Shade of Red

There were many things that ran through her mind as she and her mother moved back into Kyoto. ‘Would her friends be alright without her? What would happen if another gang war happened? What what if-’ She was then knocked from her quickly panicky thoughts to her mother.

“Tsu-chan~ What do you think about the house?” Her mother asked. 

‘Tsu-chan’ was the nickname Yamada Kyoko called her daughter. Kyoko wore her hair in a loose ponytail that was tied a few inches before the tips. Making her Waist long hair have an elegance to her. She had large glittering brown eyes and pale skin that glowed with motherhood.

“I love it, Mama. Much better than where we used to live.” Her daughter stated. ‘Seeing how we used to live in a faceless high-end apartment never seeing that sperm donner.’ 

Tsu was part of the nickname she gave her friends back in Tokyo. Tsuna, which was short for Tsunayume. She had naturally auburn hair thank her father; Who was an Irish American. She had a light brown eye that sometimes flashed orange in certain lights. It made for a great intimidation tool. She also gained her mother’s figure mixed with her father’s complexion making her burn rather than tan. 

Her mother once tried to stuff her into a dress that wouldn’t have been unusual on Harajuku street. Meaning it had an ungodly amount of lace, ruffles, and bows. So many bows…

It sounded more masculine than her other nickname and made the guys stop harassing her. That or the beatings she had given them. She wasn’t the Crimson Lion for nothing! Though as Tsuna thought back it was most likely the beatings. Her friends were also her subordinates. Before graduating high school, she was the local gang leader of her area. Unlike most gangs she had hers defend the weak and stop gang wars from escalating to terrorism. 

That was all behind her now. Once she graduated her right-hand man, Watanabe Kyo was now leading the Migi or Red Dawn gang. 

She had more important things to do, like getting a few jobs to help keep them afloat seeing how her sperm donor left a bun in the oven before the divorce. Normally This wouldn’t be a big issue, but seeing how that on doctor’s order she was to be bedridden and not do anything other than using the restroom.  

This was hell for her mother. Yamada Kyoko was the embodiment of a Yamato Nadeshiko. The term "Yamato Nadeshiko" is often used to describe a demure young woman and, in a contemporary context, nostalgically of women with good traits which are perceived as being increasingly rare. 

Meaning she loved to do all the housewife stuff. From cooking to cleaning to just puddling around the house

Tsuna wasn’t fond of any of it.

Everyone who met her mother automatically assumed she would be just the same. Sure she could clean up nicely like any female worth their salt. But it was a pain in the ass in her opinion. 

Finally, they pulled into their new how where the movers had set up all the furniture and all the nick-knacks they had. All that was left was putting away the clothes and running to the supermarket to get food for the week. And dye her hair, even if she really was a form of delinquent, she didn’t need that label to prevent her from getting a job. So she planned to trim and dye it. 

After making sure her mother was all set up to rest in the living room, Tsuna went about putting everything else before heading out for the food shopping.

*~*~*~*

It was around eight pm when a man in a black suit, with a yellow dress shirt and band around his black fedora, walked into a 24/7 hair salon.

He was quite handsome if the female worker's reactions were anything to go by. Not to mention how...familiar they acted with him.

"Oh~Antonio!" They cried.

"Ciaos, Ladies." He tipped his hat forward with a smirk.

A busty overdressed blonde walked up to him. "What can we do for you, Mr.Nicoli?"

"I have found myself in need of a trim." He casually replied. 

The blonde smiles and motions for him to follow her. "I can help you. Please sit in the last chair."

He gave a nod of acceptance as he followed the woman. Taking off his hat as he sat down. One leg lazily crossed the other. A gecko that had been resting upon his hat crawled to rest in his hands. 

The woman leaned down and idlely snipped a few hairs. "What are you doing here, Antonio?" She murmured.

"Yuki, can't I come by to see an old friend?" He replied. Glancing at her expression from the corner of his eye. He was not disappointed by the irritated look she gave him. 

"With you, nothing is a coincidence." she sniffed.

He gave a quiet chuckle. "Well if your offering," His eyes caught sight of someone entering the salon. 

Three chairs down from Antonio sat a young woman with crimson hair and caramel eyes. To his surprise, she wore boys' clothes. 

A young brunette stylist asked. "What can I do for you?"

"Dye it brown and give it a trim." the young woman replied.

Turning his attention back to Yui asked. "What can you tell me about the Yamada's?"

Yuki blinked. "Yamada? Not much. Though I feel for Kyoko."

"Oh?" He asked. He was curious about what would make the "Sleeping Death" feel sympathy towards another.

"Rumor has it that Kyoko had gotten the spine to leave her worthless never-home husband. Leaving them destitute." Yume recited. 

Antonio hummed. He had seen Killain's mood before arriving. It was a dark one and this would explain it. 

"There's more isn't there?" he asked. 

Yuki hesitated. "Only two more things. They're saying that her troublesome child took up a couple of jobs to keep them afloat."

"Hm, responsible for a fresh graduate." He comments.

The busty blonde gave a nod. "Very true. The boy is always looking out for his mother, though the grocer said that he's been buying infant supplies like mad." 

That was interesting. "Infant supplies?"

"Yep," Yuki started her theory. "Either he got some poor girl pregnant, or Kypko's good for nothing Ex left her a present." 

Antonio got up and placed his hat back on. "Thanks for the trim." 

"Hm." Antonio needed to think. If this Yamada Boy was as worthless as his informants say, then there was little need to put him in line. Let alone bring Kyoko in danger with a possible child on the way. Interrupted from his thoughts, he heard the girl from earlier snap at the stylist.

"I'm working retail! That's why I need it trimmed and dyed!" 

 "What a nasty temper." He chuckled walking out the door seeing her reflection in the glass door.

It was one of pure anger and annoyance. 

Feeling better, he lets a smirk appear on his face, disappearing into the night. 

*~*~*~*

The redhead was still stewing over the fancy pants that had thrown a jab at her temper. It was a flaw she was working on but has yet to fix.

"Fucking jerk, acts like a celebrity." She grumbled. 

With a groan she let the stylist do her work.

An hour later she was free and wandered to a local arcade. 

"Been a while since I came here..." She mused.

Walking in she found a western gun duel game. It was a possible two-player and as far as she could see there wasn't anyone there. 

So tossing a few yen into the slot she began to play when a notice popped up.

CHALLENGER REQUEST: DO YOU ACCEPT?

"Hm, might as well." she hummed. 

(ACCEPT.)

As that game went on, she realized her opponent was good. But he was using cowardly tactics. Like using a civilian as a shield. When she ran out of ammo and lost she was irritated. Wanting to face her opponent, she stomps to the other side and snaps.

"Oi! There are rules to arcade games too, buddy! Play cowardly with the wrong person and you get knifed!" 

After her rant, she realizes that it's the man from the Salon.

"Is that a threat?" He asks.

She snorts. "Friendly advice." She lifted the back of her shirt. There on her lower back was a scar from a stab wound. "Never play with a Yakuza, their sore losers."

She leaned forward and cocked her head. "Have we met before?"

"Tch. NO." the man replied.

She turns away. "Then I hope we never meet again!" she cheerfully walks away giving him the bird. 

The man pulled down his hat more. 'Was that even a girl?' He thought irritably.

*~*~*~*

Walking home at night wasn't what Tsuna would have liked but, it was a necessary evil. 

Even if she had to deal with weirdos in suits. 

Walking to their slightly rundown home. Tsuna unlocks the door and announces her arrival. "Mama! I'm home!"

"Tsu-chan! I'm so glad your home!!!" In waddles a middle-aged but youthful young woman with a baby bump showing. Black straight hair and soft brown eyes quickly turn to slight horror as she noticed the girl's hair.  "Tsu-chan, your hair!" Kyoko wails. She had always loved her daughter's bright burgundy wild hair.

Tsuna tried to calm down her mother. "I had to Mama. Thanks to all the trouble I caused back in Tokyo, I needed to make myself as unrecognizable as possible." She hands her mother a shopping back. "Got you your dried squid and Green tea ice cream." 

Her mother's expression was turned around quickly. "Oh thank you so much, Tsu-chan."

Tsuna walked her mother back into the living room and settled her down with everything she needed including a spoon for the ice cream. Kyoko was then fully absorbed in her crime shows that Tsuna was able to do the house chores without much fuss from her mother who had been the one to usually do it.

Tsuna started with her mother's laundry then while those were in the machine she would work on her homework while cooking dinner. She would switch around and do multiple things. From unpacking the heavy things from moving to checking on her mother and making her bento for the first day of school.

As she was folding the laundry, Tsuna began humming a quiet tune when her mother cried for her. "Tsuna! Tsunayume! Come here quick!"

Fearing the worst Tsuna sped off into the living room bokken in hand. "What, what,  what?! What's the matter?! Is there a burglar?!"

Her mother had a hand on her stomach and quickly motioned for her to come close. "Quick quick!" 

Like approaching a cornered animal, Tsuna made her walk to her mother who quickly snatched her hand and sat it on her bulging abdomen. "He's kicking! Isn't that wonderful?"

Tsuna was memorized by the sensation. She dropped the bokken and kneeled down to her mother and laid her head down on Kyoko’s stomach. She could hear the tiny heartbeat and feel the tiny bumps. 

"I'm going to be the best big sister in the world. Nobody's going to mess with you." Tsuna quietly vowed. Her eyes flashed a golden-orange for a moment.

Kyoko looked down at her daughter and ruffled her hair. "I know you will." She hummed a bit and asked. "Are you all set for school tomorrow?"

Tsuna gave a nod. "Yep. Though I'm worried about leaving you on your own tomorrow..."

"I'll be fine you worry too much Tsu-chan!" Her mother chittered.

"Well just to make sure you don't try to do any chores, I did them all already including making  bento's for you and me for lunch tomorrow, I also plan on making breakfast so don't try to let me sleep in just so you can!" The wild-haired girl ordered.

"You're so good to your mama," Kyoko stated as she held Tsuna's face in her hands. 

 Tsuna turned red at her compliment. "It's only the right thing to do."

After a moment of silence, the woman spoke. "I got a letter from your father today."

Tsuna gave a dark hmm, watching as her mom rubbed her pregnant belly.

"He wants custody if it’s a boy."

Tsuna looked at her mother with a deadpan expression. "...What?"

"He even sent the paperwork pre-signed! Said that since I had you all these years that he should be able to raise his child too."

"Mama..."

 "I’m scared that he’ll find some way to tack them away!!"

"Mom."

"He has so many connections over there and-"

"MOM!"

Finally getting her mother's attention she sighs. "I know what you mean. I’ll work hard so we won’t need any of his dirty money. But the way I liked to live my life was dangerous to you and my new baby sibling." She looked into her mother's eyes with a small smile. 

"So to keep you two safe, I'll settle. Going as far as to be seen as a boy." 

"I was hoping you'd bring home a boy soon! I want grandbabies to spoil!" Argued her mother.

Tsuna stood with an exasperated look on her face. "Mom, you're about to have a baby! One thing at a time!" Tsuna looked to the side with a self-deprecating expression. "Sides... not like any boy would ask… I'm not girly enough for them..."

"Oh honey, you're beautiful! They're just sore 'cause you're stronger than them!" chitted Kyoko.

Tsuna snorted. "Oh yeah, they were sore."

Kyoko gave a shake of her head at her violent daughter. "So what's for dinner?"

"Tonkatsu with soba and green tea," Tsuna replied.

"Oh, that sounds delicious Tsu-chan!" As Kyoko nibbled on some dried squid. 

"It should be ready now," Tsuna replied as she helped her mother to the dinner table. 

Once she was settled, Tsuna went about serving up both of them. Once they were both sitting they put their hands in prayer and gave thanks for the food. 

"Ikitakimasu." 

They ate in companionable silence when a thought came to Tsuna. "Mama, when is the due date again?"

They’ll be here in a few weeks. I suspect sometime in December." She chirped happily.

Tsuna hummed around her chopsticks. "I best get working then."

*~*~*~*

Antonio was once again strolling about. He was asked (read paid) to watch the Yamada’s for some inane reason. In his opinion, Killian couldn’t raise a goldfish, let alone a child. 

So here he was drinking at one of the few western-themed bars in japan. It felt very 1920s with the smell of whisky and cigar smoke in the air. 

Suddenly the curtains on the small stage opened and a young woman with soft red/brown hair stepped out. She was definitely Japanese but did have some European in her. She wore a sparkling not-quite-orange cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline and hugged her curves till the hip where a slit was cut to let her leg tantalizingly peak out.

Antonio watched with interest as she walked up to the mic and began to sing. He paused mid-drink and stared at the woman.

It had been a long time since anyone had made him speechless and he was now attentively listening to her sing.

From what the lyrics stated, it was about living in the rough side of life but not tossing out all her fruit from one basket, instead, she made wine. 

Suddenly the song was interrupted by a man slamming open the door, looking like the world owed him. Antonio hates men like that. Gave males around the world a bad name. He turned away to ask the bartender for another drink when he heard a commotion.

Turning back towards the songstress he was greeted by the sight of this small, slim, petite woman, dressed to the nines, flipping the bastardo over her hip and onto his back wearing three-inch heels. 

He walked over to them and heard the man on the ground whimper.

“Oh come on! I didn’t even hit you!” She snapped then turned to look at who was walking over and met the gaze of the fedora-wearing man from the salon. She lifted a brow at him.

He smirked. “Well, that was Dramatic.”