Iemitsu loves Nono and loves the Vongola more than anything in the world.
But what if he doesn't?
Iemitsu is raised by a bitter father whispering in his ear that he could take back the Vongola for their family. That Secondo stole the Vongola from Primo. That their family is watched by the Vongola and shunted into CEDEF in fear that they'll take back what is rightfully theirs. That Iemitsu could make things right. (It isn't said that Giotto, an irresponsible and careless person at heart, ran to the other side of the world because he was unwilling to deal with the consequences of his actions.)
Leading the Vongola becomes an obsession and Nono a means to an end.
Iemitsu follows his father's footsteps and joins CEDEF, but he makes a vow that he'll absolutely destroy Secondo's line. He'll be the man behind the throne, the whisper in Nono's ear. It'll be easy, Timoteo already dotes upon his nephew, Iemitsu, after all.
Iemitsu resents Nono's sons, the rightful heirs of the family, and undermines them at every turn. But he seethes with hatred over Xanxus, another rightful heir but one who looks so much like Ricardo that Iemitsu declares him an enemy from the second Nono brings the brat home.
His plans start to bear fruit. He's the leader of CEDEF and a trusted advisor to Nono. He's met and married a naïve civilian woman named Nana, who's content to stay in Japan (out of the way) and they already have a child on the way. His mistress in Italy is also with child, a perfect guardian to his future son.
The mistress gives birth first. She doesn't survive, but the baby does. Iemitsu names him Silvio then places him in a Vongola-controlled orphanage. He'll come back when he's older and train him.
When Nana's child is born, they keep with tradition and name him Tsunayoshi. Iemitsu doesn't expect the twin. A girl, the first one born in the Sawada line. (He doesn't think about Aurora Grimaldi, Giotto's firstborn, whom he left in Italy when he ran. She doesn't count.) They name her Chiyohime.
The children grow.
Nono's sons are killed off one by one until only Xanxus is left.
Tsunayoshi proves he's a Sky. (It doesn't take too many hints before Nono is sealing Tsunayoshi. 'He'll be easier to control if he doesn't have his flames until later,' Iemitsu thinks. He's so, so wrong.) Silvio is brought into CEDEF and renamed Basil after he proves he's a Rain. He'll be the perfect guardian to Tsunayoshi.
Iemitsu doesn't expect the Cradle Affair, doesn't expect the coup d'etat attempt. He's torn between fury that Nono froze Xanxus instead of killing him and glee that he's frozen, locked in the basement and forgotten.
Iemitsu is so gleeful about Xanxus being frozen that he accidentally sires another child with Nana, one he never meets before he's "off to be a star". The child is named Tsurumatsu. They're born with Nana's birth grandmother's bright red eyes.
There were things about Nana that Iemitsu didn't know.
Suprise! For the new year I'm moving some of my stories from Ao3 to here!