A tale from a faraway land

by Linda

Beta reader: Plushiepaw.

Genre: fantasy, fairytale.

Paring: all guardians x tsuna

I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

I know it's still early but Merry X'mas everyone.

It is December and its signature snow covers the ground like a white blanket. Everywhere is a winter wonder land with jolly Christmas songs and air filled with the smells of pine, sugar and ginger bread. The children are happily playing, enjoying the cheery time of the year. The people walking by stop and jovially greet "Merry Christmas" to each other. It is a very lovely and happy time of the year where every person can enjoy a joyous time with their family.

A group of children run past all those merry people, giggling while aiming to get to the small, cute cottage as quickly as possible. After all, it's quite cold outside and the grandpa in that cottage always has a nice warm fire lit in his fireplace.

"Grandpa! Grandpa!" chimes the children as they rush inside the cottage to gather around the fireplace. An old, wrinkly, white haired man comes down from the stairs slowly.

"Merry Christmas, children" the old man smiles at the children who happily chirp back "Merry Christmas" to him.

"Now, now children. You should take off your coats and hang them here." the old man lightly scolds the children while opening the cupboard where they could hang their coats. "So, who wants some hot chocolate and milk?" he asks when he sees the small faces of the children.

"Me! Me!" the children instantly brighten. 'How innocent' the old man smiles.

"Grandpa, aren't you going to tell us a story tonight?" asks one of the little girls.

"Of course I am. Now gather round." The man calls as he sinks into the rocking chair near the fireplace. And he starts the story while gazing longingly into the fire.

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there were seven children who lived in an old house on the outskirt of the village. They were orphans and were abandoned there by their parents. The children lived poorly by themselves. They supported each other, like one big family.

The oldest of the boys was named Ryohei. He had gray hair and quite a sturdy body. He was a very enthusiastic boy who always did his job earnestly.

The second boy was Kyoya. He had black hair and slanted black eyes like Chinese people. He was as tall as Ryohei, but unlike his brother, he was a quiet and serious type.

The third was Mukuro. He had an unnatural shape and color for hair which was blue in a pineapple style, and he was the same age as Kyoya. He was the mischievous boy who provoked everyone in the family on purpose. However, deep down, he also cared about the rest although he never admitted it.

The only girl of the family looked exactly like Mukuro so much so that anyone could mistake them for twins. Her name was Chrome and she was a quiet and shy girl who rarely spoke.

The next was Takeshi with his ever present grin. He was a very cheerful person and a peacemaker who always tried to resolved the problems that seemed to occur within their family every day although he always failed. He had black hair and dark brown eyes and he was the tallest one in the family.

Another boy, who was the same age as Takeshi, was Hayato. He had silver hair and green eyes and had a very rude, sharp tongue, but he was also smart and cared for the others.

The youngest member of the family was Lambo. He had unruly black hair, and eyes as green as Hayato's. He was very immature, childishly selfish and a crybaby, but he too loved his family.

Every Christmas, the children wrote different wishes to Santa Claus and left them in their living room. After all, that was the only time where they could act like children and ask for their selfish desires. Of course, their wishes never came true because there was nobody to buy them a pretty doll or a big candy. But the children never gave up and kept writing their wishes. However, in their heart, they all desired for the same exact thing that none of them had ever written down as their Christmas wish.

One Christmas morning, a surprise was waiting for them in their living room. That morning, the only girl of the house came down to make breakfast for her brothers. As she passed the living room, she gasped and froze to the sport. Six boys following her quickly walked toward her and asked "what's wrong, Chrome?"

The girl didn't say anything instead she just pointed at the big parcel nicely wrapped with ribbons and sitting in their living room. The boys stared. They were all surprised too. In their entire thirteen years of life, none of them had ever received any presents.

"Why is there a present in our living room?" asked Mukuro, being the shrewdest person of the bunch.

"Yea... it's not like anyone wants to come to this place." supplied Hayato, instantly catching on what Mukuro meant. There used to be an elderly lady, named Nana, who came to teach them how to read and write or give them some clothes, but now, even she hadn't come by their abandoned place.

"Oh! Today is Christmas. It must be a present from the Santa Claus!" exclaimed Takeshi naively like the child that he was.

"An extreme present from the Santa Claus!" the oldest boy cheered, supporting his black hair brother.

While the boys were arguing, Chrome went to the box. She ran her hands on the white box with red and green ribbons. She didn't know why but something was telling her that she should open the box. So, she tugged the ribbons off and hesitantly opened the lids. The room went quiet as the boys finally realized that the girl had opened the box. They all curiously peered into it.

Inside the box was a doll; a very beautiful china doll which looked like a boy of about fifteen years old. To the children' added amazement, the doll was so exquisite that it looked like a real boy in his pristine white robes. On top of the doll's head sat silky brown hair that look as soft as any father had the right to. He had glassy sweet honey colored eyes, small straight nose, and lustrous cherry colored lips on his perfectly heart-shaped face. He had a dainty slander body with a skin as fair as any china doll can be. His small hands and fingers seemed delicate and beautiful. Even the best doll maker that ever walked this earth wouldn't be able to make a doll as fine as this.

The children stared with wide eyes. This definitely had to be a doll of an angel which the god had granted them. A soft surreal smile played on the doll's lips, and it seemed to gaze at them with kindness and love. They carefully removed the doll from the box and sat it on the coach. The doll looked so beautiful and didn't fit in the dirty living room at all. But the children were happy.

Every single day the children would spend most of their time with him. They ate with him, played with him and even talked to him, except for Kyoya who said no more than a "hn!" However, they never touched the doll. Their hands were always so dirty that if they touched the doll, they were afraid that they might spoil the doll's pretty skin. Regardless, they all loved the doll, and they even give him the name 'Tsuna'. The days passed by with happiness, family fights, and joyous laughter.

Until one day, Hayato voiced his opinion, "You know... I really want to give Tsuna a warm place in the winter, fine clothes and enjoy gourmet meals with him."

The other boys remained quiet, imagining those ideas and smiling at the portrait conjured in their heads.

The gentle calmness was interrupted when Ryohei suddenly shouted "Extreme!"

"That's a good idea to the extreme! What are we sitting here for? Let's get all those things right now!" shouted the gray haired boy at the top of his lungs. While the rest of his brothers and sister covered their ears from the sheer volume of his voice, Takeshi agreed with his brother with an easy grin stretched across his face, and red strains on his cheeks from thinking of giving Tsuna pretty things.

"You idiots! We need money to get those things. Do you even know what money is? We've only been able to survive by finding vegetables and hunting in the forest. None of us know how to get money." spat the enraged Hayato.

"Whatever it is, if it's for Tsuna, I will extremely get it!" shouted the gray hair boy, full of spirit.

"Well, we won't find a way to raise money if we just sit here. We'll go to the village to find out tomorrow. It's already late today." Takeshi said happily.

The next morning, the brothers went into the village to find jobs. No matter how much they tried or begged, none of the people wanted to give them work. They all thought the same thing, they were orphans, and who knew when they might steal from them. However, the brothers were strong-willed; they didn't give up that easily. They continued to search for a job. At last, a man in his late fifties who owned a restaurant gave them jobs. They all had to work the hard labor jobs around the restaurant, but they didn't complain, they just worked as hard as they could for the sake of a different future.

Using that job as a stepping stone, the brothers struggled to get to the top with all their might. They tried so hard that they forgot all about the initial reason as to why they wanted to change their lives. They didn't come back home to eat meals nor did they have time to talk to each other anymore, much less fight with them. Of course, the pretty little doll was long forgotten as well.

After eight years, they all became successful people. Ryohei was a boxing champion; Kyoya, head of the city police; Mukuro, owner of the best restaurant chains; Takeshi, a baseball star; Hayato, the accountant of the top company; and Lambo, the idol of the stage play. They moved to a bigger city during the past eight years, and now lived in a palace like house in the heart of the city. They got themselves a family name of 'Sawada', the family name of the old lady who used to come by their abandoned place, because none of them ever knew their actual family name.

The only one who hadn't changed even after eight year was Chrome. This morning as usual, she was preparing breakfast although she knew there wouldn't be anyone but herself to eat it. She had already finished making the toast and coffee, and was now busy making some apple pie which was Ryohei's favorite* when Kyoya passed by her.

"Morning" called Kyoya as he rushed by the kitchen, trying to find some paper work he had done last night. They were important documents on the recent robbery cases. After taking all the valuables from the house, the robbers always burned the house. It was like the robbers were leaving their signature to declare that they had done it. It was like declaring a challenge to Kyoya. Such insolent beings, he needed to find and bite them all to death for daring to do such things.

"Good morning. Would you like some breakfast? I have..." Chrome said hoping that at least Kyoya would eat some breakfast as he was the only brother who came home in two weeks.

"Hn." that was the only word Kyoya said as he hurried out the house.

Chrome just stared at the front door until it shut behind Kyoya. She didn't say anything, never said anything, for she couldn't. They had all changed, and now their home was always so quiet: no more fights or laughter.

She quietly took her own breakfast and headed to the last room down the hall. Once she got in front of the door, she put the tray down, and opened the door as quietly as possible. She peered inside the door and saw their beloved doll inside just the way she left it last time. However, the doll's once glassy eyes were now dull that only reflected sadness and loneliness, and the small smile that once graced his lips was gone too. She found out about the change two years ago, but it still puzzled her. She wondered if it was the light playing tricks on her because once she stepped into the room, the doll was once again full of life and as beautiful as the time they first saw it with a smile and everything.

She sighed and went into the room, carrying the tray of her breakfast. She sat down beside the doll and started eating her breakfast as quietly as she used to. After she finished her breakfast, she didn't leave like she used to, but sat there and turned to look at Tsuna.

He was on longer in his white robe. Instead, he wore a red kimono with complicated but beautiful golden pattern, courtesy of Lambo who found out about them from his job and brought one for Tsuna. Of course, Chrome kept the room warm like they planned to all those years ago, but the rest of the family was missing now.

"Tsuna," Chrome called softly to which Tsuna returned her call by seemingly looking at her with kindness. 'He is still as beautiful as ever' thought Chrome, and while looking down at her empty plate, she continued "They have all changed. They are now successful in life and in their professions. All of them. But am I supposed to be happy? Even when they don't come back home anymore? Even on holidays, they don't come back home. I know they are busy and I don't want to be a bother to them, but I get so lonely at home. You know... Christmas is just around the corner, and they won't be coming back this year again."

After her little rant, she looked up to stop her tears from falling and she saw it. It was there. The sad smile and the dull lonely eyes were there. It was no illusion. It really was there. It was hard to believe, but the truth was right in front of her. So, she had to believe it: the doll was really sad too.

After that time, she let out all the feelings that had piled up for eight years, and she cried. Even after all that time, none of them really touched the doll except when mandatory. But now, Chrome hugged the doll, and cried her eyes out, mourning the name "Tsuna, Tsuna" repeatedly as if he was the solution to all her problems.

The doll didn't hug her back. Of course, he was still a doll and couldn't move, but a lone tear was shed from his honey colored eye and fall down his porcelain cheek.

All of this was witnessed by Kyoya who came back to get one of his important documents he had missed in his hurry. After he had seen this, he recalled all those happy times the family had spend in the past, and felt guilty. No matter how cold-hearted he appeared, he was still a person with a heart. He truly was sorry that he ignored his sister and most of all, he couldn't forgive himself that he forgot about his beloved. Kyoya was fully aware that Tsuna was a doll, but he still couldn't help but fall in love with him at first sight. Yes, He, Kyoya Sawada, was so hopelessly in love with this inanimate doll that he couldn't act himself when this doll was concerned. When he saw the lone tear fall down Tsuna's cheek, he couldn't stand this anymore and left the scene as quickly and quietly as possible.

Back in the room, both Tsuna and Chrome were unaware of their spectator, and Chrome kept calling Tsuna's name as she cried. Between her sobs, she quietly said, "but you won't leave me alone. Right, Tsuna? If I can have you by my side, I can go on like this. So, please don't leave me, Tsuna. I really love you."

Kyoya was now sitting behind his desk with his subordinate, Kusakabe, in front of his desk waiting patiently for his order. But he couldn't think of anything but Tsuna right now. He growled. He had been in love all those years, but it hadn't mattered before. So, why now? The image of that single tear attacked him again, and he let out another growl. Yes, he definitely saw the tear run down from Tsuna's eye, a doll's eye. He really didn't know what to think of it. Maybe it was a miracle that came into play for this, maybe to remind him of his mistakes in the past years. He had to do something. There was no way he could sit around after witnessing that scene. So, he started out by ordering, "Kusakabe, get me the schedules of my two idiotic boxer and baseball nut brothers."

After threatening and sending black mails to his brothers, Kyoya finally gathered all them. It took him three days, but he couldn't help it since those two stupid athletes were out of town. His plan was simple: he would go home, eat whatever Chrome had made, and spend some time with Tsuna. There was no need to explain what he wanted to his brothers.

Kyoya was still thinking on what he should do when he heard people shouting and running to the same direction as his house. Then, he heart someone yelled, "The Sawada's house is on fire. Someone! Call the police!" He broke into a run. As he neared his home, he saw three figures rushing into his house gate. Even from the distance, he could tell it was Mukuro, Takeshi and Hayato.

He too rushed into the front gate where he saw two of his brothers standing in their front yard with utter helplessness. The last one was on the ground, holding their sister and trying to shake her awake while their house burned away.

After about two minutes, the girl's eyes slowly open. She ignored her worried brothers' questions of "are you ok?" and just tried to reach for something that was just a few yards beyond the group. The four men followed the direction, and there it laid their beloved doll. Tsuna's face was no longer white; the fire had destroyed part of his face and hair. One of his legs was missing too. The beautiful red kimono he wore was half eaten by fire and half dirtied by mud. It was truly a heat-breaking sight.

It seemed Takeshi was the first one to come to his senses. Takeshi had a grim look on his face as he went and picked up the doll tenderly as if to not damage it more than it already was. Kyoya knew that Tsuna was important to all of them, but not so much that it could even put such a face on his ever cheerful brother.

At that moment, what Kyoya didn't realize was that all of his brothers and sister had that kind of face. Even the last two brothers who had joined the group, after Kyoya, had such faces, and also the fact that he was not the only one who had helplessly fall in love with Tsuna at first sight.

After two weeks, the family had bought a new house, their sister was discharged from the hospital and the robbers were caught with a little extra from the brothers. After all, no one escaped after doing such a thing to their beloved. However, the once beautiful doll now sat in the luxurious room broken. The brothers and sister didn't know what to do with it. They had looked for the best doll maker they had heard of but even he wouldn't be able to repair the damage done to the doll.

All of them were heartbroken. They still carried out their daily duties, but they spent most of their time in that luxurious room, just sitting like zombies and gazing at their beloved doll with eyes as broken as said doll.

Another week rolled by and it was already Christmas Eve again. The family was once again sitting in that room, gazing sadly at their doll again. It was already evening, and another day had yet again passed by without any incident. Of course, with them just sitting in that room all day, it was only understandable that nothing happened.

At around seven, the family had dinner quietly as usual. Of course, like any other activities recently, the dinner also took place in that room. After dinner, everyone went back to sitting quietly, as still as a tree in the room. It was becoming a habit for the family, but no one cared enough to realize it for people mourning for their loss couldn't care for such trivial things.

From a distance, the family can hear other people singing Christmas songs happily or cheery sounds of "Happy Christmas eve" being given to each other. It didn't suit their current mood at all; actually it even made them even more depressed than they already were. But they continued to listen to them, except for Chrome who suddenly went out the room. She came back a little later holding a piece of paper and a pen. The brothers continued to watch as she scribbled something on the paper.

After she was done, she looked up to see all her brothers' gaze on her, but she didn't say anything and just clutched onto that little piece of paper tighter. The brothers didn't say anything either, and just went back to sitting and listening to the noises outside.

That night due to their lack of sleep, the family went to sleep peacefully for once in three weeks, all of them wishing for same exact thing; the same thing little Chrome had written on her paper.

The next morning, it was the Christmas day, and everyone on the street was as lively as always, still shouting "Merry Christmas" to each other. The family of six men and one lady awoke to the sounds in the same room they slept in last night.

The family took their time getting up. After all, who wanted to wake up to another sad, helpless day when everyone else around them seemed so happy. Then suddenly Chrome gasped, their precious doll was gone. Even if it was damaged and could never be repaired, they all still loved their doll. Everyone in the room went into panic mode and start searching the whole house.

When Mukuro went into the living room to see if their doll was there, he found it. It was not their precious doll but a box; the same box from all those years ago. He called the rest of the family who rushed there quickly, and went into the living room. He ran his trembling fingers on the same red and green ribbons just like Chrome had done the first time.

Slowly, Mukuro tugged the ribbons and let them fall to the ground. The lid came right after the ribbons, and they all grasped! There inside the box was Tsuna, looking exactly the same as when he first came to them and in the same white robe. They were so happy that their beautiful angel was back.

Mukuro slowly, tenderly run his fingers on the angel's face. Surprise upon surprise awaited the family that day for Tsuna's eyes flattered open when Mukuro's fingers touched his temple, tailed down his cheeks and along his jaw line.

All of them didn't do anything but watched as Tsuna stumbled out of the box and fell on the ground in a heap. Unfortunately for him, his sudden movement caused the box to fall and it just had to land on top of him.

"Owww..." cried the brunette. He pushed the box to the side and rubbed his sore head tenderly, tears glittering in his warm honey eyes.

The rest of the people in the room, who had been staring at the brunette, blushed as they saw the scene unfold in front of them. The brunette certainly didn't have the grace that his appearance suggested, but they didn't mind. No, not at all. He was still cute, so very cute.

Realizing the other people in the room, the brunette suddenly let out a squeak of "eek!" and tried to hide behind the same box that had fallen on him just a moment ago.

That brought back the family from their surprised and induced state. The way the brunette was trembling behind the box was so cute it brought smiles to the family's face; even to Mukuro who was not doing his creepy "kufufu" laugh.

When the brunette saw this, he felt more reassured and began a quiet "H-Hello", followed by the most alluring, and at the same time innocent smile they had ever seen. At that moment, they all realized that they had been given the second chance, and this time they would grasp it firmly.

That day, the whole family celebrated Christmas fully. For once in their lives, everything was perfect. They had their beloved with them, decorating their home with him, enjoying the warmth with him, giving him the best food on earth, and of course making the brunette let out those twinkling laughter with their antics.

They were all content. They were all happy. Most of all, they would make sure that every Christmas was as enjoyable, if not, more.

The old man smiled as he wrapped up his story.

"So, was it Santa who gave the present to the brothers and sister?" asked the little girl from the group.

"Well... no one ever found out who gave them the present." said the old man with the knowing smile. "But little Chrome never again found the paper she wrote her wish on."

At that moment, the front door to the cottage swings open and in comes a brunette wearing a thick coat and jogging a little to keep himself warm. He smiles his angelic smile and wishes everyone "Merry Christmas" to which the group in the house return.

Their greetings are followed by the noisy shouts of "Tsuna~ Wait up", "Juudaime, please wait for me. And you! Baseball nut, hand over Juudaime's bag", "Tsunayoshi-kun~ Kyoya is being mean to me~", "Shut up before I bite you to death", "EXTREME!", and "Tsuna-nii~ I'm hungry".

The brunette gave another apologizing smile. Then one of the little boys runs up to Tsuna, and while tugging on his coat, asks "Tsuna-nii, were you a doll before?"

Tsuna just looks quizzically at the young boy before the realization hits on him. Grandpa must have been telling stories to the children using them as the characters for the story. Again.

"Boss," calls Chrome who has been hiding behind Tsuna. He just smiles at her and answeres, "No, I was born as a human," to the boy.

However, the children don't believe it. The whole day, the children follow the group of adults everywhere eying them suspiciously. The adults just sweat drops while the old man laughs merrily.

Ryohei's favorite food* I have tried searching for all the guardian's favorite food. I can't find any except for Takeshi Yamamoto's. So yea, I don't know Ryohei's actual favorite food.

thank you for reading this story.