Intentions

Tsuna stumbled along the sidewalks, forced to walk home after a training session with Reborn. He was in the process of going through a tunnel, when he paused. There was someone there.

"What are your intentions, ve~?" asked the man, who had brown hair and a curl coming from his left. He was smiling, though it wasn't completely happy.

"M-my intentions...?" quarried the younger brunet, his unruly hair bouncing as he stepped back, uncertainty in his eyes. He hadn't seen the man approach, but he didn't sense any bad intentions from the other. But who was this man?

"Ve~... Vongola Decimo..." the auburn haired man said, "...You are to be the head of the biggest mafia family. You decide the fate of Italy's underground. Ve~... Tell me what you intend to do with your escalation in power."

"I... I don't know how you know me... But I... I don't want to be a mafia boss!" the boy shouted, eyebrows furrowed.

The other man smiled sadly, knowing what it's like to be forced into something. "Ve~, I understand that you don't want to, but you have to be. I've dealt with something kinda similar, ve~. I don't want to be who I am, but I have to be. So, the question is not what you want to be, but what you want to do, ve~. Please, tell me what you want to do, Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna gazed wide-eyed at the man before him. "What I want to do... is... is..." He looked down at his clenched fist, feeling frustration and helplessness from his situation, but then brought it up, flexing it and then relaxing it as he pondered. He wants to protect his family, his friends, the kids-anyone he can.

The man before him allowed his smile to soften, eyes open and gentle, stepping forward and grabbing his fist. He pulled the other into a hug, surprising the Japanese boy.

Tsuna felt tears welling up and spilling from his widened eyes inexplicably, closing them and hugging the man back. Tsuna sunk to his knees, the other man following him.

"I... I want to... protect them... I want to change the mafia... If... If I can't, then... I'll end the mafia with my own two hands...! That... That is my will! I will make my own choice for once... With my dying will, I'll...!"

The man wiped the tears off of the teen's cheeks. "I understand. I know now; you will be the best successor, ve~. I promise that you have my support. Know that you have all of Italy behind you."

Tsuna looked over the man's shoulder, that curl brushing against his cheek, and spotted another two men leaning against the wall, one with arms crossed with a curl sprouting from his bangs and the other looking like a mix of the first two, with an angular curl from near his ear. Piercing green eyes analyzed him, then shut. A small nod of approval was given, before the darker haired man turned away, towards the sky. The last one, looking younger, smiled at him before joining the other in looking upwards.

He was released from the hug after a while, feeling a weight lift off of his chest.

"Who... Who are you...? You know my name, but I haven't ever met any of you..."

The first man placed a hand on his head, gently tousling his spiky yet soft hair.

"Most people call us Italy, Romano and Seborga, respectively. But, you are very special, ragazzo, so I will tell you, ve~. I'm Feliciano Vargas. That's my fratellone, Lovino," he pointed to the green eyed one, "and my fratellino, Romeo." he finished, pointing to the amber eyed one.

Tsuna was a bit confused, as Feliciano mixed some Italian into his Japanese. But, what did he mean by being known as Italy? He couldn't have meant that he was a country, because that was rather absurd, but... Tsuna couldn't help but believe the Italian man in front of him. Feliciano stood, extending his hand to the teenager, who took it gratefully. Lovino and Romeo walked up to the other two brunettes.

"We hope you hold true to that vow, Tsunayoshi Sawada." Romeo whispered.

"You'd better, you bastard." Lovino muttered.

"And if you can't do it alone, then we'll help you, ve~!" encouraged Feliciano, "As North Italy, or Italy Veneciano-,"

"-South Italy, otherwise known as Italy Romano-," continued Lovino.

"-And the Principalty of Seborga-," added Romeo.

"-We will aid you in the cleansing of Italy's underground." the brothers finished in unison.

"I'll do my best... Thank you... Thank you so much..." Tsuna felt the tears come up again, but refused to let them fall. He smiled, eyes slipping shut as he was genuinely happy after a long while of frustration from fighting against his future. "I won't let you down!"

He didn't completely understand, but he didn't need to. And when his eyes opened to an empty sidewalk, he didn't feel upset. He only hoped to see them again one day.

"I think you made the right choice." Seborga chimed, walking back home with his brothers.

"He looked really weak, though. Are you sure he's gonna be okay?"

"Ve~, he'll be alright! He may look weak, but he's strong! Giotto would be very proud!"

"Well, whatever. Weak or strong, we've got his back, either way."

"I wonder if I can talk to that female guardian he has~." Seborga pondered airily.

"At least pretend you're paying attention, you bastard!" shouted Romano, digging his fist into his youngest brother's head whilst he held him in a headlock.

"Ow! Ow, that hurts~!" Seborga whined.

'Ve~, Lovi, I think that's enough~..." murmured Italy helplessly.

"Don't make me hurt you, too, bastard."

"Ve~..."

Still heading down the street, they noticed a figure standing further ahead, illuminated by the lamppost beside him. He held a katana, hand in position to draw it until he saw them.

"Ve~, Kiku~!" the said man was promptly glomped, even though he was trying to weakly bat away the arms around him.

"Ah, it was just you three. I was worried that there was going to be an attack from another country. May I ask why you all are here?" Japan inquired politely, finally shoving the Italian off of him, earning a playful whine of, 'Kiku~'

"Ve~, don't worry about it, Japan! We just wanted to make sure of something."

Japan was curious as to what this 'something' was, as Italy hardly concerned himself with anything aside from cats, pasta, siestas, flirting with girls, and Germany. However, he did not want to be rude, regardless of whether or not Italy would mind-which he wouldn't. "Alright. Oyasuminasai, Feliciano-chan," (Italy insisted on him using 'chan' instead of 'kun', for reasons he never understood.)," Romano-san, Seborga-san."

"Buona notte, Kiku~!" replied Italy.

"Buona notte, Japan." the other two brothers said in unison, Romano glaring at Seborga childishly, the latter playfully cheering out a, "Jinx~!"

Japan watched them stroll away. He felt something well up in him, akin to pride, and he turned towards the direction they came from.

A rare quirk of the lips broke onto his face, so he closed his eyes to enjoy it as he felt one of his people leave that area.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi-san, was it?"

Some JapIta because reasons.

"Ve~, I wonder, since he's Japanese, but he's also part Italian, does that make him our child~?"

Japan knew he shouldn't have brought up the topic of Tsunayoshi. He came here for one reason, and one reason alone! He shouldn't have wandered off topic like that! But he can use this to his advantage... but isn't that too bold?

"F-F-Feliciano-chan! P-Please don't say things like that!" Japan shouted, hand on his heart as he stared wide-eyed at Italy. He was about to do something drastic, but to have this said before that? His already anxious heart can't take this.

"But Kiku~!"

"If you are going to say things like that, then you should at least take responsibility!" Oh no, was he really going to do it? He felt it improper to rush it, but they had known each other for too long, and...

"Ve~? What do you mean, Kiku?" Italy tilted his head, curl giving a curious bounce as well. Oh, god. There was too much Moe!

"Aishiteru, Feliciano." He earned a confused look. "Ti amo. Ich liebe dich. I love you. I'd say it in any language to make you understand, because I love you so much, so... Feliciano Vargas, will you marry me?"

Of course, right as he said that, Romano opened the door, about to announce that it was time for lunch.

All three of them froze.

'I am not going to survive, am I?' Kiku thought, about to panic, before being placating himself with the thought of, 'At least I could tell him before I die...'

Romano's hair covered his eyes, then he spun on his heel and left, muttering, "At least it wasn't that potato-bastard."

Well, Romano may not kill him, but his nerves might, if Feliciano stays silent like this for any longer.

"Ve~, of course!" Japan was frozen from this response, but also from the fact that he was now being kissed all over his face.

At least he wasn't out of it when Italy kissed his lips.

He really needs to thank Sawada Tsunayoshi. For what, it doesn't matter. He just really needs to thank him.

END