It's springtime. Baby pink petals cover many a square inch of Namimori's streets and sidewalks. The school season has started once again and it's just as uneventful as the previous one had been. The sun had began to break into the household and disturb the Sawada brothers from their slumber. Their mother, Nana, had been awake since the crack of dawn, tending to the house chores and preparing breakfast for two growing boys.

Tsunayoshi, bleary eyed and snuggling into the warmth of the sun, lingered for a couple moments. He always woke up before his alarm went off anyways, so a little extra time soaking the sun like a common house cat wouldn't do him any harm. He rolled onto his back and stretched, a satisfied yawn escaping his mouth as his muscles spasmed from the elongated stretch. If only said stretch made him taller, then he'd surely be a force to be reckoned with he mused inwardly. He rolled himself out of bed and started his routine.

Bathroom - 14 minutes and 30 seconds. Brush teeth for 2 minutes. Floss and mouthwash for a minute and 30 seconds. Shower for 9 minutes, towel dry and try to tame his unruly hair for the final two. Return to the bedroom.

Room - 10 minutes. Get dressed in 5 minutes. Uniform has already been pressed and laid out the night before. The other 5 minutes are used to promptly remake his bed and prepare his book bag. He placed his latest hobby inside: a traveler's book on the Russian language and a sketchbook if he decided to draw instead. Having done that, Tsuna slung his book bag over his shoulder. He'll stick his other arm through the empty strap right as he leaves the front door in approximately 30 minutes. Until then, to his older brother's room.

Natsu's room - 5 minutes. Shake Natsu-nii awake with vigorous motion. If that doesn't work, flick his forehead and pull his ear. Natsu wakes with a start as per usual and, surprisingly, earlier by 45 seconds.

"Good morning Natsu-nii. Need to hurry. You're gonna be late. It's already 7:30am." Tsuna greeted, a gentle smile on his face.

"Huh?!! Oh no!! Hibari's gonna kill me!!" Natsu panicked, his voice hitching as he fell out of bed and scrambled to get ready. He could not handle being at the (nonexistent) mercy of Namimori's skylark prefect. Tsuna merely shook his hand and chuckled to himself. 'Like clockwork', he thought.

"Kaa-San already has breakfast ready. I'll see you downstairs." Tsuna called out as he made his way out of the room and to the dining table. The first floor of their quaint little home was open concept. The living room, dining room, and kitchen didn't have much to separate them aside from the difference in furniture. It was nice, cozy, and a modern but comfortable twist on a Japanese home.

"Good morning, Kaa-san!" Tsuna called out to his hardworking mother. He looked almost exactly like her: petite, soft, fluffy brown hair, and big honey brown eyes. If his mother wasn't so modest and content with being a homemaker, she could easily get into modeling. She maintained her figure well and her frilly pink apron accentuated her hidden hourglass figure.

"Tsu-kun, Ohayou! Ready for breakfast?" She happily greeted, presenting the wide spread of breakfast foods with a swish of her hand.

Tsuna smiled warmly. Mornings like this reminded Tsuna just how much he loved his family. And something deeper always sang to remind him that he'd do anything for those he cared about. He didn't know where the line ended, but that's not something he needed to worry about. At least not now. After all, what could possibly happen in Namimori? Especially in middle school?

"I always am. Natsu-nii is still getting ready. His alarm didn't go off again." Tsuna and his mother giggled together as they started making their plates of rice, tamago, and several other Japanese breakfast dishes.

"Goodness, what are we gonna do with him?" Nana teased, a cheery smile on her face. Natsu nearly stumbled and broke his neck as he descended the stairs and stepped over to the breakfast table.

"Na-kun, ohayou!" Their mother greeted, delighted by her oldest's presence.

"Hi Kaa-san! Breakfast looks great! And Tsu-chan, why'd you lie to me?" He pouted as he took a seat and eagerly started to chow down on the food before him.

"Because I love you and worry for your physical well-being." Tsuna chuckled as he watched his older brother eat. As the chosen secretary for the skylark, Tsuna knew that his brother being late would affect him and his work. That guy's demonic bloodlust was suffocating enough without the stack of paperwork Tsuna had to help Kusakabe complete. It was a peaceful morning. Nothing new, different, or life-changi-. There was a knock on the door. Tsuna glanced at his watch. It was 7:45am. The mailman comes at 8:15am at the earliest. Why was there a knock? This is different. Tsuna glanced around and noticed a crumpled poster in the trash. 'Leaders...tutor...grade...'. He raised an eyebrow before his mother broke his few seconds of silence.

Nana clasped her hands together in joy.

"Oh! That must be the tutor! Tsu-kun, can you get the door?"

"Tutor? What tutor?" Natsu asked nervously.

"It's a tutor for you! I'd rather not get more angry letters from Nezu-sensei. So I figured maybe a new approach might help you! All he needs is room and board and he'll teach you!" Nana happily explained.

Tsuna smiled and nodded. Inside, he was wary. A deviation from routine could mean a million things. It could mean enemies, danger, and possibly death. Or it could mean fortune. After the incident when he was 5, he became a child of fact. He built walls out of regiment and form. He studied the concept of Omertà to protect his family and managed to befriend the Hibari family for the protection his father failed to provide. He stood up from his seat and calmly walked towards the door. Time felt slow. Painstakingly slow as he turned the knob, peeking through the sliver of space and carefully observed. No direct threats above his gaze or at his gaze (he was only about 5'2"). He looked down at his feet to see a peculiar figure.

"Ciaossu!", said a baby clad in a three piece suit and an orange pacifier around his neck. His voice was a higher pitch and a chameleon sat comfortably on his black and orange belted fedora. Tsuna opened the door fully as he stared this baby down with honey. And the baby stared back with onyx eyes that twinkled with mischief.

"I'm the tutor, Reborn!", the baby added.

Tsuna could tell immediately that this kid was not a baby. A baby couldn't hold his head up let alone stand on his own two feet. They also didn't wear custom suits. Tsuna's eyes gleaned with interest. He smiled and bowed.

"Ohayou, Reborn-sensei. I'm Tsunayoshi Sawada. My older brother Natsu is inside."

Reborn raised an eyebrow. Most would immediately coddle him or refuse to believe his words. Did this kid know more? Or did he just have a really strong hunch? He shrugged it off. His mission was to train the older brother into a worthy Vongola Decimo.

Tsuna led the way to the kitchen and pulled a chair out for Reborn. He didn't bother treating the baby like a child. Simply because he knew there was no way he was one. The way the faux baby held himself and spoke with certainty. Nothing about him was anything less than a mature adult.

"Natsu-nii, this is Reborn-sensei. Reborn-sensei, please take care of him." Tsuna smiled warmly.

"Huh?!?!! But-but he's a baby???" Natsu exasperated.

"Na-kun, he's very talented and has a very impressive resume! He's like one of those prodigy children!"

"Exactly! Dame-Natsu, you'll be one too after I'm done with you." The baby smirked evilly. Natsu paled. This was NOT a normal baby!

"W-what does that mean??"

"You just have to wait and find out!"

Tsuna eyed the fedora-clad baby intently. He decided he'd watch from afar from now on. Continue his routine and watch. And he did.

———————————————————————————

For the next couple years, he watched his older brother become a perfect Vongola Decimo. He became even more kind, righteous, loving, and respectful. He even managed to finally score his dream girl in the form of one Kyoko Sasagawa. And over time, Tsuna realized he was different from his older brother. Natsu made an effort to befriend his enemies. Tsuna preferred to crush them if they ever dared to harm them. Humiliate, blackmail, beat them, and gather every last filthy detail on their pathetic lives. Tsuna also learned he was more selfish, greedy, and maybe a bit more ambitious. Natsu was a shield and Tsuna was the hidden dagger. A last line of defense for his family.

———————————————————————————

Tsuna stayed in Namimori when Natsu graduated. Natsu, alongside his guardians and the cursed Arcobaleno, had left for Italy. A heartfelt goodbye and promise to visit shared. Tsuna was 17. He made sure not to interact too closely with any of them. An acquaintance at most. He didn't battle for the position of Decimo. He could, but it simply didn't interest him. He escaped from being sealed and that was enough. Protecting his own family was enough. He had done his part. Now it was time to do his own thing. Whatever it was. Then he turned 18, graduated high school, and started university. Simple, uneventful, and to be expected. And of course, a healthy sibling relationship involved lots of communication and shared pictures and memes. A certain picture his older brother sent made Tsuna realize another difference between them: He was obsessive. Over his family and now, the Arcobaleno. Ages ago he had drawn what he imagined the Arcobaleno looked like before their curse. And from consistent communication with his older brother, saw that that sketch of his became real. And so every thought, glance, and countless hours of watching flooded together and coalesced into an obsession. He wanted them all. He wanted to be theirs. His peaceful and passive world-view had changed when they showed up. Their personalities each bringing color into his life through their wit and sheer confidence. Their absent fear of death. Their strength. They were beautiful. Ethereal even. From inside and out. And Tsuna wanted it all. Selfish, greedy, Tsuna. And so he trained, worked, and bettered himself as he went through college. To make himself a sky worthy of that gorgeous rainbow. After all, a sky would be nothing without one.