Just to avoid confusion when reading:
Italics are thoughts.
–"These are memories or flashback of words said by someone." –
Asterisks (*) conforms to notes in the bottom page.
This is an AU!
Pairings: Allx27. Main: ?x27.
Status: Unbeta'd
Warnings: Slight OOC. Future cussing. Rated T for now, it might change in the future.
Disclaimer: I don't own KHR. Don't sue me. :c
~Prologue~
"You're willing to throw your life away for something like that? You're dumber than I thought, Dame-Tsuna." The man with ridiculous sideburns chuckled, taking a swift swig of his whiskey.
Tsuna, on the other hand, delivered his most deadly glare to the stranger beside him, who apparently found out his name (and infamous nickname) from his drunken rant earlier. "You wouldn't understand." Tsuna hiccupped, downing another glass of tequila. "Because I know you're the same as him." He spat venomously.
The stranger just raised his brow, lips smirked in amusement.
"…what do you guys get for playing us like this!? Does it feed your ego when you break people's hearts?"
The stranger chuckled, tilting his fedora down to cover his amused face.
"I –I… It was him who approached me first…" Tsuna rubbed his face on his jacket's sleeve, wiping shed tears away. "…he's the one who said…"
"He loves you?" The stranger supplemented, locking eyes with Tsuna's hazy ones.
–" Haha, just say a few sappy words, then they'll be eating on the palm of your hands, which by the way, is disgusting. Tsuna is just another idiot who fell for my trap. What a stupid shit."–
The words he heard repeated in his head and Tsuna downed another shot. By the end of his gulp, he already felt like his eyeballs would roll up his head.
"And you believed him? Stupid." The stranger shook his head. "He was bullying you for years and you didn't even felt suspicious when he approached you and tell you he likes you? Ah…your naivety surprises me."
"I-it wasn't like that!"
–"I know I've been bullying you…but…but I was just doing that to get your attention, you know. I like you, Sawada. Please, go out with me." –
"He..he said, he did that to get my a-attention! You…wouldn't understand… When I dated him, it was the first time I didn't felt alone. I've never had a friend so…I –I…"
Ahh, pity-party, the stranger thought. "Didn't you say everyone knew he plays around?"
Tsuna bit his lip to keep himself in silence.
"And yet, you believed him." The stranger shook his head.
Tsuna kept silent, seemingly thinking deep before sighing resignedly, and decidedly talked. "I… –I knew he…doesn't really like me when he…confessed." Lazily, tracing the mouth of his shot glass with his forefinger, Tsuna continued with audible slur in his words. "I said yes…so he'd stop bullying me…I –I just…didn't think…"
"You'd fall?"
Mind reader. Tsuna nodded.
The stranger took another swig, swerving his chair to face the obviously drunken Tsuna. "Then accept that you lost the game. Stop sobbing about it, Dame-Tsuna."
"…game? What…game?"
"Love. Idiot."
Tsuna breathed a single laugh of disbelief, looking at the stranger as if he has two heads, which at the moment was actually happening for his vision is doubled (but you get the point). "Y-you…Ha! I was right…You're just like him!"
A sudden slap to the back of his head occurred, courtesy of the stranger he's drinking with.
"Dame-Tsuna, you're a thousand years too early to point accusatory fingers at me." The stranger smirked smugly.
"But love…is not a game!"
"It is, Dame-Tsuna. You just refuse to believe it."
Tsuna rubbed the back of his head with a visible scowl on his face. The nerve. "I can't believe heartless people like you exist."
The stranger shook his head lightly, sighing aloud, almost feeling pity for the naïve young man. Keyword, almost. For he, the greatest hitman in the world, never felt pity for anyone.
"I'm wise, not heartless."
Tsuna snorted. "Sugar-coating it doe–" And another slap was received, but this time, the pain didn't register, for Tsuna's alcohol high kicked in full force. He stayed bowed; his words to say were already forgotten.
"It's a game where the first one to fall loses and the winner takes the prize."
Tsuna craned his head up, meeting the stranger's eyes. "P-prize?"
"The loser's sincerity."
"…sincerity?"
The stranger sighed, knowing the drunkard doesn't understand. He vaguely wondered if the other were sober, would it have made any difference? Not really wanting to sound sappy but somehow feeling there's no other choice, the stranger decided to explain his point as he fiddled with his fedora. "Love is sincere, Dame-Tsuna.
When you fall, there comes the uncontrollable urge to show your affections for the other, and without you knowing it, you'll find yourself doing it despite the efforts of not wanting to.
And the moment the other realizes they won, they could make use of that genuine affection you have for them in any way they please. Would they return it? Reject it? Or perhaps, use it for their amusement and purpose? It's all up to them.
All the loser could do is anticipate and see what the other will do."
Tsuna rested his head on his crossed arms, irritation shown on his face. Despite what the other had lectured, he still didn't believe that love is a game.
"Think about it, Dame-Tsuna. A game is about having fun. During the course of your-so-called date, you had fun. You admitted it yourself. But in every game, someone wins and someone loses. Will there be a prize? Not sure. But the winner would always indulge in his victory while the other could learn to suck it up and be sport about it, or be a sole loser and sob about it."
And the sobs started. Tsuna felt his shoulders shake as he tried to man up and stop the tears from falling. However, it felt like the alcohol numbed his face and left his tear ducts with own minds, shedding tears like his cheek's skin had suffered severe drought and in deep need of water.
"…Even i-in love…" Tsuna hiccupped. "..I-I'm still a l-loser."
The stranger rested his chin on his waiting palm, looking at the sobbing mess beside him. For once, he felt like patting the guy on the back but chose to refrain from it. He wasn't the type to touch people without hidden agenda. What this guy needs was sincere feelings of care and compassion –things he couldn't ever give.
"…I –I don't w-want to feel…l-like this anymore… I don't w-wanna feel like this ever again!"
Although, the stranger couldn't give compassion, there's always something he can provide. So with a smirk, the stranger replied. "How sure are you with that?"
Tsuna lifted his head slightly, glancing at the stranger with one eye. "Huh?"
…I'm getting tired of explaining things to this kid. "About wanting to never feel like this again."
Tsuna snorted, head plopping back on his arms. "Damn sure."
If one thought it wasn't possible, the stranger's unnerving smirk grew wider into a mischievous smile. "Then, I'll help you stop being a loser, Dame-Tsuna."
"Yeah, right."
And another slap to the back of his head occurred, making him sat up and cradle his sore head. "S-stop that already!"
And another one was what he received. Tsuna hazily wondered if he developed concussions by now, surprised he hasn't passed out yet. "W-what would you receive from this a-anyway!? I –I don't have anything on me… I'm useless and n-never good at anything. I d-don't even have money to compensa–"
The stranger held up a palm, motioning for the other to shut up. "I don't need your money. I have so much that I don't even know what to do with it. You, on the other hand, need the help. You are too pathetic to be left alone." He swirled the glass of whiskey in his hand as he continued inwardly. And what I'm getting from this is pure entertainment, of course.
Tsuna met the other's eyes. Was it even possible for people like him to exist? And as he thought of those words, he looked at the stranger as if he was heaven-sent, a Good Samaritan willing to help a stranger and pathetic loser like him out. And he smiled like a dork, asking. "..R-really? Y-you'd help me for nothing?"
And the stranger chuckled silently in amusement. Too trusting and naïve. He'd be hard work. "You'd be a challenge but I'm sure of my skills. I will help you out but my training is quite extreme, it's best that you be prepared, Dame-Tsuna. By the end of this, I assure you, you won't be the one to cry. It would be them."
"B-but, I don't want anyone to cry…"
And another slap was thrown his way, this time, however, Tsuna dodged, only to be smacked with the other hand. "OW!"
"It's either you are the loser or the winner, Dame-Tsuna. Are you in or out? This is the only time I'd ask."
Tsuna blinked. Was it right to trust this stranger? But the haze of the alcohol kept him from thinking twice and just as long as the pain he feels in his chest would never be felt again, he was willing to take the hand offered to him. He grabbed the stranger's outstretched hand and shook it.
Little did Tsuna know, that by shaking the stranger's hand, he was almost sealing a deal with the devil. And if he had seen the other's mischievous grin, he would realize the rashness of his decision.
"Good choice, Dame-Tsuna," Because I never take no for an answer. "My name is Reborn. And I'll make a femme fatale* out of you."
"A what…?"Tsuna uttered before a pistol was pointed on the middle of his forehead. With wide eyes and pale face, Tsuna trembled. "R-R—Reb-b-born-s-san…!?"
"Lesson number one, never show fear."
And with a loud bang, Tsuna saw his world go black.
~End of Prologue~
Sorry, the prologue is pretty short. The following chapters would be longer. :)
Femme Fatale* (via Wikipedia) is a stock character of a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art. [Just for clarification, Reborn didn't mean it literally. XD]
Can you guys guess who the bully/first love of Tsuna is? XD
:::
OMAKE: (Please don't take this seriously)
"It's a game where the first one to fall loses and the winner takes the prize."
Tsuna craned his head up, meeting the stranger's eyes. "P-prize?"
"The loser's virginity."
"HIIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!?"
::: Feel free to shoot me. c: :::