Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any other recognizable enterprises. Nor do I make money off them.

Before the Bullet

Chapter Three: Playing Normal

The simple goal was revised to add an important complication: Byakuran had to die before Reborn arrived. Tsuna refused to risk never having his friends by complications with Reborn. Keeping things from the Arcobaleno would be hell. Which left the two eleven year old Japanese kids a year to kill a man that they only knew his name and assumed he would be in Italy. They didn't have Reborn or other mafia informants and getting to Italy would be interesting--combined, they had 1827 yen (or Hibari had 1200 from his grandparents and Tsuna had 627 hidden in a sock. Tsuna was lucky to find that much; he was pretty sure bullies stole it from him in the beginning of sixth grade--this school year.)

Actually killing him seems to be the easiest part.

Tsuna stretched, sighing with pleasure that the move was bearable. He had not exerted his body for long with the Dying Will Flame and the pain had leveled down to a dull ache. The smell of beef, vegetables, and soy wafted into the room. His stomach growled. Tsuna blushed and looked at Hibari.

Who was staring straight at him instead of his book. Quite intently.

Tsuna swallowed his scream and scratched the back of his head. "I guess I haven't eaten much today. Are you going to stay for dinner?"

"Of course he is!"

Tsuna nearly felt off the bed. "Mama?"

Nana appeared in the doorway, wearing an apron and wielding a wooden spoon. "He has stayed with your lazy butt all day. Dinner is the least we can do for his kindness!" Turning to the dark haired boy, she asked softly, "Do you like nikujaga?"

Hibari was silent and still for a long few seconds, then nodded.

"Great! Come down soon, the food's almost ready!" Nana danced out of the doorway and both boys could hear her distant shout of, "I love having company!"

Tsuna buried his head in his hands. "Sorry. My Mom can be ah, too excitable."

"Seems to be inheritable." Hibari stood up and paused before putting his tonfa carefully on the table next to his book. He picked up the nearly full tray of cookies and empty cup of tea. He left the room without giving Tsuna a chance to say anything.

Tsuna slid off the bed and stood up. Spasms went through his legs but they held him up. Still, to avoid an embarrassing fall, he took each step to the kitchen carefully. Halfway down the stairs, Tsuna realized he was still in his pajamas. Great…but Hibari's already seen me. Will definitely need to get new pajamas. He glared down at the train patterned cloth.

The smell of nikujaga was heavenly and his mother moved with the energy of Lambo on a sugar high around the kitchen. Hibari sat at the table staring (or perhaps glaring, it was hard to tell with Hibari) at Tsuna as he entered.

"Sit, sit Tsuna." When he went to sit across from Hibari, she scolded, "Sit next to your friend silly boy."

Tsuna gulped and moved to sit next to the boy. He edged far as possible from Hibari in the seat.

His mother came to the table with bowls of rice and nikujaga. Once she set a bowl for each of them and sat down, she called out, "Ittadakimasu!" Tsuna and a much quieter Hibari echoed her.

Silence and eating followed. Tsuna nearly moaned at the first taste of his mother's cooking. It's been forever since I had something his good…at least a year. He didn't know if the others were great cooks but with limited supplies and time, food was more for fuel than enjoyment.

"So…" His mother started and warning bells went off in Tsuna's head. "How long have you and Tsuna been friends, Hibari-kun? Tsu-kun never told me he had friends."

The chopsticks dropped from his hand. "Mom!"

She ignored him, smiling at Hibari.

"We've known each other for a while." Hibari admitted.

"Since kindergarten." Tsuna blurted out before his mother could ask Hibari to elaborate. Hibari nodded. They had been going to the same schools since then; Tsuna could distinctly remember Hibari's rise to power, starting from taking on any kid that dared disrupt the peace of the playground. Back then, the injuries Hibari gave were just bruises at the most and Tsuna had seen enough on others to ever cross the dark haired boy.

"So sweet! I wish Tsu-kun had invited you over earlier!" Nana gushed. "He can be so mopey just hanging around the house."

In moments like this, Tsuna gave a mental promise to any hypothetical future children: He would not be like his mother. Or, worse, like his father.

Hibari seemed more interested in the food and Tsuna was eternally grateful even if he doubted Hibari was avoiding saying anything for his sake.

Nana looked ready to say more and Tsuna immediately blurted out, "Have you heard from Dad?"

Nana looked surprised; Tsuna never really spoke about his father, even after finding out about his connection to the Vongola. Hibari stopped eating for a moment and watched the mother and son.

"No, I have not." Her voice lost her normal cheerfulness. Tsuna winced. I mess things up in less than a day! "He's just so busy."

"Yeah, Mom. He takes good care of us." The words felt odd in his mouth but Tsuna knew his father sent money and cared from them from a distance. Better than bringing mafia assassins home with him...I don't think Basil counts.

She beamed. Tsuna wanted nothing more than to hug her and thank her for being alive. He remembered the day when Basil pulled him aside and told him that Iemitsu's check in had been late for over a week. Six days later, Byakuran claimed their deaths in glossy pictures of hacked limbs. Tsuna and the other Vongola could not find any proof to deny the pictures and then Basil ran off to challenge Byakuran himself. Tsuna had received more pictures the next day.

Dinner became a quiet affair again. Tsuna found himself missing the usual craziness he associated the kitchen with. Weird how I wouldn't mind Lambo making a mess or Reborn stealing my food. You don't miss things until they are gone after all.

There had been days in the future when he would have gladly killed for a chance to sit with his family—all of his family—for dinner.

Tsuna, wrapped up in fond memories and the knowledge of what would be one day again, did not notice he finished his food until he bit his chopsticks.

Nana laughed. "You have such a funny look on your face, Tsu-kun."

His face heated up and he turned to look at HIbari. The boy raised an eyebrow. "Done yet?"

"Gochisosama desu!" Tsuna nodded and rushed to the sink.

"Go and play boys, I'll get the dishes."

"I have to collect my things and go home," Hibari said and gave a small bow to Nana. "Thank you for letting me stay."

Tsuna gave Nana a quick hug, surprising her into nearly dropping a plate. Without waiting for her to ask, he followed Hibari up the stairs. "Hibari…"

Hibari looked over his shoulder.

"Thanks." At Hibari's blank stare, he added, "For finding me. I'm glad everyone's alive but…I don't want to be alone."

For a split second, Tsuna almost thought Hibari smiled at him. Not a smirk that warned of impending pain or one of those creepy smiles that indicated whatever went on in Hibari's mind was insane and sadistic, but a smile. A friendly smile. The other boy turned around and entered Tsuna's room before he could assure himself it was just an illusion.

Hibari came back out with his tonfa and book. He thrust the book at Tsuna, "Read it."

"Huh?" Tsuna looked at the book, The Thirty-Six Stratagems. "What's this."

"A book filled with common sense. You will need it."

Currently, 1827 yen would be about $18.46, but in August of 2001, it would have been $15.05. (Excuse my nerd-ness, I was bored in the computer lab.)

Nikujaga is the Japanese version of beef (or sometimes pork), potato, and vegetable stew. If you ever get a chance to try it homemade—take it. I could eat this everyday! Which is kind of weird, as I often avoid beef and potatos.

Ittadakimasu—Kind of like saying thanks for a meal your about to recieve

Gochisosama—Thanks after eating. It's weird how easily these are picked up and stick after being in Japan for a few short weeks. That, and the all important "sumimasen"—excuse me/sorry.

This chapter annoys me so I will get around to editing it soon.

I loved the response I got for Chrome. Chrome and Mukuro are my favorite character (yes that somehow makes sense.) Unfortunately for her, I tend to be mean to my favorite characters, so she has to wait.

Posted: May18, 2009

Edited: June 1, 2009