Disclaimer: So we're doing this here, instead of posting it every chapter. We don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! no matter how much we want to hug adorable Chrome.

*Italics are flashbacks and thoughts.


Standing tall with several stories, overlooking Namimori, stood Namimori Gakuen. Its walls were pale in yellow after so many years being opened, though it's proud stance never faltered. Many people entered and graduated from the school and some came out as some of the most powerful people on the face of the earth. That was not going to change for the years to come.

Large, but not abnormally large eyes, colored with chocolate brown and dark orange took a quick look at the towering building even though it was not standing on a hill. A hand rose and scratched untamed chocolate brown locks. The boy was short, but not too short, since it was possible that he had not had his growth spurt yet. There was proof all over his body, somewhat feminine facial features and a petite body shape, none of the angular masculine features evident anywhere.

A sigh escaped his lips. He did not have the energy to go to school. He never wanted to go to school. Reluctantly, he did since he did not want to worry his mother who had been taking care of him alone since his father was off "working". Arranging the strap of his school bag back on top of his shoulders, he entered the school, not expecting anything to happen at all.

The head of Namimori's Disciplinary Committee noticed the brunette herbivore walking into his beloved school. He had not noticed anything before but something was different, now that he paid attention. He could not exactly place a finger on it, so he tossed the small interest aside. Turning his heels into the other direction, his steel blue eyes took one quick glance at the herbivore before ripping them away. Why would a carnivore care for an herbivore? It should not unless it was a prey.

Unknown to the herbivore, two pairs of beings were watching him from across the street. It was rather strange, since they did knew each other but they were so far apart, yet one thing ran through their minds. They really wanted to meet the young male.


The fifteen year old, Sawada Tsunayoshi or Tsuna for short, was known for being notoriously stupid and clumsy aka Dame-Tsuna. He was constantly being bullied, lectured by teachers, happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and falling over things that were invisible to others. On the other hand, he had a different façade off the campus.

He had a different personality when he was in public. He was more open and confident, no sign of Dame-Tsuna anywhere. He clearly attracted attention wherever he went, but somehow when his bullies ever met him off campus, they would never recognize the boy but put it off as if he was someone completely different. It was as if his personality at school was just a charade to fool someone's eyes... Maybe it was the glasses he wore to hide his appearance even a bit.

No, he knew someone was watching him ever since he was small, so that was how come he acted like that. He knew he had relations to the Mafia, hoping the day will never come with that invitation, but he knew fate was not going to act in his favor.

Little to people's knowledge, Tsuna had little friends. The only close two friends he had were Rokudo Mukuro and Dokuro Chrome. Their location was currently unknown due to Mukuro hiding from Vendice, but they would come by to visit him, at least once a week. He knew of Mukuro's past since he too was involved in it but indirectly. Tsuna was always hesitating whether to tell the boy of his Mafia heritage, scared that the older teen did not want anything to do with him afterwards.

Mukuro found out when he overheard Tsuna conversing with Chrome one night, three years back.


"Tsunayoshi."

"HIEEE!" Tsuna immediately jumped when he heard his friend's voice, but something was different. It held no mischief but cold air. He slowly looked turned around, only to see a heavy and dark aura surrounding the older boy. "Mukuro… When did you come back?"

Mukuro cocked his head to the side, thinking whether to answer that question or not. "I thought I would surprise you when I came back, but I guess I was the one who the surprise instead. Now, let me ask. What you told Chrome, is that true?" Mukuro's eyes were asking Tsuna to tell him it was not true, but its overall emotion was anger and hatred.

Tsuna looked to the side, his hands at his sides. He wished he was standing up now, so he did not have feel Mukuro's glare at him. His hair covered his eyes, hiding emotion. "Yes… It's true. I'm Vongola Decimo…"

Mukuro almost snapped but kept calm. His scowl was replaced by a smirk. "Oya? What's this? I did not think the prey I was looking for was right underneath my nose. I am truly surprised that you still continue to come to me when I told you of my goal, yes?" He started walking towards Tsuna, his trident slowly materializing in his hand.

Tsuna made no sound. His eyes were fixed upon the trident, which was now placed near his neck. "To take down the Mafia world." His lips curved into a bittersweet smile.

Mukuro snapped all at once. "Idiot! Why aren't you escaping? Why do you choose to stay here when you know I will possess your body, you fool!" He glared at the boy, his face not changing at all. He slammed his trident on the ground, vines coming up wrapping themselves tightly around Tsuna. "You have no chance of running now."

"Mukuro-sama." Chrome called out, but Mukuro placed an arm back to stop her. "Tsuna-kun did not mean it. He was just looking for a way to tell you."

Mukuro scowled. "Is this how you wanted to tell me, Decimo?" He glared at Tsuna, who tried to resist before but now held no resistance. "Ugh… Why?"

"Because this is my punishment… I don't want to lose anyone important again…" Tsuna's eyes were hidden by his brunette locks, tears slowly exposed themselves as they slid down his cheek. "This way, we won't be seper-" Before Tsuna could finish, the vines had suddenly disappeared as he hit the ground. He looked up to see Mukuro, glaring at him, but his trident was nowhere to be seen. "Mukuro?"

Mukuro somewhat jumped when Tsuna called his name, but ignored it as he hastily walked out of the room and into the winter cold.

"Mukuro?" Tsuna scrambled up to run after him, only to have Chrome catch his arm. "Chrome! Why are you stopping me?" Her grip was rather tight on him.

"Tsuna-kun…" Chrome fumbled with her words as she tried to pick out the right ones to talk with. "Mukuro-sama needs some time alone now. You should know how it feels to lose a love one… That is what he is feeling right now; just he feels it as betrayal…"

Tsuna looked at Chrome. "I did betray him…"

Chrome let go of Tsuna's arm, as it hung limply by his side. "Tsuna-kun…"

Tsuna smiled a bit as he heard his name being called. "He just needs time, right? I'll wait in front for him, until he comes back. I want to talk to him and tell him that I am Decimo myself."

Chrome tried to grab Tsuna again, but he was too fast for her. She wanted to tell him to stop, but she laid that thought to rest as she saw the sudden determination on his face. "Good luck, Tsuna-kun."

Tsuna placed a peck on her cheek before he ran out. "Thank you, Chrome."

Chrome blushed as she saw her friend run out, but her face suddenly held no color as she remembered a thought. Her knees hit the ground as she held herself up by her arms. "Tsuna-kun, your kindness will be your greatness advantage as well as your disadvantage." She had seen the Mafia world firsthand, and it was not pretty as the one above it.

Mukuro did not know where his feet were leading him, but they somehow ended up back at the house. "Tch…" He knew Tsuna was related to the Mafia somehow, but never questioned the boy about it. Him being Decimo was unexpected. Was he infuriated that he had the Decimo right under his hands or that the Decimo turned out to be that boy? His hand ran through his hair in frustration. He knew his answer.

It was because the boy was Decimo. By then, he knew that he could never have his revenge on the Mafia world since he would not have the heart to possess the boy. Ha! He had a heart? That was certainly new.

Once he approached the porch, his eyes were caught b chocolate brown color. What was Tsuna doing out in this weather? He walked closer to the boy, noticing the color on the boy's face was quite red. What? Mukuro quickly took his glove off to touch the boy's hands, only to find it freezing. And he was out here waiting for him? That imbecile! Mukuro picked up the boy, heaving him up into his arms and kicked the door open.

When Chrome saw him, she immediately ran to get Tsuna's mother, who was scolding Mukuro for quite awhile for leaving Tsuna out like that even though it was not his fault.

Tsuna woke up to find Mukuro's hand over his, quite shock that the glove was off. His hand was surprisingly warm. Both of their hands were tainted, but this one covered his hands in gloves as if he was trying to keep them clean. Tsuna smiled at the thought, as he tried place a blanket over Mukuro, only to fall on top of the boy.

When Chrome entered the room, her face flared up in a crimson color. She had run up to check up on Tsuna since she heard a loud thump. She had not expected this, especially from Tsuna of all people.

Tsuna was on top of Mukuro, their faces mere centimeters apart. But since Tsuna was sweating from his fever, it looked as if he and Mukuro were "messing around". Mukuro woke up suddenly as he felt his head hit the ground, only to find Tsuna on top of him. This was truly a comprising position, especially when the blankets were tangled around them.

Tsuna's face was now crimson as he tried to get up from Mukuro, trying to convince Chrome that it did not look like what it seemed. "Chrome! It's not what you think. I was just trying to place a blanket on Mukuro, but I fell-!"Before Tsuna could finish, his head had been struck by a trident, that he was out cold once again.

Chrome noticed it was her trident. "Ah, Tsuna-kun!" She rushed to his side, somewhat erasing the scene in her mind, now worried about the sick unconscious boy. "Mukuro-sama, please help!"

Mukuro chuckled as he got himself up. "Kufufufu. Maybe I don't have to possess you after all, Decimo. This is already quite entertaining."

Chrome scolded him for saying that, only to have Nana appear at the door. Shivers were sent down their spines.

"Chrome-chan. Mu-chan. Why is Tsu-kun out of his bed with his sheets wrapped around Mu-chan?" It did not help when they both saw a black aura surrounding her appearance. (Yes, they both fainted, not wanting what would happen if they were still unconscious. Even the great Mukuro had someone to fear.)


Tsuna chuckled at the memory. When he woke up, he noticed his room was locked and that Chrome was placed his mother's room while Mukuro was locked in the attic, so he would have to access to him.

Chalk was chucked at him, hitting him squarely in the forehead. "Ow…"

"Sawada, pay attention in class instead of daydreaming." The teacher glared at him, ignoring the boy as he went back to the lesson.

"Hai…" But after a few seconds, his mind soon drifted away like the clouds. He knew the Mafia was coming closer, his invitation to become Vongola Decimo. But he did not know much it would affect him and his past was going to play a role in this. All he knew was that he could not become Decimo if he could not even save two people important to him.


Notes:

It's a fresh start. And a different story and fandom we're writing with. So there is going to be a lot of OCCness. In fact, there's going to be a lot, but we hope to get rid of it by the time we finish. If not, we hope it was a least a good read. It has been awhile since we last wrote a story like this. But we probably went with this anime/manga probably because we're hooked and kicked off of watching the episodes for twelve weeks. Yay...

Any criticism is helpful, so please review.