Bright white light spilled over his still body, his eyes closed and his breathing even. Soft white gauze was bandaged up and down his forearms, clipped neatly into place with a metal piece. His school uniform was replaced with a blue dotted hospital gown and a thin white robe over the garment, masking the bandages.
Seven older men were sitting across the hospital bed from their counterparts and Iemitsu Sawada, who was holding Nana. Gokudera had his head in his hands, muttering brokenly about failing him, apologies mingling in with his mumbles. Yamamoto was numbly patting the storm guardian absently on the back, staring in shock in front of him, tears slipping down his face without knowing. Hibari was pacing restlessly across the tiles, a white knuckled grip held on his tonfas; even Hibird was silent. Mukuro was standing in the corner, staring blankly up at the tiled roof with his trident held in a deathgrip, biting his lip so hard it was beginning to bleed. Ryohei was clutching the arms of his chair so hard the metal was beginning to dent, and he was gritting his teeth so violently he was shaking in silent distress, tears sliding down his red face. Lambo was staring confusedly around him, wondering why Tsuna-nii wasn't waking up and buying him some grape candy.
Coyote Nougat, Schnitten Brabanters, Brow Nie Jr., Visconti, Ganauche III, and Broche Croquant were staring at Timoteo, they hadn't seen him look this old in a long time.
Tsuna groaned, letting his head roll sideways onto the hospital pillow, his eyes scrunching closed. Timoteo stood up, pulling his chair closer to the hospital bed as this happened, he grabbed Tsuna's hand, holding it in between his.
Timoteo squeezed his grandson's hand gently, "Tsuna? Can you hear me little one?"
The fourteen year old let out another groan, weakly squeezing back, "Grandpa?"
The mafia boss carefully brushed back the brunettes bangs, whispering, "Si Tsunayoshi?"
The wide brown eyes were shining with unshed tears of confusion, "Wh-Where am I?"
Timoteo ran a calming hand through Tsuna's hair, holding back tears, "You are in the Vongola base in Japan, we're in the hospital wing Il mio leoncino."
Tsuna shakily looked down to his wrists, tears spilling down his cheeks as he looked back up at his grandfather, "I'm so sorry Grandpa, they wouldn't stop-"
The old man hushed the crying teen, kissing him on the forehead, "Hush Piccolo, it's all right..."
Timoteo took hold of his grand child's chin, staring back at the trembling teen, "Tsuna, I need you to tell me this, this is very important Il mio leoncino. When was the last time you took your medication?"
The teen stared back at his grandpa with confusion, his voice cracking when he answered, "Wh-what medicine?"
His grandpa questioned urgently, "The pills, Tsunayoshi, the pills!"
His expression grew horrified as he paled and began shaking his head rapidly, closing his eyes as he attempted to jerk away, he screamed, scrambling backwards towards the edge of the bed, "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! I'm not taking the pills, you can't make me!"
Tsuna sobbed hysterically, beginning to hyperventilate, Iemitsu stood up, quickly buffering his son so he wouldn't fall off the bed.
The panicking teen lept forward, seizing his Grandfather by the shoulders, pleading, "Please Grandpa, I'll be a good boy, don't lock me back in there! They hurt me, they tell me lies, they make me think bad thoughts, I don't want to be back there! Non farti tornare indietro! PER FAVORE NONNO, NON VOGLIO TORNARE NEL LUOGO MALE!"
Ganauche and Coyote stood up aiming to help their boss out, Ganauche called out behind him, "Nurse! We need his medication!"
Ganauche went around the bed and held the fourteen year old, who bucked out with surprising strength, letting out a feral scream. Tsuna's hands went back, groping blindly at air until they seized handfuls of the blonde and black hair. Ganauche hissed, the thirty six year old locking his arms more firmly around the thin teen as he ignored the pain when Tsuna jerked violently at his locks. Coyote seized the Vongola heirs legs, preventing him from kicking out at him, carefully holding the leg with his mechanical arm as not to squeeze hard enough to bruise.
The nurse ran in, holding a tray with a small paper cup on it; Tsuna caught sight of it, and promptly shrieked. He struggled harder against the two men's grasp, his sobs becoming more frantic and hysterical. Timoteo took the cup and climbed onto the bed, pouring the pills out into his hand and taking hold of the his grandchild's jaw. Tsuna clamped his jaw shut, trying to jerk his chin away, making muffled noises of distress.
Timoteo placed his forefinger and thumb on either side of his cheeks, squeezing gently, yet firmly, enough to get his mouth to open. He pressed each of the pale pink capsules into his mouth, closing it for him.
Timoteo commanded, "Swallow."
Tsuna made a motion in his throat, staring defiantly at his grandfather. Timoteo eased up the pressure on his grandson's jaw, staring cautiously at him. Tsuna immediately spat out the three pills into his face, turning his head and spitting out saliva, a growl low in his throat. The guardians holding the defiant teenager jaws dropped, staring down at the teen. Timoteo stared back at Tsuna, wiping the spittle off his face as he stared sadly at his grandson.
He stated quietly, "Get the nurse to administer the sedative."
Tsuna let out a haunting scream, his body shaking violently against Ganauche and Coyote, the residents of the room hearing something they never wished to hear again. The scream of a broken child.
Timoteo reached forward and wrapped his arms around his grandson, pressing comforting kisses to his forehead, "Shh, it will be all right my little one..."
Tsuna quit bucking, slumping against Ganauche, and resting his head against Timoteo's shoulder, he whispered, "I'm not crazy..."
Timoteo gently rubbed his back, whispering back, "I know little one, I know..."
Tsuna sobbed against his grandfathers shoulder, dejectedly giving his arm to the nurse when she asked to replace the I.V. he had ripped out of his arm during the struggles. As Timoteo pulled the ruffled sheets around his grandson, he stopped when Tsuna weakly placed his hand on top of Timoteo's aged one.
The teen looked up at his grandfather with pleading eyes, "Don't lock me away... Please? I promise I'll be a good boy, I promis..."
His words trailed off as the sedative began its cycle within his system, his words slurring as his childlike eyes shuttered closed, his body going limp.
Timoteo bent down once more and pressed a kiss to his forehead, whispering, "Sleep well my child, you have a great battle to come..."
*Sniffles* I feel so bad... but I promise, he will get better! ...maybe, after all, the best people are insane as they say, yes? *sorely tempted to say da? instead...* Tsu-kun is gonna be fine! Depending on your definition... But yes! Fine!
Non farti tornare indietro!: Don't make me go back!
Il mio leoncino: My little lion
Piccolo: Little one, child
Per favore nonno, non voglio tornare nel luogo male: Please Grandpa, I don't want to go back into the bad place!
Review! Yeah, only one people...
al ilmo our: I know! ~~~ Tsu-kun ~~~