Chapter Text
It’s the second day of the First Generation staying in Sawada Residence. Their morning began with Tsuna’s bright smile and happy “Good morning, everyone!” The boy is energetic as they find out, and it was amusing to watch the little sky talk excitedly about his plans for the day with them while he dressed.
Lampo doesn’t share his friends’ opinion. “God, he’s so loud,” the Lightning Guardian groaned. “I had a such nice nap.”
“He’s a child, Lampo,” Giotto reminded his youngest Guardian. “Most of them are this energetic. If I recall right, a certain someone acted this way too whenever he planned a prank with Daemon.”
The playful jab was aimed at Lampo. When they were alive, Lampo often helped Daemon prank the others. It was one of the few times, Lampo didn’t laze around and was energetic like Tsunayoshi right now was being.
“He’s got you there, kiddo,” G chuckled.
“Oh, sod off, old man,” Lampo grumbled.
The others laughed as all of them followed Tsunayoshi downstairs to breakfast.
Nana deemed Tsuna healthy enough to go outside. So after breakfast, the mother-son duo went to visit the playground with Giotto and his Guardians following them, to Tsuna’s delight.
However, that excitement dimmed when they arrived. The five-year-old drew into himself the moment Nana left him, which did not escape the attention of the First Generation.
“Is something wrong, Tsunayoshi?” Giotto was the one to ask the question.
His grandson gave him a weak smile. “I’m fine. Just… I have no one to play with. Nobody wants to play with me.”
“I’m sure there is someone who will play with you,” Primo assured Tsuna. “You won’t know until you try.”
Tsuna looked at the other kids. Then back at Giotto’s encouraging smile and at the kids again before taking a deep breath and his toys with him to find a playmate.
Unfortunately, Primo and the others were proved wrong. No one wanted to play with Tsunayoshi. No one. The other children shoo him away, pointing fingers and calling him weak and clumsy and pathetic.
Seeing this, Giotto’s eerily reminded of his and G’s childhood on the streets. How the two of them were treated the same simply because they were homeless orphans. And Tsuna told them yesterday he was being isolated, but to see it with their own eyes was worse.
Way worse. Children could be really cruel sometimes, regardless of the era.
Judging by the way G’s hands tightened into fists, his best friend was having the same thoughts. The others were not unaffected either as their dark expressions show.
“The more I see of the fallout of that idiot’s decision, the more I want to whack him on the head,” G muttered under his breath.
“You are not the only one,” Primo said just as darkly. His heart ached at Tsunayoshi’s expression and tears in his eyes as the dejected boy came back to them. As he comforted his grandson, Giotto wondered if it was possible to hate Iemitsu more than he already did.
Something told him it wasn’t the limit.
Tsuna stayed by their side until Nana decided it was time to go home.
Thankfully, Tsuna’s good mood returned once they were back home and after lunch, he went to the backyard to play.
For some time everything was peaceful when suddenly the First Generation heard Tsuna yell in fright.
Sharing a concerned look, they rush to the boy's aid.
They find the brunet stuck in a tree that grew in the backyard.
"Tsunayoshi, " Giotto said slowly, stunned as his heart skipped a beat in fear, "how in Madonna's name did you end up there?!"
They were distracted for a minute, how did he manage to climb that fast?!
"I-I wanted to help," the little boy replied in a shaky voice. There’s a kitten, so it’s obvious who Tsuna to help. “But now I’m stuck. Help.”
“Don’t panic, we will get you down,” Giotto told him soothingly. He continued to distract the boy while Alaude got the child and kitten down because Tsuna refused to leave it here. The kitten meowed and disappeared, leaving the five-year-old with his fretting caretakers.
“That was dangerous, Tsunayoshi,” Giotto reprimanded his grandson. “You scared us and you could have gotten seriously hurt if you tried to get down yourself.”
“I’m sorry,” Tsuna mumbled into Alaude’s trench coat; the others heard him anyway. “I couldn’t leave him here. I know how it’s scary to be stuck somewhere all alone.”
Alaude sighed at the explanation, not minding that the child was cuddled into his arms. ”It seems you are too kind just like Giotto. And a trouble magnet too.”
“Ricardo said the same thing before I left,” the blonde said with a smile.
“And he was right,” Alaude said dryly. “I feel we gonna have our hands full. Madonna, as if Giotto’s getting in trouble wasn’t enough.”
“Hey,” Primo said in mock offense. He knew his Cloud Guardian was only teasing him. It was clear by the way his ice-blue eyes had mirth in them, so Giotto struggled to stay looking offended and not smile. “I’m not that much of a trouble magnet.”
“Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m not."
“Did Giotto-san really get in trouble often?” Tsuna asked, watching Vongola Boss and his External Advisor bicker with curiosity.
“Oh, yes he did,” Knuckle was the one to answer. “If you want to, we tell you a couple of stories about it as a bedtime story. What do you say about it?”
“Yes, please!” Tsuna agreed eagerly. He wanted to know more about these kind people that became his friends.
“Then it’s a deal,” Knuckle nodded with a grin. “And if need help with anything, don’t hesitate to call us, okay?”
“Sure!”
The rest of the afternoon was spent without incidents, to Primo’s relief as they kept a close eye on Tsunayoshi and played games with him.
When they come back inside just before dinner, Nana checked her son for any sort of injury - she knew better than anyone what kind of trouble her child could get into. Satisfied that there wasn’t any injury or bruise, Nana and Tsuna start dinner.
After the food was finished, mother and son spend the evening together. It was clear to the First Generation, who observed them, that while she wasn’t without her faults and it wasn’t easy for her to raise her child alone - while having a very much alive husband who preferred to hide his head in the sand - Nana loved Tsuna dearly and Tsuna loved her just as much in return. Primo and others were glad to see such a close and strong connection.
At least, one of the parents cared about Tsunayoshi wholly, without any excuses.
Soon, it’s time for Tsuna to go to bed. Nana read him one of his favorite fairytales before kissing him goodnight and retiring to her bed herself.
Only Tsuna doesn’t fall asleep.
“And why aren’t you sleeping, young man?” Giotto asked, stern, as they appeared in the room. “You’re supposed to be in the world of dreams by now.”
“That’s because I have one more story to hear!”
“Another story?” The blonde asked, confused. “Your okaa-san already read you a fairytale.”
“It’s not a fairytale! It’s a story about your adventures. Knuckle-san promised you tell me a few as a bedtime story.”
“Did he now?” Giotto hummed, sparing a glance at his Sun Guardian. Knuckle didn’t even look sheepish at suggesting to tell the little sky about his boss’ misadventures as a bedtime story, he was just grinning mischievously.
“Yeah!”
“I think it’s a good idea, Primo,” Asari spoke up, supporting the idea. “Maybe hearing about the trouble you got into will teach him to be more careful.”
“You are all impossible,” Giotto sighed at his family in fond exasperation. Then he looked back at his grandson. “Fine,” he gave in.“I tell you a couple of stories.”
“Yay!” Tsuna exclaimed happily.
“But after that, you go to sleep.”
“Sure!” the five-year-old agreed with a big smile.
Giotto smiled at Tsuna’s entusiasm.
I can never say no to my family, can I? Giotto thought to himself with amusement as he sat down on the bed and proceed to tell Tsunayoshi how he met G for the first time, his Guardians chiming in every now and then.
That night Tsuna fell asleep to the sound of First Generation’s stories and dreamt of times long past.