14. Family

"Ciaossu, Rei." the baby greeted me again, his cute, squeaky voice a nice wake-up call.

Yeah, a wake-up call. I yawned, sitting up on my bed and bringing my legs to the side of the bed. "Good morning, Reborn-san." I greeted him, his name something I learned in a previous chat with Tsuna, "How did you get in?"

"The window was open." Reborn explained. "I heard where you lived from Tsuna." The baby jumped to my shoulder, settling down comfortably there as I began walking around. It was 5 am, but I had to wake up because it was my turn on breakfast duty.

I brushed my hair down to be presentable and clipped up my bangs. Then, I headed out of my room and down the stairs.

"Morning, Rei." came a voice from the next door over. Dad was dressed for work, tying his tie and brushing his teeth at the same time as he rushed like the apocalypse was happening.

"Morning, Dad." I greeted with a light chuckle, "Emergency call?"

"Yeah," he said, "I'll need to make a trip over to Hokkaido. I won't be back tonight." he explained, turning to me and Reborn who was at my shoulder, "That is?" he asked.

"This is Reborn. He's from the Sawada Household down the street." I explained.

"Pardon my intrusion." said Reborn.

"I, uh... see." and he didn't have a question to ask further, "Well, I hope you enjoy your stay."

"Coffee, dad?" I offered.

"Yes, please."

I went down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Reborn jumped off my shoulder and onto the table. He settled down on a chair, and I took that as a sign that he was staying for breakfast.

Rolling up the sleeves of my sweater, I started thinking of the breakfast menu.

-----

"Morning, Rei-chan." Sui gave her older brother a hug from the back, looking over his arm to the stove, "Breakfast?"

Rei switched off the stove and placed the last omelette on the place, Sui latching onto him the whole time. "Good morning, Sui. Where's Sae?"

"She overslept." Sui responded, settling down on the seat in front of Reborn. She looked at the baby for a long moment, eye-to-eye.

Neither spoke as they seemed to have some sort of telepathic conversation.

Then Sui bowed lightly, still on the chair. "Nice to meet you, I am Sui." she said in her usual zestless voice.

"Same to you. I am Reborn." the baby replied.

Placing down a mug of hot chocolate in front of Sui and hot espresso in front of Reborn, I sighed at the two. That was weird, but I'm glad they're at peace.

Reborn eyed the espresso, an eyebrow raised at me in question. I smiled at him, and for some reason he didn't seem to ask why and how I knew about his preferred drink.

"Good morning!" Sae charged in, her uniform in a mess, "I did not oversleep!"

"Yes, yes," I tell her, placing her mug on her seat, "We'll be late, so eat." I take off my apron and hung it up at the clothes rack, "I'll go get changed, so be ready by the time I get down, alright?"

"Kay!" Sae said, plopping down onto her chair, "Hey, are you Rei-chan's friend? I'm Sae!" I heard her chime cheerfully, "I'm twelve! How old are you?"

I head up to my room.

-----

I fix my tie as I headed down the stairs in my school uniform. "Sae, Sui, I'll do your hair up now-"

But to my surprise, Sae and Sui were already ready. Their hairs up just the way they liked it, with perfectly straight ribbons. They probably didn't tie it up themselves, did they? They've never gotten a straight ribbon before.

"Reborn-chan's done it for us!" Sae grins, "He's so cool!"

Sui nods timidly in agreement.

I sigh. "Alright then, thanks for that, Reborn-kun." I say. Reborn jumps up to my head as we rush out and onto the bicycle, towards school.

-----

-----

"You have a good relationship with your family." Reborn finally spoke up after I sent the girls to school. "There's an admirable sense of respect in between siblings and parent."

I smile at that, "Well, every family works differently, don't they?" I say, "I'm sure, Reborn-kun, that you get along with Tsuna-kun in your own unique way."

At that, the Hitman began fiddling with my hair. "You're amusing, Rei." he said.

I got off the bicycle as we reach the school in time. I began pushing my bicycle along, but Reborn stayed on my head.

"I'm not amusing at all, Reborn." I say. The baby raised an eyebrow at the lack of a honorific. I look at him, a smile on my face. "After all, compared to Reborn-kun, I'm not much to look at."

-----

Let's skip all the way down to after school:

I was walking my bicycle down the road towards Namimori Elementary. It was peaceful, I'd say, because after this we're going grocery shoppping together! It seems girlish or childish, but it was quality family time for me and the girls.

Dad's not coming home, so I'm in charge of dinner tonight. I wonder what I should make? (I sound like a housewife. This is a KHR Fanfiction, right? I'm in the KHR World, right? I'm supposed to be all Mafia, right? Why am I worrying about dinner like a girl? I'm a guy!)

"Would you like one?" I heard a feminine voice in the distance. It was a soothing, mature woman's voice. A pretty voice.

"Really?" and that was Sae's voice. She sounded excited at whatever she was being offered.

I frowned. Wasn't it basic knowledge not to accept things from strangers? I turned the last corner to see Sae and Sui speaking to a woman on a motorcycle.

Bianchi.

She was handing a can of juice to the girls, her face locked in an emotionless poker face as Sae smiles, thanking the woman for her kind offer.

I dropped the bicycle and ran over.

My hand grabbed Bianchi's wrist harshly. "Excuse me," I snapped, a glare on my face, "may I ask what business you might have with my sisters?"

They all seemed surprised at my appearance.

"You misunderstand," Bianchi kept her sly smile on, "I was merely offering these little ladies a drink." she said.

"She's right, Rei-chan!" Sae added, "she was just being nice-"

I sighed and turned back to the pink-haired lady. I leaned in closer so the girls wouldn't hear me, my hand a solid grip at her wrist so Bianchi wouldn't escape before I could speak.

"I don't know what you have in mind for targeting them, but I would appreciate you staying away from my sisters." I whispered sharply at her, "Mark my words, Poison Scorpion,"

Bianchi's eyes widened at the usage of her alias.

"If anything happens to these girls--I will have your head." I threatened. I let go of her hand and she eyes me, her gaze growing even more skeptic. She seemed to have more to say, but her mouth did not open.

She drove away on her bike.

I turned back to the girls, an embarrassed smile on my face. "Wanna get ice cream instead?" I suggested, "Seems you're not getting the can."

The girls were both stunned in surprise. I'm not sure how they felt about what I did. Were they confused? Weirded out? Scared? Nevertheless, they didn't question me.

Sui walks up to me and takes my hand, a light nod on her face as she brings a smile up her face.

Sae pouts. "I wanted juice," she whined, then grinned cheekily, "but ice cream sounds great!"