Yamamoto hadn't stopped talking to him after that. He wasn't bothering him or anything, but sometimes he came and ate lunch with Tsuna, and he started picking him for his team all the time. Tsuna wouldn't have minded, except that having apparently gained the friendship of such a popular guy made the bullies worse.
"Baka-Tsuna, what do you think you're doing hanging around a guy like Yamamoto?" One boy asked threateningly, attempting to loom over the smaller child. He and four of his fellows were surrounding the smaller boy in a semi-circle against a wall. They'd caught him in the morning a few blocks from the elementary, and were now keeping him from getting to class on time.
Tsuna raised his hands in front of him defensively, eyeing the four others in the group harassing him warily, "I'm not hanging around with him," he protested, "he's just being a good classmate." Not that he'd mind hanging around Yamamoto, he thought. The baseball ace was friendly and always seemed cheerful, and he didn't treat Tsuna like the dirt beneath his feat, unlike most.
It was looking like it might turn into a fight when someone spoke up behind the semi-circle of bullies.
"Herbivores." The six boys all stilled, "You are crowding and skipping class."
Tsuna watched absently as the five facing him paled, feeling a slightly vindictive pleasure as they turned to face the Demon of Namimori Middle. He'd be feeling even better if he wasn't also skipping class and 'crowding', even if it wasn't of his own volition. Hibari-san wasn't known to care about that sort of thing, after all.
One of the boys chose that moment to speak up, "Ah, Hibari-san, we were just making sure Sawada here made it to school, he was lagging behind, you see..." He trailed off uncertainly as the boy stared at him.
"You're lying." The thirteen-year-old said after a moment. Then he bared his teeth at them, "I will bite you all to death."
He waded into the group of terrified bullies, his tonfas making wince-worthy sounds against the others' bodies as he went. Tsuna tried to make himself as still as possible, hoping that if he didn't draw attention the Demon Prefect might just let him go to class after he was finished with the others.
No such luck; after leaving the five boys in a twitching pile on the ground, Hibari turned to Tsuna next. The brunet winced as he braced himself for impact, but after a few moments of nothing happening he looked up at the older boy curiously. Then he folded over as he took a tonfa to the stomach, falling on his hands and knees as the Prefect pulled away.
As he tried to regulate his breathing and hopefully avoid throwing up, he heard footsteps walking away from him. He glanced up as Hibari spoke, "Go to class, Herbivore, and don't cut again. I won't be so lenient next time."
As he was left alone in the street Tsuna eyed the other victims and vowed to try extra hard to never be late again.
A/N: -Does a happy dance-
So many favourites and follows! Ohmychalice, thanks guys!
-Flails-
Two of my favourite authors have read this. O/./O They even reviewed! Is this what fangirling is like? Eheh... -rubs back of neck-
As a side note, this was somewhat inspired by I Knew Them, a one-shot by SkyGem. I loved the idea so much that I had to take it further.
Also, writing Hibari is hard for me. I feel like I'm making him too stilted. Also, writing his catch phrase makes me feel silly.