Hakushi Nana was like a butterfly, graceful and fragile. She never shows anger or sadness; it was part of her training after all.
The years had pass and even though she married and became Sawada Nana. She still hold to the memories and training that she became too accustomed to let go. Her motherly smile never leaving her face, and her eyes never failing to hide her anger and sorrow.
Even in this night when her peaceful life will have a turn for the worst.
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Earlier that week.
It was a peaceful afternoon at the Sawada household. Yamamoto and and Gokudera where in Tsuna's room studying for an upcoming exam.
The room was lively with Gokudera's shouting and Yamamoto's laugh. Tsuna was trying to at least not get shot by Reborn. A knock was heard by Tsuna and the door opens. In cue Sawada Nana enters holding a tray with rice crackers, three cups of tea and an espresso. Reborn thanks her "thank you mama" Nana looks at him and smiles, " you're welcome Reborn-kun" The other kids smile and thank her as well.
"Mama is very thoughtful, she always brings snacks for us, you should learn from her. A good boss must know how to take care of guests"
Tsuna shiver when he saw the little hitman's eyes. They had a glint of malice that promised chaos, with a large portion of pain on the side.
"Why don't you spend some time with mama. Maybe you learn something new about her" Reborn looks pleased by the face of shock that Tsuna was displaying. He liked the idea to make his student get out of his comfort zone. No to mention, Dame-Tsuna was becoming too dependent of him. Something he found out after he came back from his little trip to Italy. He has to make sure his Dame-student doesn't end up like Dame-Dino.
Pushing him to form new role models would be a start, but his confidence and self worth are first. He desperately needs help with that.
Mama, although she claims to be worried for her son grades and that he is a Dame. Is more excited whenever Tsuna brings his friends than when he occasionally brings a decent grade. She has the potential to become a key player in Tsuna's development. He just need to change her idea of his son been a complete Dame.
"Well if you like you can help me with shopping this weekend Tsu-kun, is been a while since we had spent some quality time" Tsuna looks at Nana in disbelief, it sure has been a while since he had go out with his mom, willingly. Last time he remember, it was when he was around 10. He stoped once his former bullies found out and stared to tease him for hanging out with his mom because he didn't had any friends.
"Only if you want. I know that you are busy, now that you have friends and don't completely disregard your studies" "ouch" Tsuna thought. He feel the need to retort, but stoped when he saw her eyes. She had her usual childish smile, but her eyes didn't match, nobody seems to notice thought.
He signed and agreed, unable to shake the ominous warning his intuition was giving. "What danger can he get into, he is just going shopping with his mom" he thought.
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The weekend came and Tsuna was getting ready to accompany his mom in her weekly grocery shopping. He wore his casual clothes (orange hoodie and khaki pants) and waited for his mom in the living room. He stared at the ceiling and stared to ponder on the ominous feeling, that he was experiencing since he agreed to go shopping with his mom.
"Why is he feeling like this... could it be that Reborn was planning something to test him, but then again, he always does. Maybe he is just overthinking, but this feeling is almost like when he went to fight Mukuro for the first time or was it the Varia"
Tsuna sits in the floor and messes his hair with his hands. "AH... Sigh, I have to shake this feeling before I go crazy"
"What feeling Tsu-kun" "What the heck how long was she here, but then again he was spacing too much".
"It's nothing, you don't have to worry about it" "she looks confused maybe she is suspicious, oh crap, maybe she will suspect something... wait... Lambo will become well behaved before that happens"
"kun, Tsu-kun! Are you really alright, you are spacey today. That's no good" Tsuna flinch when he hear those words. "I am fine mom, lest go before it gets late" With that the two of them were outside and in their way to the Namimori Market.
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In the way to the market Tsuna trips and falls in his face.
"Mou, Tsu-kun you always trip over nothing. If you aren't careful you might break a bone" after hearing this Tsuna just dust himself off and quickly catch up to his mom, murmuring an apology. "Sorry, I.."
"It must be nice to have a lot of friends, do you like your friends?"
This questions brings Tsuna to a stop, "she has thank my friends for been with me, but she never ask me if I like my friends before, how weird." "Yes, I like my friends and I think that they like me as much, but why are you asking?"
Nana stops for a moment to look at her son "no reason" she then resumes with her walk "uh" he is dumfounded, "what was that, mom is been myterious, that's something he isn't sure that he is ready for."
"Mom, are you ok? You are acting weird" Nana increased her pace without turning back. "We will be making a stop at the flower shop, first"
"Hieee, she changed the topic, what's wrong with her" Tsuna follow his mom, but his head was in the clouds overthinking the situation.
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At Aya's Flower Shop, Tsuna and his mom buy a fresh dozen of white roses decorated with wisteria. If someone asked Tsuna, that was an odd combination, but his mom seemed happy with it, so it's fine.
Tsuna was following his mother with no mind, until he notice they were heading to Namimori shrine.
"Tsu-kun, have I ever told you the story of the butterfly and the lion"
"No, you haven't"
There was a silence between the mother and son, but nonetheless, their conversation was far from over.
...
No that long ago, there was a butterfly born in a family of monsters.
She was more fragile than any other butterfly, but her monster parents wanted her to meet their monstrous expectations.
They broke her piece by piece, and rearrange her in a way that suited their taste.
They were proud of what they created, but little do they knew, that that creation had far outdo their expectations.
You see, they believe that the butterfly was harmless to them.
She wasn't.
But they found out too late.
...
The butterfly was beautiful, but empty.
She had no heart, but she was fine with that.
Thanks to been heartless, she saved her sisters from the monsters.
...
The butterfly flew aimlessly for years, often crossing paths with carnivores.
She was quite fond of a grey wolf, they grew up together and he was the closest to understand her pain.
...
She wasn't strong, but make no haste, for she was fast as lightning and elusive as mist.
There was a time when a snake told her, that to fill her hollow self, she must find her contradiction.
One that could show her another way of living.
Her hope or demise.
...
She laughed at the thought, her... A being that only knew how to fake.
How was she supposed to love someone, she didn't even love herself.
Through her life, she keep smiling and laughing, but the only true emotion for her was fear.
Fear that she would never understand others, what they feel and why they try to live despite their grimm situations.
She fell in despair, but nobody notice, for she had craved the perfect mask of happiness.
...
But... The mask crumble in the precence of the lion.
He was strong, courageous and loyal.
At first, she found him a tad immature, but soon she started to like his carefree style.
He wanted to protect her, but reality was cruel.
Oh! So cruel and ironic.
The one doing the protecting was her.
He was living in blissful ignorance, meanwhile she fought in the shadows.
He wanted her to become his, but she knew that for that to happen, he would have to give up his family.
He couldn't, but she already knew that.
Yet...
When the time came for her to leave the lion.
She couldn't do it.
Without even realizing, her hollow inside was already full of emotion.
...
Bitter, bitter love
The Butterfly was in love.
And with a lion notherless, someone that she wasn't supposed to interact.
A creature of the twilight.
Someone as broken as her didn't deserve love.
Yet... She... Fell for her demise, without any regrets.
...
They were times that she wished to be born in the twilight or him to be from the the shadows.
But reality was cruel, oh so very cruel.
Cruel, like the night of the Crimson Wolf's betrayal.
Cruel, like the forgotten memories.
Like the blind justice of the rotten authority.
And... Like the martyr dancing the song of death.
...
The distance was killing the butterfly.
She never knew that emotions were such a pain.
...
As the butterfly's mask became thinner, the grey wolf's guilt became denser.
The wolf wished for the butterfly's safety, but never at the cost of her wings.
He needed to do something for her, it was his duty as her partner.
He searched for the lion and try to make them meet again.
But fate was always playful, and him a socially incompetent wolf.
At the end the frustrated wolf give up.
...
Just when everything was hopples, the tangents finally meet.
The butterfly and the lion were brought together by godforsaken destiny.
In a place ruled by the light and the ignorance of the world.
The butterfly try to run away on a last attempt to protect him.
But..
The wolf stoped her, and force her to face her lion.
And with a genuine smile she walked like a person, and spoke.
"Hello, how have you been?"
....
I was listening to mom's little story. It sounded more like the poems Gokudera likes to read me, only for me to not understand a single word.
This was different, I didn't understand much, but I was certain that mom was trying to tell me something important. But I had not idea what it was.
We walked in the shrine and went to the back, right were the forest border was.
At the base of a tree there was a mini shrine that had the kanji for water on top. Mom got close and tap on the shrine's roof three times.
"You're late, Nana"
The deep voice, brought me back from my trance. A tall man with black hair and traditional clothes made an entrance by dropping from one of the tallest trees of the forest.
"Hieeeeee, what... How... Who are you" what the heck is his problem, he almost landed on top of me. If it weren't for me rolling out of the way he would have squashed me.
"You haven't brought him to speed yet, Nana"
Oh crap, that's right. Mom is with me, I have to get her out of here. This man gives me the creeps with that death fish stare.
"Tomioka Garu-san, this is exactly why nobody likes you"
Wha...What the heck is going on, is this for real. My mom is roasting someone with a smile! And it isn't me!
Is the world ending and nobody told me!
"I... I am not disliked by people"
Huh?...
Wait, is he serious?
"Pff, sorry Tomioka-san. It is just funny how you still cling to hope"
Ugh, and I thought she was harsh with me.
"We haven't see each other for 12 years and you belittle me" 12 years! "You haven't changed Nana, the same heartless and annoying short woman"
Crap, he is mad know. I have to get mom out of here. That look could kill.
"Ara Ara, Tomioka-san, are you mad. Did I, perhaps hit a nerve, hum?"
Ah~ we are death.
Hieeeeee, I don't want to die like this!