Full summary:
Set one year after the Arcobaleno Arc. Hibari's tale is revealed, and the outcome may not only destroy himself, but also his circle of herbivores. In more ways than one.
What this fic will address:
1. Hibari's backstory and how it will return to haunt him
2. How Tsuna will become the Vongola Boss in the worst possible scenario (with Reborn's help, of course)
3. Yamamoto becoming your best guardian lol (and whatever happened to his mom)
Okaeri.
It had been a year since Sawada Tsunayoshi, aka 'Dame Tsuna' aka Neo Vongola Primo, defeated the forces of evil, saved the world, and remained too chicken to ask his crush Sasagawa Kyoko out.
He also managed to keep Reborn by his side, something he had been, he assumed at least, selfishly fighting for. He never got the reward that could equate to his combining forces with everyone, from past foes to uneasy alliances to his loyal acquaintances but at least, somehow, he got the peace of mind he duly needed now that Namimori, for him, remained the same as before the Kokuyo fiasco happened. Every month of the past year he had been waiting for another cataclysm to occur like the four consecutive ones from Mukuro to Xanxus to Byakuran and the Shimon but so far so good?
Yeah, at least somehow all was well. If not for Tsuna, then at least for his guardians and friends. They may not be suffering from Reborn's Spartan training every afternoon of the week or getting withheld from leisure trips for HQ infiltration simulations but at least somehow, things were the same mundane happenings he hears them complain about whenever they do have the time to meet at lunch in their place.
"Wish we'd have another turf war or a world-ranging catastrophe going on. It's been fucking boring," sighed Gokudera one day while they were munching some fries at the local diner one free weekend afternoon. Tsuna choked on his cola.
"That would be nice… the next season won't happen till two months in," added Yamamoto, making Tsuna sputter further. Shit.
"What's wrong, Tenth, err I mean, Neo-First?" said Gokudera. This was the final straw and Tsuna gagged on the comfort of the restroom sink.
"D-Don't call me that again," Tsuna said when he returned, wagging a finger weakly. "P-Please don't jinx anything, ok? Things are good, everyone's happy, no one's… permanently absent. D-Don't you want to graduate middle school without any problems?"
"Can't believe we'll graduate with the Turf top though. Wish he stays in the hospital or something so the classroom would be less noisy," the half-Italian rolled his eyes. "At least a battle or two will make him useful for the Vongola."
"That's kind of rude," Yamamoto laughed, but quickly. To Tsuna's surprise, Gokudera mumbled an apology and began complaining about Yamamoto's flailing test scores instead (Yamamoto starts being lively again) that Gokudera couldn't seem to doctor. He had been suspicious of their chummy behaviour for the past few months since the Arcobaleno incident but ignored his qualms and beamed at their interaction instead.
His relationship with Kyoko and Haru, though still awkward, had been steadily improving since that confession. He had been inviting them to his house for barbecue on Reborn's request. He was also the object of jealous eyes for the boys in his grade when they caught wind of their meetings. It still gets on his nerves sometimes, but not in the same way it did when they began noticing him. He could not understand why they still perceived women as mythical beings they felt unworthy of approaching.
"Took you quite a while to come around," commended Hana while they were walking home. Kyoko already bade them goodbye ten minutes ago. "Always thought you were a wimp. Couldn't be anymore wrong when you confessed to my BFF. Or when I found out about your… future position in the underground."
Tsuna laughed. "You're exaggerating. It was not something I earned getting. Plus, I don't want to be a Mafia Boss-"
"Dunno," she yawned. "You'll be eating your words soon. Kyoko told me she was thinking of joining as well. She has been training nonstop since-"
"W-What?" Tsuna could only blink owlishly at Kurokawa, who could only roar with laughter when she saw his expression.
"Aww man," she said, wiping her tears. "Same. She's been with her brother doing roadwork and lifting weights for the past year. Not as frequent as her brother though, but she had been worried about what happened to you guys and wanted to help."
"W-Well she can help by not getting involved-"
Hana made a face. "So fucking misogynistic. This is so why I hate dating boys our age. You'll realize sooner or later that you'll need the likes of us to join your little boys-only clique-"
He shut up on the way home since he could not bother getting into an argument with Hana and get a bad image from her best friend.
Everyone had been telling him, predicting that another fateful shitstorm will happen to them and things would become perilous again. Another save the world scenario. Another otherworldly asshole making his life hell again. Same old, same old.
He never imagined it to happen this way though:
One, that it would begin, in all places, at the abode of the person he greatly feared.
"We'll be having a Neo-Vongola Primo Inter-Family Challenge to celebrate our formation as a family," said Reborn that Friday afternoon. That was the only afternoon Reborn was lenient on training and had him finish early to hang out with Gokudera and the rest. Maybe Reborn was bored so- "And also because I'm bored and there's no news yet from Nono when the Inheritance ceremony will be." Ok, yep.
"And why are we doing it here, in Hibari-san's house? Especially when the owner isn't around?" Tsuna brings up in exasperation. Creepily on cue, Kusakabe shifts from the back of the sliding door just behind Reborn and waved at them in earnest. The Disciplinary Committee was still an intimidating presence in Namimori as ever, but Hibari had been absent often, mostly to duel Dino and flip the fuck out of everyone outside his turf. Other than that though, Tsuna wasn't sure of what Hibari's shady dealings were, and he sure as hell did not want to find out.
"Kyo-san's training with Fon-san and won't be back until next month," he assures, most especially to Tsuna, who was close to having cardiac arrest both at Kusakabe's entrance and the fear of Hibari finding out of their trespassing on his property. "He gave permission to use his house, with some restrictions, such as not entering a few rooms."
"Fon's updating me about Hibari's progress. It might take him awhile before he returns," added Reborn as if he was just a few inches away, making Tsuna backtrack more beside the vice-chairman.
And, two, it would begin without that person's knowledge.
"Does Hibari know about this?" he whispered to Kusakabe, who gaily shook his head and began laughing.
"If he had, you would see my head on top of Nami-chuu and my body somewhere in the grounds," he chuckled without missing a beat and making Tsuna queasier by the second. "Do you think I'm an idiot, Sawada-kun?"
Tsuna wanted to say that he was for becoming Hibari's slave but that was rude and he was scared of Hibari finding out and he was content of having a head attached to his body, thank you very much.
"If you search Hibari's house and you find the most number of interesting tidbits from him, I promise you one million euros and a house of your choosing near any Vongola HQ in any 200 locations worldwide."
To his horror, Fuuta, I-pin and Lambo were already discussing their potential fortress while Gokudera was thinking of how many sticks of dynamite he can buy and upgrade with that money. Yamamoto meanwhile, was happily babbling about how his team mates would appreciate them having a solo staycation house while Ryohei was animated at the thought of buying new gym equipment and training in the Sahara. Chrome was deep in thought still, but Tsuna can hear her saying 'Mukuro-sama' between her mumbles, making him realize that her connection with his other Mist guardian hadn't entirely disappeared. Kyoko and Haru meanwhile, were talking about eating at that Milkshake place in New York if they had the money.
"Forget this Reborn, I'm out!" Tsuna protested.
"Eh, Sawada-kun, I think you should join," Kusakabe said, his sweat from his head now visible. "Just remind them not to go inside the room beside the attic and the room on the second floor with the black smudge."
Tsuna raised his right hand the way Italians do when pissed, but then brought it down again when he remembered Kusakabe wasn't Italian. He waved it off.
"On the count of three," Reborn then said. "One… Two…" Everyone's eyes were eagerly focused on the house. He could hear Gokudera barking at Yamamoto their dilemma of who Tsuna's Right Hand would be settled there once and for all.
He couldn't focus anymore and wanted to faint then and there, but the terrible thought of Hibari baring his fangs on his neck made him frightened and strangely… turned on? Fuck, he was becoming delusional now.
"…three, go!"
On cue, three. He'd be stumbling on the skeletons of his most elusive guardian.
Sawada Tsunayoshi thought things will remain the same when he did enter that house, avoided the rest, and tumbled onto a room that was untouched for years.
It didn't.
Note: The title is inspired by GoT, aka the Greyjoys' favourite line.
You can say this is a culmination of some things I learned in my humanities classes and my major in psychology, along with my fascination with the dark and tragic stories that centre on humanising characters. It will not be my most glorious work, but I guess this is the most balanced and accessible work I can offer that doesn't centre on romance and fanservice.
I wrote this fic more like a manga instead of a novel. That's why you'll notice that I care less about overtly long descriptions on most chapters and more on sketches of how the scenes would go. I don't want to waste your time because writing this honestly is a waste of my time too. But hey, I love making up bullshit about Hibari's redemption arc in canon so fuck me.
To end this note, I just want to remind you to prepare your emotional state for this story. I had been thinking nonstop if I should write a story that centred on Hibari, since it is quite difficult to write a drama about him without becoming OOC. I will be making the beginning as light as possible, leading you by the hand and then pushing you into a rabbit hole full of dreadful things. This fic will be dark the more we go down the rabbit hole. There will be mentions of gore and extreme violence, murder, child rape and abuse, infanticide, incest, psychopathology, psychological disorders, suicide, law-breaking, and talks about death. This might be a triggering experience for some of you, especially with how I will discuss depression and child abuse, so at least be aware of that while you read the incoming chapters. I don't want to make this story go full torture-porn. I also don't want to glorify and romanticise shit that isn't supposed to be glorified or romanticised, but I might more or less make this an uncomfortable experience for some, and I want it to be that way. Hibari has a story to tell, and given his personality and behaviour, it is not a nice tale.
Don't forget to give feedback or ask questions so there will be a reason for me to check my e-mails again (aside from school work and online shopping) lmao. Thank you guys, let's carry on.