Darkness once again enveloped me. I was beginning to become used to seeing the endless blackness, but there was always one fear. The nightmares. I wanted to scream, I wanted to shout, but my vocal chords didn't work. I just wanted one night, one peaceful night, where the nightmares didn't plague me. Unfortunately for me, life just doesn't go my way.

Did I really believe a 'memory', as he called himself, that I would be able to protect myself? Did I really believe that I could stand up for myself and become strong?

Yeah, right.

But a part of me really wanted to believe it. A part of me wanted to attempt. A part of me begged for that sliver of hope.

The sliver of hope that barely grasped me by a spider's thread.

"Take him! Just take him!" Nana cried, pushing her child into the man's arms. "He's in so much pain, I don't want to see anymore!"

"But- Mama! Mama! Wh-Where am I going?!"

"Oh, Tsu-kun, I'm so sorry..." the petite woman sobbed, "I'm sorry, Tsu-kun, I really am... Anata, I'm sorry for having to disappoint you..."

The man gripped the child by his shoulders, almost reluctlant to lead him away. "I'll raise him to become a suitable boss. I'll raise him in your stead."

Nana looked up slowly, her short mousy hair parting to reveal brown eyes. Harsh, sharp eyes shining with tears. A burning glare from eyes usually soft and warm. "Don't lie to me," she spat, words venomous, "I know," she gritted, silent tears tracing her pale skin, "I know where you're from. I know what you plan to do with my son. I know."

The man flinched at her fiery glare, the kind of hurtful words that he knew his dear, loving wife would never say. She obviously didn't recognise his voice. The pain in his heart was real. It'd really been that long since he left for his job; it'd been that long. So long that even his welcoming wife didn't recognise his voice. He pulled up his mask, pulling down his hood to shield his eyes from view. He knew, that if she ever found out that the man putting her and her son through so much pain was the man who supposedly was protecting them...

He couldn't bring himself to imagine it.

"We..." murmured Iemitsu quietly, "We... No, I will protect him. I will protect him, and you, just as I have tried, all this time."

Tsuna looked up at the man, honey brown eyes glistening with tears and sudden recognition of the olive brown eyes boring into his own. "Pap-"

"I promise, Nana, I promise," said Iemitsu firmly, leaning down to hold Tsuna's hand. "I promise, just like the day I promised to love you forever."

There was no turning back.

There was no way to go back to the way things were before.

There was no way she was going to forgive him.

There was no way, absolutely no way, that he was going to let his child be hurt, much less the love of his life.

Nana's eyes grew wide in realisation and horror, opening her mouth to speak, but he was already walking away slowly, whispering comforting words into Tsuna's ears.

He couldn't look back.

The child's fate had been decided.

His future was confirmed.

No matter how dangerous it was, this child, however frail and fragile looking he was, was the center of all this.

This child was born to be the true successor.

This child, a mentally ill child, diagnosed with so many illnesses that he almost rivaled the Arcobaleno, was the beginning of everything.

Sorry guys, not much of an update, I guess. Somewhat of an introduction to Tsuna's past, idk, plot point. things you know

idk I haven't updated in a long time and this is crappy

I literally wrote it in twenty minutes

I don't even know anymore

Rinnocence ~ /08/2013