Lambo knew it was going to be a strange day when he arrived downstairs and Maman was nowhere in sight and instead, Reborn was sat at the table with this sort of expressionless face and Fuuta was getting breakfast. The stupid line of questioning also brought him up short.

Something had happened. Something bad. Reborn demanding privacy didn't happened. The bastard was never that obvious but he was deliberately being transparent; a warning sign that he was dealing with something and that while he didn't want them involved they'd probably know about it soon enough.

By the time Lambo had crept out his window, scaled the wall and was hiding under the open kitchen window listening in it had already been too late. Whatever phone conversation was happening was already being interrupted by the ring of the doorbell. The Shimon had arrived. Great.

Still, Lambo waited. The "Nana's done something very bad to Tsuna" was a censored statement that didn't offer anything but that Reborn's protective instincts had been inflamed. That it was a family matter made it worse.

Patience wasn't something that he had ever really had. But stubbornness he had learned from Tsuna. Hours later and while he was playing Snake on his phone until he heard someone reenter the kitchen.

'-yeah. Come - tell the other Guardians to - no, its important - will be fine - Calm - Gokudera - okay. See you - then.'

Lambo hears the bits and pieces of the conversation. Not enough to know anymore than from breakfast and he almost sighs as he shifts, getting ready to call it a lost cause. What a waste of time. When something hits the back of his head. Yelping in pain, he looks up to see Reborn's stupid face half hidden by his stupid fedora who was smugly leaning against the window frame.

Lambo doesn't get chance to say anything as he holds his head. There was a book lying next to him which must have been used in his abuse. 'Cow. Get inside. I'm still talking to the Adelheid and Tsuna's busy with Enma. No one has time for your stupid.' Lambo refuses to pout. Reborn sighs. 'Hurry up. You'll find out whats going on soon enough.'

And then Reborn is gone, disappearing from the window and exiting the kitchen. Leaving Lambo with just as many questions.

Oh, well. As soon as the others were here than everything should become clear.

The doorbell ringing cut across the peace that had settled between the two leaders. Tsuna-chan had slipped into sleep on his shoulder in the quiet as conversations slowed and comfortable silence fell. Enma had a feeling as he looked down onto Tsuna-chan's pale face that she had probably been awake all night, restless with worry as she thought about having to tell her Guardian's her secret.

Honestly, Enma would like to know what was going on himself outside of the whole gender confusion but his curiosity was buried under the importance of keeping Tsuna-chan calm, of stopping tears and the distress stirring in her Flames. She seemed so desperate for his understanding in this situation, for him not to hate her. Tsuna-chan didn't seem to understand that there were very few things she could do to earn Enma's temper.

Once she had settled, Enma had also stilled his tongue on any questions. Getting her to relax seemed to be his role here; why Reborn-san had called him so early but with the bell came wakefulness. A jolt to the haze that had blanketed them.

Ember eyes shot open and Enma could feel every muscle in Tsuna-chan's body tense as the front door was opened downstairs and familiar voices started to echo to meet them. Reborn must have called them earlier, when he got time was a mystery.

The knock on her door, followed by a young voice saying: 'Baka-Reborn said you were busy but the others are -'

Tsuna-chan's Lightning Guardian didn't get a chance to finish or open the door properly before Tsuna-chan was pushing off of Enma's side (and in the process, dislodging him from the bed) and speeding to the wardrobe. Enma watched with disbelief as she slammed the closest closed with her inside it. He didn't get much of a stutter out before Flames were bursting to life and ice was sealing Tsuna-chan on the other side.

The noise had Lambo-kun stumbling into the room, his green eyes flickering to a stunned Enma -half on the bed, half off - to the icicles protruding from the wardrobe. The youngest Guardian did a double take. '…Its that serious?' He asks, obviously referring to the situation and whatever Reborn had already told him.

Enma nods. 'Yes…It's…' words are difficult. Enma's not much of a speaker and this is particularly delicate. 'Will you come out, Tsuna-ch - er…Tsuna?' She had obviously panicked once she heard that her Guardian's had arrived and had attempted to escape the best way she could.

Tsuna-chan didn't respond. Enma didn't fully expect her to. He turned back to the Guardian who had a worried look on his face and was twisting his hands in front of him. 'Go get your family.' He advised. 'We can do this here.'

Lambo-kun so young but growing so quickly took one more glance at the wardrobe, like he was waiting for his sister to emerge before stepping back where he came. 'O-okay.' The boy agreed, leaving slowly, hesitantly, but rushing down the stairs like a thousand guns were trained on him.

Enma awkwardly cleared his throat. 'Its not very fair of me to push this on you if you're not ready, Tsuna-chan. But everyone's here and I can help. Is…Is that alright, Tsuna-chan?' He asks because he wants to help. He wants to be there for Tsuna-chan but…he's also painfully aware that this is a family matter. A famiglia issue that he may not be completely welcome to interfere with. He needed permission otherwise he could be overstepping his bounds.

'…I'm…scared.' Came the voice from behind the iced wardrobe.

Breathing out a shuddering sigh Enma nodded. 'Okay.' He replies. Because thats enough for him. Thats all Tsuna-chan would ever need to say.

INSERT LINE

Lambo leaps down the stairs. Two or three at a time and skidded on the last. He can feel the size of his eyes and tries to relax his expression as he attempts a walk to the lounge. Everyone has been seated, looking worried but confused from their positions dotted around the room. Enma's right hand is there somewhere in the middle, looking like she's swallowed a lemon as Fuuta hands her a drink.

'Where's Tsuna?' Reborn asks from where he's crossed his arms, learnt up against a wall.

'Um…yeah, about that -' He stops, not entirely sure how to say "so Tsuna-nii completely freaked and froze himself inside his wardrobe. Can you tell us whats going on now?" Because, no, he can't see that going down too well.

'Enma said to come get you.' Lambo shrugs instead and Reborn is immediately staring straight through him.

'Did he now.' Reborn says. His words were like a question, the tone? Not so much. Without even a shrug, Reborn kicks of the wall and heads for the door, barely pausing to allow for Lambo to move out of the way. 'Well?' He asks, cheek half way turned as he continues to walk. 'Are you lot moving or not.'

Aaand that was a demand. Bastard Reborn.

The rest of the Guardians are still exchanging glances when Lambo follows Reborn up the stairs and he gets to witness his utter, hilarious exasperation when he enters Tsuna-nii's room and sees the ice wardrobe.

'Oh for the love of -' Reborn mutters in Italian. He glares somewhat at Enma who shrinks back a little. 'And you couldn't stop he-Tsuna before s-Tsuna decided to, ah, cool off?'

Enma looks off to the side, face as awkward as it ever has been. 'I didn't get much chance, honestly, Reborn-san.' Enma replies. 'Maybe this will help, though. Tsuna was feeling stressed about it and facing everyone at once must have been adding quite a bit of pressure to Tsuna already.'

'Face everyone about what?' Take-nii asks in concern, a crowd of Guardian's behind him. His expression is serious, eyes glinting as he looks over the room. When he turns to the wardrobe his body does this funny jerk. 'Hey - what -?!'

'Everything's under control.' Reborn interrupts, his stupid expression hidden by the rim of his hat. Lambo's always hated that thing.

'But - is - is Tsuna in there?' Take-nii all but demands, face growing somewhat pale. He looks truly thrown and it makes Lambo feel bad for finding amusement in this. Tsuna-ni wouldn't just hide out in a wardrobe for nothing never mind freeze himself inside. This whole situation was serious.

'Whats happened with Juudaime?' Hayato-nii butts in, pushing his way through the others. And while his expression was nothing to sneeze at before Lambo's a bit uncomfortable staring at what it morphs into when he sees the wardrobe.

'Kufufu.' Mukuro laughs but his eyes are dark. 'Now what trouble has Tsunayoshi-kun gotten himself into this time?'

'Mukuro-sama.' Chrome-nee chides.

'This is EXTREMELY worrying!' Ryohei-nii yells only to be hit over the head by Hibari whose glaring at just about everything.

'Baby, whats this about?'

Reborn sighs. 'Tsuna?' He prompts but gets nothing but silence.

'I - I can help, Reborn-san.' Enma stutters. 'I…I don't know the whole story but if you could start -'

Reborn pinches the bridge of his nose. 'Tsuna are you sure you won't come out?'

Hibari's hands twitch. '…I can always destroy the wardrobe.' He states.

Almost instantly Enma shakes his head. 'No. That wouldn't do any good.' He readdresses Reborn, like the bastard has the final say for all of them. 'For Tsuna this is very hard. You've already done this much. I'm sure sh- er, Tsuna will come out.'

Was it just Lambo or was Enma's stutter coming back?

'Hey, Kid.' Take-nii says, eyes hard as he stares Reborn down. 'Nono…he's not -'

'No.' Reborn denies instantly, unknotting a ball of stress from Lambo's stomach. He hadn't even thought about that. He's glad he hadn't. Waiting all this time with that in mind. Well, yeah, he would have been bouncing from the walls.

'We're going in circles, Baby.' Hibari warns in annoyance, tone gruff and irritated. Probably past his people quota for the month.

'Alright, alright. Sit down.' Reborn huffs and waits for them all to find a place to rest before continuing. Its not that easy either with all of them plus Shimon extras. 'I found out last night that there was something about Tsuna that we didn't know. I should hope with everything you've all been through these past years that this won't effect how you feel about my student. In saying that, this is very serious and will have…consequences going forward.'

The words jumbled in Lambo's head and the only thing that really kept him from shooting his mouth was Fuuta's hand on his shoulder and I-Pin squeezing his knee. 'I…don't understand.' Take-nii finally says into the silence and yeah, it doesn't look like any of them do.

Reborn shifts, looking…uncomfortable. Which is wrong on so many levels. Reborn has always had this irritating surety. This arrogance. He shouldn't…why…'Tsuna's a woman.' He finally announces.

Tsuna's a -

What?

He stares, can feel his eyes drilling holes in the side of Reborn's face.

This isn't a joke.

It has to be.

It can't be.

Lambo looks up to Fuuta whose eyes had gotten wide and than I-Pin whose uncertainty is only half of what Lambo is feeling. Take-nii looks like someone had just kicked him the stomach. With steel shoes. And Ryohei-nii appears to be mid-heart attack but honesty? Haya-nii doesn't seem all that surprised. Serious. Deadly serious but not surprised. Hibari is taking in everything blankly but that guy walks around like he doesn't have a soul half the time and Mukuro -

Mukuro starts to laugh.

'Kufufu is that what this is about?'

Reborn shuts him up with a single look, bloodlust prickling from his body. 'Tsuna mentioned you might have known.' He states.

Mukuro raises an eyebrow. 'I'm surprised you didn't.'

Reborn sneers, a dark expression that makes Lambo's skin crawl. 'But…no. No, Tsuna can't be.' Take-nii voice sounds off and he looks like he's lost his footing. So incredibly lost that it makes Lambo uncomfortable.

Ryohei-nii is blinking and Lambo is starting to worry for the guy when he bursts. 'That EXTREMELY can't be! Sawada would have told us if that was the case!' He shouts before turning to the wardrobe. 'Why have you been lying to us? That is very un-EXTREME!'

If a wardrobe could wince, that one just did.

'Sasagawa-san?' Enma tries to interfere, hands held up calmly. 'It…wasn't that Tsuna-chan wanted to lie to you.'

'But he - she has! I am EXTREMELY confused! Is…is Sawada gay or -' Ryohei-nii starts, frowning so deeply it looks like his forehead is about to crave way.

'Your gender and sexuality doesn't have anything to do with one another.' Suzuki speaks up, standing outside the door but she says it with disgust towards the speaker. So unimpressed that Lambo idly wonders as he numbly sits on the floor if bastard Reborn and Hibari had met before now and decided to repopulate. 'You can be heterosexual and a transgender. Idiot.'

'I- then what -'

'Tsuna-chan has felt awful about this for a long time, Sasagawa-san.' Enma states much more strongly this time. 'She loves you. All of you. But its because she loves you that the longer you didn't know, the harder it was for her to tell you.'

'There are some things that even I do not know.' Reborn says. 'Tsuna has yet to tell me but from our conversation yesterday I discovered that…Nana has been forcing her to dress this way. It hasn't been a choice on Tsuna's part and if that were the case we'd be having a completely different discussion. Guardians who cannot support their boss are not required in Decima's family.'

Okay. Yeah. This morning was starting to make sense. As well as Maman's…Nana's disappear. But Lambo still had questions.

'I support Juudaime. No matter what.' Haya-nii murmurs into the stunned hush. 'But I think we all need to know whats going on… J-Juudaime, we - I'm not angry at you. I don't think any of us are. The damn Pineapple is smirking. Just - come out. Please?'

Haya-nii had picked up the nickname "Puppy" from the Varia despite Uri. And in moments like this, in the quiet, Lambo could kind of see why. 'Tsuna.' Reborn's voice is harder but no louder. 'Tsuna come out and see your Guardians.'

Theres a pause. Its long and drawn out and Lambo couldn't tell right from left now but he does want Tsuna-nii - Tsuna-nee. Whatever. Whichever. To come out. 'Tsuna-chan.' Enma near whispers. 'We're all here.'

And then, the ice started to thaw.

Underneath the wardrobe grew a puddle and Tsuna-…Tsuna would probably be needing another one but slowly, the ice shrunk back and after a moment the doors opened. Two long, thin legs appeared, stretching outside the space. Arms just as slender pushing at the doors. Large, ember eyes stare up at them through dark eyelashes before Tsuna's gaze ducks down with sleek hair moving to hide them from further view.

He - she shimmies out and concentrates herself with making sure her skirt is flat, pulling down her hoodie and…is - is that really Tsuna?

Lambo thinks he hears a couple of drawn in breathes, a gasp but he's a bit distracted. '…Tsuna-nii?'

Wrong suffix. Lambo hadn't even meant for it to slip out. Tsuna certainly didn't look like anyone's brother right now. But Tsuna still cringes, takes a step up and maybe its that. Maybe its that, that has Lambo understanding that his confusion isn't really all that important. Because that had hurt Tsuna. Tsuna-nee.

Get it right, Lambo. He thinks to himself. Tsuna certainly is female. Her body is and if she was dressing like that than she obviously wanted to be one too. And thats enough, right?

'…Lambo.' Tsuna's crossed her arms in front of her, a position of defensiveness that he rarely sees her take up. Her nails are digging into her arms and her eyes are sliding between him and the floor. Enma is gravitating to her side looking beyond worried but solid. Like he was right were he should be.

'Is…Neesan' Lambo begins to ask and really, this is nerve-wracking. 'Is it okay?' He hadn't ever questioned it before. Fuuta is the one who had started it and Lambo had felt…jealous with how embarrassingly pleased Tsuna-nee had looked that first time so he had started, too.

(And really, Tsuna-nee had always been a better brother - sister. Whatever - than his real siblings anyway.)

Tsuna-nee's eyes are shining and - and Tsuna doesn't cry. Lambo's only see it once and that was a long time ago in a fake future with a death of a friend. 'It…would - would that be -' Tsuna-nee keeps cutting himself - herself off. Starting and restarting like she doesn't know where to begin or or to phrase what she wants to say. 'I…would like that very much.' She finally admits, hands loosening but no less tense as she leans closer to Enma even as Lambo tries for a smile and nod.

'Hmph. I hope you will be using the correct uniform for now on, Sawada Tsunayoshi.' Hibari states in that Reborn-ish way of his thats worded like a suggestion when it really, really wasn't.

Tsuna-nee shifts, shoulders dumping with Enma's as she bites her lip. She slowly nods. 'I…should, yes. I need to.'

Hibari's eyes narrow an inch. '…Any disturbances caused by uniform alterations will be bitten to death.'

…was Hibari trying to comfort Tsuna-nee?

Tsuna-nee's head snaps up. It didn't take a minute of gawking before a truly awed smile lit up her face. She looked all types of pleased, grateful and it made Lambo feel bad. Like they had failed somehow in not knowing this and hurting her because they hadn't. And that bothered Lambo. That Tsuna hadn't told them and by not telling them, they couldn't protect her.

'But why have you been EXTREMELY pretending anyway?' Ryohei-nii asks, frowning with tight fists that makes Lambo wonder when his temper burns out.

'I don't know.' Tsuna-nee whispers, voice broken and raw and so different from what Lambo had thought it had sounded like.

'You don't know?' Fuuta parrots, his grip on Lambo tight.

Tsuna-nee hesitates. 'I…no. Kaasan never really explained why she wanted me to pretend.'

'Tsuna.' Reborn sighs and Tsuna tenses. 'Calm down. Stop thinking about the brats' feelings. You've got to be honest. They have to know.'

Tsuna-nee brings a shaking hand up to pull at her hair and in that one action Lambo sees the thirteen year old he first met. Dame-Tsuna who was always so quick to panic. Her gaze is weighty and regretful when she glances in their direction, looking at Fuuta and I-Pin before settling on Lambo for a minute.

'Reborn -'

'Tsuna.' Reborn doesn't yell. He doesn't threaten. He doesn't need to. Not with Tsuna-nee. Their relationship is strange. Always has been.

Tsuna-nee takes a deep breath and with great difficulty begins to speak words that Reborn has already heard but which is so foreign to the rest of them. 'Otosan was always late. He thought I was a boy.' She said. 'Kaasan told me she didn't want to - to disappoint him so he lied.' She continued. 'He was never around for long so it wasn't very hard to hide.' She adds as an after thought. 'After awhile…I stopped questioning it. Because I did - I did when - when I was younger.'

Her distressed face broke into a cracked smile. Lambo thought it was an incredibly sad expression. 'When I met all of you, after all this time, I would have told you. You're all - all - so, so important. But…I didn't know how to talk about it. I didn't want to hurt you…I didn't want to lose you.' Tsuna-nee's words were heartbreakingly sincere and her lips trembled over each one. 'I…I'm sorry.' She murmured, bowing from the waist.

It didn't take one moment of stilted silence before Haya-nii is striding forward. Tsuna-nee's shoulders are trembling but she doesn't move as he approach her to gently coax her into standing straight. 'Theres nothing to forgive, Juudaime.' He finally says.

'Theres nothing to forgive.'

Con/Textual Vomit: Okay, first part of the guardians reaction is finished. I wanted to write more but if I leave this chapter any longer nothing will get posted so you'll have to wait a 1-2 more chapters based around the Guardians before Iemitsu arrives and Nana's motivations gets dealt with.

Lambo was the main driving force for this and I'm not entirely sure why I choose his perceptive when it was so hard. Honestly he doesn't sound young enough but I'm gonna put that down to him having to grow up young. Yup, its that. And totally not my inability to write young characters.

I think Gokudera's up next. Yup. And Yamamoto. Thats gonna be fun.

(First Uploaded: 23/ 10/ 16)

OZ