In due time

“Darling, you’re home!”

Iemitsu held his arms open as Nana ran to embrace him, his wife squeezing him tightly as if to reassure herself that he was actually there.

He grinned sheepishly. “I got a little “vacation”, so what better place to spend it than with my loving family?”

Nana merely giggled, tugging his hand so he could follow her inside. She began to talk about the little things that had changed in his absence — small and mundane things that most people could really care less about, but for Iemitsu, he was more than happy to sit down and listen to her ramblings.

(After all, when you work in the mafia, you really do begin to crave any sense of normality you can get your hands on.)

Nana went about the kitchen, no doubt preparing to cook up a feast. “And the lady was so rude, it was almost unbelievable— oh! Tsu-kun, come say hi to papa.”

Iemitsu turned in his chair, catching sight of Tsuna peeking out from behind the door frame. A pang of guilt hit him when Tsuna shied away from his gaze.

How much had he grown since he last saw him? How much of his life had he missed out on this time?

Nana continued on with her cooking, blissfully ignorant to the awkward tension between her husband and son.

Iemitsu tried smiling, hoping that would ease away his son’s weariness. “Hey, Tsuna, how’s my boy doing?”

Tsuna only stared at him.

He felt a sweat break out. Working as a mafioso was one thing, but being an absent father was another hell on its own.

Just as he was thinking about other ways to approach his son, Tsuna walked up to him, grabbing onto his arm. Iemitsu stared, waiting with bated breath.

Tsuna looked up at him, and Iemitsu felt his heart break at his words.

“P-Papa...do you not like being here?”

In the background, Nana continued about her business, but Iemitsu knew from the way she had stopped humming that his wife was listening in.

Iemitsu looked thoughtful, humming in an overly dramatic way. "Hmm, well Tsuna..."

Tsuna yelped as he was suddenly scooped up into the air, Iemitsu grinning brightly at him as he held the eight year old in a tight hug.

“Of course papa loves being here!” He ruffled Tsuna’s hair, the boy huffing in slight annoyance. “It’s just that the construction business loves to keep your papa busy!” He faked sobbed, playing on the theatrics in hopes of lightening the mood.

There was a clinking of glass plates as Nana set the table. “That’s right, papa’s a very busy man, Tsu-kun!” Nana reassured her son with a small smile. From her demeanor, it seemed her doubts from earlier were laid to rest, even if just for the moment.

“That’s right, that's right!" Iemitsu gave Nana a wink, who only giggled in response as she sat down. He turned back to face Tsuna, setting him in the chair next to his. "So Tsuna,” He smiled solemnly at him, “Don’t ever think papa doesn’t enjoy being with you and mama, okay?”

Tsuna made a face, showing that he wasn’t entirely convinced. Nonetheless he picked up his chopsticks and began to pick at his food.

Quietly, he said, “Okay, if papa says so…”

Iemitsu watched as Nana and Tsuna ate, the tranquility of it reminding him of all the people he had robbed of getting to ever experience moments like these again.

Just how many families had he torn apart, including his own?

"Dear, are you okay?" Nana asked with a furrowed brow, both Tsuna and her staring at him in worry.

He hadn't realized he had begun to cry.

Iemitsu laughed, "Sorry dear, I've just missed your food way too much!"

"Oh, is that so..." Nana went back to eating, but not before sparing a few more worried glances towards her husband, Tsuna mimicking her. Their concern brought both a swell of fondness and sadness to his heart. Really...his family deserved better.

Nana...Tsuna...I’m sorry.

Maybe one day, he could finally tell them all the secrets he had been hiding.

(But that day wasn't today, and it certainly wouldn't come for a long time. So for now, he would enjoy the small moments with his family and pretend that the distance between them was easily within arms reach.)