AN: I forgot to say in the first chapter, but this is a series of short snippets that take place in (somewhat) chronological order, detailing a world where Tsuna has a twin but everything else is pretty much similar to canon (for now).

This will be filled with all the tropes I personally enjoy because it's really just a way for me to get back into writing – in other words it might not be anything grand and will probably have little plot and infrequent updates with really short chapters. This is pretty much just a mix between writing practice and something fun to come back to. This also means there is no beta bc we die like men!


On the other side of the world, Tsuna is suffering.

After a night of tossing and turning, his hair is puffier by at least five centimeters. There's no time to fix it so Tsuna looks on the bright side and is grateful it adds to his abysmal height.

Tsuna hops out of bed (taking a few seconds to fall flat on his face) and after alternating between dressing and tripping for a few minutes, is out the door with his uniform jacket half buttoned up and his shoes slipping off his feet.

His alarm clock had broken some weeks before and Tsuna had been consistently late to school ever since. His mum was sweet and perfect and utterly oblivious to everything and anything around her including her son's descent into truancy – she'd giggle as she watched her 'clumsy, Dame-Tsu-kun' trip down the stairs at half past ten and scramble to put on his shoes without stopping before hurling out the door, but never seemed to take it upon herself to wake him up in the mornings or, you know, get Tsuna a knew alarm clock. By now, the bruises from Hibari's daily morning punishments were starting to layer. Tsuna's bruises were getting bruises.

Tsuna doesn't blame her too much, he knows the real culprit behind absolutely everything that had happened to him.

Natsu is the perfect child. Smart, charming, athletic...

Tsuna can just picture his dumb face as he explains sweetly to mum that 'Dame-Tsuna doesn't have club activities in the morning so it's totally fine if he sleeps in! Besides, you have to stop babying him so much mum, he's fourteen this year and needs to learn how to grow.' Of course mum listens, she always listens to Natsu.

Tsuna arrives at school just as first period came to an end, the sound of the bell draining all the energy out of his body as he collapses onto the ground by the school building, panting up a storm. His noodle legs just weren't made for endurance. At least Hibari isn't there to greet Tsuna–

"Herbivore."

Ah. There he is.

"This is the third week you have skipped first period. For truancy and consistent disregard of school rules, you–"

"I'msosorrywon'thappenagainIswearbye!" Tsuna screeches and bolts in the opposite direction, not looking back until he's safely in the building. Hibari seems to have given up on chasing, wandering off somewhere to most likely take a nap. Tsuna's just glad he doesn't have to deal with more bruises on his poor, bruised bruises.

He slips into his seat just as the teacher walks in. Nezu-sensei spots Tsuna immediately and his lips purse, face bulging as if he's on the verge of bursting a vein. He grabs some water and an aspirin before addressing Tsuna, using every synonym in the book for 'useless waste of space'. Tsuna sinks down in his desk, red faced.

Still, even second period with a red-faced, infuriated Nezu-sensei isn't too bad when the alternate option is another day spent in the nurse's office. It isn't good, but Tsuna's too grateful for the lack of beating to really hate Nezu as much as he usually does. Of course, Nezu was never the worst part of school.

"Psst, Dame-Tsuna, late again, huh? Did your dad forget to wake you up? Oh right, you don't have a dad!"

Tsuna buries his head in his arms and prays they'll lose interest soon. Part of him wants to snap back, another part of him is whimpering and wants to beg them to stop.

"What, can't say anything? I guess you're just too dumb to talk back to us." The kid sniggers unpleasantly, kicking Tsuna's desk. As if endlessly amused by this incredibly witty comment, half the class erupts into snickers. The poor teacher looks on, ignoring the titters with admirable resolve, and Natsu, sitting at the front of the class, turns to shoot Tsuna a smug grin. The kid beside Tsuna, the one whose foot had just made contact with Tsuna's desk, perks up at Natsu's attention, if prince Natsu himself approves, surely they must be doing something right. Popularity was in reach!

"Dame-Tsuna isn't saying anything because he knows you're right," Natsu adds, still turned around. He grabs a piece of paper on his desk, scrunches it up and throws it at Tsuna. The paper bounces off Tsuna's head. The teacher is desperately trying not to see Natsu's obvious rule breaking, looking everywhere but Natsu's general direction.

Tsuna gives a little twitch, but doesn't lift his head. He's a veteran and knows well enough that it gets worse if he looks up or replies. He already knows he's useless and stupid, he may be dumb and failing all his classes but after the first year of being told the same thing repeatedly by half his classmates, even Tsuna managed to retain some information.

"No one wants you around, stupid Tsuna. Not even mum."

Natsu turns back around proudly. The class resumes like normal, taking their cues from their king. Tsuna bites back a sigh.