Title: Promises
Fandom: Katekyo Hitman REBORN!
Pairing: none
Prompt: Bullet Wounds
Rating: PG
Word Count: 760
Summary: When you’re members of the Tenth Generation Vongola, nothing is ever easy.
A/N: Written for
hc_bingo. Masterpost with my game card is
here.
Oh, Yamamoto thought. I’ve been shot.
It wasn’t the brightest thought, no, or the most original, but he had just been shot, so everyone but Gokudera would probably cut him a little slack. Unfortunately, their back-up had mostly been killed in the sudden attack, so all he had was Gokudera.
He tried to smile apologetically, but the blood made it a bit difficult.
Luckily, Gokudera was too busy swearing to say anything particularly scathing. There were a lot of ‘you idiots’ and ‘so fucking stupids’ and all the usual things, but Yamamoto was well used to those. He couldn’t really laugh them off right now, but it was nice that Gokudera was obviously trying to make him feel comfortable.
Wasn’t getting shot supposed to hurt? He’d thought someone had said so at some point, although he couldn’t remember who, now. Maybe it was even Gokudera. Mostly, he just felt cold, and kind of fuzzy, like after he had his wisdom teeth taken out.
Maybe this hadn’t been a real gun, but one of the toy guns like Reborn liked to play with, that just made you do funny things. Except Gokudera wasn’t acting like it was that simple. But Gokudera never acted like anything was simple, anyway, so he couldn’t judge by that.
The world was going fuzzier and fuzzier. Suddenly, Gokudera was trying to get his attention, but he wasn’t doing a very good job of it. “Sorry.” He was mumbling, but Gokudera was good at listening, even if he liked to pretend otherwise. Even if he wasn’t, it would have to be enough, because just about then, the world went black.
~
Gokudera sat up when he heard the door to Yamamoto’s room open, only to lurch to his feet when he saw who it was. “Tenth, I’m sorry I-”
Tsuna waved him back down, more than acquainted with the look Gokudera wore when he was standing by pure force of will. “No apologies.”
“But, Tenth-”
“No.” Tsuna pulled up a second chair, which allowed Gokudera to finally collapse back into his own. “There was no possible way you or anyone could have foreseen that meeting ending the way it did. That you managed to save yourself and Yamamoto speaks volumes.”
“Volumes about how unprepared we were.” He looked away, unwilling and unable to see if Tsuna was truly disappointed with him. “We were stronger, we were-”
“Ambushed. Gokudera.” Tsuna reached out to lay a hand on his knee, finally making him look up. “Hayato. You’re my right hand, but you’re not invincible.”
“I should be. You know what’s coming.” They all knew what was coming.
“Of course I do.” Tsuna sighed, and for a second, Gokudera could see the person he’d met in Namimori instead of the Tenth Generation Vongola he’d become. “But we aren’t going to help anything by blaming ourselves for things that haven’t happened yet, and may never happen. Do you understand?”
He slumped in his chair, nodding unhappily. “Yes, Tenth.”
“Good.” He knew that Tsuna saw right through him, that Tsuna saw exactly how much guilt he still carried, but he also knew that Tsuna wouldn’t push him over it until he was ready. Just one of many reasons he followed him.
Tsuna stood slowly, leaning over the bed to clasp Yamamoto’s hand tightly, only for a second, and whisper something that even Gokudera, sitting as close as he was, couldn’t make out. When he straightened, his words were still soft, but obviously intended for both of them. “No matter what happens now or in the future, I will always be proud to call you my Guardians, and even more proud to call you my friends.”
Gokudera bowed his head when Tsuna passed to leave the room, promising quietly to return after dinner. He waited for the latch to click shut before sitting back and running a hand through his hair. “Only you, Tenth.”
~
Tsuna paused outside the door, taking a moment to catch his breath. He’d never admit it, but any of his friends being hurt because of him was still just as terrifying now as it had been when he’d been a child. And it was because of him, because he was the Tenth Vongola and that made them targets, regardless of their own choices.
This evening, he’d make sure the ones who’d done this to his Guardians paid. After that, he would sit down to an informal dinner with Kyoko and Bianche, and then he’d come back here just as he’d promised Gokudera. Because he kept his promises. All of them.
This entry was originally posted at
http://envious-muses.dreamwidth.org/19911.html.