The Sawada twins were as different as night and day. Sawada Tsunayoshi was a known delinquent, who frequently fought and had only one real friend in his life. He was quiet and people frowned at his mere presence. Sawada Hachirou was the complete opposite. Charismatic, sporty, good-natured and even good looking, Hachirou was an idol for Namimori Middle. People of all ages complimented him for his cheery disposition and struggled to see how either of the two brothers were related.
Though it wasn't always like this.
Many years ago the two brothers were one in the same.
When they were born, not even a full thirty second separated the duo. Both of them came into the world at technically the same time and were identical to the last pound. Same shock of blond hair and gentle, dark blue, almost black eyes. Same mouths and smiles and both oddly quiet, unwilling to be pulled apart.
As they grew older though, their appearance changed and soon after their personalities, for a while though their codependency was still prominent.
Tsunayoshi's shock of blonde hair turned to a dark brown within weeks and his blue eyes gave way to brown. He would become the night, everything about him becoming darker.
In turn, everything about Hachirou would brighten. His hair shading from a dark, dirty blonde, to the same bright blond as his father. His blue eyes would glow brighter. Everything about him was daylight. Brightness.
However despite their obvious differences in appearance, they were close as close can be.
When they learned how to walk, it was together. Tsuna against Hachi and Hachi against Tsuna. They both took their first steps together and fell not even two steps later. But Hachi laughed as they fell and his laughter infected Tsuna and before long the two infants were giggling madly and attempting to stand again. Hachi learnt how to form words first, 'Mamamamama' and 'Papapapapa', he pointed at food and said 'Ahh-ed' and 'Amaaa-ed' when his parents (read:father) requested kisses. However Tsuna constructs sentences first, was quiet for four months after Hachi began talking, then suddenly he's saying 'I want that' with a thick, baby quality to his words. Fluent, 'No, don't wanna' or 'Away Papa' leaving his mouth.
They grow together, Hachi pulling Tsuna forward. Teaching him to ride a bike. To swim. To run without caring about falling. Tsuna slowing Hachi down. Forcing him to look before he leaps. Giving him a shoulder to cry on and a body to hug and smiles to look forward to whenever he completed something without Tsuna. They fit together. They're brothers. It's such a simple sentence, but it means so much more.
Hachi defended Tsuna against the domesticated animals he feared, using the same body that he used to force Tsuna to face said scary animals. Shooed dogs away with feral screaming and then used the same screams just to hear the 'Hieeee!' he knew would shoot out of Tsuna's mouth.
He's Tsuna's number one supporter and for a long time, his number one bully as well.
Tsuna doesn't have the same vindictiveness his brother possesses to needlessly tease him, but he did have the same sense of revenge. He held tiny bugs up to Hachi's face in the mornings after Hachi teased him. He'd put sugar in place of salt on the table, because Hachi hated sweets but loved salts. Splashes his brother with water bottles he'd proceed to give him on too hot days. Would sell Hachi out to their father for nothing more than the pleasure of seeing annoyance, exasperation and hidden affection flicker on Hachi's face.
For most of their childhood they would refer to each other as either Hachi and Tsuna or Hachiko and Tuna-Fish, both names holding unsaid affection and mockery.
They loved to annoy each other.
Then suddenly, they're eight.
They're eight and Hachi still ran like he was chasing the sun and climbed trees like he could reach the sky and loved sports with the intensity that he loved his own family.
And Tsuna.
Tsuna tripped over air. Tsuna hated climbing trees, no matter how often he'd done it for his brother. Still didn't swim if he wasn't forced. Barely ever rode his bike. Tsuna was still as athletically gifted as a potato. He had to push and push and push to become so agile and it didn't matter that he was just as fast as Hachi. That he could climb just as high. Could bike just as long. Because he was still Tsuna and he never wanted to chase the stars. He was Tsuna and all he ever wanted was to be Tsuna and Hachi. Not the Tsuna everyone brands him with. Weird Tsuna. Dumb Tsuna. Dame-Tsuna.
They become two separate beings like this:
They're eight and Tsuna gets bullied a lot.
Paper thrown at him, shoved around as if he's nothing, pushed and bruised and forced to close his mouth because the teachers don't believe him. Because put your hand down Sawada, we both know you don't know the answer. Because why can't you be more like your brother Sawada? Because you're Dame-Tsuna. Because you're stupid. Because. Because. Because.
He closed his mouth. Sewed the truth and left gaps for half-truths to come through. Made sure Hachirou didn't see too much, or else he would make a problem out of something that's not even there. The bullying is not even bad, really. He's fine.
He's fine, until someone takes his homework. Homework he worked on all of last night to answer, homework that made him feel accomplished and he's begging them to give it back, the frustration at being helpless killing him.
Hachirou turns the corner and spots his brother being bullied and everything is red.
He's vicious, savage as to force the bullies away from his bruised up brother, because no one was allowed to hurt Tsuna except for him. They're brothers.
But the bullies out number him. Hachirou is on the ground bleeding and Tsuna feels something inside of him flicker and slow down and he's angry. He's never fought against the bullying, thought he deserved it for being such a Dame-Tsuna, but for his brother he fought. Punched and jabbed and his anger lit up in flames around them. Hachirou felt renewed and vigorous at his brothers strength and the two are demons. By the time they're done, Tsuna can only feel a hollowness rooted in him and he looks to his banged up brother. The guilt killing any innocence Tsuna still held.
Though Hachi attempts to laugh and shrug off the fight, Tsuna doesn't. Tsuna let that one incident define him and…
They sleep in different rooms now. Not just different beds, but different rooms. Tsuna would leave the house earlier than Hachirou. He ignored his brother in class. He barely acknowledged him at home. He fought back against every bully who so much as neared him.
Tsunayoshi went from Dame-Tsuna, to just Tsuna. Tsuna the warning, not the name. Tsuna who would bite and claw and jab his way to safety. Tsuna who's just trying to protect his brother, please stop going after Hachi. Tsuna who hurts and lies and just wants Hachi to be alright without him.
And Hachi hurt.
Hachi deflected.
Hachi joined the group of kids playing soccer near the lake. Becomes Hachi. The star. The kid to be worshipped. The name to be revered. The kid who's already getting offers from scouts at higher up Middle Schools.
Through it all Sawada Nana still smiles at her boys softly.
She pretends that the growing gulf between her boys didn't worry her. Still answers every call Iemitsu made monthly with a bright tint in her voice. She loves them even as they grow distant. Loves her night. Loves her day. Loves her sky. Loves her family.
Nana would make sure they still gravitate to each other, even as Tsuna caused deeper tears in the rift and Hachi resolutely denied the tears. She's all, 'Boys can you buy me this?' 'Darling please wake your brother up.' 'Ha-kun, go see what's taking Tsu-kun so long.' 'Family movie night tonight? Oh silly me, I need to disappear, have fun boys.' Her boys, though distant and awkward and silent, still love each other. She roots the love in them with a precise affection her cold family never showed her.
Hachi still coerces as much time with his brother as possible.
Tsuna still enjoys game nights with Hachi.
They're as distant as the moon and the sun, but maybe that's alright. Because they're still around each other. Still with each other. Still brothers through it all. And that's all they'd ever need to be.
Not Tsuna the warning. Not Hachi the praise. But the Sawada's. The brothers. The night and the day and everything in betwee
Have had this on the back burner for a while. Not sure what to make of it or how to format is, but figured may as well post. Just a bit of my take on the whole Sawada twin thing bc why not. Ty for reading :)