"Dame-Tsuna!"
Tsuna automatically stopped and turned around, waiting for whoever called out to him because running away was never an option.
"Who do you think you are?" Mochida, the captain of the Kendo Club, snarled as he approached Tsuna with several members behind him.
Tsuna just ducked his head because he knew there was no right answer to that question.
"What right do you have to steal Kyoko-chan away from me?" he added and Tsuna looked up, confused. How could he (anyone, really) steal a person?
"Wha-what?" he whimpered because he knew he shouldn't ask questions. But he really didn't understand what he was doing wrong this time.
"Just because her freakish brother enjoys your company doesn't mean that she should spend time with scum like you," he continued.
And Tsuna couldn't help but blurt out, "Sa-sasagawa-buchou isn't a freak!"
Everyone was taken aback with Tsuna's outburst, even Tsuna himself. He has never raised his voice, much less stand up against anyone; but he couldn't let Mochida insult Sasagawa-buchou. He was a good person, even though a bit too extreme for Tsuna's tastes. But that didn't make him any less of a great person, it only added to his greatness.
"Who else would hang out with you except for freaks?" Mochida sneered and his members just laughed.
"We hang out with him. So are we freaks too, Mochida?" Kurokawa stepped forward from the crowd that was forming in the open grounds of the school. Sasagawa-san stepped forward as well.
"Of course not," Tsuna replied immediately because there is nothing freakish about the two girls. Ever since he offered Hari's spare lunch to Kurokawa, she spent every lunch period with him and dragged her best friend, Sasagawa, along. Hari now packs three bento for Tsuna, one for himself and one for each girl. (On the days Tsuna has club, Hari packs four and Tsuna usually gives the fourth to Sasagawa-buchou.)
"Do you think you have any right to even breathe the same air as Kyoko-chan?" Mochida said, ignoring Kurokawa's interruption as he moved towards Tsuna.
"You don't. You don't even have the right to exist because you're so dame at it," he continued before Tsuna could think of a reply.
"You, herbivores, are crowding," a deep and ominous voice came from the gates. Everyone paled at hearing the voice before scattering.
"And you," Hibari said as he approached Mochida, who seemed to be frozen on the spot by Hibari's menacing aura. "You are violating the peace. I will bite you to death."
Though Tsuna was trembling in fear of Hibari's mere presence, he shouted out, "Hari-san! You're here!"
As expected, Hibari turned towards the gates and Tsuna took that moment to grab the still frozen Mochida and ran before Hibari realized that Hari hasn't arrived yet.
Tsuna brought Mochida to one of his hiding spots, a secluded corner behind the gym, where most bullies - and more importantly, Hibari - couldn't find him. And definitely not for lack of trying since Hibari has been all but stalking him ever since their "jogging routine" has started. Thankfully, he has always managed to stay out of Hibari's senses by sheer luck and knowledge of all the hiding spots in school.
"I-i do-don't th-thi-think Hi-hibari-san would fi-find us he-here," Tsuna stuttered in fear and not because he was short on breath. In fact, he was hardly winded though he practically ran halfway across the whole school while dragging Mochida, who was basically dead weight. (At least when he and Hari went "jogging", Hari pulled his own weight.)
"What- what happened?" Mochida said, finally getting out of his shock.
"Hibari-san was going to bite you to death," Tsuna mumbled in response and Mochida gave him a weird look.
"And you saved me?" he asked, still in shock.
"N-no!" he vehemently shook his head because Tsuna wasn't brave or strong or good enough to save anyone. He was just Dame-Tsuna. "I just...ran away."
Mochida just looked at him funnily, as if he was insane or something. Before Mochida could say anything, Hibari suddenly appeared.
"You lied to me!" he growled, angrier than ever, as he stalked towards Tsuna, who flinched at his tone.
"I thought you were going to bite me to death," Mochida interrupted before Hibari even raised his tonfa. Steel grey eyes focused on the captain instead and Tsuna let himself breathe for the split second Hibari tore his attention away from him. But then, Hibari raised his tonfa to strike at Mochida, who prepared to block the strike.
Then, Tsuna couldn't breathe again because Hibari was going to hurt Mochida. And Tsuna didn't want anyone to get hurt. So he moved.
Tsuna caught the tonfa aiming at Mochida's face with his bare hand, but he wasn't able to defend against the other one that came out of nowhere and hit him in the stomach. It was painful, much more painful than the last time Hibari hit him as if he wasn't holding back anymore, but Sasagawa-buchou and Reborn (who went by the name Master PaoPao) taught him how to take a hit; so he took it with a grunt.
Hibari pulled back to stare at Tsuna, who stared at him evenly in return. Then with a bloodthirsty grin, he struck once more. Tsuna would have jumped away if he had a chance, but Mochida was still behind him and would bear the brunt of the blow so he stood his ground. He knew he was not as strong as Hibari (and he would probably never be a strong as the prefect) but he didn't need to beat him in strength. Strength wasn't everything.
So he caught Hibari's tonfa once more and instead of blocking it, he pulled it even further, putting the older teen off-balance. Then with his other hand, he gave a strong punch (at least by his standards) at Hibari's solar plexus before letting him go.
Hibari was now on his knees, gasping for air, while Tsuna was still standing.
"Holy shit."
Tsuna turned to face Mochida. But then his whole world shifted before it turned completely black.
Flight or Fight - end.
okay. i'm like over a day late. but i had to prepare for something so i only had time to finish the chapter today. so yeah. and i haven't been through the whole thing thoroughly so i'm also sorry for any mistakes.
and to anyone who would nitpick tsuna and hibari's encounter, tsuna was unconsciously using his intuition and that's why he was able to catch hibari's tonfa. i just don't see the point of saying "tsuna knew" or "his gut/intuition told him". i think that his intuition is more natural and so he doesn't know when he does or doesn't use it. also, the fight was cut short and if they actually fought, tsuna would have totally lost once hibari got his breath back because getting hit in the solar plexus is really painful and wouldn't allow you to breathe. (fact. i've watched several classmates punch each other silly.)
and mochida was supposed to challenge tsuna. but it didn't happen...oh well.
to Guest, thanks for your review and i'm glad you enjoyed it. x3 and i'm so sorry that i only replied to your review now and not in the previous chapter. xP
to Grayfia, thanks again for your reviews. x3 and of course reborn's costumes would make their appearances. i could never take that away from him. and i should harsher on myself because all of you are too kind to me. x3
and honestly, that was one of my favorite part of the interlude as well, other than drabble 2 because reborn being a lady was fun. and of course you can leave requests, though it might take a while for these scenes to appear. (i have to think them up. and wait for the right number of reviews. hahaha.)
to KK, thanks again for your reviews. i'm glad that you liked them. x3 and as for reborn's cosplays, he's not stable enough to have a decent reaction to it, but he'll just accept it as one of reborn's quirks, kinda like harry's insanity of sorts. and you're welcome. but i should be the grateful one really because you're enjoying what i'm writing. Cx
and i haven't answered your questions? O.o i'm so sorry about that. and there will be little and big scenes that show harry's past life/life with the weasleys. i'm just not sure about the little things, but they'll be in the fic sooner or later. x3
to Guest (who might be the same guest that i forgot to reply the last chapter, i'm not sure...) thank you. x3 and i'm glad you liked it.
also, i'll reply to the reviews tomorrow. and the messages that i haven't answered to. xP i'm finally free so yeah. i can dedicate time to them now. xDDD
thank you for dropping by and i hope you enjoyed your read~