Author's Note a.k.a the lamest excuse I've ever made: I decided that I need to finish this story. I've made too many people waiting long enough for updates (THREE whole freakin' months!!) and just because the manga didn't turn out to be what I've imagined, I want to stop all of this? Nu-uh… ^shakes head^ I'm way better than that! Even though yes, chapter 218 and 219 have destroyed almost everything I've planned for this story, I know that I still need to finish this one no matter what. Now that we all read chapter 218 and 219, I think it's the best that I mark this story as AU.
So, from here on, The World Ten Years Ago is an AU fic (as much as I hate making AUs). This story is about what would happen if the TYL characters that were switched back with their present selves aren't trapped in that round machine and go back to the past instead. Here is the new data of this story:
Title:: The World Ten Years Ago
Author:: moi… aka leriko (ai hyet dis yuzerniem! Thinking about changing it. -_-)
Rating:: M (for blood, language, violence (in laaaaateeeeerrr parts), implied nudity and sexual activities, time paradox theories, and some things minors should not read)
Genre:: General/Adventure
Character(s):: Kinda Gokudera-centric, but will have the others' POV in some parts. Other characters are; the people who were sent back to the past, some characters of the present time (Dino, Romario, Fuuta, Bianchi, etc.)
Pairing(s):: Mainly 5986, but it isn't the main focus of this story (I just loved them so much, used to…), others are; TsunaKyoko, and some really slightly implied pairings if you squint really, really hard.
Warnings:: This is AU. What do you expect from AU? Maybe just some spoilers for the earlier parts of the Future Arc if you haven't read until the latest chapters, yet. And this fic is put under the rating 'M' not because it has many sexually explicit scenes or goorish blood+violence. Maybe just a little… But! It is confusing enough for minor to understand. So, if you aren't 15 or above or at least you know what you've been reading about, don't read this any longer. I don't want to taint some innocent children's mind with my fics (as if any of KHR fangirls/fanboys are innocent…^sarcasm intended^)
Current Status:: Chapter 8; released, Chapter 9; 85% to go, Chapter 10; plot bunnies state, Intermission II; 90% to go, Chapter 11; maybe, IF I still have the mood to finish this.
Summary:: So, what if the TYL characters were actually sent back to the future? What would they do in the world then years back? What could they do to prevent the future from happening? AU fic. Detailed information in ch8's Author's Note.
With the new data ready, let's just re-begin our adventure again, shall we? And before that… I can't forget this troublesome thing to do every time I upload a new chapter, can't I?
Disclaimer:: Why did I want to own this series? I don't have enough money for my cake making studies already and you want me to waste more on drawing this series? Geez… Just let Akira Amano does that for us, kay?
PS:: And I really am sorry for making everyone waiting for almost three whole months and you only get this bit of the story. I can't help it. I just need to post this up before the end of the year even though I know that this chapter is the shortest chapter EVER. I really really apologize to everyone and please if you feel the need to flame me because of the shortness of the fic, please do. m(_ _)m. Er... I also just put up a little poll in the profile page. If you, readers, have the time then please proceed to the poll and help me. ^^;;
Chapter 8 Dreams
One step…
Two steps…
Three steps…
Four steps and he stood in front of that closed custom made coffin once more.
The lingering smell of morning dew seeped through his nose. He could feel the damp air on his skin. The forest was silent. No chirping birds. No cricket's sound. No movements from the tree leaves. There was nothing at all. It felt like the time had stopped and it was only him who could move.
He kneeled beside the coffin. The Vongola Famiglia emblem embedded on it and the large Roman number of ten below the emblem made him felt the enormous guilt again.
The fresh dew smell suddenly replaced by the smell of blood, gunpowder, and burnt flesh. The forest around him disappeared and changed into houses. The earth floor below him changed into concrete. He looked down to the only thing in front of him. The coffin was still there. But this time it was opened.
Fresh flowers covered the empty coffin. The smell of the flowers mixed with the smells of blood, gunpowder and burnt flesh. It made him sick. He covered his mouth and nose with his hands. His bloody hands…
The empty coffin was not empty all of a sudden. While the repulsive smells kept attacking his senses, he eyed the body inside the coffin. He could feel his tears flowing out of his eyes when he realized he would experience his worst nightmare once more.
That brown hair. That light brown but bloodied eyes. That orange Carnelia stone ring. That gloves. That bullet holes on the chest. That face. His boss. His friend. His brother.
'Reborn, hang on! Quick, Gokudera-kun! There's too much radiation!!'
'Boss! It's too dangerous!'
'We have to save Reborn, Gokudera-kun!'
'Tsu… na…'
'Wait… Reborn… Don't die on me, Reborn. Let's go! We'll save you!'
'Tsuna! Hurry up! They're coming after us! Get the little guy out of here!'
'Boss!'
'Hey… Tsuna…'
'Don't speak anymore, Reborn! What should I do? What should I do?'
'Heh… No-Good Tsuna…You're the Boss. You… should know what… to do. Gath…'
'BOSS! GET DOWN!!!'
One gunshot…
Two gunshots…
Three gunshots…
Four gunshots… and the repulsive smells attacked him again. Reborn-san's body was burnt by the radiation into nothingness. His boss' body fell down and quickly a pool of blood formed below him. He ran to his boss. He tried to stop the blood from pouring out. But it was useless. The bullets hit his boss' heart four times. It should have killed his boss instantly.
'Go… Gokudera…kun… Please... gather… the… the… Guar… Guardians…'
And once again, his boss died. His boss' bloods covered his hands. Then the body disappeared. A young boy replaced it and sat inside the coffin. The younger Tenth looked at him. Those light brown eyes were full of insecurities.
'Gokudera-kun… Why is the future me… in a coffin?'
He couldn't answer.
'Is it your fault?'
-
"Gokudera! WAKE UP!!"
Gokudera wake up abruptly when he felt his cheek stinging from pain.
"Uh… That's a little bit harsh, Yamamoto-kun."
"It's better than drenching him in cold water. Oi! Wake up!"
Gokudera muttered a line of curses in Italian under his breath as he sat up from the long couch where he had been sleeping the night before. "You're going to die, moron… How dare you slap me when I'm sleeping."
"Hahahaha," Yamamoto laughed and pat Gokudera's shoulder. "You want your nightmare to continue? I can put you back to sleep again, if you want to."
"Fuck off!" Gokudera brushed Yamamoto's hand away. "What time is it?"
"Nine o'clock in the morning, Hayato. Are you having nightmares again?" Haru asked him. She kneeled in front of him to check his condition. "I can't wake you up when you keep trashing all over and I have to ask Yamamoto-kun to wake you up."
Gokudera massaged his head and cheek while he rearranged his thoughts. Nightmares always made his thoughts scattered all around the place when he woke up. He perked up suddenly when Haru wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Nine o'clock?!" he yelped and stood up quickly. He turned sharply to the bed's direction, it was empty.
"Yes… You've overslept. It's okay, though. You need more sleep," Yamamoto said to him.
"Where's Kyoko?! Where is she?" Gokudera demanded while shaking Yamamoto's shoulder.
"She's with Romario-san right now," Haru answered, looking bewildered at her husband's reaction. "Romario-san wants to check her ankle. What's wrong, Hayato?"
Gokudera let Yamamoto's shoulders go and sighed as he sat down on the couch. He leaned his head back and covered his eyes with one hand to avoid Yamamoto's and Haru's eyes.
"What are you afraid of, Gokudera?" Yamamoto sat beside him and cast a concerned look to him. "She's safe here. Dino-san's men are guarding this place from all sides."
Gokudera kept his silence as he remembered his nightmare. It was too vivid. Too real. And looking at Kyoko's empty bed made him thinking about all the worst possibilities. What if someone abducted her while he was asleep? What if the person, or people, who attacked them yesterday came and killed her? It would be his fault all over again.
'Is it your fault?'
Gokudera shook his head and tried to forget his dream. But his boss' accusing voice resounded in his mind over and over again. It's just a dream, stupid! The Tenth would never accuse you! He thought to himself. Wouldn't he? Another voice said in his mind.
Yamamoto and Haru looked at each other when Gokudera started to mumbled incoherent words. They were really confused by his behavior.
"Hayato?" Haru called him. She sat in his other side and took his hand away from his face. "What's wrong with you?"
"Should I make him sleep again?" Yamamoto suggested when Gokudera still closed his eyes and didn't respond. He balled up his fist and ready to put Gokudera back to his deep slumber.
Haru shook her head. "Hayato!" She called her husband again but to no avail.
"The Tenth won't say that… He won't… It's not…"
Yamamoto frowned at Gokudera's rambling. "Hey, Gokudera! Just cut it out already! This isn't funny!"
And then, Gokudera slumped slowly to Haru's direction. Haru caught his head and put it on her lap.
"He's… asleep…" Haru said as she brushed a few strands of silvery gray hair away from her husband's eyes. She looked up to Yamamoto and tilted her head. "What are we going to do now?"
Yamamoto sighed and he frowned again when he looked at Gokudera's sleeping form. "Just let him sleep again, then."
"But, isn't Dino-san wants to talk about something?"
"It's alright. I'll fill him in later." Yamamoto stood up and pulled Gokudera's feet up to the couch. "You should stay here, Haru."
"Okay."
After Yamamoto left the room, Haru looked at her husband's sleeping face. She was sure he was dreaming again from his eyes movement. But at least it wasn't a nightmare because he wasn't thrashing all over just like before. She stroked his cheek and put her own head on his shoulder.
"It's not your fault, Hayato…"
A/N: I solemnly swear that I am ready for all form of rage and flames from the readers. T-T. The next chapter will not be posted unless I receive a comment from any readers (be it flame or review) that you all feel the need for me to continue.
