#I don’t hate Iemitsu or Timoteo as much as everyone else

[zeno290]

Does anyone ever talk about this scene

“Iemitsu asked me not to kill you”

We don’t know the full connection between Iemitsu and Timoteo but even Iemitsu knew that killing Xanxus would hurt Timoteo on a personal level.

It even looks like there’s been some history between Iemitsu and Xanxus, I do believe Iemitsu doesn’t like Xanxus and would rather get rid of him but he’s an important person to the Timoteo so he gives the best guidance which was not to kill him.

Like Tsuna said there I do believe Timoteo really did love Xanxus, I don’t think he ever wanted to use Xanxus for personal gain. Xanxus side is reasonable he was expecting to be boss of the family and took pride that he was the son of Timoteo, so finding out he’s not the son of course would destroy him.

Timoteo is a very flawed character which is why I find him interesting.

[sparklecryptid]

blood on the water

i MEANT to post this here too but forgot. anyway here's the first chapter of blood on the water. warning for temporary character death and timoteo eating a kids flames and being a general asshole.

also on ao3 here

Naoki is a sick child. He hurts and hurts and is clumsy enough that he has broken and dislocated more bones than a child his age should have.

Naoki is a sick child; but he knows that his mother loves him, he knows that his brother loves him. That Tsuna brings him treats when Naoki can’t go to school and Tsuna holds his hand when the doctor comes toward them with something scary. Tsuna is his brother.

And Tsuna has swore to protect him. Naoki believes him, believes that Tsuna will protect him. Believes that with his whole heart but when he sees a man reach toward Tsuna with a hand full of fire Naoki runs and jumps in front of the old man that their father brought home.

Something is Naoki screams to him that his man is bad, that he is terrible and no good and that he needs to grab Tsuna and run.

The man is faster, he takes his hand and places it on Naoki’s belly, the fire that the man wields (almost like his and Tsuna’s but the man’s fire seems dark and scary) reaches into Naoki and latches onto the warmth that Naoki holds close to him. The warm that brings the fire he and Tsuna play with and Naoki wants to scream but he can’t. His scream dies in his throat, he’s being torn apart, his fire is being taken and taken and he’s being eaten alive and he can’t do anything. The old man is eating him and gorging himself on the fire Naoki has and Naoki can’t do anything.

He wants to scream for Tsuna but he can’t, behind him his brother is frozen. Shocked and still and Naoki loves him. Naoki loves his brother. Naoki loves his brother and will not let anyone like this old man hurt Tsuna.

He refuses.

Naoki doesn’t scream or run because that would mean the old man would target Tsuna and Naoki will not let that happen.

It seems like it lasts for hours. It lasts for less than three minutes and Naoki falls to the ground.

-

The truth of things is that death comes for everyone. It is a consuming thing, a thing that takes and takes and takes. Death cannot be stopped or halted, merely postponed, and to a man such a Timoteo the idea of being conquered, of being consumed by such a thing is preposterous.

Timoteo has torn lives apart, has bathed himself in blood and gore until all that he touches is stained red. Timoteo is the type of man who regrets little, and as he stays into the bright orange eyes of the Sawada Naoki - the boy who had told Timoteo no - he is consumed by a terrible hunger.

‘You could take him,’ A voice, dark and terrible whispers to Timoteo, ‘Take him and feast on his Flames until he has nothing else to give.’ Because the twins Flames are strong, and only one would be needed to give Timoteo the strength he needs to continue, only one would be needed to extend Timoteo’s reign by another few decades and then the other could be used.

Iemitsu only needs one child, to fulfill his urge to be parental, and it would be a waste to let one man’s desire for a family ruin everything Timoteo has worked so hard for.

There is no regret when he consumes the child’s Flames. No regret when the child falls limp and broken in front of him, there is no regret when Naoki eyes go dull with the mask of death and when Timoteo looks at Tsuna the other boys eyes are bright and glowing and the child launches himself at Timoteo, as though he knows that Timoteo had done something terrible.

It takes no time at all to seal away Tsuna’s Flames, to put the boys together under a tree and wait for Tsuna to wake and realize that Naoki had passed away in his sleep.

Naoki was always a sickly child after all, it should be no surprise that he died.

-

Tsuna wakes up. He wakes up to his brother lying limp at his side and Tsuna wakes to a world that is grey. Everything seems muted, as though he’s watching the world through dirty glass and he hates it because it’s wrong. He turns to his brother, to ask Naoki what happened only to see his brother staring at him with dead eyes.

“Naoki?” Tsuna asks, moving away from his brother only to watch Naoki fall into the space Tsuna was in previously, “Naoki!” Tsuna scrambles toward his brother, slipping on nothing and landing on his brothers chest and Naoki doesn’t move.

Doesn’t wake.

Doesn’t breathe.

And Tsuna can feel his own heart rate pick up, can remember all the doctors visits he went with mom and Naoki too and Tsuna does not know death but he knows that death exists. That Naoki was always sickly and hurting and that sometimes mom clung to him and cried because she was hurting because what if Naoki disappeared? What if her baby died?

Tsuna knows that death means that something is gone, that they disappear and his eyes hurt with tears as he stares at his little brother. As he stares at his twin who he promised that he would protect no matter what and Naoki doesn’t move.

Tsuna screams, and the adults come running.

-

Death is a thing that should only happen to someone once.

Should is the keyword here. When Naoki dies, determined and regretful he finds himself in a dark space full of stars. The black of the area around covered in nebulae and constellations. The sight of a star going supernova burns his eyes and he blinks rapidly to clear the spots in his vision as the light of the supernova dies and he finds himself blinking at an adult who looks like him but older.

The man has a cane by his side. The cane has lavender and wisteria burned into it and then the flowers are painted in their respective hues. His skin is a light brown and his hair is the same. The man’s eyes are the only part of the man that looks different than Naoki. Rather than the brilliant orange that Naoki himself sees when he looks in the mirror the man has eyes that are a shocking shade of indigo.

“Are we related?” Naoki asks, looking up at the man who seems as confused as he is.

“I-“ the man stops, and stares at Naoki, taking in the similarities between them and then blinking like he’s seen a ghost. Naoki supposes that that part is true at least, Naoki is dead after all.

“I don’t know?” The man finishes awkwardly.

“Oh.” There’s silence between them for a moment before Naoki makes a choice. “I’m Naoki.”

“Huh,” the man says, “That’s my name too.”

Naoki beams at older Naoki. “That’s great! We are name twins!” Older Naoki watches as Naoki falters at the last word.

“Did you have a twin?” Older Naoki asks, his voice painfully gentle as he sits on the nothingness that suspends them in the starlit sky. Naoki sits next to him.

“Yes.” I died for him, Naoki doesn’t say but Older Naoki seems to know that regardless as sorrow enters his gaze.

“That sucks,” Older Naoki tells him, his indigo gaze softening as he looks at Naoki. “So do you know why we’re here?”

“We died.”

“Well yes,” Older Naoki says, “I know that. But what do we do now?”

Naoki pauses. “Could we go back?”

Older Naoki looks as though he’s just seen the sun dawning.

“I think we might be able to,” Older Naoki says, “Do you want to try?”

Naoki reaches out into the sky with his flames, brilliant and orange, searching for confirmation that they could go back and Older Naoki’s flames, indigo and rolling like mist are pulled out and into the search as well.

“What-“ Older Naoki looks down at himself, glowing indigo and then at Naoki who is glowing orange with fire.

Above them the stars dim and Naoki looks at Older Naoki and knows the man in front of him as himself.

“We’re dead.”

“Died at the same time,” this facet of him agrees and hands Naoki his cane. “Live for us?”

“The old man ate too much.”

“Yes, but we’re the same aren’t we? I don’t see why we can be one.”

“I want to go back,” Naoki says, as the last of the stars vanished, “I want my brother.”

-

Naoki wakes up not to the blue sky that sings to him but to the sight of the wooden lid of a coffin.

He sighs. He knows that his family is mourning, that he’s been dead for a while but did they have to bury him?

Of course they did, a part of him whispers, They love us.

“Yes,” Naoki says to himself as he uses the smokeless flame of his Sky to burn away pieces of the lid, “They do.”

Doesn’t mean that he appreciates having to dig himself out of his own grave. But he does, because he’s alive again, because he has a brother to protect, because the Older Naoki is also Naoki now and he might be weak and small and a child but he still needs to get out of this grave.

So he digs.

And digs.

And pull on the Mist to make it his body believe that there is more air in there than there is.

And he digs some more, and breaks through the surface in the middle of the night gasping for breath as they let their illusion fade. Naoki pulls himself out of the grave, his shoulders sore and aching and he hopes that he didn’t pull or dislocate something again.

He closes his eyes, to rest just for a moment, but a shadow falls over him and he opens his eyes to see a man with white hair staring at him.

Naoki waves.

The man looks mildly amused but mostly irked, as though something has happened that was unexpected.

“Hello,” Naoki says, “Do you have any water?”

-

The man takes him in. His name is Kawahira and he says that Naoki can’t go back to his family. Naoki bristles at that, bristles at the implication that his family doesn’t need or want him.

He opens his mouth to protest but Kawahira reminds him that Timoteo is still out there.

Timoteo.

The beast of a man. That man that had taken Naoki’s Sky and killed him. The reason why Naoki’s Flames now have jagged and sharp edges, the reason why his Sky and Mist are stitched together by death and the reason why Naoki remembers.

There was a life where Naoki was a Mist. Where Naoki wandered and stole and killed. Where he stayed out of Mafia business as much as he could and just as he was planning on retiring he had been killed. Caught in the crossfire between the Vongola and another family.

And now that Naoki is him, and he is that Naoki, and together they are one person with a shared past and Flames that will never be as beautiful or while as they once were.

Naoki knows his Mist is small compared to others, that his Sky despite being vast is broken and missing pieces. Naoki knows no one will want him as a Guardian or a Sky and that he will have to protect himself in order to protect his family.

That he cannot let his family know that he is alive lest they get caught in the crossfire.

He will also admit that a part of him is scared, terrified of being found by Timoteo again. Terrified that Timoteo will take and take and take. That the old man will consume Naoki until there is nothing left and as much as he yearns for his family he thinks that perhaps he is more terrified of Timoteo.

“What do I do then?” Naoki asks, a pleading note in his voice, “What can I do?”

“Become someone else,” Kawahira says, “Isn’t that what Mists are known for after all?”

-

Sawada Naoki is dead. He is dead and buried. Thrown into a grave and left to rot.

Sawada Naoki is dead, but Tanaka Naoki is still alive.

-

[blackicephantom]

The black dragon and the coward CH. 9

I’ll just leave this here. Please excuse me. *running for cover*

tagged: @patolemus ; @runestarchild

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Still thinking about what he was told Tsuna sipped from his cup. The tea was still warm and soothed his nerves. Everything until now was before they took away his flames, before the coldness settled in his bones. It was about the very first time he met the others. Which means that there’s still something that’s missing. “Chief, everything you told me just now….. It was about my first `Great disappearance´. What about the rest?” Timoteo also sipped from his tea before he answered. “After that day things changed. The people….. They started rumors that you would bring destruction upon us. How else could you have escaped these bloodthirsty beasts? It doesn’t matter how often I told them what happened, they just wouldn’t listen.  And that you had developed the habit of sneaking away, always with that forest in mind didn’t help either.”  

Ah, so that’s what it is. There are a few blank spaces but he could remember some of his adventures, always accompanied by one of his draconian friends. Luce would always worry while Reborn would just roll his eyes with a rather gentle smirk. `He’s a boy Luce. Let him explore.´ He couldn’t help the smile that stole itself on his lips. They took him through the ocean, guided him through the forest and had shown him the freedom of the brilliant and infinite blue sky. At least until his world had changed yet again. Resettling himself in his seat he asked again. “What about the rest Nono? What about the day you sealed my flames, the day I ran away from my parents?” Usually strong shoulders sagged, Timoteos whole form crumbling right in front of his eyes. His poor posture spoke of pain, regret and grief.

The whole village was in an uproar.

Nono wasn’t sure how this could have happened but it did. “Iemitsu, are you sure that your precious boy lit up his flames?” Agitated and very stressed, the blonde yelled. “There was no mistaking it! It was a brightly burning sky flame!” 

In their village, there were different types of flames. These flames showed one's magical affinity. The brighter and stronger the flame, the stronger the caster it belongs to. But for Tsuna it is way too early to manifest his power…. While Timoteo was still thinking about it Iemitsu already came to a conclusion. “It must have to do with these damn dragons! There is no other explanation!!” 

“Why was this such a bad thing?” At his simple question the old man sighed. “The only other person ever known to have manifested his powers so early…..was Primo. Even your own father first lit his own flames at the age of twelve.” At twelve?! Shocked, he tried to think back again. All of his classmates, all the other children….. They all started to awake their powers at this age. Which means he was the abnormality once again….. But Reborn and Luce… they were so proud of him! So he wasn’t ashamed of it. Never.

“Your father was scared to admit it but he was afraid that you would suffer the same fate as Primo. But instead of trying to teach you more control, instead of helping you, he was adamant about the fact that the dragons had cursed you. And because of your young age your body had difficulties to contain your power. Strangely enough it only happened when you were home alone with Iemitsu. The result were sudden high fevers and fainting spells.”

That’s something that always was nothing but a black space in his head. The brunette knows that he often had fevers, his mother told him, but why did it only happen when he was with his father? Putting that aside for later he continued his questioning. “I remember the moment you sealed me. I remember the coldness and the sudden rush of helplessness. I even remember my escape from home, followed by the hurried steps of my parents. Tell me Nono, what did you do? What happened for everything to end in fire and blood?” 

His old legs hurried as much as they could, but he slowly lost sight of the poor boy he just roped of everything. Tsuna ran and he knew that he had just one destination in mind: the forest were no one would ever follow. Iemitsu was right beside him, calling and shouting for his son to stop, to slow down. But the brunette ran at top speed, stumbling every so often. Yet he continued, always rightening himself and still running faster, until he had outrun them. 

Both men came to a sudden halt right at the edge of the forest. They knew: if they kept on going they would earn the wrath of the dragons, something they were avoiding. But this was Tsuna they were talking about! Timoteo tried to think of something, anything! But no matter what came to his mind, it would end in disaster. Just in the next moment a deafening roar resonated through the trees. It was filled with rage and anguish. Next came several growls.

His blonde friend wanted to go in and take his child home, he could see it in his tense shoulders and his deep frown. He could understand, truly, but if he went in now he wouldn’t return. After the old man got his breathing under control he turned to leave. “Let us return for now.”  But his friend wouldn’t move. The slowly hardening eyes were firmly kept on the treeline, always watching for the dangers that are yet to come. “Iemitsu!”

A small shudder went through the chief at this particular memory. This one roar haunted him for weeks in his nightmares, always accompanied by the deep growls and the pictures of the following war. It took a very long time for him to sleep peacefully again…..

Tsuna saw the shudder and thought, not for the first time, that all this took more out of this old man that he was led to believe. There was still something fishy about the whole thing.

“There’s still something you’re not telling me.” It wasn’t a question, it was a fact. Wary eyes slipped closed, tired lips parted. “You may not believe my next words. But I swear on the graves of my sons: I did everything I could to stop this madness. I put up a curfew for everyone, I probehited everyone from entering the forest. I even tried to keep your father caged in his office….. But nothing worked.” A single tear slid down a wrinkled cheek.

“No.” A single word with the meaning of hundets. But the other couldn’t be deterred. 

“Nono, if we don’t go in now they will definitely kill him someday!” Old hands crashed onto the table and rattled it’s whole frame. “I said NO! What on earth makes you think that they would hurt Tsunayoshi?!” The other occupants of the room kept their distance and their silence. No one was brave enough to interrupt these two men. It wasn’t often that their beloved and gentle village chief lost his cool. What happened even less was that, out of all the villagers, Iemitsu would start a fight with him. “They killed YOUR children! What makes you think that they wouldn’t hurt him?!” Shocked gasps rang through the sudden silence. The topic of his three dead sons was a rather sensitive one and was avoided at all costs.

Especially because there was no proof that dragons had killed them. Brown eyes narrowed and an aura of danger filled the big office. “Careful Iemitsu. You’re walking on very thin ice at the moment.” Timoteo tried to keep himself in check. It just wouldn’t do if he hit his own subordinate for something like this. But the fact alone that one of his closest guards, someone he considered family, would stoop so low was very telling about his mental state. He couldn’t let this continue. “I will say this one more time: No one enters the forest. It has been silent and if the dragons wanted to harm the child they would have done so the first time. They are very territorial creatures and it seems that our Tsunayoshi is very dear to them. They are not to be harmed!” Looking around one more time he gave his final orders. “If anyone goes against this orders they will be punished.”

Another tear rolled down. This time on the other side. “I’m ashamed to say that even the threat of a severe whipping was not enough to keep your father at bay. He went around the whole village and talked about justice. Justice for our deceased, for the abducted. For every poor soul taken way before their time. At this point it wasn’t about you anymore. They wanted to see blood, they wanted the justice I kept on refusing them.”

Tsuna couldn’t believe his ears. All this time…. Yes, Nono sealed his flames, took away his warmth. But it wasn’t him that led the massacre. He even tried to prevent it! This brought him a kind of relief he didn’t know he needed. The picture cleared itself, just a little bit. When he thought about it, when he really and truly tried, Tsuna could remember some things. When he was lonely and hid in the library he always read the books about mythology and fantasy, always the books about dragons. And everytime, as if summoned by these books, his father would storm inside, rip the paper away and take him home. He was forbidden from reading this trash, his father said. They tell nothing but lies, his father said… `He wanted to keep me away from them.´ He started to see the big picture, but he wanted to make absolutely sure. There was no room for any more mistakes. “Nono, chief, grandpa. Please tell me the rest.”

His words fell on deaf ears, the shouting was louder then any reasoning could ever hope to be. An angry mob had formed, people of every status came together to slay the dragons. Confronted with this hate and this anger he had two options: keep refusing them and be overthrown, unable to do anything or support them and betray every single thing he ever believed in. With a heavy heart and a guilt so heavy it would follow him for years he came to a decision. 

With his personal guards at his side he followed Iemitsu and his man. He watched the bloodbath, couldn’t stop Luce’s death and cried bitter tears when this noble dragon fell. His heart broke when the two children cried for their mother, slain cruelly right before their eyes.

He gave his guards orders to hold back and to stay as far back as possible without being suspicious. And yet it changed nothing. The outcome would be same. He resolutely kept his eyes on the black dragon, watched him try everything in his might to change the fate of their leader. Fear krept inside his soul when Luce took her last breath with a smile on her face and her gentle hand fell onto the ground.  

Fires raged and burnt the formally green forest, while blood sullied the former clean and healthy ground. The sky turned black and the sun hid behind the clouds. Pouring rain affected their sight, right alongside the suddenly appearing mist. The roar of the black Sundragon had every last one of them trembling. He changed right in front of them, his maw open and his eyes burning in bitter hatred and betrayal. To keep it simple: The dragons went out of control, berserk, whatever you wanted to call it. They killed and killed and killed even more. Now their thirst for blood was even greater than that of the foolish man that stood before them. Timoteo saw what they were doing. They kept the children safe, Tsunayoshi and the small girl. No matter what weather phenomenon appeared, the children would always stay unharmed. Then he heard the words that would burn themselves in his  head.

“Stop! Stop hurting them! Please stop!”

But no one would listen. 

Then Timoteo had to watch as Iemitsu finally reached his son, only for said son to reach for the still raging Reborn. But as the dragon noticed him he changed again and reached out as well. But it wasn’t meant to be. Those reaching hands never met. The blonde kept dragging the struggling child away But then a soldier snuck behind the still crying girl, he raised his sword and even the old chief would not watch a child be murdered. But before he could move a powerful magic was released. It was just for an instant, but just for this moment bright orange flames burst forward and burnt the soldier to nothing. The flames burnt so hot that even the child’s father couldn’t hold onto him. Iemitsu had to let go and called for his son, who started running as soon as his feet had contact with the ground. With all his remaining power he flung himself into the waiting arms of Reborn.

The tension rose between the two of them. The old man wouldn’t raise his eyes. To great was his shame, to big his burden. No one knew that he was against all this, because everyone just ignored that fact. But he did nothing to stop it either. “How did you take me back?” was the last whispered question. “It was your mother, yourself and my stepping in that finally put an end to this massacre.” Surprise must have shown in his face, because Nono had to chuckle. “Believe me, you aren’t the only one.”

It was in the moment that Iemitsu was going to grab the child out of the dragons protective hold that Nana stepped in. She’s not built for the battlefield, not used to the blood and the carnage. But she outright refused to stay home. Now she held her husband back and slowly approached the still growling dragon. Iemitsu wanted to grab her, to shield her but even Nono could see that she was a woman on a mission. So it was his turn to grab onto the blonde. 

Steeling herself  she kept going, but when those sharp yellow eyes snapped to her she couldn’t suppress her flinch. But upon seeing the silent tears she took another step forward. One step after another until she stood right in front of the dragon and her only child. There she went on her knees and did something that would forever be remembered. She knelt, she bowed, she cried. Then she spoke words that no human had said for such a long time. “I know that there is no way in heaven or hell for us to be forgiven. But for whatever it’s worth: I’m sorry. I’m sorry for your loss, for your pain. I’m sorry for your wounds. I’m sorry for the blood you had to spill for a mistake we humans had made. I’m so, so sorry!” With every word that left her lips she became more and more silent. The last part was barely understandable, because of the silent sobs that wrecked her fragile form. 

The dragons stood still, for just one second, then they cried. In outrage, in sadness and in mourning. Even Reborns eyes went wide before he shut them tightly. Pulling Tsuna even closer he let the rain wash away his tears. 

Timoteo stood aside when Iemitsu tried to go to his wife again. He pulled her up, not looking at the great reptiles still pacing around them. Then he grabbed a sword that lay at his feet and approached the still kneeling dragon. Nana tried to hold him back, but he shook her gentle hands off. He raised the blade, looked the beast in the eyes and went to strike. Only the sharp “ENOUGH!!” stopped him. He froze right on the spot while Nana, Reborn and even little Tsuna turned to him. “That’s enough. This has to stop, now. There’s already too much blood on our hands and way too many bodies at our feet.” The village chief looked him straight in the eyes. “Don’t you see what your madness did to us?” It was a last plead for his friend to stop this nonsense. But he still wouldn’t listen. “These beasts have to die. If they don’t fall now, this will just repeat itself!” was the growled answer. 

“That’s the moment you stepped up. You let go of Reborn and crawled to your fathers feet. Once there you promised to be good, to stay home. Everything he wanted, if only he stopped hurting them. You would even start to learn how to be the leader of the village. Everything and anything as long as they were safe. It was as touching as it was heartbreaking.”

So that was the whole story. That’s the reason he started to study seriously again. He said he would do anything. And even though he has forgotten about it he did what he promised.

But there was nothing without a price. So he asked “What was the requirement of the dragons?” A smile stole itself onto those old lips. “You’re such a sharp minded child.”

As ignorant as Iemitsu was, even he couldn’t do this. Still his eyes bore into the creature that held his son, no matter for what purpose. Then he had an idea. His son would do ANYTHING to keep these things safe. So he bent down to his son and told him simply “You will never see them again Tsuna. You hear? If you never come back to this place, where the monsters live, and train to be our next village chief I’ll stop.” The words were spoken so sweetly, yet they teared him apart. Bright eyes dulled and shown with tears but he still nodded. “Everything.”

Nono told him that even the great Reborn was powerless against him, even at such a young age. They had a last goodbye, quick and rather impersonal, yes almost cold, but Iemitsu thought he had already won. But his dear wife couldn’t watch it. So she said that Tsuna should say goodbye properly. “You ran back to them and hugged them as tight as your small arms would let you. Then you thanked them, one after another, said something nice to each one and waved. The last one was Reborn. But instead of thanking him you apologized. His answer was calling you `stupid child´ so fondly that it hurt. He didn’t want to let go but a deal was a deal.” 

Thoughts rushed around one another, there one moment and gone in the next. So many things made sense now, while others were even more confusing. But one thing still didn’t add up. “If I was forbidden from seeing them, how come I was allowed at Luce’s funeral?”

Melancholy washed over the wrinkled face and sadness painted his lips.

 Iemitsu had his crying son in his arms, hoping to calm him down, and was already on his way back to the village. Timoteo saw to it that every survivor made it back as well, when the dragons made a last request. “Nono.” came the tired voice of the feared dragon. So he turned again and looked into now dull yellow eyes. “I know what we just agreed to. But we want to give Luce a proper funeral.” The fact that it would only be a proper one with her second child in attendance was left unsaid. “Just tell me when.” 

The Arcobaleno talked silently for no more than a few seconds before Reborn gave a response. Taking Aria in his arms he replied “One week. It won’t take long. But we want to give him this chance.”

So a plan was made between Timoteo and Nana, who has waited just a few steps away. 

In one weeks time Nana will dress Tsuna a little bit nicer. She made sure that one of the more lazy guards was on duty that day and hoped that everything would be ok. Nono made sure that her husband was occupied. And if he made absolutely sure of it by knocking him out, no one had to know. From his window he saw young Tsunayoshi running for the trees and felt this painful sting in his chest.

“After everything was over Reborn brought you to the clearing himself. That’s it. That’s everything I know.”

So many facts raced against each other:

His mother was not as clueless as she let on, while his father bore more than his fair share of guilt and fault.

Timoteo di Vongola, the village chief and the man that took away his flames, has tried and failed to stop the war. But he paid with his consciousness in tetters and his mind broken by guilt and sleepless nights.

The village he grew up in was filled with nothing more than bloodthirsty monsters.

His chosen family didn’t abandon him. He forced them to let go of him, no matter how much it hurt to do so.

“One last thing Nono. I know that everything was rather traumatic for a child my age. But why couldn’t I remember him? I was right in front of him and even if there was a feeling of familiarity, I just couldn’t place it. And if I’m right it was the same for Reborn.”

A low hum was his only answer for several minutes. Almost long enough that he thought he wouldn’t get a real one. Until he did. “Part of it is trauma, I’m sure of it. But I’m also positive that it’s also still part of your seal, which is still active. It has weakened that day but it hasn’t broken. Why Reborn couldn’t remember….. Hmmm. I’m sorry but that’s something I’m afraid I can’t answer.”

He looked genuinely upset about it so Tsuna let it go. Drinking the last bit of his now cold tea Tsunayoshi stood up and prepared to leave. He had things to think about and plans to make. No one and nothing would keep him here in this village. With newfound determination he thanked his village chief and left his humble hut. 

It was truly a shame that he forgot about the three figures that followed them the whole way…..

_TBC_

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I have absolutly no idea if everything is correct. But it’s almost 1 am and I’m tired. Please enjoy!

[ciaossu-imagines]

Again, in an effort to get every group represented and since no one in CEDEF had been voted for, I went with Iemitsu for my next chosen character! What can I say, he’s a weak spot for me and no one ever requests him! I hope you all enjoy the headcanons for this meme over here!

Their physical weak spots

Iemitsu, while physically healthy as a horse, is susceptible to pulled muscles, charlie horses, and back pain. He always has a supply of Deep Ice and some kind of back pain relief pill, like Robax, on hand for when he pulls a muscle or throws out his back. He’s just altogether really hard on his body.

Their emotional/moral weak spots

Though he is a horrible father, Iemitsu hates thinking of it that way. He hates being reminded that he all but abandoned his wife and child for his career. It triggers the closest he’ll come to self-loathing and he channels that self-loathing into anger. Do not force him into anything either - he’s a neutral party, a man apart from the family, and he doesn’t like being forced into something or even worse, someone attempting to bully him into doing something or into an opinion.

Scars or painful spots

Iemitsu has so many scars. As said above, he’s really hard on his body and he doesn’t care about cuts or scrapes above making sure they don’t get affected. The idea of putting lotion on the beginnings of a scar to avoid the marks isn’t something he’d even think about. He has some prominent scars too, most noticeable of which is a round scar from a gunshot wound to his stomach.

Best places to kiss on their body

Iemitsu finds something very sweet and loving about receiving kisses on his cheeks. It works for anyone he loves - his wife, his son, his young student, his friends. Anyone can kiss him on the cheek and it never fails to keep him from being happy.

Guilty pleasures

Alcohol is definitely one of Iemitsu’s guilty pleasures. He likes a good drink and he’ll often have more than one good drink. He’s a big fan of beer and he sees no issues with downing a six pack while hanging around the house. As long as he’s relaxing, why shouldn’t he enjoy a drink?

Their vices (physical or emotional)

Iemitsu is overly dramatic and cheesy. He has no shame and hardly ever gets embarrassed. He can be arrogant and coldly calculating, willing to hurt anyone, including his own son, to do what he determines is his job. Physically, he’s too fond of drinking and can be extremely lazy at times.

Their tickle spots

Iemitsu is one of those lucky bastards who were born without being ticklish anywhere. He often uses it against Nana, who is extremely ticklish, because he can tickle her into submission but she can’t tickle him at all.

Bad memories/experiences

He doesn’t get why people think it was the easiest thing in the world for him to simply walk away from his family, either of them. He found it heart wrenching to leave the Vongola, even though he was so excited to be marrying Nana, to be settling down, and then to become a father. And it tore his heart out to leave his wife and his child later in life. He felt like he was dying each step he took away from them. But it seemed his only option, his best option at the time, for both his families safety.  

Humiliating memories

People hurt his wife and his son. They’ve both been injured. And where was he? Not there to help them…it humiliates him, pisses him off, and makes him feel less like a man. Also high in embarrassment is the fact that his son counts a baby as more of a father than he counts his own father. I wouldn’t remind Iemitsu of either of these things.

Fears/phobias

Bad storms really freak Iemitsu out, as do earthquakes. Tornadoes really terrify him and don’t even get him started on floods. Really, anything deadly that’s just a random thing of nature scares him a little because it is exactly that, random, and he can’t control it at all. He also really fears the loss of people close to him. He knows what it is to lose subordinates and he doesn’t want to go through that again if he doesn’t have to.

Bad or petty habits

Iemitsu is almost always late. He drinks too much and swears too much. He plays rough with the children and speaks too loudly too late at night. He has no shame and is more than willing to bend the rules.

Grudges and vendettas

Iemitsu holds grudges only where he believes it’s warranted. If he honestly feels like someone is a danger or someone is beyond redemption, he wants them taken out and he wants them taken out as soon as possible.

What gets them flustered

He dislikes being put on the spot. It bothers him since he’s not the greatest at thinking up plausible lies right on the spot and he often just ignores or redirects questions whenever he’s put on the spot for something.

Ingrained habits/forces of habit

Iemitsu has to take his socks off before bed and has to put a clean pair on. All his socks are folded together, not rolled into a ball. He has to double-check his alarm clock and he has to drink a glass of water right as soon as he wakes up. He always says ‘pardon’ instead of excuse me, in weird verbal tics.

What it takes to make them cry

If Nana were to ever leave him, Iemitsu would curl up and die sobbing. That woman is his one true love and he wouldn’t know what to do without the thought of her to keep him going.

Dark secrets/’skeletons in the closet’

Iemitsu doesn’t always trust his subordinates to take care of their own problems and will sometimes ‘take care of’ their problems for them. Oregano once dated a jerk who made her feel bad through ‘negging’…said jerk ended up disappearing from her life quickly. in fact, he ended up disappearing from everyone’s life, randomly deciding to leave his childhood home and life to move across the country. When Turmeric’s first marriage failed and his wife tried to block visitation, her mind was quickly changed and joint custody became something she downright insisted on. She was always edgy around her ex-husband afterwards but never fought him on anything ever again, something he found odd but didn’t want to spoil, so he never brought up. When Basil was almost killed on his first mission by a stronger opponent, saved only by Lal Mirch showing up, Iemitsu tracked down and killed the man who’d put his student’s life in such danger, making it look like Basil had caused it and creating a reputation for the young man that scared others from taking him on and that Basil would someday actually live up to.

Regrets

Of course he has regrets. Who doesn’t? But Iemitsu isn’t one to dwell on his regrets. He made mistakes and he has to live with them. Spending all his time focusing on those mistakes isn’t going to fix anything and will keep him from living in the present. Whenever he does find himself dwelling on the past or brooding about his regrets, he tries really hard to distract himself or to divert his attention.

Things they’ll never admit

It’s not that he loves Basil more than Tsuna, but he does feel more comfortable around his student and sort of adopted son than he does around his actual son.

People they’ve hurt or indirectly killed, and how it affected them

Iemitsu has hurt and killed many people. It’s a part of his job and his life. He deals with it. Most of the people he hurts are bad people anyone or threats to the safety of those he loves. But his subordinates who died while under his care - those were innocent people and he blames himself for all of their deaths. He can’t help but wonder what he could’ve done to prevent it, what he could have done differently to save them. He makes sure to take better care of his subordinates, to play things more safe in the future, does everything to prevent anything like that from ever happening again. They made him more cautious, more careful to plan, to think, to consider every possible angle, but also to move quickly to shut down all potential threats.

What-ifs/Alternate Timelines

Honestly, Iemitsu isn’t sure that, even with all his regrets, he’d ever chose to redo anything or to change the past. He’s had so many good things in his life. He’s met so many people through the Vongola, had the first real taste of family and belonging there. It was only because of them that he moved to Japan and met Nana. And he wouldn’t give up Nana for anything in the universe. He wouldn’t change them having Tsuna, even knowing his son would grow to hate him someday. He couldn’t think of a way to have everything and he can never decide what he would sacrifice, can never figure out how to have it all.

Turning points in their life

Officially joining the CEDEF definitely signified something in Iemitsu’s life. He knew it put him out of running to become the next Vongola boss but he did it anyway. He chose his own path, no matter how foolish it seemed at the time. Retiring from the Family to have his family with Nana was a huge turning point - the sense of peace and fulfillment he found in that life was like nothing he’d ever known before that and like nothing else he ever knew afterwards. And returning to the family, leaving Nana and Tsuna - that was the biggest turning point of all. Adopting Basil was another turning point, though it was done spur of the moment, a last ditch effort to make up for leaving his actual son. 

People who’ve influenced them greatly

Nana is his biggest influence. He lives his life with her and her opinions in his mind every day. He strives to make the world a good place for her and their son. Timoteo has been a constant influence on him and there is no one he respects more. Tsuna and Basil, both his sons really, are big influences on him and they’re his reasons to stay alive, to keep fighting every day.

[blackicephantom]

The dragon and the coward CH 4

The next chapter for you all!

And on a sidenote: you people are the best. Seriously, I appreciate every comment and like you give this sweet little thing.

So thank you very much! *bow*

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This was a fucking disaster, nothing more and nothing less. Reborn should have known it the moment this boy stumbled into his home. Now here he is, confronted with the incompetence of humankind. 

“I’ll ask again: What have you done Timoteo?” The words were biting and bitter, carrying the feelings of many years of pain. Because these people took away one of theirs, one as innocent as any human could ever be. Luce did nothing wrong, she just protected her child and even a little human! Suddenly there was a memory in his mind. 

A small child, brown gravity defying hair, big brown eyes and no older than four or five years  old. He looked so lost and so very alone. It was uncommon for a human to be this close to their home, especially one still so young. He looked at his friend and knew instantly what she wanted to do. “Don’t even think about it Luce. This will be nothing but trouble.”

Her kind eyes looked at him and than at the child, clearly conflicted. Right behind her slept her own child, Aria. “I have to agree with Reborn.” said a chinese looking man with long, braided black hair and a red robe,two horns sitting atop his head. But she looked again, her maternal instincts going into overdrive. “But he’s so small! And I’m certain he will be important.” Both males did a double take at that. “Did you have a vision Luce?” Instead of answering she just stood up and went to the small boy, who started to cry. Careful in her movements she slid around the trees, never taking her eyes of off the human. Just before she stood before him, she let out a deep rumbling sound. Something to sooth the poor and stressed soul. The boy startled so bad that he fell on his little butt and looked around in a panic.

His tears looked like small crystals and Luce took pity on the child. “Do not fear us child.”

Slowly she stepped out of the treeline, just as human as the one before her. Her white dress and big white hat looked very strange to the human. But something told him that this kind lady would cause him no harm. Not even the beautiful white and silver scales in her cheeks seemed to bother him. Still sniffing he tried to stand, only to fall down again. “W-Who are you Miss?” With a smile she knelt at his side and held out her hand for him to take. “My name is Luce. And who might you be?” With a trembling hand of his own he reached for hers. “I’m Sawada Tsunayoshi.”

Blinking back into reality the dragon tried to makes sense of what he just remembered. Apparently he already met the boy, back when Luce was still alive. That explains why he looked so damn familiar! Now he REALLY needed to know what the hell happened, because it was already bad back then. And now it was so much worse. He could still feel the trembling of the boy and wanted to comfort him, which was kind of impossible at the moment. Right than the village chief decided to answer him. “Things changed my friend. I did what I had to in order to keep everyone safe.” It was said low and quiet, as if the man didn’t want the dragon to hear him.

Reborn stood still for a moment, before he slowly turned his head and spoke to the boy he carried. “I’m going to sit down. You should be able to slide down than.” The brunette wasn’t sure what to make out of this. First Reborn kept him steady on his back and in the next moment he was told to slide down? It didn’t make sense, not at all. Sniffing he just nodded and prepared for the following movements. They were smooth and quite graceful, just like back in the cave and the dragon took great care not to jostle him too much. Shortly after Reborn laid down Tsuna turned so he could do as he was told, but right than his bad luck struck again. Instead of sliding down in one smooth movement, he got stuck between a few scales and started to sway, only to stumble down in a mess of limbs. The dragon was kind of unprepared for this and could only cushion his fall with one of his wings. God, this boy was really clumsy. But this wasn’t even their biggest ´problem`. Once the boys feet hit the ground there was silence and THEN the shouting began. “He brought a dragon to the village!” “Bad luck is all he ever brought us!” “Traitor!” “You good for nothing child! What have you done?!”

Tsuna just listened, used to this kind of words. But what put him off were the wide and quite frightened eyes of his parents and village chief. Or just his parents. Timoteo looked surprised more than anything else. But why?

There was something that the young boy didn’t know because he just couldn’t remember. When he was young there was an incident where he was lost in the woods. That’s all he was ever told. No one bothered to tell him how he was found or even how he came back to the village. And that was because he was saved by dragons. They took him in, kept him save and then showed him the way back. What he COULD remember was right before he ran away. Away from home and the people who were supposed to keep him safe. 

It was just another day for Tsuna. At least that’s what he thought.

His parents had been talking since morning and still couldn't seem to agree. This was the first time that mommy and daddy ever fought. He watched, worried for seemingly no reason. That his head hurt and his tummy ached wasn’t important. 

Hours went by.

It was in the afternoon when is daddy came home with their chief in toe and the bad feeling from before returned tenfold. He felt as if his head was splitting and his little stomach turned. Tsuna didn’t know what was happening and it scared him. Mommy looked so sad and when he looked over her eyes glazed over and she ran out of the room. Even daddy had a strange look on his face: the young boy had never seen such a serious look on the man. Next was the old man that he was permitted to call `grandpa´. These old  eyes shone with sadness and some kind of finality. He… didn’t understand. The voice inside his head started to shout at him, told him to get away, NOW! But he couldn’t move, just backed away slowly when Timoteo and his father came closer. “Daddy?” Iemitsu reached over, grabbing him before he could get away and hugged him. “I’m sorry my little Tuna-fish.” His voice sounded thick with unshed tears…

In the next moment a single finger touched his forehead and everything went cold and black.

When he woke up again he felt uncomfortable, simply wrong. It was like something was missing inside of him. Silent tears started to gather in his big brown eyes and he cried. In his mind he could always see a gentle orange flame, always burning, now it was …..gone.

Shortly after that he took off, ignoring the shouts of his parents. No one would care anyways.

They took his fire, his ability, the only thing that had made him special. The only thing that made him a Sawada in the eyes of the others, a worthy heir of Vongola.

After he was safely retrieved he had a total blackout. The doctors said it was from shock, others said it was from trauma. The only things he can still recall from that time are a slim figure clad in white clothing and a kind voice.

He was brought back to reality when the shouting stopped and his father stepped forward again. His eyes were ablaze with rage and anger. “Hand over my son.” The black dragon was unimpressed by this rather pathetic show of fake bravado and nonexistent dominance. They condemned one of their children, left him for DAYS in a forest that was inhabited by seven dangerous dragons and treated him like nothing more than trash. It took two days before they even started to search for him. And now it was the very same display, if not even worse. He has nothing to be afraid of. Not even the wrath of a parent can frighten him, not since Luce or Aria. 

Out of the corner of his eyes he saw the black haired boy from before snickering. He looked rather proud of himself and the dragon just had to ask himself why. He already concluded that this was one of Tsuna's main bullies, if not THAT main bully. He also knew that he was the one who dragged the brunette into the forest and left him there.

Taking a deep breath he turned to the old man, ignoring the raging blonde right before him. “I brought Tsuna back to see if something has changed. And I’m not even surprised that it didn’t.” At that the humans all looked up at him, including Tsuna, who got a bad feeling. Reborn looked down at him and then at Timoteo again. “You should keep an eye on your young ones, Nono. Not everybody will be as lucky as this one.” It was said as an advice and a threat in one. Then he stood up and turned to leave. Before he took off he leaned down so he was face to face with the boy and whispered. “If you need an escape, you know where to find me. Should you ever get into trouble, call for for me.”

Then there was a tail gently sliding along his body and Tsuna petted it almost on autopilot, then he was gone. The only thing that remained was the echo of his beating wings and a beautiful, shimmering black scale in his hand.

Now he was alone again. Alone in the village that hated him and parents that crippled him at a young age.

_TBC_