A quick one-shot to get the idea out of my mind. I might continue if I get enough response, but An Oath of Truth has priority regardless.

I do not own the awesomeness that is Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

Warning: suicide, self-harm

How does a child survive when no one believes in them or is kind to them once in a while? How does a child get back up, when they are knocked down again and again and no one ever sticks out a helping hand. How does a child learn when all they have ever heard was insults about their intellect or rather lack thereof?

It doesn't. They might try for a couple years and some hold on longer than other, but eventually they are all pushed past their breaking point. It's really not a matter of if, but when.

For Sawada Tsunayoshi that breaking point came in the form of a disappointed Nana and a grade card coloured in red. He was, at fourteen years of age, deemed an utter failure by the world around him. He was bullied to an insufferable degree and while everyone knew, no one ever stepped in. Even the demon of Namimori, the prefect who beat up people for the slightest misstep, stood by and watched. His homework was stolen and teachers ignored or picked on him during lessons. His lunches were stolen and his property destroyed on a daily basis.

In Tsuna's eyes everything had gone wrong when his father, forever absent, had brought an old man, introduced as grandfather, to the house when Tsuna was six. That old man, Nono, had done something to Tsuna and ever since Tsuna had become clumsy, weak and had difficulty concentrating on anything. He could and in the beginning often tried concentrating, but the effort usually left him utterly drained and with a splitting headache, so eventually he had given up doing so again. Before the incident he had been a bright and curious child, afterwards he had become dead last, Dame-Tsuna.

It had felt like some essential part had disappeared, like the colours around him suddenly were less bright and vivid and his heart hurt so much. He had tried to tell them, but they hadn't listened, saying that everything would be fine soon enough. Except it hadn't and too soon he had begun to forget what it had been like: to run without tripping, to play with other children, to be simply happy.

For his mama Tsuna had held on to life, because without him Nana would be completely alone. He refused to abandon her like his lying, scum of a father had done. That day however something had broken beyond repair. When he had showed his grade card, Nana had chided him and asked why he couldn't be more like his papa. Later he had overheard her wishing that her useless son might be taken away in return for her beloved husband.

The pain had been unimaginable; to hear that his own mother didn't want him, didn't love him unconditionally like she should have done and instead preferred a man who lied to her and had abandoned her. He simply couldn't bear it. For the past weeks he had been looking up suicide and self-harm, in secret of course. At first it had been out of curiosity and a wish to take away some of the pain, now it seemed his only option. He couldn't bear to live another day full of misery and with no hope of any improvement whatsoever. He couldn't go on knowing that no one in the whole world cared for him in the slightest.

Tsuna waited for midnight, when Nana would be asleep. He didn't bother to lock the bathroom door behind him as he stumbled in. Why should he? Let her find him, it might bring her some joy, being freed from her pathetic, burden of a son. Earlier that evening he had stolen a knife from the kitchen, which is when he heard Nana's horrible request. He had only planned to dull the pain in his heart by another sort of pain, but knew now that it wouldn't suffice.

The bath was turned on; hot water would make things easier and quicker. He didn't want to be found before it was too late. Tsuna kneeled at the bathtub, displaying the soft skin of his inner left wrist to the light of the moon. His hand, clutching the small, yet sharp knife didn't tremble for once in his life, so focused was he on bringing this final task to a good end. Metal hit skin and sunk in. The pain helped with focusing and Tsuna made another cut, close to the first. Blood was spraying from his wrist like a scarlet fountain and Tsuna began to feel lightheaded. He dropped the knife, conscious slipping away. Just before he fainted a last thought went through his mind. 'I regret not being able to show the world what I might have become.'

Nana had been sleeping very badly this past week. She had been dreaming every night of her Tsuna, as a little boy, who had been as bright and perfect as any mother could have wished for. It didn't stroke with the reality she knew and accepted, because she could only feel hatred when she looked at her only child. It puzzled her that she felt so negative, when she had always loved children. In her dreams she often gave Iemitsu a piece of her mind in regards to his longs absences, yet as soon as she woke up she adored him. It wasn't right, but she knew not what to do about it. The more she fought these conflicting feelings the stronger they became.

Thus it happened that she was still wide-awake when she recognized the stumbling of her pathetic (beloved) child in the hallway. As she once again tried to battle the emotions forced on her, she heard a faucet being turned on. Her training as nurse managed to overcome her foreign wish to leave it be, though it took more time than she liked to reach the bathroom.

Stepping through the open door, Nana felt her world crash down as she looked down on her beautiful child, who had tried to take his own life. For the first time in years her head felt clear again and her instincts took over. Instead of losing time looking for bandages, she ripped a chunk of her dress and dressed the wound while making sure to put pressure on it and binding it tightly. Reassured it would do for the few moments needed to reach the mobile phone, she put Tsuna on the ground, while keeping his arm above the heart.

Rushing back, Nana typed in the emergency number with trembling fingers. Her voice remained steady however as she swiftly gave the receptionist a summary of the events. The woman told her that the ambulance would arrive within five minutes, so "please keep calm", after which the call ended. Kneeling again by her unconscious son she gently stroked his face as she debated whom to call. The door was no problem; their neighbourhood was so safe, she kept in unlocked all the time. In the end she decided on Sasagawa Mei, a friend with two children of her own.

By the time both parties, the ambulance and Mei, had arrived, Nana had lost half of her nightgown in an effort to stop the bleeding. The medics quickly took over, putting a proper pressure bandage on the wound and smoothly strapping Tsuna on the portable bed. Nana insisted on riding with them to the hospital, while Mei would follow with an overnight bag. She had to be reminded to put on a coat and shoes, but was soon seated next to the bed in the ambulance. At the hospital she was relegated to the waiting room as Tsuna was rushed into the emergency operation room.

It was a long wait and Nana used that time to order her thoughts. Clearly her feelings had been influenced, as she would never have condoned the bullying her baby had gone through. She vaguely remembered Iemitsu presenting his boss/grandfather and the drastic change in Tsuna after that visit. It didn't explain a thing. She had no idea why anyone would want to cripple her son so severely or prevent her from doing something about it, but she grasped the fact that Iemitsu had something to do with it and it infuriated her. She had loved him, once upon a time, but with no actual presence to maintain that love it had quickly deteriorated after his first long absence, coincidentally not long after their marriage.

Putting her head into her hands, Nana prayed to every god she knew that she might be able to restore Tsuna's trust in her. She had hurt him so much, more than any other person could have and it pained her soul to accept it had happened. She had to however, if she ever wanted to start making amends.

Mei startled her out of her reflections and ushered her into the toilet with a bag of clothes. A quick wash and clothing change later, she felt not better, but like she could handle what would happen tonight. It was more than likely that Tsuna would wake up again, but the talk they would have to have subsequently would be very difficult for both. Nana waited side by side with her friend for the freeing message. They didn't have to wait for a very long time. A nurse came about half an hour after Tsuna had been brought in to guide her to the right room. For now only family was allowed, so Mei said goodbye and promised to look after the house.

Her little boy looked so delicate and young in that big white bed. Taking a seat at his right side Nana carefully took his unhurt arm in her hands. She softly sang Tsuna's old lullaby, mostly to sooth her own nerves. Her eyes remained focused on his face and they widened when Tsuna's eyes opened a little. They were unfocused, still somewhat drugged, and a beautiful clear orange instead of their usual brown. She shushed him, speaking softly and gently.

"It's all right, Tsu-kun. Mama is back and this time she will stay by your side. Go back to sleep, my little boy, I will watch over you."

The eyes slid shut again; sleep tightening its hold over the exhausted and broken boy. Before entering Nana had asked the nurse for a list of psychologists, which she had gladly handed over with some extra information added. In the end she decided on Dr Kurokawa, who specialised in abused victims and suicidal children and was part of her small circle of acquaintances. She was the unmarried aunt of Kurokawa Hana, a friend of Mei's Kyoko.

Setting the list aside, Nana took pen and paper in an effort to make some sense of past events. First she wrote all the guilty parties in Tsuna's case down. She didn't know all the bullies, but they would be the easiest to find out, then the teachers, the school nurses and even that prefect, who liked to patrol the streets to emulate his father, a police officer. In fact there were very few people in Namimori, she didn't write down. Many had had the chance to do something and yet none had taken it.

Contemplating for a few seconds she wrote down exactly what had happened since she met Iemitsu. It was surprisingly little and she felt stupid for marrying after such a whirlwind romance. They had met in the hospital where Nana worked, he had been brought in with severe wounds after a drunken bar brawl (or so he said). He had seduced her from his sick bed and six months later she had been married with a baby on the way. He had installed her into a brand new, expensively furnished house (while still claiming to work for a construction company) and had left a week later. His visits were sporadic at best and the postcards outlandish.

She blinked at how easily she had believed his (obvious) lies and how stupid it all seemed now she looked back on it. The shady job and large bank account could only mean one thing though, mafia or yakuza. Based on the man he brought to visit when Tsuna was six, she would put her money on mafia. Nono hadn't looked Japanese at all and, now she thought about it, neither did Iemitsu despite his Japanese name.

So she was a mafia wife now, huh. It still didn't explain the … hypnosis? She hesitated to call it anything else; the change had been so abrupt. Besides Iemitsu was besotted of his Tuna fish. No he might have been behind Tsuna's stunted state, but he probably thought that he was doing the right thing without thinking of the consequences. That meant outsiders though and as soon as they realized that their plan (whatever it might entail) had failed, they would be back. She would have to contact someone immediately. Iemitsu would answer the phone right now; he never did when she called, so he was out of the picture. He had left an emergency number and surely this situation was considered a full-blown crisis!

It only took one ring for the person on the other end to respond.

"Ciaossu. With whom am I speaking?"

"Hello, I'm Sawada Nana, Iemitsu's wife. I was told to contact this number if I ever considered myself in need of urgent help. My son has just tried to commit suicide and I suspect that I have been the victim of a long-term hypnosis."

"I'll be there soon, let no one in and stay away from the windows. My identity will be verified with this special knock."

"I got it. Thank you, Mr?"

"Reborn."

Tsuna felt like he was floating with the Sun's rays softly touching his face. He felt warm and complete. For eight years he had known a piece was missing, but couldn't even begin to imagine how being whole would feel. Now he knew and he would never give this feeling up again.

A throbbing in his left arm brought him back to reality, though he didn't open his eyes just yet. He was alive then. Yes mama had found him, had saved him. He remembered her words and the lullaby. Did that mean mama hadn't been herself? That it hadn't been Tsuna's fault? Despite the pain of mama's neglect, she was the only person he still cared for, the only one he hadn't wanted to give up on.

"Tsu-kun? Are you awake? Mama has breakfast."

He slowly opened his eyes, and was nearly overwhelmed at the richness of the colours around him. As it was he could only just suppress an astonished gasp. Imaging spending most of your sentient life in a grey, drab prison. Then, suddenly, you're freed and you step outside for the first time. He hadn't known colours had so many shades!

"Tsu-kun, are you all right?"

"Yes mama, just a bit dazed."

For the first time in six years his mama hugged him and overcome by emotions, he started weeping softly, silently. Nana reacted by hugging him even tighter, shedding tears of her own. The selfishness of others had caused them to lose so many years together, it was heart breaking.

A small cough brought them back to the normal world and to the third person in the room. A baby was sitting on the stool in the corner, dressed in a black suit, a fedora with an orange stripe and a yellow pacifier. Regardless of his utterly adorable appearance, he oozed confidence and dangerousness.

"Tsu-kun, this is Reborn-san. He has agreed to protect us from the people who wish us harm until a more permanent solution is found. Please disregard his exterior, it is in no way a reflection of his skills."

"Ciaossu Tsunayoshi. Might I recommend a look in the mirror?"

Raising an eyebrow Tsuna took the small hand mirror from the bedside table. Inside he was grumbling, yet curious. What could possibly have changed in his face? A great deal apparently, like you know, HIS EYECOLOUR! Why were his eyes suddenly a vibrant orange, when only yesterday they had been a normal brown?

"Mama?"

"Oh, Tsu-kun it seems like we're in for a big change."

Hope you liked it. For some reason I cannot portray Nana as a bad mother, hence the plot twist.