Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn
Rating: T
Summary: Tsuna dies at the tender age of 17, leaving the Vongola leaderless and heirless. In their desperation, the Vongola scientists desperately attempt to solve this problem by cloning the late Vongola Decimo. They never could have foreseen the consequences of their actions...Fem!27xAll

Prologue

It was unnerving, how different the world looked from the other side of bulletproof glass.

The rain drummed against the clear material. Her vision became warped, blurred. The rain was unrelenting, the glass was ungiving. The two seemed to exist in a twisted, contradicting synergy, each one battling the other. Competing for one to give way first. Of course, the elements couldn't even make a scratch on the special glass that was fitted over the sturdy metal frame of the vehicle.

The current Vongola Decimo pulled her jacket around her shoulders, huddling deeper into her clothes. She felt her right hand man beside her flinch slightly, as if her very movement was a deep insult to him. It probably was. She leaned against the window, and her hand pressed against the coolness of the thick glass. Only a few more minutes and then they would be there.

She was wearing a beautiful, flowing dress. She wore it like she was dependent. It was all a lie. The dress was colored in hues of gold, orange and red. Sunset sky, she mused. It was exactly what she was. These two words described her perfectly. Nothing but the aftermath of a finishing day. Beautiful, but ephemeral. A replacement, a last performance of the deceased blueness of the day. The opening act before darkness falls and sucks the light out of everything.

Morbid. She was being pessimistic, but it was hard to be optimistic in this situation.

She was never meant to be.

~A few years ago~

"Jyuudaime, I have the report for Hibari's mission. That damn bastard was too lazy to give it in himself and so just dumped it outside my room. Tch. Stupi-"

"Gokudera." Sawada Tsunayoshi's voice had long since moved on from being wimpy, high pitched. He no longer squealed like a little girl, and he wore his attire smartly, as if he was born to. Gokudera shook his head slightly, suppressing the urge to cuss colorfully at the absent and aloof Cloud. After all, what use was there to curse when the man wasn't even here to take the insults?

"How many times have I told you before, Gokudera..." Vongola Decimo was looking down at his report already, his eyes not meeting that of his right hand man. Gokudera could hear the deep disappointment in Tsuna's voice, and he could feel that his boss really didn't appreciate him muttering obscenities about other Vongola Guardians, especially behind his back.

"He's Family too, you know?" Tsuna's gaze flicked up, and Gokudera was once again struck by the warmth held in Tsuna's steady stare. Even though the brunette was still shorter than Gokudera himself, the very aura that Tsuna gave off was one that commanded obedience and loyalty. Gokudera felt pride swelling in his chest even as he dipped his head respectfully and nodded to Tsuna's soft chastise. There was a moment of comfortable silence before Gokudera decided to politely take his leave. He could still hear Tsuna's proud chuckles even after he left the office.

Reborn was waiting outside, leaning against the wall. Gokudera bowed respectfully to the world's greatest hitman, muttering a muffled "Reborn-san." Reborn tilted his fedora slightly and regarded Tsuna's trusted right hand man for a second.

"Gokudera." Reborn started. "Tsuna...there are some things that he can't do, and I have to put him through training for that. I hope you'll understand that you'll have to teach him some ways of the Mafia, when I'm not there to instruct him. You know the Mafia better than any other Vongola Guardian right now, and I'm entrusting this mission to you. Understand?" Gokudera nodded eagerly. This was just the opportunity to get both Tsuna and his famous tutor to acknowledge him as a suitable right hand man! "And one more thing, Gokudera." Here, Reborn's voice dropped to a secretive whisper. "Tsuna..maybe too selfless to kill. Too wimpy to kill for his own protection. And for that, I need you to watch his back."

Gokudera's chest swelled in pride. He was flabbergasted to have been the one to be entrusted with such an important mission. Of course, he wouldn't fail. Gokudera straightened and continued down the corridor, his shoulders straight and his loping gait making him seem taller than he was. Reborn sighed. This was the effect that Vongola Decimo had on people. Gokudera was proud to call himself Jyuudaime's right hand, and Reborn himself was proud to have raised such a fine pupil. Gone were the days of mass panic and uncertainty. He had grown into a wonderful, respected, awed and responsible leader, and he was just seventeen as well.

Reborn wondered faintly just how much more potential he could pull out of the teenager. Vongola Nono had passed away a year ago unexpectedly, due to illness. Tsuna had been hastily appointed the Vongola Don, and at first the brunette had been unsure and had made many mistakes. Now, a mere one year later, the current Vongola Don was doing spectacularly, even by Reborn's standards. Reborn had always known that Tsuna was a student that could improve in a short time. It all depended on the situation.

"Reborn?"

Tsuna popped his head out of the door, smiling as he saw the hitman leaning against the wall. Even though Reborn was still stuck in his baby form, his presence was still intimidating. Reborn swiftly turned his gun on his student.

"What's wrong, dame-Tsuna?"

"Eh! Um..." Tsuna stammered, staring down the barrel of the lizard pistol. Reborn clicked the safety off the gun threateningly, and Tsuna gulped. Even though he had gotten rid of his bad habit of screaming, he still had some difficulty suppressing the urge to go running down the corridor in terror when face to face with the hitman. It didn't help that Reborn had his usual, devilish smirk on his face, as if he was enjoying the teen's discomfort.

"Out with it already. I'm giving you three seconds."

"R..Reborn, I'm not sure how to finish the proposal for a Vongola member to be on the new electric company's board of directors..." Tsuna smiled sheepishly, and his tutor sighed. Tsuna sighed and stretched his arms.

"Actually, I was hoping that I could...I could take a little rest..."

"No. Finish your paperwork first."

Tsuna deflated visibly while the hitman smirked at his defeated student. The two went back into the office.

Three hours later, Tsuna was finally free. He jogged out of the office, stretching his legs and feeling great. He ran through the maze like corridors of the Vongola Japan Headquarters, looking for the dining room. The mansion was the very definition of 'huge'. Even though Tsuna's been situated in this mansion for more than a year, he still couldn't get used to finding his way through the corridors. Anything seemed to lead to anything. He had once walked through a door thinking that it was a bedroom only to find out that it was the ladies bathroom. Needless to say, he thanked all the Gods in existence that nobody was currently in the bathroom or at the sinks. He paled even more when he considered the possibility that Bianchi could've been in the bathroom. He was gone in a second.

Now that he was more familiar, he knew not to open doors on a whim. Reborn had taped signs up to help him, except they were in Italian. The sadistic baby had claimed that this would help Tsuna improve his Italian, but Tsuna thought he was just being mean. Reborn had watched with his trademark smirk as Tsuna had run around like a headless chicken, getting even more confused by the signs and wanting nothing more than to smash a hole through the wall. But after a year or so, Tsuna found that this was indeed making his Italian slightly better one vocab word at a time. At the very least, he knew how to ask where the toilet was now.

"Yo, Tsuna!" Tsuna grinned back at the baseball swordsman jogging down one of the corridors. Yamamoto laughed and patted him on the back. Tsuna sagged underneath his hand, feeling the pain shoot up his shoulder. Unsurprisingly, he had spent the better part of the day hunched over the mahogany desk, and was now feeling the backlash of all that uncomfortable positioning. Yamamoto's heavy pat didn't help at all. Instead, it seemed to have unleashed a whole horde of complaints from his joints and muscles.l Groaning, Tsuna kneeled. Yamamoto gave him a puzzled look, before deciding to pick the Decimo up and sling him over one shoulder, jogging down the hall happily. Tsuna sighed. He appreciated the rest, but he couldn't help but think that Yamamoto could've transported him in a much less awkward manner. Or Yamamoto could've refrained from slapping him on the back. That too.

"Oi! Put Jyuudaime down, you idiot!"

"Ahaha! Gokudera, you're here too? Where are we supposed to be going again?"

Gokudera pinched the bridge of his nose, thoroughly irked. First, there was his having to deal with the stupid, stubborn Cloud guardian, who has now holed himself up in the Japanese styled section of the base. Either that, or Hibari Kyoya has secretly gave him the slip and left for his favorite haunt, Namimori Middle. Gokudera wouldn't put it past the bastard to abandon them, even though Reborn had called for a whole family meeting just five minutes ago. And then there was the approaching figure of one Yamamoto Takeshi, who has never failed to piss Gokudera off upon appearance. And he was carrying Jyuudaime. Tsuna looked uncomfortable. How dare Yamamoto cause Jyuudaime discomfort.

"PUT HIM DOWN THIS INSTANT!"

"Maa, maa! His arm was tired, so I just decided to help him a bit..."

"Just because his arm is tired doesn't mean that he needs help walking, you dumb shit. And anyway, Jyuudaime looks really uncomfortable! And it's all your fault!"

"Ah..Gokudera-kun...It's alright. Yamamoto means well. Though he could put me down..." Tsuna looked meaningfully at Yamamoto, and the baseball nut scratched the back of his head sheepishly and placed him back down. To Yamamoto, Tsuna was like a younger brother that he wouldn't mind hanging out with. Tsuna was kind and compassionate, and sometimes still looks so childishly innocent that it almost never occurred to Yamamoto that he was carrying around a full grown 17 year old.

"Sorry, Tsuna."

The Decimo sighed. "It's alright. You didn't mean any harm. Though, Yamamoto, I would appreciate it if you didn't just pick me up like that. It might seem a bit...awkward." Gokudera glared daggers into Yamamoto's back. The awkward silence was broken by a loud rumble from Tsuna's stomach.

"Ah! Jyuudaime, are you hungry? We're just about to go to dinner, but Reborn called a whole Family meeting, so I'm afraid we have to.."

"...Reborn...I swear, he wants to torment me. Mou! Whatever. I'll just go attend the meeting first."

Gokudera smiled and Yamamoto offered Tsuna a slightly squashed energy bar he found in his pocket. The three of them made their way to the meeting room, walking side by side, the very picture of friendship.

"I've called you here today to inform you of a rising concern."

Tsuna let out another deep breath. What was it this time? Some Mafia Famiglia targeting Namimori, perhaps? Byakuran suddenly appearing in this world again? Dino tripping over and banging his head against the wall, knocking himself out? Tsuna paled at the last one. What if Dino-san was really injured? Then he would have to...

He was knocked out of his reverie by a savage blow to the head. Faintly, he could hear Gokudera's yell of surprise, and Yamamoto's carefree laughter, before the ringing took over his mind. He shook his head a couple of times. He was seriously going to have to go to a health check up soon, to see if Reborn actually dealt some lasting damage with all the kicks that the Arcobaleno has directed to his head.

"Dame-Tsuna, as I was saying, there's possibility of an enemy attacking the Vongola Headquarters in Italy. Are you listening at all?" Another kick to the head, another round of yelping and crashing into the sofa. After a while, the commotion died down. Mukuro let out a disappointed chuckle, and Hibari 'humph'ed and silently wondered why the herbivorous idiot didn't fight back. Ryohei was focusing his attention on where the punches and kicks were landing, making sure to keep note of them so as to impress Master Pao Pao the next time it's his turn for training with the peculiar, abnormally short coach.

"Right, back to the situation at hand," The cheerful atmosphere died down almost instantly. Mafia business meant no horsing around, especially not when it's the Vongola getting attacked as well. Tsuna quietly cut into the Arcobaleno's talk. "Reborn, what do you mean there's a possibility?" Reborn sighed and informed the Decimo that the enemy had been sighted within Vongola territory, and therefore should be eliminated as soon as possible. Elimination, as in driving them out, not killing them, Reborn added hastily as he saw the horrified look on the young Don's face. Tsuna let out a breath he hadn't known that he'd been holding. Reborn saw the paleness of his face and then waved a hand dismissively, wishing to speak with the Vongola Don on his own. The rest of the guardians filed out, already discussing the battle tactics that could be used against the enemy should the occasion come that they have to go all the way to Italy to fight the battles of the main Headquarters.

Reborn sat Tsuna down opposite him and even poured him a cup of tea from the nearby drink machine.

"Nervous?"

Tsuna looked down. Here was Reborn, his dependable teacher, asking him one of the simplest questions, and yet he was unable to answer. He stared at his hands, and imagined them around the neck of some unknown Mafioso. His eyes widened ever so slightly as he imagined the breaking bones underneath, the cracks as the white cartilage crumble underneath his powerful touch. He imagined the hated stench of blood, invading his senses, he saw red, he couldn't move, fear overtook him, Tsuna was too young to kill, he didn't want to have blood stains on his hands, he didn't...

"Dame-Tsuna, you're letting your imagination get the better of you. I taught you better than this. Keep a level head in all situations, remember?" Tsuna nodded, shaking his head to rid himself of the images. The startling crimson of blood lingered in his head for longer than he would've liked. Reborn sighed and motioned for him to drink the tea. He took a long gulp and then nodded in confirmation of the hitman's question.

"Re..Reborn...It's just...is it going to be serious?"

"We can't say for sure. The enemy is just luring us back to Italy, I suspect, but one or two attacks have been dealt out by the enemy, and I really don't want to drag this on for longer than necessary. If Famiglia members are in danger, then who's to stop us from showing our faces, even if it's just for intimidation purposes?"

Tsuna nodded thoughtfully. "So, we might not be fighting this one? Just for intimidation purposes, right, Reborn?"

Reborn lets out a drawn sigh. "It depends, dame-Tsuna. I can't guarantee that there'll be no fighting, but we'll try. Alright? Now go get some sleep. And I want to see you well rested for tomorrow, we'll be getting the last of the information from the Main Headquarters, and ultimately, the decision to go will rest on the results. On the occasion that we go there, we can even try to get a peace treaty through with the enemy Famiglia. I'll get in contact with Hibari for you, so you don't have to worry about that."

Tsuna yawns and obediently turns to leave. Just as he's about to step out the door, Reborn stops him with quiet words. "Tsuna, just appearing there builds morale, you know? Many of those Mafioso, loyal ones, are willing to lay their lives down for you, and they haven't even seen you yet. The simple act of going to Italy this weekend shows them that you care for them. Think about it. It's another responsibility as a boss, and you'll have to learn to get your responsibilities in order, alright?" Tsuna paused, considering. Even if it wasn't for fighting, simply showing up could make people feel happier? Even if he didn't help out with the war, the morale at the Main Headquarters would become lighter? Reborn had been aiming to get Tsuna more in tune with the workings and rankings of the Vongola, but unknowingly, he had also increased a steadily growing lump of denial in Tsuna's heart. It's not possible. There's no way a person like me could be that important. Reborn must be bluffing. Tsuna had a horrible feeling pressing against his lungs, almost as if he could feel impending doom. He shook the feeling away, ignored his Vongola intuition. It was nothing more than his stupid overactive imagination. It can't be anything else. Reborn was right. Reborn was always right. Nothing would go wrong. Still, that little feeling of doubt stayed with him.

Even so, he nodded as if he was contemplating the idea. Reborn gave him a confident smirk, worsening the tight knot in his heart. If only he had more confidence in himself.

Lies. It had all been lies.

"RIGHT, JYUUDAIME! THERE'S SOMEONE TO YOUR..." Gokudera was hit in the face by a stray punch before he could finish his sentence. He spun away, and Tsuna froze in horror as he saw a fine arch of blood spray from his broken nose. He spun left, another hit narrowly missing his face. His dying will flame flared, and he followed through with a kick to the enemy's stomach. He thought he heard bones crunch, and he winced slightly. He dodged another kick, and another slash of a blade aimed to decapitate him.

The battleground was horrific. Coated in blood and gore and filled with struggling men.

There was no peace treaty. The other Family had not even stopped to listen. As soon as Tsuna had shown his face at the Main Headquarters, a declaration of war had been issued. Apparently, the other Boss had taken the Vongola Don's appearance to be a personal insult. The two Famiglias had had a great history of war, and all this had happened before Tsuna had even been appointed. This was how the Mafia worked, Tsuna realized a little too late. He was born to carry on the tradition, the sins of all those leaders before him. This incident was apparently because Vongola Octavo had killed the Boss' brother or something. Tsuna had had nothing to do with this.

And yet he was here, fighting.

For his life. For his friends. For his belief that everyone is born good and not evil.

"LISTEN TO ME!" He screams at another battle-weary soul on the battleground. He doesn't even know if it's one of Vongola's own or if the man belonged to the enemy. He grabbed the man by the arm, and shook him fiercely. "Stop fighting," He begged. The man freed himself from his grip and pushed him to the ground, holding a gun to his head. Tsuna was overtaken by terror and disappointment raging in his heart. Not everyone was good. They had an insatiable battlelust inside them that even Tsuna's earnest words couldn't hope to quench. The man sneered and spit on him. "So, this is Vongola's leader? How pathetic."

A tonfa came spinning out of nowhere. The man was knocked off balance. The end of the metal weapon opened to reveal a reel of deadly, spiked chain. Hibari wrapped the chain around the man's neck and yanked. The man's head was pulled off cleanly. Tsuna's mouth opened in shock as he was splattered in blood.

"If you do not want to inhale any of the disgusting substance, I suggest you close your mouth, herbivore." Tsuna obeyed without question, and another torrent of the red, sticky liquid spilled over onto him. Hibari glared down apathetically, his steely eyes flashing murderously. Raging with bloodlust and the heat of the battle, Tsuna realized. He scrambled upright.

"Get up and fight, herbivore. You're being pathetic."

Tsuna wiped the blood away from his face as best as he could with the back of his hand and readied his fighting stance again. The next hour seemed like years to the struggling Don. No matter how many he knocked down, more would take the person's place. No matter how many arms he broke, how many legs he knocked out from under people, they would get up again. Tsuna found himself unconsciously targeting more critical points of the body. He was pummeling stomachs, slapping chests, doing anything to keep standing and to keep himself from getting injured.

Selfish. That's what everyone is on the battlefield. Selfish.

There was Ryohei, fighting back to back with Mukuro, of all people. When the enemy forces seem overwhelming, the Vongola Guardians have no choice but to fight as one family. There was no nitpicking about who to partner up with. Just off to Mukuro's right, Hibari could be seen spinning amidst his deadly chains, and Gokudera was behind him, backing him up with dynamite and his shields from the just recently developed Systema C.A.I. Yamamoto was slicing through the enemy with Chrome by his side, their long weapons almost in sync as they tried to clear the path through the chaos. Tsuna blinked as he saw that Yamamoto was using the sharp edge of his weapon, drawing blood, injuring people. Selfish. Was it selfish, or was it the instinctual need to survive that kept them going? The Varia was here as well, Xanxus shooting and Squalo shouting, the two commanders of the assassination squad paving a road through the enemies at a fearsome rate. Even so, the more they cut down, the more came to take their place. They were slowly being overwhelmed as well, and not even Mammon's illusions or Bel's knives could shield them from the stray punches that manage to catch them in the ribs, in the kidneys.

"Jyuudaime!" Gokudera was making his way towards Tsuna. Tsuna watched, in a daze, as Gokudera flicked a bomb nonchalantly in the enemy's direction. A man was ripped apart in the blast, his limbs scattering over the field of destruction. Tsuna doubled over, threw up the contents of his long ago eaten breakfast. Gokudera's eyes widened in alarm as he saw the red life liquid make it's way out of his throat as well. Tsuna spat the bitter taste from his mouth, and then looked up, his warm honey-brown eyes dull with knowing too much. Seeing too much cruelty on the battlefield.

Gokudera had wanted to avoid this situation. Right before his eyes, witnessing the pain and mental torment that the gentle Tsuna was feeling, he finally understood what Reborn meant when he said that Tsuna was 'too wimpy' to take on the task of killing for his own protection. Jyuudaime really was too selfless. He could never cause harm to others. This was a good, honest, even desirable trait in most men. But in the world of the Mafia, the unforgiving hierarchy of violence and bloodshed, this was a fatal part of one's personality. Tsuna would be trained later, but for now, Gokudera would have to guide his boss through the routine of killing. Even if it means hurting the boss himself, Gokudera would rather deal with a traumatized Tsuna than a dead Tsuna.

Having realized this, Gokudera quickly pulled the unresponsive Decimo beside him. He carefully directed his dynamite so that it was still killing the enemy, but also falling within Tsuna's line of sight. It hurt Gokudera, for Tsuna's innocent mind to have been tarnished in such a horrible, sickening way. It hurt him that with every blow that he dealt to the enemy, with every spectacular throw that he delivers to block an incoming shot or blow, he's faced with a disgusted flinch from his boss. His warm, encompassing boss.

Gokudera wondered if Tsuna would forgive him afterwards. He wonders if Tsuna would see him as a killer and refuse to see him ever again.

It hurt, but he was doing it for his boss.

Yamamoto's sword swung through the fray. He was covered in blood from head to toe, having decapitated a few heads and taken off a few limbs during the battle. His expression was carefully blank, his movements automatic. He could hear Chrome panting beside him, her arms limp from swinging the trident. The two of them had been pushed to their very limits, their adrenaline fading as the horrors of war wore into the night.

"...C..Chrome." He sounded shaken up, exhausted. Chrome shook her head silently, her arms bringing her trident back down to smash someone's head in. Her expression was also modelled into careful apathy. Yamamoto took note that she didn't flinch anymore. She was getting used to killing. It was unnerving, and Yamamoto chuckled to himself as he brought his Shigure Kintoki, the blade wet with scarlet liquid, around to slice off another person's arm.

He missed the days when he believed the Mafia was a game.

Tsuna lost track of time after he killed a third person. He distinctly watched as the man's throat was crushed under his flaming punch, watched as the man hit the pile, watched as the man's head hit the sharp end of an abandoned sword. Tsuna wiped the blood away from his mouth, no longer feeling the need to empty the contents of his stomach. He too, was getting used to this. This was what the Mafia was all about.

Nothing had woke him more than the need to protect. As soon as Tsuna had realized that Gokudera was risking life and limb for him, to protect him from getting hurt, Tsuna had realized. I have to kill to survive. This is the way of the Mafia.

And kill he had. The next few hours had gone by in a flurry of smashes and bones breaking underneath his hits. Tsuna had tried so hard not to hit anyone in vital areas, but he hadn't been successful. His first kill had been a man who had crumbled under his touch, his chest caved in with Tsuna's powerful punch. Tsuna had stared at the man until Gokudera had pulled him away, and had directed him to a new flow of enemies. Tsuna hated this, this game of being independent and being dependent on Gokudera to give him new enemies to fight. He was perfectly capable of doing everything himself. I'm perfectly capable of protecting my friends myself.

Pain struck him and he found himself kneeling again. He could hear Gokudera shouting his name. He felt his muscles relaxing, and then other point of pain drove into the bottom of his spine. He heard the brittle bone crack, felt his legs giving way, saw the world turning sideways, tasted and smelt the blood that suddenly smeared his shoulder, the small of his back. He was scared. His heart was pounding so painfully fast, he almost wanted to squeeze the organ, to stop the pounding. He brought his hand up to his chest, and felt another two bullets hit him, one in each lung. His breathing collapsed. He sprawled sideways, gracelessly. Painting the brown of the floor crimson with his wounds.

"..uu...daime!" He could not hear Gokudera clearly anymore. Gokudera was kneeling beside him, panicstricken tears wetting his pale face. Suddenly, Tsuna could hear his words clearly. He couldn't speak. He was wheezing, fighting to get air in his lungs. Gokudera's hand pressed on the round wounds in Tsuna's chest. He tried to staunch the flow of the blood by pulling off his shirt and pressing it to the wounds. The battle raged all around him, and he couldn't bring himself to care. His Jyuudaime was dying, and Gokudera couldn't do anything about it, but he sure as hell is going to try.

"Jyuudaime, can you hear me?"

"...u...ra..." Tsuna replied faintly. Gokudera leaned closer, his tears dripping onto Tsuna's bloodied chest. Tsuna coughed pitifully, before pushing himself up on one arm.

"N..No! Don't move...I...we...MEDIC! WE NEED A MEDIC!"
Tsuna shakes his head and sits up, ignoring the pain peppering his chest and his back. He doubles over to spit a glob of congealed blood on the floor, mustering up the energy to glare at the glinting blob almost as if the blood was taunting him.

"J...Jyuudaime?" Tsuna was sitting up now, in pain but still alive. Gokudera felt a faint flash of irrational hope flicker through his heart. He needed Jyuudaime to get better. The Vongola needed him as a leader. The Guardians needed him as a Sky, as a brother, as a friend.

"Jyuudaime! Please..." He cursed, looking around. The medics were all tending to other people. "MEDIC!" He hollered once more, his tears blurring his vision.

"Gokudera." Tsuna could speak again. Tsuna patted the ground beside him, and Gokudera sat down hesitantly. "Gokudera, I need you to do three things for me."

"Of course! Anything, Jyuudaime, just...please don't...please don't..."

Tsuna gave him a sad smile. That, he couldn't guarantee. Every word was forced out through the pooling of blood in his lungs. He had to restrain himself from coughing and splattering his faithful right hand with the red liquid. Tsuna's hands twitched, scrabbling behind him.

"One...please...lead the guardians for me."

"N..No! Jyuudaime, you're not going to die...You are not leaving us!"

"Shh, Gokudera. It's okay. I'm going to die. I've already accepted this fact." Tsuna was amazed at how calm he sounded. He was amazed at how composed he was. He felt like a true Don, the true leader of the Vongola. All his doubt was wiped away. He needed to tell Gokudera this.

"Two...do you see me as a friend? As a best friend?"

"J..Jyuudaime...of course! Of course I do...Please...just..."

"Call me...Tsuna..Just th...this once. My name. Tsuna."

"But Jyuudaime..." Gokudera was crying now. If only he had realized that calling his boss by his name was regarded as the highest honor, Tsuna wouldn't have had to suffer all these years. Tsuna wouldn't have had those doubts about Gokudera being his true friend.

"I'm sorry...Tsuna. I never realized...Please fo...forgive me.." Painful sobs wracked the silverette's body. He continued to glance around for the medics, continually holding onto the string of hope that somebody could come over here, miraculously dig out the four bullets and close up Tsuna's wounds once and for all. He was still holding his soiled cloth against Tsuna's stomach, and Tsuna carefully pushed the cloth away.

"Gokudera...one last thing..."

"Wh..what is it?" He was suddenly scared.

"I...I wa...want...you to end my pain for me."

Tsuna shakily pressed a loaded pistol into Gokudera's hands. Gokudera stared at it for the longest time, before he grabbed the cursed gun. The metal was cool to the touch. "Please..." He begged.

"Please." Tsuna echoed firmly, his eyes steady. Blood was leaking out of his mouth, staining his neck, his cheeks. His lips twitched into the faintest trace of a smile. "Please." He whispered again. Gokudera closed his eyes.

In the end, Gokudera thought, it was just all about being selfish.

A/N: Sorry if this was a little confusing, but all will be explained soon! Let me know what you think of this so far. Please review! Thank you so much!