A/N: I'm so so sorry this chapter took so long! But I lost inspiration in it for a long time (I hadn't planned for Gokudera) and then I wandered around several fandoms (MAGI IS AWESOME) before I finally returned... AND THIS CHAPTER IS VERY SHORT! But that's because I like the way this chap ends, and I have two exams tomorrow which I have not studied for... (Might I mention that those two happen to be my worst subjects too? :D) I'll try to update again tomorrow! Luckily I already have a vague idea how to continue this. So it'll sorta be Chapter 5 part 1 and part 2? Nevertheless, ENJOY! (hopefully...) AND THANKS FOR READING 3 3 3
Warnings: Um if you've gotten this far in my fic I don't think any is needed? (Bullying, angst, the like)
Disclaimer: Don't own!
(to the Guest reviewer: sorry I don't understand what you're saying ;-;)
Chapter 5
Tsuna looked down the hall to see five seniors stalking towards him, faces twisted into grotesque sneers and smug expressions. 998, his mind supplied, resigned to his fate.
He did not even consider running away, because he had long since realised - and decided - there was no point in doing that.
"Oi, Dame-Tsuna, watcha doing here so late after school, huh?"
"It's because your mama doesn't want you at home, isn't it?" The leader of the group smiled cruelly, the others sniggering and adding in their own two cents' worth.
Turning his head down and averting his eyes, Tsuna began tuning them out, once again withdrawing into himself. As one of them shoved him gleefully onto the ground, he didn't protest or fight back, allowing his limbs to go limp and his eyes to glaze over. They punched and kicked at him, taunted and made fun of him, and they didn't stop until he was a bloody mess on the floor, self-preservation instincts curling him into a ball of shattered pride.
With the last words 'just off yourself already, and save us the trouble', the seniors left, laughing amongst themselves and casually sidestepping the drops of crimson splattered all around Dame-Tsuna. It was not until they were out of sight that Tsuna slowly clambered to his feet, collapsing several times before succeeding. Of course he had not mentioned it, but the reason he had stayed so late in school was because he had already been beaten up once, and clearing up the area afterwards (the blood would tarnish the school's reputation and scare the students, and as unpleasant as his memories of the place were, he still loved Nami-chuu) had taken a while. Even for his body used to taking beatings and enduring pain, getting beaten brutally twice in a row was a little too much to handle.
Nevertheless, he stood up, added a new stroke to his once-yellow notebook, and headed to the nearest classroom to get a mop. Unfortunately, he had to pause every few steps to wait for the red in his vision to fade. He never got to his destination, however, for a shriek that sounded suspiciously like his brother caught his attention. Driven almost against his will, he raced to a window on his left where the sound had come from, an uncharacteristic fear speeding through his veins. He was just in time to see the transfer student launch a frightening number of dynamite sticks at Ienashi. He didn't even question whether the dynamite were real - one look at Gokudera's dark expression and the truth was apparent. He was out to kill.
A silent scream lodged in his throat and for a moment, he felt as though his heart had stopped beating and his lungs had ceased working. Without even thinking, Tsuna threw himself out of the second storey window, one thought drowning everything else in his mind: there's no bloody way I'd let him get hurt again.
Crashing into the other brunet, Tsuna barely had time to take in the look of wide-eyed surprise on Ienashi's face when his Hyper Intuition suddenly took over his body, shifting him to the left to better protect his brother. Before he even knew what was happening, something had pierced his forehead and thrown him backwards, his fierce grip on Ienashi pulling him along. He realised with startling clarity and apathy that he was going to die, and nothing would be able to prevent that fact.
Time seemed to slow down, a million thoughts going through his mind, and he saw everything down to the last detail: Reborn's shock and despair, Gokudera's look of bewilderment, and his brother's surprise, joy, and ...anger. Was he angry that Dame-Tsuna had attempted to save him? He felt a deep sadness settle in his heart, something that he had not experienced for a long time, and the last thing he remembered was shifting his brother's body under him so that he would not be hurt by the blast.
So quietly that Ienashi almost missed it, he whispered, "I'm sorry…"
His brother asked quietly, his voice haunted and hoarse but strangely resigned, "What for?"
Before Tsuna had a chance to answer, darkness had eagerly consumed him and he fell to the ground, lifeless. Ienashi could only stare in uncomprehending horror and denial as dynamite exploded deafeningly around the two brothers.
Muahahahaha, I just love cliffhangers. Don't you?
On another note, Shizuku Natsume (my imouto-chan/friend in real life) had forced me to adopt her one piece fanfic, Wanderer. She had literally dumped it on me, saying 'YOU CANNOT DECLINE!' I don't know whether I'll continue it or not, but I'll try :)
