OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.
Start
This is how the beginning of the end starts.
Stories
She can hear them calling for her. Telling her she needs to come down, that it'll be alright. That this life, this existence, is valuable to them.
Byakuran smiles at her. All she can see is a destroyer of worlds. "Are you really going to break their hearts now, Nori-chan? After all of that work you put into them? Could you go without knowing how the story ends?"
But she does. She's lived through the story's end once. She's died through the story's end once. All that happens is an end. The closing of a book is only a grave disguised as relief.
"Go," she tells this being who sees almost as much as she does. "You don't belong here." He has a chance in this world. A chance to be something that he hasn't been before, in all of his many, many incarnations.
He just laughs at her. "I'll see you later," Byakuran says and tips backwards. His fall off the water tower is almost graceful. She doesn't bother watching him fly back to his family.
Hers is still calling. She doesn't know how to answer.
Offer
Tsuna comes for her eventually. He was waiting for -
He doesn't know. For Nori to come down by herself. For Nori to hear them? For Nori to make a choice, and for that choice to be them?
But that's unfair. Selfish.
If Nori can't come to them, then he'll go to her.
Tsuna's Will blazes bright and warm in the midst of the rain. He leaves the cold ground behind him and reaches.
When he lands beside her, he doesn't know whether it's Reiki Noriko or Cervello Cynthia looking up at him through those familiar eyes. Tsuna finds he doesn't care. He would make this decision either way. He would love this girl either way.
Tsuna holds out an open hand. An invitation. An offer. A road back to warmth and family.
Years and years ago, it was what she offered him.
"You must be cold," he says. "Come on, let's go home."
A minute creeps by. Then another. His hand doesn't waver.
And finally, she reaches up and takes it.
Embraces
In one life, she hugged Elena almost daily. Or, rather, Elena hugged her almost daily. Right up until she was laid in the uncaring earth and took her light with her.
In one life, Giotto had a habit of hugging her as a form of comfort. The last time he hugged her was when they both knew that Daemon was going to betray them and neither of them could - would - stop him. Not if it meant resorting to lethal measures.
In one life, G. preferred ruffling her hair. Ugetsu placed his hand on her shoulder when she needed the support. Alaude wasn't one for hugs. Knuckle was fond of trying to squeeze people to death, so everyone avoided his hugs as much as possible. Lampo liked to hide behind her skirts.
Cynthia hugged her babies to her chest once before giving them to her husband for safe-keeping. They were so soft and fragile, and she still doesn't know how they died.
No one hugged her when she was dying. There was no one left to hug her when she was dying.
In both of her lives, she's only hugged Daemon twice. Once when Elena died. Once when Daemon died.
The last time, he whispered in her ear, "I could have loved you" like the bastard he was.
Why tell her now? Why does it matter now? How dare he tell her now!? Who gave him the audacity to -
It's not as if. Not as if she didn't echo the sentiment. She could have loved him. Could, would, should. What do these words even mean? Really mean?
Nothing.
But he said them anyways. And now she has to live with them.
Things would be so much easier if she hated him.
Home
They bring her to Kyoya's, who doesn't even protest. Takeshi shoos away the Simon and Mukuro's gang, smiling all the while. Hayato fusses over her, tsking over her wet clothes, her bare feet, her chilled skin. Ryohei has already healed all of her cuts and bruises, earnestly telling her that they're not very extreme.
They've left the children with Nana. She's glad. They don't need to see this. They've seen enough already. Over the phone call, Tsuna reassures Lambo, I-Pin, and Fuuta that Nori's alright and that they'll see her when she's strong enough and to behave for Mama, okay?
Kyoya just throws a yukata at her and tells her to stop dripping on his tatami mats.
They settle her next to the kotatsu and pile blankets on her. Someone coaxes her into drinking hot tea, eating some pastries. Somehow, they eventually end up in a pile of tired teenagers, with Kyoya eyeing them disdainfully from his couch.
Still, she shivers. She's so tired.
When she closes her eyes again, she sleeps for four days.
Sincerity
Tsuna places his hand over hers. His eyes are large and honest. "Do you want me to call you Nori-chan or Cynthia-chan?" he asks.
It takes effort for her to not flinch at that name coming from his mouth. "I was born Reiki Noriko in this life," she says. "Call me what you've always called me."
His smile is every bit as sweet and sincere as it was when they first met on that playground. "Okay," Tsuna agrees. "You'll always be Nori-chan to me."
If that's who she is to Tsuna...maybe that's who she should start living as. Maybe Cynthia can rest with Daemon and Elena.