Disclaimer: KHR is not mine, nor do any of the characters belong to me. I make no profit.


The difficulty in going unheard is that eventually, you just expect it.

Tsuna knows that he can use his vocal chords, the flinches from those around him when he shrieks is proof of that. But sometimes he wonders because so much of what he says is either ignored or re-interpreted completely. And so, if he shrieks sometimes more than he really needs to (desensitization training from Reborn is actually affective, you know) just to make sure that he gets heard a little-

well.

Because the more things change, the more things stay the same.

Tsuna doesn't resent his growing 'family', not really. But they don't listen to him any more than the bullies did/do, or his teachers, or his dad (or his mom, but that is a rebellious thought), or Reborn. Tsunayoshi is just swept away time and again, and he wonders how long it will be until he's finally tossed away for good, voiceless as ever.

But he loves them all in a way that hurts, and the debt to Vongola keeps piling higher and higher as he realizes just how much he has changed for the better with Reborn's training, how much he can't survive without his friends.

To counterbalance of course, are the years spent without a father and the current death threats and a short life that will be spent 'fixing' a criminal empire ending in violent death but Tsuna is pretty sure he's the only one currently keeping tab.

He can't help it, though. Tsuna really, really wants his family to care about his own interests as much as he cares for theirs. Because it's give and take both ways and maybe it's selfish, but right now it feels like his parents relationship where his mother supports and smiles and cooks and his dad is just gone. Okay, so yes, there is a bit of resentment still. Maybe his dad thought he was doing the right thing. Maybe Tsuna doesn't want to abandon his mother the same way. Whatever.

Ah, but apparently, Tsuna is still useless enough (except when little things like the world are on the line) to be ignored. Even by his friends. Especially by his tutor.

Vongola, Reborn, his stupid father- their real cruelty comes in hooking Tsuna into a lifestyle he can't live without at a price he can't live with.

(But he will, for a while)


Slight edit: This is now chapter two. The fic is now almost chronological.