Hi, name's Nalix

I'm a complete 1827 fan and love Reborn!

This is the first story that I've actually decided to continue so if it sucks, please... Spare me from the flames...

Disclaimer: I do not own Reborn!, or Tsuna (XD), or Hibari (X0X). I only own this plot. Besides, if I DID own Reborn, TYL Tsuna would've shown his no-doubt-gorgeous face already!!!

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Darkness.

My consciousness is wavering.

No sanctuary from the pain within my body as it slowly tries to recover, but fails miserably.

"-una! Tsuna!!"

Mom?

"Don't give up! Be Strong!!"

How? How am I supposed to be strong? How am I supposed to prevail over this grief?

*bud-dum*

And the pain within grows and lessens for every breath I take in.

*bud-dum*

No way for me to run, to escape the forsaken feeling.

*bud-dum*

"Tsuna?"

I'm fine. I'll recover like before. Right?

*bud-dum*

"Please! You can win this…"

Slowly, my thoughts drift off into the blissful shadows in my mind as the torturous agony leaves. For now.

*bud-dum*

"I- I'm… fine… don't worry… mom…"

Black.

My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi, age 16, and I am not what you would call a normal.

Ever since I was a small kid, I've had frequent visits to the hospital. I took medications everyday and was kept inside the house for most of my childhood. Everyone around me considered me "delicate" and "fragile", which all comes to a conclusion of me being weak. Weak? Perhaps. I'm bound to a life of IV's and never ending checkups, so maybe I am dependent on others. But at least I am willing to accept it. Willing to accept my end.

My condition is nothing extraordinary. It can even be considered boring, well, I think it is anyway. There are thousands of others out there who are in worse predicaments than I am without any medical care. Sigh If only the government gave a damn, then those people might actually be saved. Better them than someone as useless as me.

I, on the other hand, am ill fated with a pathetically weak heart. A heart that is unable to continue beating without the assistance of machines and medicines, while I'm forever stuck in a bed because of it. I can't do any strenuous activity, can't go to school, and can't live a normal life.

I hate it.

I hate this heart and this sad excuse of a body that renders me useless.

I can't stand not being able to be free. To not be able to go outside and have fun with other people. To be under constant supervision.

It would be so great to have unbound wings.

I don't have that freedom. It was stripped from me when I was given my existence. All I can do is envy those who have theirs. Not that I do, of course. No one can do anything about it so I try not to think about those kinds of negative emotions.

Key word is "try". I fail from time to time. It's a rare thing though.

It's kinda pitiful, really. At the rate I'm going, I won't live till I'm 20. Hell, the doctors reckon that I'll be off to that afterlife by 18. Two more years. shrug Oh well. It's gonna happen sooner or later anyways. I can't be saved, not with medicine or money.

Even though my parents have the cash to support me with.

No, it's not like we're filthy rich, just on the more well off side. My father works for some big shot company and is somewhere higher up. Don't know the details though. He never talks about it to me, even when I ask. Mom says that he's sick of work as it is and doesn't want to talk about it even more, though I have a different opinion. It's complicated.

But even with the money, they can't fix me. Apparently, my body is very, I don't know, "special". Not to brag or anything, but it's structure and blood type is "unique" and it's really hard to match it up to someone else. So, they can't find a heart to replace mine with. Sucks, doesn't it?

At least my parents care, albeit a bit too much, but I do love them. I even have a few friends from when I was younger who come visit me a couple times a week. I love it when they visit me so they can talk to me about their lives in the real world.

So I'm okay with my situation and not depressed or anything. Hell, I DO NOT want to end up being a whiny, foolish idiot that's wrapped up in self-pity. God, if that ever happened, may I be stuck by lightening. Or maybe even a stray, high dose immobilization syringe. Hey, it can happen, you know. Especially with my luck, which tends to get me in trouble sometimes.

But even with my happiness of being with the ones I care about, I still can't but help but feel that I'm missing something. Something important, like a vital piece of life that will guarantee that I can die in peace and, well, satisfaction. I can't explain it but it feels like a painful longing for something. I doubt I'll find that thing at the rate I'm going through life though.

My hope is that maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to pass on without any tragedy. I understand that my parents will be devastated and my friends might cry when I die. There are no "if's" in my case so it's pretty much guaranteed. But I don't want them to make them feel bad so I want to show them that I truly do appreciate them.

But I wish for one slightly selfish luxury.

…Let me die, without any regrets.

No matter what may happen or come to be, the life I want to fulfill must not end without knowing if I lived to the fullest.

…And that is all I've ever wanted…

White walls.

White ceiling.

White curtains and windows with nothing interesting outside.

That is what I'm always surrounded in when I'm visited by anyone. Like now.

"Oi Tsuna!! You all right? I heard you had a pretty serious attack yesterday."

"Shut up! You have no right to speak to Juudaime!! Juudaime, now that I am here, I shall tend to your needs!!"

At the doorway stood two guys. One had a notable figure of an athlete with black hair and a large smile with kind eyes. The other, a slightly scary looking person supporting a scowl on his face with silver locks adorning it.

I smiled at my two best friends.

"Hey. There's nothing to worry about here. As you can see, I'm perfectly fine." I reassured them, nodding to the machines around me to indicate my current status.

Two sighs of relief echoed in the room. "Geeze Tsuna. Don't make it sound like it's nothing when it's obviously not. You know that we get worried." The taller pointed out with eyes full of sadness.

My heart pained at the look. "I'm sorry Yamamoto. But really, it's nothing. I'm still alive and that's what counts, right?" The look directed at me stated otherwise. "-sigh Oh give me a break. I've got state of the art equipment around me to help me. Gokudera-kun can assure you that. Right, Gokudera-kun?"

The other man looking around in distaste at the room perked up at the mention of his name. "Of course!! Juudaime deserves nothing but the best of the things!! If they weren't, the fools controlling this place will have to go through me!!" The look of pride shone brightly, making both Yamamoto and I laugh at his antics.

"So, how was your day? School?" I looked at both of them with anticipation. Life outside of these walls is just so fascinating.

"Well, we did some new stuff in Japanese today, the HyakuninIsshu. I accidentally slept through the lecture though, practice today was pretty early so I just conked out."

"You fool! You should've stayed awake just so you could explain it all to Juudaime!! You see Juudaime, the HyakuninIsshu are a hundred songs in the poetic format of haiku, that was chosen by th-"

"Err… It's okay Gokudera-kun. You don't have to push yourself." The gleam in his eyes was shining at a full 100%, indicating that he was about to go into lecture mode. shudder School work from Gokudera-kun is never-ending. Something I learned the hard way.

"So… how was baseball practice, Yamamoto?"

Wandering around the hospital was one of my favorite pastimes.

Seeing as how difficult (as in, just plain stubborn) I got when I was confined to my room, the nurses let me walk around the hospital from time to time. It allowed me to look out of larger windows and see other people in other sections of the hospital or people from "the outside". Dragging the IV behind me, I started for the children's ward on the 4th floor.

"TSUNA"-NII!!!!!"

…Oww…

That might've ruptured an eardrum…

"Lambo, Fuuta, how are you today?" A mass of black curls skidded to a stop in front of me, followed by a young boy with brown hair.

"Tsuna~! Lambo-san was awesome today. Lambo-san listened to the nurses once today. Lambo-san was good so give me candy!" Cue the grape candies from my mother. The 5-year-old boy in cowprint quickly snatched the bag out of my hands. "Hyahaa!! Lambo-san is gonna eat all of them!!"

"No Lambo, you have to be nice and share with the other kids, right Tsuna-nii!?" The brunette smiled up at me with a wide look in his eyes, clearly showing his displeasure at Lambo's actions.

Instantly being affected by the puppy dog eyes, I answered, "Th- that's right Lambo, you have to share. If you're a good boy, then I'll bring even more candy next time."

"Really? Even MORE candy?" The boy questioned. "Yes Lambo, more. Now hand over that bag." My hand reached for the bag the boy had tried and failed to hide behind his back.

In the end, the idea of more candy (correction; a dentist's nightmare) tempted him and he relinquished the grape flavored gems of sugar. "Fine, Lambo-san is fine with that. But if you don't have more next time, Lambo-san will beat you up!! Because Lambo-san is the greatest!!"

With that said, the boy took off in direction off his room laughing in what I think he believes to be "greatness". Such a strange child. His problem is even stranger. A couple months ago, he had a minor shock from coming in contact with a broken electric outlet. Now, he suffers from spasms, due to the failure in his nervous system.

"Well Tsuna-nii? Are you okay? I know you had an attack yesterday. You were in 1st place for 'most likely for heart failure in this hospital'…"

I blinked and turned towards the other child. "I'm fine Fuuta, can't you tell? And how did you know about the heart failu-… Nevermind. I already know…"

This kid in front of me is a genius. With some well noted problems. Fuuta has a small mental condition that makes him understand everything and thus, "rank" them. His ability to comprehend is far older than his age. However, this causes some parts of his brain to not function as well as the mental thinking part, like say, his digestive system. He suffers; let's leave it at that.

Looking at the boy, I asked, "Do you know when I-pin's being transferred? I really want to give her something before she leaves…"

Brown eyes grew sad at the question. "I'm pretty sure it's in the next week or two. I-pin isn't aware of it though, so don't tell her, okay Tsuna-nii?"

I sighed. "Of course I won't. I think she should know but since you insist, I won't. I'll promise you that, Fuuta…"

"He's coming today!"

"Seriously? Get moving! We must prepare for his arrival!!"

The scene that I arrived upon when walking down the hallways was a jumble of nurses running this way and that as if trying to do everything at once. Curious, I stopped a nurse and asked why they were in such a rush.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I can't tell you, and I really need to get back to work and make everything…" sigh "'Perfect.'" Then she ran off without even a glance, and started scrubbing the floor with a rag that no one in their right mind would touch.

Something is going on. Again.

Truth be told, I've seen the nurses in this state a couple times before. Then again, I was always confined to my room soon after they saw me, so I've never witnessed what caused the people so much stress. I kinda felt bad for them, having to do such… "work".

I quickly moved to a small corner to avoid the nurses, knowing that they'll trap me in my room again. For ten minutes, I was standing as silent as possible and boredom started to get to me. But after those ten minutes, I was rewarded my prize as the hospital doors burst open.

The looks on the nurses' faces were priceless.

Who knew their faces could look like that?

Looking towards the doors, I saw two people, one I recognized as the hospital director (more like dictator…) and the other- wait… Have I met him before? There at the doorway was a young, black haired man with a noticeable scowl decorating his face and the aura given off him was murderous. I shrank back in fear and confusion. This man was dangerous and yet, I felt like I knew him… Weird.

They started striding towards the nurses, the older glancing at the walls and floor in the process with looks of disgust. The head of nurses walked up to meet them shaking, obviously not from the temperature. "M-mr. Haneda, I am ho-honored with y-your presence. What c-can I do f-for you today…?"

The man in question looked at the woman in a contemptuous manner. "Hmph. I am only here to see whether you people are doing your job correctly. Don't mind us. We're only going to look around for a while. Continue what you were doing." The nurses nodded in understanding and the director (dictator, I say!!) stalked past her, the younger man following.

The nurses visibly deflated in relief. "Oh and by the way…" Scratch that, they became even more agitated. "This is my nephew. You will treat him as you would treat me, understood?" Tight nods of comprehension passed through the women present. "Good. Now bring us our coffee. That is all." And with that, the two "terrorists" left.

"…We're alive…" A young nurse sighed in relief.

"…Not unless we do as they asked. Someone get them the coffee pronto, or risk us all of our jobs!!" Soon after that was stated, they all started running off in all directions, some to get the coffee, others leaving to tend to the patients while the rest continued with the janitor work.

And silently, I crept away, thinking over what the heck had just happened.

That man…

I knew him, right?

But from where? How would I know him?

And why would I know such a dangerous person?

These questions plagued my mind as I aimlessly wandered the building. Passing the doorways of other patients, conversations of happiness, joy, and news of release rang out. Friends and family, gathered to celebrate with one another to cherish the health of someone they love.

…Damn. I'm in the freaking clearance zone.

Stopping at the doorway of a particularly festive room, I looked inside to see several people crowded around a person who appears to have just been cleared. The smiles plastered on the faces of the people present, were endearing. Laughter rang throughout the white room as the people gathered enjoyed the presence of each other. A portrait of a moment of pure happiness.

Dejectedly, I stood by the door, admiring the people within. Clearance. That is something that I'll never be given. I've been here long enough to know that.

I continued walking down the hallway, thinking about what it would be like to be free from this hellhole. It would be nice to not have to be stuck under constant supervision and be a normal kid, but that impossible. I can't get that OK signal. I have nothing and don't know anything.

I don't even know anyone outside of this hospital anyways. Yamamoto and Gokudera, I met based on coincidence. Gokudera knows someone in the hospital and had a reason to come here often even before meeting me. Yamamoto had been in an accident and I just happened to stumble across him while on my usual strolls around the hospital.

…I wish I could go outside.

Mulling over these thoughts, I didn't notice the person I walked into until it was to late.

"…Ow…!" Looking up from the floor, my eyes widened. There in front of me, was the young man from earlier, the Hospital Director's nephew.

"…"

The look on his face was one of annoyance and the glare directed at me left me fearful for my safety. Not to mention my mental condition.

"…Um… Sorry?" I squeaked out. As he quickly took in my appearance, the annoyance on his face grew.

"…You dare to disturb the order of this hospital by disturbing me?" The aura surrounding him turned darker and I swear that I saw something move within his shadows. Quickly, I stood up, bowed my head in apology and tried to leave.

"…Where do you think you're going?" I froze, not daring to look back. "I have yet to teach you your lesson…" Sharp footsteps came towards my direction and stopped right behind me. "… Now, what do you say?"

Rigidly, I stuttered, "…I-I'm really sorry..."

The man behind me tsked. "That is no way to apologize for one's misdoings. Apologize in a correct manner. Or else." The order was clear. Turning around to face him, I looked up at him with fear radiating off of me, muttering, "…I-I sincerely apologize f-for walking into y-you…"

The gaze that held me in place was powerful and I noticed how scary and yet, attractive he looked. After mumbling my words, the man smirked though his gray orbs remained cold. Then, before my very eyes, it changed to that of…

Is that Confusion?

"…Do I know you?"

The question took me completely by surprise, and I could only shake my head stupidly. "N-no. I d-don't think so. I-I haven't been outside the hospital in a long time."

And with that, I fled, leaving behind the handsome, dangerous man.

When I finally got back to my room, I was out of breath. Walking towards my bed, I wished for rest. Sadly, I didn't get it as soon as I thought I could.

"Where have you BEEN?! You were supposed to have taken you medication half an hour ago! Do you WANT your privileges to be banned?!?!" The nurse in charge of me rushed me towards the direction of the bed where the pills awaited me. "Don't EVER be gone for that long again, understood?" I nodded.

"… I'm sorry Miss Hasegawa…"

Said nurse sighed in exasperation. "Just… Just don't be gone for so long." Turning towards her, I smiled. "Thanks. Really."

"Whatever. Now swallow."

The numerous amounts of pills I had to take were easily consumed and I decided to ask the woman the question nagging me.

"Who was the person with the Dicta-Director?"

At my mistake, the nurse grinned. "Just call him that. Everyone does." Her eyes scanned the screens of the machines around me to double-check my condition. "And the boy with him is his nephew."

"I know. I was there, hiding in the corner." I confessed and shrank back at the look Miss Hasegawa sent my way. "…Do you know his name?"

She nodded. "Yup. I'm pretty sure it's something like Hibari Kyoya. As in a skylark. Hah! Can you believe it?" With her work done, she started walking towards the doors. "Oh, and try to stay away from him. He's… Well, let's just say he's not exactly the nicest person around. Well, see ya!" And with that, she quietly closed the dull white door behing her, leaving me alone.

Glancing out the windows, I returned to the questions that refused to leave my mind.

"Hibari Kyoya. Who is he…?"

TBC…

Ummm.....

Yeah.

Hoped you like it?

Please give me some constructive criticism. I really want to get better so please give me some advice.

So please Review!!