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hopeswriting · 1 year

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set in the same verse as When does a Saint Become a Monster? as a sequel memories time-travel fix-it fic. i did a poll not too long about which pov i should go for and who should be the ones to keep their memories should i write such a fic, and @d-lissa proposed that everyone remembers except reborn from reborn's pov. if i ever actually commit to write this fic i don't think i'll actually go for this combination (sorry missi 💔), but i love it so much i just had to write something for it. so yeah, enjoy!

Nana Sawada's overjoyed at finding his flyer in her mailbox. She puts it safely in her pocket, and both she and him wait excitedly for Tsunayoshi to come back from school as she goes on about her day.

He comes back early, too early for him to not be skipping school again, but Nana waits for the school to call her before going to his room. Reborn follows after her, still concealing his presence, and swiftly slips inside Tsunayoshi's room unnoticed as soon as Nana cracks the door open.

"Don't barge into my room!" Tsunayoshi shouts, sitting from where he was lying on the floor, reading a manga.

"You can live your entire life bored like you are right now," Nana smoothly continues chiding him, "or live it happily. I want you to live feeling 'It's great to be alive!'."

Reborn listens with one ear as the conversation leads to Nana bringing him up, taking Tsunayoshi in. Of course, he's seen him before, has been watching him these past couple of weeks, but never from that close before.

Even from that close, not only there's nothing noteworthy about Tsunayoshi Sawada, but he's obviously lacking in many ways and to non-negligible extents too. He hasn't any potential to speak of either, not any Reborn has noticed yet anyway, but that's fine. Makes it even easier in a way, being free to build him from the ground up without any insufficient and inadequate preexisting foundations to get in his way.

Potential's never had anything to do with Reborn's flawless rate of success anyway, whether its presence or lack thereof. He got offered a job he decided to accept, and he doesn't plan to be anything less than perfect at it.

"I refuse to have a tutor, OK!" Tsunayoshi snaps at his mother again, now standing. "I'm not good at anything I do anyways!"

Reborn smirks. There goes his cue.

He comes out of his hiding spot, his suitcase in hand, standing in the middle of the room between Tsunayoshi and Nana. "Ciaossu," he greets them. "I arrived three hours early, but as a service, I'll evaluate you now."

Tsunayoshi goes stone-still, not even breathing anymore from the look of it. He doesn't dare to blink either, his eyes intent on him.

From the look in his eyes, he's as confused by his reaction as Reborn is. It isn't among the ones Reborn predicted from him.

"Hey... whose kid are you?" Nana asks, concern in her voice.

Reborn keeps his eyes on Tsunayoshi, watching him right back just as intently. "I'm Reborn," he starts slowly, boring his eyes into him, unwilling to miss even the slightest twitch of any of his muscles that might be a clue as to what he missed, "the home tutor."

Tsunayoshi gasps, something so soft Reborn doesn't even hear it, only sees his mouth part open. Something broken too from the way his chest rise and fall in a stutter.

His eyes go wide and become empty, looking at him but seeing right through him. Unseeing of everything in his sight altogether, yet looking at whatever his mind's showing him right now.

It's the same look that sometimes takes over Lal and Colonnello. The brief and merciful ones where they can remain frozen through it, their mind disconnecting from the present reality and trapping them in one of their own making.

But nothing about what he learned about Tsunayoshi hinted at this being something he goes through too, and he's learned everything there is to know about him. He thought he did. Did do so, because Reborn's nothing but thorough.

And what would have even triggered him? Him?

"Tsuna?" Nana calls out worriedly, stepping forwards.

It takes only a couple of seconds before Tsunayoshi snaps back to himself. Blinks back to himself, in fact, gasping, much louder and harsher than before, a desperate sound to it.

They catch each other's eye again, have never stopped looking at each other, but now Tsunayoshi sees him again too, a full-body flinch makes him stumble back.

He falls on his knees, whimpering, the tears in his eyes spilling out down his cheeks. He heaves, doubling over, but nothing comes out of his mouth as he slaps his hand against it. He lowers it to his chest, clutching at it and wrapping his other arm around his stomach tightly, as if… as if nursing a wound or trying to keep pain at bay, there’s no doubt about it.

He gasps for breath fast and hard, struggling to find it, and the strangled sobs he can't quite hold back only make it harder. Only make him curl over himself more as they tear through him, his hair falling in front of his eyes and hiding his face from sight.

"Tsuna!" Nana shouts, but Reborn stretches his arm to the side before she can rush to him.

"Wait."

"Don't."

Nana pauses, stunned at the order that echoes Reborn's own.

Reborn lets it hang in the air, deciding on what to make of it, the corners of his lips twitching up.

Tsunayoshi doesn't look any less... like he's unraveling than before, still gasping for breath and crying, yet there's no doubt he was the one to speak. There's no doubt it was an order too despite the tears strangled in his throat, as well as a warning.

If Reborn was a lesser man he'd second-guess himself about it, but he isn't.

A warning against what though? Speaking to his mother in that manner? Giving orders around like he owns the place? Meddling in a situation he has no business stepping in?

Reborn isn't so sure about the last one when he seems to be the cause of it to begin with.

Tsunayoshi blindly reaches out with a shaking hand. "Mom…" He sounds like the whine of a wounded animal, snapping Nana out of her stupor.

She's on her knees at his side in a blink, her hand in his, her other arm wrapped around him and holding him tight against her. "I'm here, Tsu-kun, I'm right here. What is it, what do you need? What can Mama help you with?"

Tsunayoshi holds onto her hand tightly like he has no intention of ever letting go of it again, his knuckles white and his nails digging into her skin. He doesn't answer her, but her soft voice and comforting words ease his breathing to a steady one and slow down the flow of his tears down his cheek.

He eventually straightens himself, catching his eye again. A long beat of silence passes as they look at each other.

Tsunayoshi's eyes gleam with tears again, but he doesn't let them fall. It looks like a struggle not to, the features of his face twisted in... not quite pain. And amidst the conflict on his face, there's warmth and fondness, happiness too, even, at his sight.

Maybe even..., but Reborn's too good to not second-guess himself on this one, instead reserving his judgment for later once he'd have had more time to observe.

Something that could be a smile curls up Tsunayoshi's lips. Something that would have been a smile too, perhaps, in different circumstances. "Reborn."

Reborn blinks slowly, can't help it.

It was strangely imploring, the sound of his name in his mouth. Yet at the same time, it was strangely accusing too.

In any case, he said it with recognition, with familiarity.

Did Iemitsu already speak to him about the mafia? No, there's not a chance he did.

Then, did someone manage to slip past Iemitsu's watch and bring the mafia to him before Reborn could? Unlikely, to say the least, yet…

"You know me?" Reborn asks.

Tsunayoshi laughs. It sounds pained, something a little more than a breath that leaves his throat raw in its wake, and he brings his hand to his mouth to cut it short. He squeezes his eyes shut, squeezing his mother's hand even tighter than before, and takes a slow and deep breath.

It seems to help him put himself back together. He stands, drying his eyes, Nana standing with him, and gently lets go of her hand, stepping away from her hold. He faces him, standing straight, shoulders squared but relaxed, looking at him straight in the eye.

Staring him down.

Reborn almost barks out a laugh, but restrains himself to a wide smirk that's all teeth.

Is he staring him down now? Staring him down? No-Good Tsuna?

Oh, how long has it been since Reborn felt so excitedly curious? He doesn't know what's going on, can't even begin to guess at it, but he has every intention to find out sooner than later.

Later though. For now, all he knows is that the boy in front of him looks nothing like the boy he watched these last couple of weeks, or the pitiful, weak and breaking down boy on his knees from only a couple of seconds ago.

All he knows is that a boy—a civilian stands in front of him like they're equals even as he clearly knows better than to be fooled by his appearance, a calm, confident resolve in his eyes and no hint of fear to be seen anywhere.

Reborn steps forwards. "Do you know me?" he asks lightly, easing up his smirk into a slight curl of his lips upwards and waiting to see if Tsunayoshi will see through his threat anyway.

He looks like he does, yet only a smile that doesn't reach his eyes graces his lips. "Reborn." His voice is soft, but cold. Full of recognition and familiarity still, but full of distance too in the way he doesn't let it shake him. "Leave. Or I'll make you."

#katekyo hitman reborn #khr #khr fanfic #khr reborn #sawada tsunayoshi #wip khr #wdasbam wip #hope's writing #mine

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