Notes: This story in one wherein Arthur Pendragon the legend is reborn as Tsuna. He was a real person who lived and died, but upon his death, he ascended to Hero of Legend status and thus was influenced greatly by all the legends that came after, making him more like the pure, noble symbol he's usually portrayed as rather than what might have been the reality.

If this sounds similar to the Fate series, that's because I am loosely basing Arthur off of both Saber and Proto Saber. It's not either of them, though, as I have yet consume any Fate media whatsoever. On that note, I've done some research on Arthurian legends, and I'm cobbling things together to suit my own needs.

Spending a lot of time researching for fic always ruins the fun for me, however, so this will contain the bare minimum of that. If that bothers you, I understand, and you don't have to read! I'm not looking for constructive criticism either. This is just for fun, and I hope some of you will enjoy it. ;)

The title is from "Take Me Away" by Globus.

This fic requires no knowledge of the Fate Series and only minimal knowledge of Arthurian legend. If you're confused about anything, don't hesitate to ask me.

I.

From the moment he's born, Tsuna is an odd child. He rarely cries, even when hungry or uncomfortable. Nana and Iemitsu have to set up a schedule to check on him because they have no cries or noises to alert them, and it worries her.

She tells her husband of her concerns.

"He's a good, strong man, just like his papa!" Iemitsu exclaims, holding tiny Tsuna high up above him, a position which never fails to make their little baby boy laugh in delight. He then brings Tsuna's face next to his, and they both look at her as Iemitsu says, "See? We Sawada men protect our family - from even our own pain if we have to!"

Nana smiles, accepting the explanation and Iemitsu's warm reassurance. When Tsuna immediately smiles back at her and makes grabby motions towards her, she melts, laughing as she obligingly takes Tsuna from her husband and kisses him on his head. "I see, I see! How lucky I am to have two such strong, handsome men to protect me!" She gushes, making Tsuna giggle and Iemitsu throw an arm around both of them with a chuckle.

II.

Even after the reassurance, she's happy to find out Tsuna laughs and plays like any other child. His favorite game in particular seems to be finding things to wave around like a sword. Even before learning to walk, it's not unusual to spot Tsuna crawling around and finding objects with which to play. Usually, Nana gives him harmless items like paper towel tubes or rolled up paper taped on one side, things he can't hurt himself with or accidentally swallow.

By the time Tsuna is four, her husband and her son play-fighting with 'swords' is a common sight in the house, and Nana has plenty of pictures and videos of the absolutely adorable spectacle.

Often, she is pulled into the narrative as the damsel in distress, a position she plays with heart and enthusiasm.

"I'll defeat you, Hero, and win the princess for myself!" Iemitsu declares, laughing maniacally as he dodges a swipe of a very convincing fake sword (a paper towel tube with a cutout of a sword Tsuna drew and colored taped to both sides.)

From where she's sitting in the castle (the couch with chairs behind it and a cover draped over said chairs, vaguely in the shape of a castle), Nana presses the back of her hand against her forehead and bemoans, "Oh no! Please, Tsu-kun, won't you save me?"

"Of course I will! Never fear, Princess Mom!" Tsuna shouts, blanket cape billowing majestically behind him as he trades blows with Iemitsu. "Your hero is here!" He finishes proudly.

Nana hides her smile. That line is a favorite of his, one the 'best hero ever!' says every time he rescues his princess on TV. Excluding the 'Mom' part. "My hero is so brave!" She cheers.

As if motivated by her words, with a crow of triumph, Tsuna finally manages to break through Iemitsu's guard.

"Curses!" Iemitsu yells, clasping the sword between his side and the crook of his elbow as he falls to his knees and then collapses, defeated. "You have vanquished me!"

"Yay!" Nana exclaims, laughing as she catches Tsuna, who began running toward her as soon as he knew he'd won. She hugs him tightly and says, "You did it, Tsu-kun!"

Tsuna pulls back and smiles up at her, proud in his victory. He has his father's blonde hair, but the green-blue eyes were a surprise when she first saw them. Nana doesn't think she's ever seen a color so pretty. Those eyes are practically sparkling now as Tsuna says, "'Course I did, Mama! I'm the hero!"

III.

Since Tsuna turned two, Iemitsu has traveled for work more and more. First, just a few days. Then, he was gone for a week or two. Eventually, it became months, and only a week after Tsuna's fifth birthday, Iemitsu brings her aside and quietly, regretfully tells her he'll be gone much longer this time.

"It's for work," he explains, with a half shrug, as if to say 'there's no helping it.' His face is lined with reluctance, with the desire to stay, even as they both know he won't.

Nana has always known her husband's work takes first priority. He's a constructor who works for Vongola, that company which seems to have ties to just about everything - from cruises, to theater, to electronics like cellphones and computers - and even she knows it would be foolish to risk such a well paying job. Plus, Iemitsu's surrogate father works there, and he has close friends there.

"We're like one, big family," he once told her, and she knew he hadn't been exaggerating.

So even if she would like Iemitsu to stay with her and help her raise their child, she also isn't going to complain about it or ask him to choose. Her parents didn't raise her to be selfish, after all, and it's not in her nature to deny her loved ones anything they love doing. She's just not made that way.

"I understand," she says, with a smile twice as bright as usual. Like her, he can spot the pain underneath, but he doesn't point it out either. He still looks unhappy, though, and that's not acceptable no matter how sad she might personally be feeling right now. "It's okay, really! I have Tsu-kun here with me now! There's no way I can be lonely," she insists.

"Honey-"

She flexes an arm and pats her bicep confidently. "I'm strong too, you know! Tsukino women are tough as nails. You've met my mother and my grandmother, so you should know, dear," she reminds him, laughing when he winces at the memory.

He chuckles too, won over by her charm. "You're right, as always," he concedes, and she lets him pull her close and rest his forehead against hers. When she snorts (because shouldn't that be obvious by now?), he whispers against her, voice choked with emotion, "I'm going to miss you so much. And little Tunafish, too. You're both my whole world."

Helplessly, she tears up, though she's smiling. "Us too. You're my soulmate," she tells him, just as quietly. "I love you."

"I love you too," he answers, leaning down to kiss her.

She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses back, putting all of her love and adoration and sheer emotion into it, feeling Iemitsu do the same.

With him here in her arms, even if soon he'll be far away, she just knows they're going to be alright. Their love is the kind people write stories about, but it's no tragedy. It's also not the kind of love something so insignificant as distance can wear away.

They'll pull through, just like they always do.

IV.

After a year with Iemitsu away, Tsuna no longer asks when he's coming back home. It breaks her heart every time she has to explain that he's not - not yet - and maybe he notices. Her Tsu-kun is a smart, observant little boy, after all. Unfortunately, the few phone calls they get from Iemitsu while he's gone aren't enough to fill the void he left for either of them, and their happy, little home is just a little dimmer with only the two of them, despite their best efforts.

More than anything, though, Tsuna is upset he no longer has his dad as a playmate, and just as with Iemitsu before he left, Nana won't be having any of that. She takes her husband's place as the villain and occasional sidekick, but only after gently correcting Tsuna when - appalled - he informs her that girls can't fight.

"Girls can do anything boys can do," she tells him, and like always, Tsuna listens and doesn't argue like she's seen other children do. He's always been a good boy. "That silly stuff about only men being strong and fighting and women staying at home and being protected is just that - silly."

His nose scrunches up in confusion, as he digests her explanation. "But then why do people say it?" He asks. "When it's not true?"

She smiles sadly. "Because a lot of men are silly and don't always want to see the truth. Some women are silly, too, and think girls can only wear dresses and cook and clean. They don't think girls should play and get dirty."

"But Mama, you do that stuff," he points out.

"That's right, Tsu-kun! But I cook and clean and wear dresses because that's what I like to do. Your grandma never learned how to cook, and she and your grandpa always shared the job of cleaning the house," she explains, smiling wider when Tsuna's eyes grow big in wonder at such a small thing. "Your great grandma used to teach kendo before she got older and closed the dojo, and I've never once seen her wear a dress."

He looks awed, and Nana giggles. "So Great Grandma was really strong?"

She boops his nose, withholding another giggle when he pouts at her. "Super strong," she promises, pleased when Tsuna's looks delighted at the prospect. Her grandma was amazing, and she'd surely have adored Tsuna - especially with his developing hero worship of her, if she knows him at all.

"Wow!" He says, and Nana laughs again, helplessly. "I wanna be like Great Grandma when I grow up!" He declares.

"Wow," she repeats, sharing his joy. "That's a good goal, Tsu-kun! I'm sure you can do it!"

And if she signs him up for kendo lessons as soon as she finds out the local dojo accepts children at age five, well, she's helping him fulfill his dream and hopefully distracting him from the gaping hole Iemitsu's absence has left in his wake.

V.

Not long after that, Tsuna asks her what a knight is.

"A knight? Well, Tsu-kun, a knight is a hero! They protect people and slay monsters! Knights are really nice, and they fight with big, sharp swords!" She explains with enthusiasm, hyping it up for her little baby, who has stars in his eyes. "Why do you ask, Tsu-kun?"

Suddenly, his little face grows serious, and he says, very seriously, "I'm gonna be a knight, Mama. Then I can protect you and everybody!" He pauses and then adds, again very seriously, "But not 'cause you're a girl! It's because you're family! Like Papa always says!"

She laughs, pleased, and swoops down to pick him up. He squeals in delight, and Nana peppers his cute, little face with kisses as he giggles. "Mama knows she can count on her little hero to save the day," she gushes. "My little knight!"

She doesn't know where this sudden fixation is coming from - Well, no, that's not true. Tsuna has always been fascinated by swords and princesses and adventures, but he's always just called himself the hero. He's never bothered to distinguish himself beyond that, and she has to wonder what brought this on.

Maybe a new show on TV? Or maybe he's just suddenly enamored with the idea of knights in general? He does jump from show to book to new toy a lot, though he never tires of sword fighting.

When Tsuna wiggles insistently, she puts him down, and he runs off to play in the living room with a hasty goodbye. She smiles after him before turning back to check the pot on the stove, still musing.

Ah, well, it doesn't matter, she decides. This just means she knows what theme his birthday party is going to be, and it will go perfectly with one of the presents she's already gotten him. After all, it's high time her little hero - her little knight got a proper sword to duel with.

VI.

Iemitsu doesn't make it for Tsuna's sixth birthday, though he does set aside an hour that night to talk to them on the phone, for which both of them are grateful. Even more amazing is that after Tsuna tires himself out gushing about his new sword and falls asleep, Iemitsu tells her he's coming home for a few days and that he's bringing his boss - his father figure - to meet both her and Tsuna.

She agrees to keep it a surprise and doesn't tell Tsuna, but she's sure he notices she's beaming and singing more than usual the three weeks leading up to the day. He doesn't ask her why, merely enjoys her bubbly mood as it is and by extension becomes a little bundle of joy himself - more than usual, at any rate.

It's a much brighter, louder house as they await the return of their remaining family member, and Nana's glad for it. She and Tsuna could do with some cheer, and she doesn't want Iemitsu to feel guilty or come back to an unhappy home.

They're not unhappy. They just miss him, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

"Mama, is someone coming over?" He finally asks after watching her clean the house and spend hours cooking a spread fit for a king.

She smiles at him and says, "Yes, Tsu-kun!" She then glances at the clock, and Tsuna follows dutifully behind as she makes her way toward the door, right as they hear a familiar knock. "And it's someone we both know quite well!"

Eyes growing wide in realization, he practically shouts in glee, "Papa?!"

Instead of answering, she opens the door, and almost immediately, Iemitsu sweeps in and scoops Tsuna up into his arms. "Tunafish!" He greets, just as gleefully.

Tsuna, as always, matches his enthusiasm. "Papa!" He yells, wrapping his tiny arms around Iemitsu's neck and squeezing.

"Iemitsu," she greets, smiling wider when her husband pulls her into the hug and squishes Tsuna between them.

"I'm back," he says, kissing her chastely.

"Welcome home," she says in return, unbelievably happy to be able to say it again. She notices their audience and pulls away to greet him as well. "Hello, you must be-"

"Timoteo," he answers, warmly, possessing scarcely a hint of an accent even though he's clearly not Japanese. "And you must be the lovely Nana. I have heard much about you. Iemitsu never stops talking about you and little Tsunayoshi." He says it with fond exasperation, and the care in his eyes as he looks at Iemitsu endears him to her instantly.

Iemitsu huffs, hitching Tsuna higher up his hip, "Hey, you never stop bit- uh, complaining to me about work, so we're even."

Nana laughs, sharing a smile with Timoteo. "Well, come on in, you two," she says, stepping back and ushering the men inside. She leads them to the living room and gestures for them to sit down. "I'll have dinner ready in a few minutes, so please, make yourself comfortable while you wait."

Timoteo takes the arm chair, while Iemitsu takes the couch, settling Tsuna on his lap, who has already jumped into telling his dad about one of their more harrowing adventures. "Thank you, my dear."

"Iemitsu's family is also my family," she tells him, firmly but warmly, and that's all there is to it.

He nods approvingly, and Nana straightens her apron, flashes a smile, and whirls around to go finish cooking. She doesn't notice Timoteo staring after her, equal parts contemplative and regretful.

VII.

Timoteo is a delight, and she enjoys getting to know him, this man who is so important to her husband in so many ways. She's happy to have met him because now she won't have to worry that she's not around to take care of Iemitsu. He's got Timoteo looking after him, after all.

Tsuna loves him too and has no trouble accepting the man as his grandfather. She could tell it was important to her husband that they all get along, but he seemed especially pleased when Tsuna took a liking to Timoteo and vice versa. Nana is pleased too because besides Iemitsu and her, Tsuna has no other family to turn to. It's a relief to know that there's someone else he can confide in or contact should something happen to them, unpleasant as that scenario is.

The fact that Timoteo obliges Tsuna by listening to his excited babbling and actually takes up a sword and play-fights with her son even though the man must be nearing seventy at least- well, it certainly puts more points in his favor.

So she's just as disheartened as Tsuna is when he has to leave. It doesn't compare to the dismay Iemitsu's departure causes, but then again, she doesn't think anything could.

As it is, they both leave amidst teary, heartfelt goodbyes and tight, almost painful hugs, and as usual, it's back to Tsuna and Nana, alone in a house meant for much more - more than just them, at any rate.

"Come on, Tsu-kun. It's time for a nap, ne?" She says cheerfully, leading her sleepy, droopy-eyed six-year old to his bed. She'd pick him up, even as big as he's getting, but he insists he's a big boy now and can walk on his own.

She hides a smile as she tucks him in and presses a kiss to his mop of blonde hair. "We'll play whatever Tsu-kun wants once you wake up, okay?"

"Okay," he says, though he ends it on a yawn. "...Mama?"

She smooths his hair back from his forehead and prompts, "Yes, baby?"

"Did you know Grandpa can make fire?" He asks, enthusiasm leaking through his tiredness. "It was really cool!"

Fire? Oh! He must be talking about earlier when Timoteo had gotten on his knees and pretended to be the dragon to Tsuna's heroic knight. "Of course I did, baby. Your grandpa's amazing, yeah?"

"Yeah!" He exclaims, wiggling in excitement.

She laughs and kisses him again, warmed all over, her lingering traces of sadness blown away by her baby's adorableness, his sweetness and cleverness- his very existence. "I love you," she tells him, unbelievably grateful that she has Tsuna, that this bright, kind young boy is somehow hers. Hers and Iemitsu's, and that more than makes up for his absence, when she's got the living, breathing embodiment of their love smiling up at her every day.

"Love you too, Mama," he says, mumbling now, eyes fluttering closed as sleep finally overtakes him.

She smiles, tucks the edges in again, and leaves the door cracked behind her. There's still dishes to do and lunch to make, and she has to call her hairdresser to make an appointment for Tsuna. His hair is getting a little long.

Humming, she rolls her sleeves up and gets started.

VIII.

Truth be told, when the time comes for Tsuna to finally start school, both of them cry, neither wanting to be parted from the other, even for a little while. Nana's spoken with other parents, here and there, while out shopping or socializing, and it seems every one of them is all too happy to drop their kids off and leave them, so they can be alone for a while.

She thinks back to some of their horror stories, stories involving screaming and fighting and making messes and never listening to a word their parents say. She thinks about it and - guiltily - feels grateful Tsuna was - is - never so unruly or disobedient.

She doesn't put it down to parenting. She knows from her own mother that she was a hellion as a kid, and she hasn't raised Tsuna any differently- has, in fact, referred to her mother's advice for just about everything, from mothering to cooking to changing the tires on her car.

Tsuna is simply Tsuna, was born an intuitive, empathetic, and compassionate child, and she feels lucky all over again every time Tsuna tries to make her feel better or draws her pictures or crafts new adventures for them to act out or cleans up without being asked. Doubly so on that last one- because Tsuna learned how to clean simply by watching her without her ever having to explain a thing.

She enjoys having Tsuna around all the time, and she knows he loves it too, and she doesn't want to be away from him even for just half a day. He's her baby, her little knight, and- without him, without Iemitsu, she'll be lonely, in this big house by herself, and she hates that it's true, and she hates that Tsuna is probably thinking the same thing.

She hates that there's nothing she can do about it, and that there's nothing she would do, if she could. Just as with Iemitsu, she won't keep Tsuna from leaving, would never, and-

And well, she has another concern weighing down her mind, making her reluctant to let her baby go.

Tsuna doesn't get along with other kids.

Oh, he's always up for a game or two when she takes him to the park, but he tires quickly of the other children, who change their minds so often and get distracted so easily, who fight over 'silly' things and then forget about it, who eye Tsuna and his plastic sword and his big words and his endless questions and collectively decide to leave him to his fantasies of knights and dragons and epic quests.

That suits Tsuna just fine, who has no problem playing alone and whose imagination is creative enough to entertain him for the few hours they spend there.

It worries Nana because children who stand out - no matter how brilliant, nor how amazingly kind and wonderful - inevitably attract attention, and it's not always the good kind.

For a short while, she believes her worries to be founded. Tsuna comes home that first day with faint bruises on his arms and a tear in his shirt. She asks bluntly whether he's being bullied - because she can't expect honesty without first being honest - and Tsuna looks contemplative for a moment before shaking his head and smiling.

"I think I made a friend," he says, and this is the first time in his whole life Nana doesn't automatically believe him.

She gently grabs hold of his shirt, right below the new tear and asks, "Did they do... this?"

Tsuna nods and then hurries to assure her, "We were... playing! He didn't mean to do it, Mama."

That... was a noticeable pause. "Are you sure, baby?"

He nods again, more emphatic this time. "He's kind of weird and didn't tell me his name, but he looked like he was having fun when we were playing!" Tsuna explains, eyes lighting up at the memory.

"That's great, Tsu-kun!" She tells him, and if this is real - if this other kid isn't a bully - then she means it wholeheartedly.

Otherwise, well, she doesn't know what she'll do.

IX.

Tsuna keeps coming home with bruises on his skin and tears in his clothes, but as time goes on, it happens less and less. Instead, more and more, Tsuna comes home bearing stories of his new friend.

"He's kind of mean, but that's only 'cause he doesn't like it when the other kids are loud or 'crowd' around him. When he's in a bad mood, I get the whole class 'cept him to play a game, so they'll leave him alone!"

"He likes to sleep a lot, so sometimes, I sit next to him and read or draw you pictures! I don't know if he wants me there, but he hasn't said he'll bite me to death yet, so I think it's okay."

"He says that a lot, but he hasn't ever bitten anybody, so I think he's just joking! When I asked him about it, he just growled, and we started playing again!"

"He carries around these shiny stick thingies to play with, so I asked Yukimura-sensei if I could have my shinai, but she said no. When I asked her about the stick thingies, she said it was a 'special case' and that I shouldn't worry about it."

"He doesn't talk much, so I just kind of guess what he means. He hasn't said I'm wrong yet, so I think I'm pretty good at it!"

Four weeks of this, and suddenly, Tsuna comes barreling into the kitchen, breathless with glee and grinning ear to ear as he tells her, "Mama, he told me his name! I stopped asking 'cause it bugged him, but today, he told me! It's Hibari Kyoya! I think we're really friends now!"

Hibari? She breathes a sigh of relief and makes sure to hide it as she ruffles Tsuna's hair in congratulations. Finally, finally, she can relax. The Hibari have protected Namimori for generations, after all. If anything, Tsuna is probably safer for befriending a Hibari, even if she's heard rumors of the boy being difficult.

What a silly thing to say, honestly. The Hibari are well known for being independent, and they hate being ordered about or tied down. It's the reason there's rarely more than one or two living here at a time, and even that is only because Namimori is Hibari territory. Little Kyoya's parents are its current protectors, and once he's older, they'll likely wander away and find some other territory to take over or occupy, leaving Kyoya to fulfill their familial duty.

In the meantime, though, Kyoya is just a little boy. He's Tsuna's first and only friend, and Nana will encourage this bond in the best way that she knows how.

"Ne, Tsu-kun," she asks, crouching down to be eye level with him, "do you know what Hibari-kun's favorite food is? I'd like to make him lunch as a thank you."

When Tsuna's whole face lights up, and he excitedly promises to find out tomorrow, wow, what a great idea, Mama!, visibly happier than he's been since he was five and his father stopped being able to visit him, she knows she made the right choice.

X.

Tsuna invites Kyoya over once, and never again. Nana doesn't ask for details - Tsuna rarely leaves things out when he tells her about his day, so when he does, she knows it's for a good reason - but she does occasionally make hamburger steak for Tsuna to give him, happy to know he enjoys her cooking.

Kyoya never stops by, but halfway into Tsuna's third year of primary, two years after making his first friend, he brings home an absolutely adorable pair of siblings, Sasagawa Ryohei and his younger sister Kyoko.

"Sawada is a real man! He's extremely brave!" Ryohei yells, happily munching on the cookies Nana set out for them, never mind the still healing scar bisecting his left eyebrow.

Tsuna looks embarassed by the praise. "It was nothing," he mumbles.

"It wasn't nothing!" Kyoko disagrees, fiercely indignant. "You saved me and my brother! It was amazing!"

Next to her, Ryohei agrees loudly, and neither look like they're about to let Tsuna downplay his heroics. Sensing this, Tsuna smiles, exasperated, but he doesn't try to protest again.

Nana smiles too, proud and pleased to see Tsuna has more friends - and that he's still staunchly dedicated to helping others whenever he can. They'd discussed it before, and Nana had allowed him to do so only if he was sure the situation wasn't too dangerous for him to handle alone. Knowing that Kyoya has gotten Tsuna to agree to call him for backup if need be is another reason she doesn't mind Tsuna's heroics quite as much. Growing teens have a lot of energy, don't they?

Nevertheless she is always happy to hear stories about Tsuna - She's gotten stopped while out shopping more than once by those who Tsuna has helped - so she prompts the Sasagawa siblings to tell her all about it, and they don't disappoint. She has to admit it does sound impressive. The fact that Tsuna doesn't think much of it- well, he's always been humble, again without her influence.

They stay for a few hours, and right before they head home, they hesitate by the front door. Kyoko and Ryohei share a meaningful look, and then Ryohei grins, gives her a thumbs up, and steps outside, leaving Kyoko alone with Tsuna and Nana.

Nana and Tsuna share their own look, and Nana smiles at both of them before slipping into the kitchen and finding something to do while the children talk.

Despite the distance, their voices still carry, and Nana tries not to look like she's listening. She doesn't want to discourage anyone.

"...need something, Kyoko-chan?" Tsuna asks, concerned.

"You saved my brother," Kyoko says, quietly, clearly distressed, "and I couldn't do anything. I don't like fighting, and I don't want anyone to get hurt, but-" here, her voice breaks, and Nana's heart breaks with it- "but Nii-san won't stop fighting, even after this, and I think- no, I want to be strong like you, so I can protect him too."

There's a short silence, one in which she can imagine Tsuna giving Kyoko his serious, I'm-thinking-very-hard-about-something face, and then Tsuna says, "Okay."

"...Okay?" Kyoko repeats, hopefully.

Tsuna sounds like he's smiling. "Sounds good to me, Kyoko-chan."

"Okay!" Kyoko says again, much more enthusiastically this time. "I'm gonna ask my brother to teach me. I don't know about swords, but I'm good with my hands. Cooking and sewing can't be too different from boxing, right?" She jokes.

"Right," Tsuna replies, amused.

"Thanks, Tsuna-kun," she says, brightly. She then adds, louder, "Thanks for the cookies and milk, Nana-san! Nii-san and I loved them!"

Nana joins Tsuna and waves at her and her brother, who steps into view when the door opens, chirping, "It was no problem! Come see me again, Kyoko-chan, Ryohei-kun! I'll have more snacks ready!"

"We extremely will!" Ryohei promises while Kyoko nods in agreement. He waves wildly until they walk out of sight, but he can be heard for a while still.

Nana shuts the door, laughing at Ryohei's adorably endless energy. She feels a tug on her dress, and curious, she turns to Tsuna, who has that serious look on his face again.

"What is it, baby?" She asks, bending down and petting his fluffy, blonde hair to comfort him.

He asks, "Did I do the right thing, Mom?" And she knows he knows she heard every word.

Well, Tsuna would know just as well as Nana that sound carries from the living room to the kitchen. It's why she allowed a younger Tsuna to play in there while she cooked and cleaned.

"Her parents might not think so," Nana tells him because it's unfortunately common for girls to be discouraged from learning how to fight, even - or perhaps especially - by their own mothers, who experienced the same thing. "But there are some things children need to be able to decide for themselves, and I've only just met her, but this sounds like something Kyoko-chan needs."

Tsuna takes this in and mulls it over. "So... because it's important to Kyoko-chan, and she needs to do it, it doesn't matter what her mom and dad think?" He asks, dubiously - and with good reason.

Nana laughs. "It doesn't matter as much as what Kyoko-chan thinks," she explains patiently and doesn't worry Tsuna will use this against her later. He's not that kind of person, and if there does come a time where Tsuna needs to do something like this, she'll support him regardless. "Their opinion is important, but parents can't control every aspect of their children's lives, and they shouldn't try."

Tsuna nods, realization dawning. "It's okay for Kyoko-chan to learn boxing, even if her parents don't like it because it's important, and it's her choice, and they shouldn't try to stop her because of that too."

"That's the gist of it," she agrees and knows Tsuna will understand it better once he's older. She smiles and boops his nose, laughing at the unimpressed expression that gets her. "For what it's worth, I think you made the right choice. Kyoko-chan needed someone to give her the okay, and the fact that you did and that you didn't doubt that she could do it- she appreciated it a lot, and so did I."

Tsuna grins at her, delighted at the praise- or perhaps at the fact that he was able to help a friend. "Thanks, Mom!"

"Anytime, Tsu-kun."

XI.

When she goes through the mail, she's surprised to find a flyer advertising a home tutor.

"We can train your children to be future world leaders," she reads aloud.

She skims through the rest of it, interested. Twenty-four hours a day, free of charge, as long they get room and board. Hmm. She taps her chin, thinking. Tsuna's grades aren't bad, really. He's just not interested in school as much as kendo or helping people. Two activities Nana encourages, of course, but if Tsuna applied himself to his academics a little more, well, it could help him on later in life, right?

Plus, Tsuna was born to be a world leader. He has charisma in spades, and someone as passionate about helping and protecting the less fortunate as Tsuna is running their government or attaining some other influential position could only be a good thing. She knows Tsuna, and he won't be satisfied until he's somewhere making real, impactful changes to the world.

With a cheerful hum, she dials the number. Tsuna will be so pleased.

End Notes: Nana was unexpectedly fun to write. Out of all the points of view I tried to kick this fic off with, hers was the only one that actually cooperated - hence the almost 6k. Tried to write her as oblivious to some things - she lets Tsuna go around fighting people lol, has never thought Tsuna was too advanced or felt uneasy around him (like most parents to self/oc inserts, apparently), thinks Hibari is a sweet boy, what do you mean he's terrifying? - but not completely miss everything. I enjoyed showing all the ways things changed through her eyes. It certainly made the time skip to canon much easier lol.

Anyway, let me know what you think! Next up is Tsuna's and then Reborn's points of view. ;)