a little confused (did the boy cry for them?), but he also refused to believe in the likes of a mafia brat, no matter what they say or the feeling of reassurance they give off.

"Just wait, shrimp, you're all noble now-byon, but when you're indoctrinated you'll become another one of them and you'll be a monster too."

Reborn hopped onto Tsuna's shoulder as the boy slowly turned to Ken and lifted one hand. Soft Sky Flames flared to life and the orange quickly faded into a more dominant blue until there were only flecks of amber dancing in aquamarine depths, then he reached down to place his hand on Ken's shoulder before the boy could move away. Startled and on edge, Ken clamped his teeth on Tsuna's forearm and got a mouthful of blood. The Decimo did not flinch, it was nothing compared to the sharp echoes of pain he felt from Mukuro's memories. Tsuna proceeded to do what he meant to: use Rain to numb whatever pain Ken felt. It was something he did for himself often enough.

As most of his pain faded to a dull buzz Ken released Tsuna's arm and spat out most of the blood. He stared at the Decimo like he had just been offered a kidney.

"Why the fuck did you do that-byon?"

Tsuna kept quiet for a moment and sweat broke out as the blue of Rain slowly lightened to Sun and Ken felt wonderfully boneless at the pleasant warmth. He'd never felt so... was content the right word?

"I never thought I'd say this to anyone... but I forgive you and your two friends. The hell you all went through, that pain, it would turn anyone dark, and you three aren't to blame for what you became, and..." Tsuna's HDW faded with a soft hiss as he pushed his energy into continuing a mediocre healing job. "For the record, I never saw you as monsters, all I saw were people who needed a serious beat down, and you were all defeated, both in body and scheme. Holding a grudge against you guys would just be tiresome."

Would he ever have it in himself to let go of his hate for Timoteo and Iemitsu? That he was not sure of, it's been years and habits are difficult to break.

Before Ken could make some disparaging comment, or make less of a dumbfounded face, Tsuna paled as an awful wave of icy Intuition hit him and he turned toward the door at the far end of the hall as his Sun-Resonating Sky died. In walked a group of six tall and terrifying people in black jackets of different styles, enough bandages to completely obscure their looks, and plenty of chains on each of them. With dread a sick feeling in his stomach Tsuna caught sight of Lancia slung over the shoulder of a particularly big Vindice, as well as Chikusa and the other escapee's from Vendicare in their clutches. In movements so fast he nearly missed them Tsuna watched as Ken and Mukuro were grabbed by chained collars and dragged into the Vindice's hands. And just like that they started heading to the exit.

Tsuna's Intuition was molten metal and liquid nitrogen twisting horribly in his stomach and chest, but still he managed to speak.

"V-Vindice-sama!"

Reborn twitched and barely kept from kicking Tsuna's head. He watched, tense and blank-faced, as all Vindice members present turned toward himself and the boy he had found himself so invested in teaching and nurturing. Nurturing in his own violent and round-about way. A slender one stepped forward and a rattling breath raised hairs on both hitman and Decimo's necks.

"What does the child heir of the Vongola need of us?" said the Vindice. That voice was a almost feminine, but had rumbling earth tones amidst a sharpness to rival broken glass.

Tsuna swallowed and ignored the looks of surprise that Ken, Chikusa, and Lancia were giving him. "As heir to the Vongola, is there any way for me to offer a kind of Sanctuary to one of the prisoners until he's proven guilty or innocent?"

Vindice turned to talk amongst themselves until one of them pulled out a black cellphone. A minute later there was a brutal flash of cold and a black portal appeared to let an Arcobaleno sized Vindice through. Now this one, they made Tsuna's stomach shrivel up and fall away as the small powerhouse approached him. Immediately Tsuna knelt, partly to be closer to the ground in case his knees gave out, and mostly so he didn't feel like he was talking down to an entity that could inspire such mortal fear with sheer bearing.

"You want to offer Sanctuary to one of the prisoners?" This voice was somewhere between teen and demon, with a blood-chilling tone.

Tsuna nodded. "It won't come without a price." Tiny Demon looked him over and Tsuna felt a touch of something so heavy and powerful he ceased breathing and his Sky-Lightning surged to life, wreathing him as he hunched over and grabbed at his chest. The littlest Vindice nodded to himself after an entire endless minute where the pressure kept building, then he stopped and Tsuna barely kept from vomiting. "Yes... you will owe us a favor, Vongola child."

The Decimo's heart lurched as his instincts screamed caution. This wasn't a promise to be made lightly, or at all unless one thing was made very clear. His head bowed as he took strength from knowing he was going to say this for more than his peace of mind. When he straightened and looked Little Vindice straight on his eyes were steady.

"Thank you for giving me a chance, but before I take the offer I have to say something..." Tsuna's steady eyes turned remorseful. "If this favor of yours involves me hurting or betraying anyone I view as a comrade or a partner, I'm afraid I... I have to leave Lancia-san in your hands."

For a long minute Tsuna and this little Vindice faced each other before the powerhouse nodded. "I accept that. He's yours, but if he is guilty and we come for him, do not fight for him."

For a moment Tsuna felt like he was going to collapse into a pile of mush from relief as the mini Vindice stepped through a warp he created. Before the Decimo could melt into a puddle of nerves Reborn pinched his ear and a startled cry drew his attention to a incoming Lancia. Tsuna barely stood in time to catch the poor man, and from the sheer force of it he stumbled and landed on his back with a groan. Lancia quickly moved off of him and pulled him into a seated position before checking his head for any lumps or blood from the impact. By this time all enforcers of mafia law were gone.

"L-Lancia-san, I'm fine."

The man backed off and nodded, still looking like he wanted to keep checking for injuries catching his weight at high velocity caused. He was stunned by what the boy did for him and wasn't sure what to say.

"TSUNA!" A blur grabbed Tsuna up into a hug and immediately the welcome heat of Sun Flames filled a space of five feet around the Decimo, Lancia, and then a small weight returned to Tsuna's shoulder to tug at his hair. "You were so EXTREME with those scary guys in black and chains!"

Reborn ground a knuckle into the side of his students head, ignoring Lancia for the moment. "I was afraid you would do something like that. You're lucky they didn't hurt you for interrupting their work."

Tsuna let himself melt in Ryohei's hug. He had some bruises from his fight with Lancia, and he had a bite on his arm that would scar magnificently if he didn't let Kyoko heal it, but overall he was mostly unscathed physically. The balmy Sun Flames seeped into his flesh and bones, easing the phantom pains he could still feel picking at the back of his head, and best of all Tsuna felt like everything was better. His Famiglia were safe, he was fine, but still. Tsuna returned the gentle bear hug his friend gave and hid his face against the older teen's chest for a brief time, then he pulled back and stood.

"Let's wake everyone up and get the hell out of here."

. . .

Hibari, Kyoko, Takeshi, and Fuuta were firmly unconscious and Tsuna called Hana to ask her to bring Gokudera with her to the Kokuyo Park main building. Aota went and guided her, but Gokudera could barely move on his own and was mostly carried by Hana, who appeared amused at his mutterings. What came as a surprise was Reborn calling up Dino, who was in Namimori for some sort of business, to ask for assistance in getting everyone to the Sawada home where they could recuperate from the trauma of that day. Dino was all brotherly concern and had his medically inclined subordinates caring for Tsuna's group before he had them all brought into the luxury bus he rented to transport them home. Tsuna held Fuuta close in his lap the entire way home.

Nana was awake when everyone returned. She had spent the last half hour fussing over the occupants of the house (children, Fon, Spanner and Bianchi) to distract herself. Seeing some of the returnees battered, stained with blood, and unconscious nearly sent her into hysterics before she quite literally slapped herself and directed Dino's men to the spare room where Takeshi was laid down to rest. Fuuta was put in Tsuna's bed as that room was the most secure with all of Reborn's lingering traps by the window and in other areas. Hibari was placed in Fuuta's room, and Gokudera, awake and grumbling over being unable to help the Juudaime, was placed in the living room. Kyoko got to sleep in Nana's bed for peace and quiet, and Hana volunteered to keep an eye on her.

Then it was introduction time.

Introducing Lancia to his madre went better than Tsuna expected. He told her the truth for the most part, that Lancia had been used as a puppet, unable to stop himself because he was controlled by an outside force, and used to wipe out groups of people that were especially corrupt and blood stained. Tsuna offered him Sanctuary, a place to be safe and well-treated until a group of terrifying law enforcers hopefully proved his innocence. Nana had approached Lancia, not an ounce of fear in her eyes, and reached up to pull his face closer. There she look a long look at him and approximately one minute later she stepped back and smiled kindly.

"Welcome to our home, Lancia-kun. It's loud, a bit crazy, and there are kids running underfoot, but I know you'll be happy with us for however long you stay."

She patted Lancia's cheek and headed to the kitchen to make a large pot of hot chocolate for everyone, leaving the man standing there shocked and unsure of what to do. Tsuna took Lancia's hand and had him sit in a plush chair, asked him to relax, and promptly turned on the TV before putting the remote in the his hands before asking Gokudera to be patient and watch whatever Lancia wanted to. Or decide by rock-paper-scissors if they wanted, it was all up to them.

Dino, who had yet to actually meet her the last time, entered the kitchen and introduced himself to Nana as her son's honorary big brother, if she doesn't mind, and the man supporting Spanner's robotics projects, both of which instantly won the Sawada Matriarch's favor. She informed him he can call her mamma and visit any time because if he's her Tsu-kun's big brother then it stands to reason he would be happy seeing Dino as often as possible. The blond man appeared charmed by her and was happy with the invite, promising he would keep in touch and help their family with anything that might come up.

Having watched this interaction from the door of the kitchen, Tsuna nodded in satisfaction and headed upstairs with a shadow wearing dirty grey overalls and a rainbow tie-dye tank top.

Spanner followed Tsuna and sat down beside him on the floor when the boy sank down at Fuuta's bedside. The mechanical genius offered quiet comfort with his presence, or he hoped so at least since he was not very good at being warm and soothing like someone normal, and sat shoulder to leg with his smaller friend. When Tsuna started shaking and muffling strangled little sobs behind his hand Spanner froze in shock and felt a strange tug of actual fear in his chest before he recalled the one time he had a nightmare as a child and sought his grandpa for comfort during one summer. Yes, that would do.

With as much care as he took building the tiny custom-made parts of his robots, he reached up and pulled the smaller male down into his lap to tuck him close as best he could. Sky and Spanner's Lightning hummed warmly at the physical contact and Tsuna pressed closer to his friend, uncaring that he was acting like a child and trying to hide from Mukuro's memories, the image of Kyoko's stomach wound, and his mother laying bloody and unconscious in a park.

Spanner smelled of metal, engine grease, and plenty of strawberry sweetness. At that moment it seemed to be one of the best smells ever and it, along with Spanner rubbing his back and whispering assurances in Italian, did wonders to calm him down and tug him back from what felt like a cliff over Tartarus. After a half hour of crying and basking in the comfort of Spanner's gentle embrace, he got a hold of himself and told his mechanic the bare bones of what made him break down, and all while remaining in Spanner's lap and ignoring the fact that he hadn't moved away.

As he shifted a lollipop stick in his mouth Spanner seemed to have a particularly thoughtful look on his face, then a smile stretched his lips and he pulled the stick from his mouth before quickly pressing a kiss to Tsuna's cheek.

"Wha! Y-you just k-kissed... why?!" His hands were pressed to his red cheeks and yet he hadn't tried to flee.

Spanner chuckled and rested his forehead on Tsuna's. "That was payment for the armor Irie-kun and I will come up with."

"A-armor?"

"Unorthodox piercing weapons aside, it's a smart idea to work on armor easily concealed beneath clothes."

Tsuna perked up, forgetting the kiss and throwing his arms around his mechanic. "Thank you, Spanner."

Long, strong arms curled around the Decimo and he was pulled flush against the mechanic. "Hm. I believe a daily hug for the next two months will suffice as a payment plan."

Oh, look, his face was a tomato again. "Um... s-sure."

o o o

Life was surprisingly unchanged after this.

Shoichi was spending much of his time with Haru at Spanner's home, which was a necessity apparently because his nosy family would make teaching the quirky girl all he knew about hacking and computers quite a trial. He was happy to tell Tsuna that Haru's brain, for all that she was eccentric and out-of-the-norm, absorbed everything and she had strong comprehension of difficult terms he used once he took the time to explain it. When Spanner spared her the daily hour to explain and show her schematics for his robots, she continued being a diligent, if excitable student.

Lancia's weapon, the Snake Serpent Steel ball, was never recovered but Spanner was all for working on a new weapon for Tsuna's newest Famiglia member. This new weapon was a tricked out kanabo, a long and heavy club used by oni in myth, only Lancia's was made of very hard precious-steel and had carbonado studs. Lancia fit in well and he was very good with the children, something Tsuna loved. He asked the Italian if he could be Fuuta's protector until he was free to do what he wanted with his life, and knowing Tsuna viewed Fuuta and Lambo, and likely I-Pin too, as his own, Lancia said he would be honored to take on the job of protecting Fuuta and the other kids.

Spanner's armor project went on for three weeks before he presented Tsuna with longsleeved shirts and pants of a gunmetal gray that he explained was made of tungsten-titanium-steel cloth infused with Nana's Mist Flame and her belief in the cloth becoming stretchy. Confusing as that was, no matter how many times his mom tried explaining the wonders of Mist, all that mattered was how the one millimeter thick silk-like cloth stretched, breathed well, and stood up to ten of Yamamoto-san's Flame enhanced blade at full power.

Now and then Tsuna wondered what he did to be so blessed with the people he knew.

OMAKE

Semi-Canon, a Scene Meant To Be But Would Not Fit

"L-Lancia-san!" Tsuna grabbed the taller male's arm before he could act on the incredulous, angry thoughts he must have if his face indicates anything. "Come with me, I need to tell you some house rules before you live with my family."

The stoic looking man immediately turned from an angry Gokudera who starts berating the laughing swordsman for calling the mafia a game again. A block away Tsuna turned to Lancia and smiled sadly.

"I'm not sure Takeshi is ready to understand the truth yet, and what matters is he takes protecting his friends seriously and he takes the game seriously. A game where you can get hurt, maybe killed, is something he told me he wouldn't leave me to do alone. He..." Tsuna blinked and swallowed hard at the swell of emotions bubbling up. "He t-told me he'd never let me drown."

Lancia observed his boss and smiled slightly. "I see, Padrone, my apologies for overreacting. I was worried he would not take protecting you seriously, but I can see that it is groundless."

Tsuna beamed up at the man and Lancia smiled for real. "That does not mean I won't be staying close and protecting you as well as the little ones. A boy such as you tangled up in a mafia like the Vongola and given next to no choice... I can do nothing else but do everything in my power to protect you."

Tsuna swallowed nervously at these bold, heartfelt words and then bowed briefly. "Yes... you're just that kind of person, Lancia-san. Thank you, I'm going to do my best for you and make sure you're comfortable."

The man looked startled for a moment before he rubbed his forehead and smiled slightly. "Ah... you're a special one, Padrone. You... you remind me of my first boss. He took in children and he gave second chances, and he always ensured his people were happy and cared for. You already seem to be a boss worth dying for."

Tsuna tilted his head slightly before paling as the full impact of his new almost-friend's words hit. "Th-thank you, but... I'm definitely not worth that. Don't say that again, please."

Lancia looked at his young boss and nodded. "Apologies, Padrone. He was also deeply averse to his subordinates dying for him..."

Tsuna laid a hand on Lancia's back as the man's face closed off. "Come on, by now my madre has made a full course meal and she'll be happy to have another person in the house. She likes a busy house hold. It was too quiet before Fuuta came into the picture. Iemitsu, my father, has been absent for about nine years barring one visit a few hours long, so noise and children and any new sons and daughters, young or adult age, are welcome."

Lancia frowned. "He left your mother to raise you alone?"

Tsuna took a deep breath as he nodded and shoved shaking fists into his pants. "Yeah. It was a few months after my Sky Flame was sealed, and I figure it was a combination of reasons, but still..." Tsuna growled slightly and shook his head. "He abandoned me and my madre, and because of the Nono... I nearly killed her handful of times because I was so damn clumsy after the loss of my Sky..." Tsuna looked up at Lancia and though the boy's face was angry his eyes were shimmering from frustrated tears and a deep well of shame. "I'm not nearly as great as Gokudera-kun and Takeshi, or the rest seem to think, Lancia-san. I'm... I can be pretty ugly on the inside. I hate my father and the Nono, in fact I loathe the old boss."

Lancia took Tsuna's hand and gently pulled him to a nearby bench. "Padrone, you are only human. It's alright to hate, it's alright to feel ashamed, but don't blame yourself for how you feel or what an old man's mistake did. You have grown and become a good, strong young man who shoulders the burden of his own Famiglia with admirable strength, cheer, and absolute faith in them. In return I saw how they looked at you, how important you are to them. Even that violent power house with the tricky tonfa, he usually had his eyes on you."

Tsuna, long since resigned to the fact that he cried somewhat easily, wiped at his eyes and smiled. "Y-yeah. Hibari sorta claimed me as his when we were young, now he calls me an Anaguma since I'm a small carnivore that faces down bigger enemies willingly."

Lancia smiled in amusement and spoke. "I heard of a hitwoman who had a tendency to include animal references in her speech and describe things like that. Though instead of carnivores she used animals like wolves and the like to describe different strong people, and for those not strong she called them sheep or rabbits."

Tsuna chuckled. "Yeah, that could be Mitsuko-san."

"If that is the case then I can see why he's so strong. She was a powerful Cloud and thought of as the reincarnation of the Greek Herakles before she retired."

Certain of his sparring-buddy's parentage now, Tsuna rubbed his face with a slight grin. "That explains so much. The son of a powerhouse is going to be a monster in strength. She's probably trained him herself."

Lancia patted the boy's shoulder. "You have a strong Famiglia, Padrone, and your friends will only grow stronger."

"Yeah... my Famiglia and I will change the Vongola, and we'll change the rules that allowed experiments to be done to children... I made a vow to myself, that I will make sure none like the Estraneo continue to be free to do what they want. They can't be allowed, they're the antithesis to everything good. It's... the least I could do for Mukuro and the other two. He... he had his subordinates hurt my mom, but... I can't condemn him no matter how much I may have wanted to rip him limb from limb. It wasn't in me to blame him when he can't help being what he is."

Lancia was silent for a time before he stood suddenly and moved to kneel before Tsuna. The boy swallowed a sound of surprise. He doesn't want people doing that, he's nothing special and even if he was 'something special' he wouldn't want to be knelt down to like royalty! He's just a boy.

["I, Lancia Alduino, pledge my power, loyalty, and life to Tsunayoshi Sawada, future boss of the Vongola. I will protect him and watch over him, and I will do the same for his Family as though they have always been my own. Any burden he has can be shared with me if he so wishes it. Any order he has, I will do in good faith. Under this binding pledge I am his."]*

Tsuna shivered as his Sky Flame alone, pure and non-Lightning affected, rose up and gently wreathed his body as he went on autopilot and slid to the grass. He reached out and took Lancia's hand and the Sky Flames moved, covering it and spreading to form a weaker aura of Sky that appeared to recede into him. Lancia shivered and ducked his head.

"I accept your pledge, Lancia-san." Tsuna smiled a bit shyly. "Now you're mine to protect as well, the same as the rest of my Famiglia."

A shuddering sigh left the older man before he stood and pulled his boss up along. "I can ask for nothing more and nothing less, young Padrone."

* Tsuna's Mini Breakdown Pre-Home: Delayed reaction until the threat was "taken out".

* Tsuna's letting go of his anger toward Mukuro: Letting him experience what the Mist user went through did it.

* Lancia's Pledge: If you lovely readers could take this as it really happened somewhat in the story, I will love you even more to bits.

PLEASE REVIEW, and also please, please critique.

THE WHY OF UPDATING TODAY: A friend of mine is working so I pick up her siblings. She's working till five tomorrow and my laptop has seen better days, so i'm scared to take it to a house full of little children. They might be allowed to come over to my place, however, so there's that hope!

I promise to finish answering reviews. I'm a slow, slow turtle.