Title: The World Only Knows

By: Metamorcy

Rating: K+

Pairing: None

Summary: Tsuna wanted to be a normal person, to have a normal family, a normal life. That was all he wished for, but the world said 'No'. Years later, Reborn shows up to find something odd afoot within the quiet town of Namimori.

Disclaimer: Don't own, just the idea

Beta'ed by WhiteAngel128

Chapter 1

Tsuna wished he could be normal. That was all he wanted in his life. A normal family, a normal childhood, normal friends, but in the end he got nothing. He got none of that. With that set, he felt like everything was a lie. There was no prince or princess, no happy ending to the long, suffering days. There was only the seesaw reality of life. It never stopped; the continuous up and down, with a few pauses here or there before it finally tipped over. It was endless, it was always moving. It was miserable.

Instead of being given a normal family, the one he got was in pieces. His father was never home, Tsuna wouldn't even be surprised if he was lying dead somewhere in that vast world. Maybe he was on the other side in some place he'd never even heard of. There was also the possibility of his father having another family, meaning that his was nothing more than a mistake. Either way, Tsuna couldn't even list one thing about him, not his features, not his face, not his name. Not even the last memory he had of the man. There was nothing, absolutely nothing. It was just a blank and as such it wasn't something he thought much on.

His mother kept all of the pictures locked away because whenever she saw them, she would just break down crying. She would continue to do so all night long until the wee hours of morning. After a night like that, no one would exchange anything in hopes of keeping everything as still and calm as possible. Tsuna didn't blame her, she was the one who was married to him, and though he was the one related by blood, he didn't feel any connection with that idiot of a father. If someone came to them one day to deliver the news that his father was dead, he probably wouldn't even bat an eyelash. After all, it was something he had expected to happen from very beginning.

His mother was a good woman, wonderful, loving, all one could ask for in a parent. Except… that was all in the past. The misery of being alone, of having no one to comfort her, of her husband never being around, consumed her whole. It was an incurable darkness that constantly pulsated around her, never leaving, eternally growing. It was like a parasite in a sense. Tsuna knew there was nothing he could do to save her; he couldn't take away her sadness, he couldn't replace his father. Nana had to save herself, and eventually she did. She turned to the one person who reminded her most of her husband, or at least that was what Tsuna believed. She doted on someone else like no tomorrow, spoiling him, nurturing him, giving him everything he needed in life. But Tsuna was left out, ragged and dried, destined to fade away on his own. He was shoved to the side like he was some sort of extra, like he was an annoyance. And Nana, his own mother, didn't even seem to care, if she even noticed that was.

Tsukihiko, he became that someone else. It was his younger brother - his younger twin brother by ten minutes. From what he'd heard, or at least, what the gossipers in the neighborhood had whispered, he had been born naturally, however, his brother wasn't. Tsukihiko had breached when it was his turn to come out, which had resulted in Nana needing a Caesarean just to get him out safely. The procedure left his mother in the hospital for weeks, recovering from two different births at the same time. There were whispers that he had probably shoved Tsukihiko away during the birthing just so that he could be the older sibling, something Tsuna automatically deemed impossible. It was nothing more than speculation and lies.

Tsukihiko, or Tsuki for short, was someone Tsuna hated. Despite being brothers, they didn't like each other and always fought the moment they became aware of the others presence. Though Tsuna had tried to be the loving, doting brother, it always ended in failure. They just couldn't get along. It was just something that was stuck in an eternal circle, one would always push the other the wrong way even when they didn't mean to. Furthermore, Tsuna never knew why Tsuki and himself didn't get along, they just had a hatred that they could never get under control. It grew over the years like a fire that was continuously being fed. They avoided each other as much as possible, not even interacting for the smallest of things, and would put up a mask of smiles whenever someone saw them together. It was easier that way, for the both of them. However, once his mother turned her eyes towards Tsuki, things began to go downhill. Tsuki's cruelty grew because he knew he could get away with it. Nana would side with him every time, never arguing back, and would always turn a blind eye on any trouble he caused. All in all, it made Tsuna's life a living hell.

He never got any peace. Tsuna found himself being shoved back and forth. He was told, commanded, and eventually forced to do things he didn't want to do by both Tsuki and his mother. Still, it didn't stop. That downhill began to get steeper and before long, Tsuna could see a dark pit at the very bottom. It would open up and swallow him whole the moment he could no longer stand. The abuse at home continued and eventually school doubled that load. His childhood was screwed up – indefinitely.

Tsuna wasn't the smartest child, but he wasn't the dumbest either. He was just an average child with an average mind. Or at least, that was what he wanted to believe. Sure, he was slow at learning, but that didn't mean that he couldn't. After a while, Tsuki took over, outshining him in everything. His brother continued to be spoiled both at home and at school. The teachers would dote on him, his classmates would cheer, and he, the elder twin, was left in the dark without a single ray of light. Things gradually began to get worse and his world began to collapse. Soon, he was being compared to Tsuki, always asked why he couldn't be like him. Everyone saw him as some fake, a poor clone of the original, and eventually a nuisance that was hindering their light, his brother. The school, his own family, they all felt like he was the sole reason for bringing Tsuki down. Neither did they hesitate to say so. His mother began to forget about him, he wouldn't be surprised if she forgot that she was the one that brought him into the world. Birthdays began to become nonexistent for him and eventually, he forgot what one was like. Was there cake? W there presents? The only example he saw was his brother's, and even then it was from afar. He wasn't allowed to join in - Tsuki didn't want him to pollute the air. Things continued to fall further downhill with each day that passed. Now only loneliness and despair met him. They were his only company in the world. Friends were unreal to him. He never experienced having one and probably never would.

Whatever life he had was not normal. It was far from it. And Tsuna knew that. He could see other families, other students, all of them had a better life than him. They weren't the ones who were being bullied both by the school and their brother, they weren't the ones who were ignored by their mother, and they definitely weren't the ones who had a nonexistent father. He would come home with bruises, only to receive more. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right. What had he done to deserve this life? Tsuna didn't remember doing anything wrong.

But there was little he could do to fix his world. He didn't have that power or that ability. It was nonexistent after all. That's just how they were, how life and reality were. No one could save him from that. Miracles never happened, faith was useless – they were just empty words that people who were better off liked to preach about. The things in the movies were all lies, happy endings were fake, and that was it. They never continued onto what happened afterwards. Would the princess, who had finally married the man of her dreams, have a stillborn child? Would that child get kidnapped or be born with a heart condition that left the heir useless? Would the couple instead be plagued with war or maybe a disease? Would they die? These things were never revealed. Because that was reality and Tsuna knew it, everything was nothing more than a big fat lie that continued to grow as more and more days passed.

But he expected that.

As the child, only seven years old, wandered down the streets, he kept his eyes focused on the ground, avoiding looking up towards the sky and the world around him. He didn't want to. The world was too cruel to want to look at, to see, and the ground he stepped on was far more appealing. Dark bruises were covered up by his clothes and his backpack was barely hanging on, the straps nearly torn off by his bullies. A few specks of mud are smeared over his clothes and he knew very well he was getting distasteful looks from the neighbors as he made his way along. However, he wasn't heading home. He didn't want to go to a place that he considered Hell. Nowhere was safe, not even his own room. His bedroom looked as if a wild animal had gone on a rampage through it and that was only because of Tsuki. Yet the blame always fell on Tsuna himself. Oh, how he hated his brother.

Tsuna continued to wander the streets, no particular destination in mind. He would walk until his legs collapsed under him or until he found somewhere to rest before heading back. It was the only thing he could do to keep himself safe from everyone. The bullies never came out this far, mainly because he avoided the surrounding areas where all his classmates lived at, and he was left unbothered by the population of Namimori. Tsuna, a brunet with thick locks in a healthy shade of caramel, persisted to wander. There were times when his stomach would growl and demand food, but he ignored that too. He could sneak something to eat at home when Tsuki and his mother had fallen asleep.

Today, he took a different route and made his way up the mountain towards the Namimori shrine. His mind was blank as he made his way up the stairs, his eyes still down cast. He had one hand on the railings running along the steps to keep himself stable. Still, Tsuna was constantly on the move, getting away from the buildings behind him. For a moment, about halfway up, he turned around to see the town of Namimori, a clear view of everything for once. The only thing he felt was disgust. Everything was… normal.

Turning away with a sneer, he continued on his path towards the top, never stopping again. He had no desire to look down. The distance far below was scary to a seven-year-old child. Still, he persevered and he glanced up to see how much he had left to his goal. There, just a few feet away was the top, the sight he'd anticipated. As his feet touched the flat surface, he released a heavy sigh, happy to have made it all the way. It was almost like he had reached a new achievement, something he hadn't accomplished in a while. Spinning around, he sat down on the edge to watch the world from a distance. For some odd reason, it looked better now that he couldn't see everything as clearly. Once comfortable, he leant back to peer up at the sky. Though he usually hated seeing it, today he would make an exception. The open space was as blue as always with the bright ever-present sun and a cloud or two passing across its surface. Those two aspects, this sky, were probably the only things that had never bothered him, never against him, because he knew that if it was dark for him, it was dark for everyone else. The sky was indifferent to everything around it and that was how Tsuna liked it.

After an hour had passed, he sat up, momentarily wondering if he had fallen asleep, and peered at the shrine behind him. It was obviously deserted, voided of any and all life except for the trees surrounding the area. But it was peaceful, something Tsuna adored. Getting up onto his feet, he went to explore the abandoned area and finally felt like the seven-year-old child he was supposed to be. It had been too long since he had been able to relax, not wondering about going around the next corner, the bullies, and many other issues. The stones in the flooring had all been pack together, compressed into a rectangle, as if trying to use as many as possible. The shorter ends of the stones were faced towards the stairs, while the other side ran horizontally between the shrine and the entrance. As he stepped closer to the shrine, he could make out the details of the little hut-like place. It looked like single room so tiny that if he wanted to lie down he'd be able to touch all the sides simultaneously. Next to it, there was a quaint little stone well where he could remember hearing people come by to make a wish.

Of course, Tsuna didn't believe in such things - he had learnt his lesson long ago. Stalking closer, he stopped in front of a large black stone, his eyes drifting over the words that were carved into it, but didn't understand a single thing. It looked like it was written in kanji, something he wasn't very familiar with compared to the usual style. Still, he persisted and eventually was able to make something out: 'Wind'. At least, that was what he thinks it read.

The shrine looked perfect. It hadn't been run down by the weather or the elements nor has it been defiled by humans. It was flawless, standing there as if it was immune to time. Tsuna smiled gently, something he hadn't done for a while, and reached forward to touch the round top. The stone was smooth to the touch, his fingers gliding over it with ease. Eventually he pulled away, walking it around to inspect the well. The well's appearance was like the kind that would be used for festivals and he pushed himself onto his tip-toes to peer inside, a crisscross wooden covering preventing him from falling in. It was dark, no light able to reach the bottom, and he ultimately pulled away, bored. However, he couldn't help but put his hands together to offer a prayer. He'd rather not piss off some god out there and make his already abysmal life worse.

Going around the well, he went to the hut and opened the sliding doors, peering inside. Dust, dust and more dust was all he saw. It was run down compared to everything else, the wood splintering and falling apart. There were holes on the roof, casting dotted beams of sunlight inside, and the paper that was on the sliding doors was peeling back. The place was completely empty with nothing in sight. The outside of the little hut had some stairs, the entire place raised a few inches off the ground. His footsteps on the wooden floor creaked with every movement and Tsuna was afraid for a moment that it might collapse under him. It never happened. Still, that didn't stop him from being careful. Eventually, he got tired of exploring, finding nothing all that interesting in the area, and sat down on the steps, dropping his bag to the side.

'This might be a good spot to hang around. It's better than just wandering the streets until it gets dark.' Tsuna laid down, the roof shading his body from the sun, and turned on his side. He made sure to keep an eye towards the front just in case. He would take no chances in allowing himself to be jumped despite knowing in the back of his mind that none of his bullies knew where he was.

Though he was only in elementary school, kids knew how to be cruel. They already knew how to say terrible things, how to hurt each other, they could do almost everything an adult could. Though their words were less intelligent, it could still hurt and cause harm. Tsuna curled up, his arms wrapped around his bag, using it as a pillow, and continued to stare out into the open area.

Through the gossipers, he hadn't heard of anyone coming up to this area for a long time, except for when the occasional festival that was held, but naturally, he was never allowed to go. His mother never took him and his brother certainly didn't want him there. He obviously didn't have any friends either so there was no point in heading up to the festival alone. The only result of that would be more bullying at the hands of his classmates. He wouldn't be surprised if they pushed him into one of the water bins or maybe down the stairs. Such was his life, how horrible.

He really wished he could have a normal life. Was it wrong to wish for such a thing? He truly hoped not because that was all he really wanted.

Tsuna felt his mind drifting, lulling him into sleep, and eventually dozed off, his eyes closing, shutting out the world. The shrine area was peaceful, comforting. He liked it here. Perhaps this place would be his new hideout, yeah, that's what it would be. Smiling to himself, he slept as the wind gently blew past his face, almost as if offering a caressing touch.

Another story! Oh my! Well, this one is more of a tester. If people like it, I might continue it. If not, then I'll leave it as is.