And… here I am after yearly tweaking and editing. The story shall resume! . -sigh- The goods in the next chapters shall come in waves. I'll do my best to bring them in swiftly~
Chapter 19: New Perspectives
Tsuna didn't utter one word to their dad about them knowing of his role in the mafia. He was troubled by it, and in fact, avoided him even more since. He wondered how Tsuri had lived with the secret for four years and managed to function, but after everything they've been through, it explained Tsuri's major history of hurting herself, being so protective while he pushed her away, and her trait of playing it safe.
Tsuna's own troubled thoughts could not compare to Tsuri's own. He's the twin that got away with everything while there was his other half, suffering by body and soul.
It was his dad's fault. He was responsible for her trauma, for a missing parent figure, failure to protect them from a world that caused so many to lose peace. He remembered Mukuro and the Kokuyo Gang and it made sense the more he went back to analyze it.
Middle schoolers did not need to bear with the responsibilities adults needed to take on their own. He'd rather have their father disown them and leave than drag them along this world where they had no choice in choosing their futures.
He hadn't seen Tsuri come home after meeting their supposed aunt from Italy. She had kept her word in not seeing their dad, which didnt surprise their mother after seeing her walk out of their house with a yellow gym bag and sullen expression, but it did let her worry. What kind of mother didn't worry about their kid leaving home for a few days just because their dysfunctional dad was home?
He thought she'd ask to stay with Kyoko or Hana but Tsuri knew they'd ask about her beaten up stages and arm so she asked to stay with the Solleano woman in her hotel room a few blocks from Namimori Hospital. He didnt know how that was working out considering that his sister was staying with a stranger. Reborn told him not to freak out, and that she could handle herself. Secondly, their tutor had full trust in her which gave tsuna no doubt to question it. He did wonder if Tsuri was having a tough time escalating her training while he was here climbing mountains and fighting Basil.
"Oi, no need to worry about someone who isn't here. We're doing one more round. If you pass this one, then Tsuri gets to come and move onto the next step."
The italian boy with the blue flame lifted his boomerang once more, his eyes urging him to win this round. Tsuna appreciated how motivational Basil was, despite being unbeatable for the long days and hours they'd been at it together. "Let's do our best in this final match, Sawada-dono!"
...
...
...
The first day of Tsuri's training with Rosemary Solleano, was not a physical day, but more of a study day. Reborn had left Tsuna alone to do his 100 meter climbing of Namimori Mountain's lower half while he stayed to give her the Hyper Will Shot.
Tsuri showed the Italian woman her cotton scrunchies and how they turned into sai swords. She hadn't been affected by an everyday item turning into weapons so that told Tsuri that this woman probably had seen everything weird there was within the mafia circle.
Sai swords were a weapon used in martial arts. According to the white marker board in front of her (how it was brought up to a remote location in the middle of nowhere was a mystery), she needed to remember martial art movement and her weapon's ability for her to be able to get to step 2.
Honte, Gyakute, Tokushu, Yoi position, Monouchi, Yoku, Shinken, Tsume, Moto, Tsuka, Saki…
Tsuri went to sleep with all the terms swirling around her head that night.
After day three of stance and hand flip practice, she was put to apply all of them in close combat. Handing the sai swords while making sure all movements were made swift was coming increasingly difficult the more the days passed. She'd already cut herself a couple of times on sharp stones and grazes from Rosemary's rifle and katana.
Being on Hyper Will Mode made it even tougher to balance and found herself stopping several times because her breath capacity was having such a hard time keeping up with her body. Rosemary said it was normal, and as long as she gave her body the healthy push it needed, she'd gain control of her dying will and stop its short cut time, while easing her oxygen intake.
Their italian aunt was strong. Not anywhere near Reborn's level maybe but she proved to be an opponent that she didn't want to piss off for any reason. And, unlike others, she treated her equally like an opponent, without the mushy female vs female fear of hurting each other. Rosemary Solleano, with guns and her long black katana gave all her blows straight and without hesitation, and Tsuri appreciated how she was indirectly teaching her that. She was going to need all of that if she was going to improve on herself.
This training wasn't for the faint hearted, and if weren't for her freakish recovery rate she'd be resembling a thin and kicked stick on the road.
"Lift up your elbow! Swish the blade swiftly then bring it up..." There was a grunt and a kick. "And swing forward…" Again. "Flip your thumbs! Assume fudo dachi form! No no. Again! Thumb, release, flip! Now bend and use the saki and…" Again, and Tsuri nearly lost her balance. She couldn't imagine what it would take to get used to the way Rosemary handled her fighting style but she didn't want to find out.
Her muscles were screaming at her, and she felt like she had weights hanging off every one of them. "Good. Now you're getting it. Now let the dying will flame flow with the motion of the blade. If you nail this then I'll let you take a day off tomorrow."
It wasn't much more than a half-hearted promise, but Tsuri knew that if she failed to deliver, Rosemary would not be pleased. She just nodded.
The woman was truthful. She wasn't mean or anything but she didn't have the calibration to interact with kids. When Tsuri asked her if she could stay with her, she hadn't said no. She was just awkward with her needs and it was amusing at how she was going overboard as a hostess. She had to stop her from going full blown with the room service because she couldn't measure Tsuri's hunger. She could see some of her family's ditziness in her.
After the hundredth drill and kicks to stone walls and slicing tree trunks, Rosemary called it and Tsuri was able to breathe. She let the flame on top of her forehead and hands go out slowly.
This time, when Rosemary went over to grab their water bottle she tossed over, she allowed her to catch it instead of aiming it at Tsuri's head. "You've improved. I think you're ready to move on."
"Which is?" Tsuri threw some water down her head. She was risking on getting another cold but her whole body was burning like a log fire. They were side effects of the hyper dying will mode. Since Tsuri hadn't rejected it back at Kokuyo Land, Reborn said she could skip the red bullet and use the more advanced one. There was a lot of doubt in her when the baby hitman let her skip all sorts of steps... maybe it was his way of making Tsuri come back black and blue for him after her lie was brought to light.
Immediate death sounded better.
"Combat experience with another besides me. Your brother is passing that round right now. I got permission from Reborn, so we'll be popping by in ten minutes."
"Ten minutes?! I just finished mastering these sai swords in nine days! How is that enough for me to move on to the next stage?"
"Kid, if you haven't noticed your own progress then I should be concerned about your mental state."
Tsuri found out that her scrunchies had three modes; the basic form as sai in Hyper Mode, and had to learn how to wield them in close and distant combat, which sucked. Secondly, they emitted flames for brawling long distance as gloves, though its transformation didn't last long. As for the chains...
Rosemary had given her a quick resume on all the data Reborn gathered from her last fight with Mukuro her second day, with all the current areas of growth she had and needed to do. But she and Tsuna needed to understand where their inherited abilities stood.
First was the one both twins shared, which was the Hyper Intuition that worked like a sixth sense and enhanced the rest in their bodies. It'd be a center of development in predicting movements and aura.
Then there was the Augury Intuition and Reborn didn't go into much detail about it other than it being that Tsuri could predict future occurrences. The rate and trigger happened randomly and was an automatic thing that Tsuri needed to learn to manage with her body as a whole since it was unpredictable and uncontrollable.
The third one, discovered in her match with Mukuro, was the Hyper Introspection. As far as the mafia tutor knew, Tsuri unlocked it when she purified the Estraneo teen's sixth paths of rebirth. It was triggered when an enemy needed a severe purification into their dying will and soul, hence why Tsuri could not for the life of her, trigger her weapon to shape shift into said chains. Tsuna would have the same ability but it was gradually developing as he controlled his dying will.
For the more technical stuff, Reborn was letting her skip endurance training since she could outrun Tsuna and matched Yamamoto's speed easily. All she needed to work on was body endurance, resistance, defense and control of her dying will. Once she got all four areas down, she'd be partnered with Tsuna once again and Reborn would resume his own training for them.
Nine days of school, training, and gathering some space from home so she could figure out what to do with all of her rage against her father. She sighed at the image of Sawada Iemitsu. He had come to observe her a few times and it only served as a distraction, so Rosemary would direct him back into the line of trees and rock.
"Say… I'm not much about feelings and such but what's with the animosity toward your old man? You nearly threw a tree at him the last time he was here."
Tsuri wiped her face with a towel from her gym bag, her energy draining at the incoming line of talk. "My dad has some shortcomings that doesn't let me to want him near at all. I'm sure you don't want me to go into detail about it."
Rosemary snorted. "I've only met your father a few times during our current lifetime, but even I know his personality. I'm sure I know what you mean."
"So you're not that close? Even though you're family?"
She shook her head. "We're not. We just know each other in some professional sense. The Solleano Family hasn't been directly associated with the Vongola since Primo was alive. We've just been a fishline extended when family blood is in trouble. Think of us like a backsafe for when they're in a severe pinch. Your father, because he has Vongola and Solleano blood in him too, became that other piece of us that is involved, " The lady pulled her shirt's collar to wipe some sweat off her cheek. "If you wanna blame someone, it should be us. It's our fault he hasn't been present as of late in your life."
Tsuri watched her adjust her long blond hair up into the loosest bun she'd ever laid eyes on. She'd made that look so easy. "Your father's absence hasn't been by his own choice. Of course, I don't know if he was allowed to visit you and Tsunayoshi and I don't want to enter into the line of whether he loves his family more than his job. But if you wanna take my advice, you should try to see it from his point of view."
"That's shit. It's all bullshit." She was really going to spew her feelings out of the blue like this? She wrung her towel tightly to rid it of water. "Blood is thicker than water, so is the family he has here. There is no excuse for him leaving and coming back to drag us into this life. He should be giving us an option— it's his role as our dad to protect us! My dad!"
Oh great. She was using her trainer and tutor as a therapist. She shut her eyes in embarrassment.
"His job role had no choice either, and I'm sure in due time he will tell you what it is. For that to happen, you need to talk to him about all of what is going on in your head Tsukairi." She lifted a finger to emphasize talk.
"Put all of that aside and assess the situation you're in. Let all that pent up anger that is begging you to get even on the person who gave you that," she gestured at her bandaged scar, "and let your inner starlight eradicate it. In order for you to move into the next stage of training, all of your muddled and complicated feelings cannot influence your flames and corrupt them. They stunt progress. Trust me, I know."
For an estranged aunt who had no knowledge of having nieces or nephews, she knew what to say. She was like a wise Yoda, with ripped strength and awkward adult tendencies.
Going back to Reborn's hellish methods made her want to cling to her Aunt Rosemary's legs and never let go.
"And to make sure that happens, I'm sending you home! I'll miss your snoring, but no mother or father wants to see their kids room empty and desolate."
"Ehhhhhhhh…."
"Break's over. Let's review your stances before heading to the other side of the mountain. Basil should be itching to go one on one with you too."
...
...
The next day after school, Tsuri showed gratitude towards Aunt Rosemary for her hospitality and understanding, and decided it was the end of her rebellion, pulling her gym bag on her back while she made her way home. It wasn't guaranteed that her dad would even be home. He was busy snooping on her friends' progress and doing other shady job things so it gave her a bit of relief. There could also be the possibility that he was passed out from all his drinking from the night before still…
…How did Tsuna and her end up with a dad like that?
She took a breath of air. Either way, it was her day off, her body ached and needed all the rest it could get. There was a faint sense of danger going off since she stepped out of the hotel so she'd make sure to keep an eye on her surroundings as much as possible.
It was a normal day too. The fact that all this murder and danger aside, and cracking their muscles and bones to the core, there was also the mental war that was called school. It was fairly simple, and their teacher was making sure they remembered their childhood selves dreams of the future. It brought up her depression of their futures still being left on a red danger zone, but Tsuri decided that she'd just leave it all for when she could voice her concerns out. If Tsuna was willing to help vent, then maybe she'd bring it up later after their group project was done for the day.
Speaking of her twin…
"YES! KYOKO-CHAN IS COMING TO MY HOUSE AGAIN!"
Tsuri sweat dropped. It was still baffling how the girl still hadn't noticed Tsuna's blatant crush on her. It was getting worse, actually. It started looking like how their father fawned over their mother each time she did something he considered adorable. Even when washing the dishes, Sawada Iemistu's heart squeezing face could not hide all the leaking love for Sawada Nana.
"Like father like son…" Tsuri's lips twitched in horror. "Tsuna? I'm home…?"
"Ah Tsuri! Welcome back home~"
"Stop the cutesy wiggles. It's not like you," Tsuri had to bite back a gag. "What's got you so joyful?"
"Kyoko-chan is coming over! We'll be working on a project from our elementary selves' dreams ! What a wonderful assignment!" yelled Tsuna.
"It's obvious she would though. We're in the same group. Ah, so Hana is coming too?"
Tsuna wasn't listening, lost in his own imagination yet again. She sighed, set on ignoring him and crossing their gate to head inside when her whole self paused.
There was a weird figure hovering over tsuna's body like a UFO. She didnt know whether to scream or use her soccer kicking reflexes to send it flying away.
"Kyoko-chan? So that's the lady who will one day become the boss's wife. She's quite lovely." spoke the random voice.
"Tsuna… TSUNA!"
"Who said that?" Tsuna's love bubble popped and in an instant was now looking up to his twin from the group while being squished by the circluar object.
"Tsu—"
"Don't even finish that sentence of yours! While you were busy drooling over Kyoko, I was trying to warn you about this!"
"Ahhh! Nice to meet you, boss and stellamezza!"
Tsuri tried pulling the boy from the floor but all she did was pull a sore muscle from his arm, and leaving Tsuna to cry about the beginning cramp. ""Your drop in is squishing my brother! Who are you anyway?"
"I am the purveyor of weapons tuning for the Vongola, Giannini." Said the mini person inside the device.
"So you're Giannichi's son." Reborn popped out from their house's wall, perched on it casually with a tiny crossed leg.
One day Tsuri was going to lose her mind because of Reborn's instigating poses that read careless and casual."Tsuri, welcome home."
"Uh-huh…"
"Reborn-sama I presume. I appreciate the care and kindness you've given my father," Giannini bowed to greet Reborn and made more cracking sounds on Tsuna's back.
Tsuri held her forehead. "Why—"
"The battle with Varia is near. I called Giannini here to help with all kinds of weapons and maintenance. His family has served as the Vongola's exclusive Weapon Tuners for many generations," said Reborn. "His father, Giannichi, was a famous tuner who could make weapons come to life. I'm expecting a lot from you, Giannini."
"Please leave it to me! Although I still pale in comparison to my father."
"I should have waited to come home a bit more."
"Are you going to stay seated on me or are you gonna get off!?"
...
...
After re-folding her clothes back into her drawer and taking an early bath, Tsuri went to ask Tsuna if she could borrow one of his sweater before screaming bloody murder.
"Is this a black market shop or something!" Tsuri's shaky finger gestured over to the hung machetes, flails, spears and range of guns displayed all over Tsuna's room walls. "Tsuna?"
"Do you think I would've allowed them to set it up like this?" her brother pulled at his gravity defying hair. "Reborn!"
"I prepared these for our coming battle with Varia. Wan"t me to lend you some?"
"I DON'T WANT ANY!" both objected in unison.
"These will be worth modifying," Giannini was in thought. " Oh, Now that I recall, word has reached my father that there is a "faction plotting to assassinate the boss during the Vongola succession war."
"Assassination?!"
Was that the prick of danger she was feeling? Tsuri stared at Reborn smirk at something from the room window. He was probably plotting something horrid again.
"Nope. I haven't heard a thing. Anyway", I'm counting on you to modify the weapons."
"Why did it have to be in my room! Kyoko-chan will be here any second!"
Tsuri bit her lip in thought. They could use her room, but it was stacked with laundry her mom had washed for her for the nine days she was out. It was Nana's way of punishing her she thought. Tsuri would apologize when she came back from her grocery run.
Suddenly, their door bell rang and in a panic Tsuna was going to lock his room door shut but it flew open, with the silver head's whole self shining with sparkles. They were lucky he wasn't passed excited or he couldve ignited them with his eyes.
"JUUDAIME! I've come to get my dynamites upgraded!"
"Hurricane Bomb-sama is it?"
Tsuri snorted. The loyal puppy had an underground nickname? How funny.
"It's an honor to have been summoned!"
"Reborn called you over?" asked Tsuna.
"First time I hear you listen to someone other than Tsuna," Tsuri muttered under her breath.
"Where's Dr. Shamal?"
"Well he was starting to show symptoms of withdrawal so he told me to take the day off so he could go pick up women," Gokudera said.
"How's that…going?" Tsuri asked curiously. After not seeing each other since the day he almost bombed himself, she grew curious as to how everyone was getting by and who was training them too. She knew Shamal wasn't so keen on picking up the boy again but if he were actually teaching him then Gokudera wouldn't be looking like he was struggling still.
He was taken aback at the question. He cleared his throat and blinked rapidly. "… It's—"
"Gokudera's training was plateaued." Reborn butted in, amused at Tsuri's worriful expression toward her rival. "Shamal put Gokudera in our care for one day because his training wasn't going the way it should be."
Tsuri could see Reborn's smirk extend. He definitely was plotting something today. And why did she have a feeling it had something to do with Gokudera?
"You should take the day he gave you. Taking a break might help you see things in a fresh way."
Now Tsuna was confused too. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
"BWAHAHAHHAH!" The door flew open to show Lambo and his ten year bazooka. "Lambo-san came for an upgrade too!"
"His nap didn't last longer than it should have," Tsuri complained with a loud groan.
"OH! So this is the ten year bazooka I've heard so much about!" yelled Giannini in amazement as he stared at the weapon.
"Your weakness for unusual weapons is reminiscent of your old man."
The third time the bell rung again Tsuri assumed it was another one of the boys but no one came up. She peered through Tsuna's window and sighed in relief. "Ah. Kyoko's here."
"Kyoko-chan and Kurokawa! I can't let them see all of this!" Tsuna's anxiety was causing him to sweat. "I'll let you use my room but you cannot come downstairs for any reason!" He shook Tsuri by the shoulders. "Can we use your room?"
"Kaasan left mountains of laundry in every corner…"
"Then we'll have to use the living room. Like I said, don't come downstairs! I uh…have an important appointment!" Tsuna ran out the door before Tsuri could tell him to breathe. While the other two handed the tinker their weapons and requests in upgrades, Tsuri went over to Tsuna's desk to get their old elementary school essays and head back downstairs.
"How's… your training going?"
Tsuri turned over to the silver head, and blinked. "What?"
"I heard from Juudaime that you ran away from home to stay with the Solleano's Spada Stellare."
"…" Tsuri scratched her cheek. "I came back home today. She's been teaching me how to wield my sai swords." She shrunk under Reborn's amused stare at the both of them. She felt sweat run down her neck.
"Is it true you're having trouble with Shamal?" she asked. Her face was a mix of scrunched eyebrows and twisted lips. It wasn't really a question; she was more concerned than curious. She knew that Shamal couldn't be bothered with much beyond his job, but she would have thought he would've been more considerate to his students' welfare.
Gokudera felt strange in reading the concern on her face and looked at the dynamite in his hand instead. "I'll figure it out," he reassured her. His voice was flat and dull without any hint of a smile. She nodded once, twice. The gesture felt awkward. A long pause fell between them.
"Well, I'm going downstairs too. Don't trash Tsuna's room."
"Ah, Tsuri-chan!" Kyoko perked up when she saw her enter the living room. "Are you here to work with us too?"
"Yup," the brunette waved the papers from her hand. "I brought our essays from second grade. Tsuna forgot to bring them down."
"Ah Tsuri-san!"
"Haru-chan?"
"First time in a while I've seen you look presentable," Hana put a hand under her chin. "You've been working yourself out to the bone that you're looking less like a girl as the time passes."
"Hana!" Kyoko scolded lightly. " You know how Tsuri-chan feels about soccer!"
"It's okay Kyoko," Tsuri handed Tsuna their essay. "A tournament is coming up so it's been taking my time. Anyway!" she laughed nervously in following up with the lie that Reborn made up days ago. "Should we start our project?"
"R-Right!" Tsuna chirped up. "Who's going first?"
Their childhood dreams all ranged from normal to childish. Kyoko wanted to be a ballerina, or a police officer. That made Tsuna throw himself under the coffee table and shout in panic. Tsuri had to brush it off with another laugh by lying that she'd accidentally kicked him.
Hana wanted to be a grown up already, while Haru's was a costume designer.
"What about Tsuri-chan?"
Tsuri handed her the essay. " 'Second Grade, Sawada Tsukairi. My dream is to make sure I can protect my family. Maybe being a body guard or a military person would be the best for me. I'm scared that my body could fall apart but it would be cool to have scars! I'd look like that guy from the Rambo movie!' That's so cool Tsuri-chan!"
"I agree!" Haru's eyes sparkled. "You'd be such a cool bodyguard!"
"The military?" Hana was in thought. " I could see you fitting into the uniform. Reasonable and logical."
Tsuri wanted to hide under the table too. She wrote that after her mother took them to see the Rambo movie when it was featured in theaters. She remembered thinking how cool it would be to have scars all over her, and how it'd be a puff of ego to show them to others. The one on her abdomen and arm said otherwise. "T-Thanks?"
"How about Tsuna-kun?"
Kyoko read from his essay too, that explained how Tsuna wanted to become one of those robots from the cartoons they'd see Saturday mornings. She giggled. Tsuri forgot how obsessed Tsuna was with their action figures. She tried to remember where he had them stashed in the house. She was going to pop it back out from storage and remind him about it later.
There was a sniffle from behind them. Thinking it was Lambo coming to become a pain in the ass Tsuri readied herself to become the babysitter, but it was only Gokudera who had been moved by Tsuna's dream.
"G-Gokudera-kun? Why are you here?" tsuna raised himself like the dead.
"I wanted you to see my modified weapon first!"
'That's the one thing I was trying to avoid!'
'Should've been more specific with your instructions,' Tsuri rolled her eyes. "Not inside here you won't," Tsuri also got up and dragged Gokudera by the arm.
"Oi! Let go!"
Tsuri slid their porch's door open and gestured with her index finger. "Do it outside."
"Wait Tsuri!" Tsuna ran over.
"It doesn't pack a punch if he does it outside."
"Oh. Okay. HERE I GO! NEW DYNAMITE!" yelled Gokudera as he threw his dynamites out…although… when the smoked cleared, there was confetti, streamers, pigeons and balloons.
The three teens became befuddled. "?"
"Wow that was fun!"
"Childish tricks…" hana muttered unimpressed.
"Party favors huh?" Tsuna pointed out relieved. It made Tsuri burst into laughter at the pigeon sitting on top of the silver head italian's head.
"What the… Excuse me Juudaime. I need to have a word with Giannini." Gokudera stormed back up the stairs as Reborn came descending down..
"REBORN!" yelled Tsuna.
"Reborn-kun!" Kyoko greeted politely. "Excuse the intrusion!"
"Why are you here too?!"
"I wanted to test out how my gun can shoot the dying will bullet, now that it's upgraded."
Tsuri instantly panicked. "H-Hey, we got visitors, maybe we can hold off on the show—"
"WAIT WAIT WAIT! Don't fire that in Kyoko-chan's presence!" yelled Tsuna as Reborn gave no warning like the usual. Nothing happened. The red bullet fell off without momentum. The twins stared at it dumbfoundedly.
Reborn's silence and stoic expression read instant murder. "I'm going to go give Giannini an earful."
The girls looked at the twins in confusion as well for all the interruptions coming their way. Tsuri was going to direct the conversation back to their essays and the task their teacher gave them when disturbing and strangling noises came from upstairs.
"OW! AH! YOYOYOYOYO!"
'He's really letting him have it!'
"L-Lambo's very energetic today i-isn't he?" Tsuri's eyebrow twitched. 'Go check on them quick!'
"I-I need to go take a look. I'll be back! Tsuri, stay here," Tsuna pleaded. He thanked her quickly when she nodded annoyingly.
"…. you have an energetic household don't you?" asked Hana.
"Are they practicing for a show? If so, I can volunteer for costume designs!" Haru exclaimed.
"I-I'll let Reborn know. Thanks Haru," Tsuri said sheepishly, returning to sit on her cushion.
"So…" Hana began. "You and the delinquent seem to be getting along better."
"Huh?"
"Gokudera-san gets very scary when it comes to Tsuna-kun. But when he's around you he seems to relax," Kyoko added with an oblivious smile. Tsuri's mouth twitched. They fought verbally almost everyday. Did they not see that? "I'm glad you two are getting along too!"
"We really don't," Tsuri confessed with hesitation. "But I guess you can say we're trying to talk to each other better?"
"Hahi! How can you endure him is beyond me Tsuri-san," Haru said. "He always badmouths anyone that isn't Tsuna-san or you."
"… He's just over the top protective. I hope you don't misunderstand him," she laughed a little. "He does have his good moments., if you get to know him just a bit better"
"Eh? What was that look just now?"
"What look?" Tsuri asked a now smug looking Hana.
"I didn't know bad boys were your type. I'm not judging."
"Hah?!"
"Oh, is that why? I think I understand!" Haru started nodding fiercely. "Tsuri-san likes Gokudera-san!"
"Oh really! Congratulations Tsuri-chan!"
She stared at the wall in blankness. What? What the hell? How did this conversation go from point a to point z in one go?
"That's not it at all!" Tsuri's face ignited faster than a spreading forest fire. "I-I don't look at him t-that way at all! You couldn't be more wrong!"
"Your face turned all mushy," Hana hummed. "It's the same face you make whenever you eye the pocky at the student store."
"Sorry Tsuri-chan," Kyoko said apologetically. "We didnt mean to assume."
"I-Its okay Kyoko." 'Please drop the conversation. tsuna better come back or I'll drag his ass back down. Kami-sama help me!'
Suddenly, somebody was screaming again. Fed up with all the loudness in their usual quiet home, Tsuri walked out to the entrance to the living room. Her blank stare came back.
Who was this cute little child looking up at her? And why did they look like the octopus head that had been here moments before, wearing a chibi version of his outfit?
Kyoko and Haru fawned at the cute child. Hana only shooed it away. tsuna came dashing downstairs to catch the child back.
"He's so adorable!"
"Shoo! Stay away!"
"Why? He's so cute Isn't he Tsuri-san?"
Tsuri picked up the kid into her hands, poking its cheeks. Soft. They were so soft and jiggly. A warm feeling spread through her whole being. "I mean a little bit."
Chibi-looking version of Gokudera began struggling under her grip. "S-Stupid copy! Let me go you hag!"
There was only one person in the world that called her a copy. She instantly went still. "… Gokudera?"
"Tsuri! Good catch!" Tsuna popped back into the room.
Tsuri was now feeling self conscious by what she said and was holding the child away from her chest. "Pray tell how he ended up looking like this?"
"I wouldn't want to look like you either stupid copy!"
Tsuri found herself pulling on his minute ago considered cute cheeks. Tsuna had to pull Gokudera out of her hold to prevent him from being squished to death.
"…Ah! Juudaime! There are suspicious guys on that telephone pole!" Gokudera pointed outside with his small hands. Tsuna turned towards the telephone pole outside but there were nothing but birds perched on it.
There was nothing and yet… Tsuri's danger spike reacted by it. She put a hand under her chin.
"Ah, those are sparrows." Kyoko explained.
"That's not what I mean!"
"Let's go play upstairs!" Tsuna lied and transitioned the conversation to migrating the chibi child away from everyone. 'The ten year bazooka hit him, but Giannini is destroying everything left and right.'
'So let me guess. It landed on him and he came out looking like a kid. Is he even aware that he's tiny?' Tsuri kept poking his cheeks and Gokudera kept trying to swat her hands away.
'Nope. I'm waiting for him to come to terms about it by himself.'
"Oi, Tsuri!" The Sawada female perked up. Gokudera never used her name unless he was on serious business. "You need to tell Juudaime about those guys outside!"
His small and adorable voice was not helping her mediate resistance against the cuteness factor he was unknowingly releasing. "There's nothing there though!"
Suddenly, Gokudera tried to escape from Tsuna's hand, yelling it over and over and pulled him back and forth. They both paused when their door bell rang for the fourth time in the day. Tsuri sighed in exhaustion and in popped Yamamoto Takeshi, holding a tall bento wrapped in blue.
"What bad timing…"
"Yo! My old man brought me too much food. There's enough people at your place, right?" asked Yamamoto with his signature smile. "Tsuri-chan's home again? Nice!"
Tsuri dug lasers at Tsuna. Just how many people did he tell that she had run away from home?
"OI! BASEBALL NUT! If you have time for this then defeat the enemies outside!"
"Oh! Gokudera! You were here too? Good timing! Do you want to eat too?"
'He hasn't noticed it either!'
It suddenly went from having the girls over, to having a full house with Yamamoto, Ryohei and Gokudera still convinced that there were invisible people by Tsuna's shoulders. He convinced Tsuri to walk over and she could detect some weird motions on the surface of their roof. Then, he managed to have Ryohei and Yamamoto use a baseball and fist to smack said spaces, revealing the suspicious men in green suits.
"Che…the assassination failed…" mumbled the enemies.
"ASSASINATION?"
"Let's kill him directly, then!" yelled the two enemies as they brought out their bazookas and claws. They charged towards Tsuna.
"HIE!" screamed Tsuna.
Tsuri stood protectively in front of Kyoko, Haru and Hana to shield them away.
"I'll protect Juudaime!" Gokudera lunged but had been smacked down by the person holding the sharp claw drills.
"Gokudera/-kun!" Both twins yelled worriedly.
"How dare you do that to children!" Ryohei and Yamamoto tried to aim for them but one of the two shot a fishing net. Gokudera t was now being held hostage.
'If i step away they could target the girls' Tsuri was sweating, struggling to go over and take a shot. 'Tsuna! Do I save you? Do I stay?'
'Stay there! Don't come over here!'
"Now, Vongola X. Come this way slowly. Otherwise, this kid dies!"
"Don't do it! Please run! Juudaime!" yelled Gokudera. Oh no! Suddenly, Tsuna started to step forward.
"Baka!" Tsuri yelled angrily. "Are you not listening to him?! You're falling under his hand!"
"Give me a better solution then!"
Tsuri looked back and forth, at her friends behind her, and then her brother and chibi Gokudera. She couldn't let anyone get hurt! She couldn't hesitate!
She bit her lip. Shit. "Hana, think you can handle a bit of defense?"
"Huh?" Hana watched Tsuri sneak a vase to her from behind her back. "If they get near, shatter this on one of their heads, and use a shard for defense."
"Tsuri, it's dangerous, don't do it—!"
"They're trying to rob us," Tsuri made up an in the spot lie to get her to understand. Better than telling them the truth and getting herself more in the mud with everyone and Reborn. "I'm the only one who can get a good kick in!"
Hana was contemplating but then Kyoko and Haru grabbed the vase too, and nodded. "Tsuri-chan is really good at self defense," Kyoko said. "We can trust her!"
"Then by all means, go kick ass!"
Tsuri took a deep breath and with one swift motion, directed all her effort in speed in her legs to get a good kick behind the taller enemy. The impact gave the desired result, but had sent Gokudera flying upwards in his small state.
The kid expected a harsher landing since his Juudaime wasn't in line with where he'd been. But when he opened his eyes, Tsuri was the one who had cushioned his fall and had him clutched tightly to her chest, her eyes shut. He was going to yell at her for making such a stupid risky move but the trembling on her body made him keep his tongue still.
His Juudaime ran to them in worry and relief though he didn't miss when he had started scolding Tsuri in an angry voice about being reckless.
"Damn it. I can still take a shot!" One of the enemies readied their net launcher again but gulped.
"Oi. Tsuri-chan is still recovering. Now you've really done it."
Yamamoto and Ryohei had cut their nets and were not going to take life threats lightly. They readied themselves and cracked their knuckles, malicious aura seeping out of their normally jovial selves.
"Say hello to Verde for us!" said Reborn as he threw the unconscious bodies outside of Tsuna's house.
"Thank goodness you guys got rid of the thieves!" said Kyoko-chan.
"Thieves?"
"I may have mentioned that we were being robbed," Tsuri whispered in Tsuna's ear. Gokudera listened while being held by her still. He felt somewhat uncomfortable at the face that he was in very close proximity within an area he vowed never to reach with any woman until he got older. Some smoke was sizzling up from his head and Tsuna did not miss this sign.
He gestured over for Tsuri to hand him over but she made a strange face and refused. It was the face she'd make whenever Tsuna wanted to snatch something cute out of her hands when they'd been five. He felt a tick mark building on his head but when Kyoko shared her flowery smile once more his brain turned off and he was starting to giggle in lovestruckness.
"Though that was really amazing of you Sawada bodyguard-chan," Hana shuddered. "I'm out of here. Staying with you people is so dangerous."
Haru and Kyoko then said their goodbyes without even asking more detail and went on home, leaving her and Tsuna with the silver head left.
"You can put him down now Tsuri."
She started pouting. "Oh come on. Let me carry him a little more."
"Why do you want to carry him!"
Tsuri ran her hands through silver hair she'd never thought she'd be able to touch. It was strangely soft. She couldn't help but feel somewhat accomplished by it, as if it were a long lost mystery she'd now be able to solve. Gokudera's eyes were swirling like crazy now and forced himself free of her hold.
He went quiet and started walking away with his stubby little feet back home.
"Wait! Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna called out. He could question him about the mystery with Tsuri later. "Thanks. If I had believed you from the start then…"
"Juudaime… I appreciate the sentiment. But…"
"But?"
Tsuri could hear some sniffles. She had to hold her laugh in. Was the toughest loyal puppy crying?
"How in the world am I supposed to protect you with this body!"
Tsuna eyed Tsuri who was red from suppressing her giggles. 'Are you laughing?!'
'Look at his little face! His puppy eyes are too much!'
'I can't believe he awoke your suppressed weakness for cute things…' Tsuna sighed.
After his tears and snot started running down his small face, a puff of pink smoke went up, the same kind that appeared when the ten year bazookas expiration time came. Back was the regular teen sized body of Gokudera Hayato and he could not be more joyful that he was back to normal.
"Huh! I'm back! My body's back to normal!"
"That's great Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna congratulated.
In between all the happy he was releasing, Tsuri couldn't help but reflect a smile. Even with the effects being off, she never noticed how cute Gokudera's Juudaime mannerisms could be. He still had shiny green puppy eyes and though his voice wasn't higher in pitch it still…
Tsuri got a coughing attack due to a wave of awareness in her chest. She hid her face with her hands when Tsuna and him turned to her in concern. She waved them off and turned away. The tips of her ears went crimson. "What the hell…" Maybe her need for cute hadn't dissipated just yet. She could not have thought what she just thought without it being a big influence.
"That was a good experience for you Gokudera."
"Reborn-san!"
"A change in perspective has allowed you to see what you couldn't before."
Change in perspective. Tsuri and him made eye contact briefly before averting it like the plague. Tsuna blinked and the purple wave that he'd been suppressing since the summer festival was growing bigger the more his gut intuition increased. Reborn wanted to cackle.
"Wait. Are you saying that what happened today was your way of teaching me that?" Gokudera was in awe all of a sudden.
"Well basically."
'He's such a liar' Tsuna was growing paper thin white at the gullible bomber.
"This should've given you some insight to practice trust too," Reborn directed toward the twins. "Rest is over. Thanks to this, you're now ready to move on to the third stage of training."
Tsuri had to go over to Tsuna to make sure he didn't hit his head on the road.
"We didn't even get an ounce of rest!"
Begging for a KHR reboot day 4 million.
-BLU