[Katekyo Hitman Reborn!] four drabbles
Title: Crime and Punishment
Author: bearit
Rating/Warnings: PG13
Genre: Friendship
Characters: Giotto, Cozart
Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to Akira Amano. I have no rights to the series. This piece of fanwork is unofficial and not making a profit.
---
“Why would you do that?”
Cozart stepped away from the corpse, not bothering to turn to face Giotto. With a tight frown, he simply replied, “It was necessary.”
He could feel Giotto’s eyes burn into his skull. It was not rage, it was not judgment, it was only bewilderment and maybe a dash of horror. That was enough to stir a sense of guilt into Cozart, but it was easily pushed aside.
“Taking life is never necessary. He could have been reasoned with, he could have been-”
“Do you really believe that, Giotto?”
Giotto did not reply. Cozart finally spun to meet his gaze.
“Taking life is necessary, sometimes. This man needed to die so others can be freed, so others can live freely. You say that we could have reasoned with him, but what’s to say that he would not go back to the life he is too familiar with, that he always took pride in? What’s to say that the lives of the people he terrorized would not continue to be haunted with him merely being alive? Giotto, I’m not even sure his death will be enough to atone for the sins he committed against his fellow man, the terrors he brought down upon the women, the lives he ruined for the children.
“He needed to die. You know this as well as I do. Not everyone can be saved.”
Giotto said nothing, his look of horror and bewilderment twisting to a conflicted frown.
“This is our reality, Giotto,” Cozart continued. “This is the path we have chosen. We will have to take lives. There is no other way around it.”
They did not speak again for many months. Cozart heard from the others in his own family, who still spoke openly with Giotto’s Guardians, that Giotto had indeed heeded his words, and many mafioso were falling at the feet of the Vongola. And yet, Cozart could not smile.
He had done this to Giotto.
And for that, he knew he could never be punished enough.
Title: To the Grave
Author: bearit
Rating/Warnings: PG
Genre: Friendship
Characters: Giotto, G, Cozart
Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to Akira Amano. I have no rights to the series. This piece of fanwork is unofficial and not making a profit.
---
Giotto and G stood at the grave, a flower in Giotto’s hand and an umbrella in G’s. Giotto set the flower down at the base of the headstone. Both their faces were solemn and unmoving.
After a moment of silence, G finally said, “I guess we really won’t see or hear from him anymore now.”
Giotto nodded. “He’ll know, though. He’ll know that he had to leave.”
G snorted. “Of course he will. Knowing him, he knew it before we did. I’ll put money on him already being in Japan by the time we get there.”
“He wouldn’t do that. He’s supposed to be dead.”
“He can be ‘dead’ in Japan.”
“But he won’t be.”
Another moment of silence passed, this time with Giotto smiling and G glaring between the headstone and man, annoyed.
“He’ll find a way to be dead in Japan, even if it’s when he’s actually dead himself.”
Giotto laughed. “And we will be dead with him.” And it was said with a finality of hope.
Title: Crimes of Man
Author: bearit
Rating/Warnings: PG13
Genre: General
Characters: Alaude/Knuckle
Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to Akira Amano. I have no rights to the series. This piece of fanwork is unofficial and not making a profit.
---
Alaude scowled when he walked into the moonlit church and saw Knuckle back in his cassock and at the altar in deep prayer.
He had no patience. He stormed to the priest and grabbed his collar, jerking him to his feet. Knuckle stared at him, wide-eyed, before his gaze drifted to the wooden paneled floor.
“Please, leave me be.”
“You just saved them. Why do you regret?”
“I don’t regret saving my friends. I regret raising my fists.”
“Which means you regret saving them.”
“No-”
“Yes. What you did was no crime. It was no sin. Do not regret it.”
Knuckle gently took Alaude’s hands off his collar and stepped away, shaking his head. “I brought harm upon my fellow man-”
“Who would have killed your friends.”
“-and I vowed that I would never, ever do that again. Not with my fists, nor my words. Not for any reason. And yet…” Knuckle sighed. “And so I am to be eternally judged and damned.”
Alaude had had enough. He knew Knuckle’s past, and he knew Knuckle’s vows. They had this conversation so many times before but tonight was the last straw.
And so, he punched him directly in the jaw.
Knuckle fell to the floor. He cupped where Alaude had struck, bewildered.
“I raised my fist against you. I struck you. For no apparent reason. I did not do it to rescue anyone. I am to be judged more harshly than you, by both the law and God.”
“No, that’s not-”
“And why not?”
“B-because… I…” Knuckle bit his lip and closed his eyes. ”You don’t understand.”
“What don’t I understand? You said that you are to be eternally damned for raising your fists against another human being. Well, so have I. Under your laws, I am to be eternally damned as well. Is that not absolutely ridiculous to you? No one on this earth will judge you for what you did.”
“God will.”
“To hell with God!”
Knuckle’s face twisted into anger and he hopped to his feet. Alaude smirked.
“And now you will raise your fists to defend Him? Will He not judge you for that?”
“Get out.”
“No.”
“Now.”
“Make me.”
Knuckle grabbed Alaude, intending to escort him out of the church, but Alaude did not give him the chance. He pushed back. Knuckle pushed harder. Alaude set his foot behind Knuckle’s leg, and the toppled on top of each other.
Then Alaude pressed his lips on Knuckle’s.
Knuckle instantly punched him in the face.
Alaude stumbled back with another smirk, and Knuckle stared at him, horrified.
“I-I’m extremely sorry, Alaude, I-”
“I wouldn’t have arrested anyone for that,” said Alaude. “I wouldn’t have arrested you for fighting the men that were deadset on killing Giotto and the others. But I would have arrested me for punching you. Those are the laws as they stand. I imagine God’s might be the same. What makes you any different than any other human being? What gives you the right to pass harsher judgment on yourself than any law, mortal or immortal, would? Because you are a priest? A priest is no better or worse than any other man. You of all people should know this.”
And Alaude turned on his heel and left the church.
Title: The Cost of Victory
Author: bearit
Rating/Warnings: PG13
Genre: Friendship
Characters: Yamamoto/Tsuna
Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to Akira Amano. I have no rights to the series. This piece of fanwork is unofficial and not making a profit.
---
What Shoichi didn’t tell Tsuna, and what Shoichi probably didn’t expect, was that while the bullet made it seem like he was dead although he was not, he would still retain consciousness.
Or maybe it was an out-of-body experience. Gokudera would believe that. Tsuna wasn’t sure if he did; after all, wouldn’t an out-of-body experience mean that he was not physically in his body? That he could still see everything, including himself?
No. Tsuna could hear, and he could drift into his subconscious, but he could not move or open his eyes. He didn’t want to think about it too hard, but he was pretty sure he wasn’t breathing, either. That was a thought he was sure to drive him insane, after all.
Tsuna was in his subconscious when they found him, so he did not know what everyone’s reactions were. But he was awake for his funeral, and he heard everyone’s last words to him.
Except for Yamamoto’s, for Yamamoto did not speak. But when Tsuna discovered that he could also feel, for he felt Yamamoto’s lips upon his own, he knew what Yamamoto’s goodbye was.
It was a promise for revenge.
Tsuna hated that Yamamoto was slipping down this path. First his father, and now his fiance. Yamamoto was sure to snap, and he hoped that the Shoichi of the past would heed the orders he was given and the younger version of himself would arrive to bring Yamamoto back.
Sometimes, alone in his coffin and hearing the desperate pleas of Gokudera, who visited every day for hours at a time, Tsuna wondered if he should have told Yamamoto the plan. That way, he could have been spared the pain, spared the darkness, and not turn into a man no one but Reborn and Squalo meant for him to be. And yet, Tsuna knew it had to be this way. He had chosen who he told carefully. And their enemies were surely watching Yamamoto closely.
This was a fight that was bigger than the two of them, and even bigger than the Vongola. Tsuna hated it, but if losing Yamamoto to a lifetime of assassination and bloodshed was the sacrifice needed, he needed to make it.
He only hoped that when he awoke, Yamamoto would forgive him.
Author: bearit
Rating/Warnings: PG13
Genre: Friendship
Characters: Giotto, Cozart
Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to Akira Amano. I have no rights to the series. This piece of fanwork is unofficial and not making a profit.
---
“Why would you do that?”
Cozart stepped away from the corpse, not bothering to turn to face Giotto. With a tight frown, he simply replied, “It was necessary.”
He could feel Giotto’s eyes burn into his skull. It was not rage, it was not judgment, it was only bewilderment and maybe a dash of horror. That was enough to stir a sense of guilt into Cozart, but it was easily pushed aside.
“Taking life is never necessary. He could have been reasoned with, he could have been-”
“Do you really believe that, Giotto?”
Giotto did not reply. Cozart finally spun to meet his gaze.
“Taking life is necessary, sometimes. This man needed to die so others can be freed, so others can live freely. You say that we could have reasoned with him, but what’s to say that he would not go back to the life he is too familiar with, that he always took pride in? What’s to say that the lives of the people he terrorized would not continue to be haunted with him merely being alive? Giotto, I’m not even sure his death will be enough to atone for the sins he committed against his fellow man, the terrors he brought down upon the women, the lives he ruined for the children.
“He needed to die. You know this as well as I do. Not everyone can be saved.”
Giotto said nothing, his look of horror and bewilderment twisting to a conflicted frown.
“This is our reality, Giotto,” Cozart continued. “This is the path we have chosen. We will have to take lives. There is no other way around it.”
They did not speak again for many months. Cozart heard from the others in his own family, who still spoke openly with Giotto’s Guardians, that Giotto had indeed heeded his words, and many mafioso were falling at the feet of the Vongola. And yet, Cozart could not smile.
He had done this to Giotto.
And for that, he knew he could never be punished enough.
Title: To the Grave
Author: bearit
Rating/Warnings: PG
Genre: Friendship
Characters: Giotto, G, Cozart
Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to Akira Amano. I have no rights to the series. This piece of fanwork is unofficial and not making a profit.
---
Giotto and G stood at the grave, a flower in Giotto’s hand and an umbrella in G’s. Giotto set the flower down at the base of the headstone. Both their faces were solemn and unmoving.
After a moment of silence, G finally said, “I guess we really won’t see or hear from him anymore now.”
Giotto nodded. “He’ll know, though. He’ll know that he had to leave.”
G snorted. “Of course he will. Knowing him, he knew it before we did. I’ll put money on him already being in Japan by the time we get there.”
“He wouldn’t do that. He’s supposed to be dead.”
“He can be ‘dead’ in Japan.”
“But he won’t be.”
Another moment of silence passed, this time with Giotto smiling and G glaring between the headstone and man, annoyed.
“He’ll find a way to be dead in Japan, even if it’s when he’s actually dead himself.”
Giotto laughed. “And we will be dead with him.” And it was said with a finality of hope.
Title: Crimes of Man
Author: bearit
Rating/Warnings: PG13
Genre: General
Characters: Alaude/Knuckle
Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to Akira Amano. I have no rights to the series. This piece of fanwork is unofficial and not making a profit.
---
Alaude scowled when he walked into the moonlit church and saw Knuckle back in his cassock and at the altar in deep prayer.
He had no patience. He stormed to the priest and grabbed his collar, jerking him to his feet. Knuckle stared at him, wide-eyed, before his gaze drifted to the wooden paneled floor.
“Please, leave me be.”
“You just saved them. Why do you regret?”
“I don’t regret saving my friends. I regret raising my fists.”
“Which means you regret saving them.”
“No-”
“Yes. What you did was no crime. It was no sin. Do not regret it.”
Knuckle gently took Alaude’s hands off his collar and stepped away, shaking his head. “I brought harm upon my fellow man-”
“Who would have killed your friends.”
“-and I vowed that I would never, ever do that again. Not with my fists, nor my words. Not for any reason. And yet…” Knuckle sighed. “And so I am to be eternally judged and damned.”
Alaude had had enough. He knew Knuckle’s past, and he knew Knuckle’s vows. They had this conversation so many times before but tonight was the last straw.
And so, he punched him directly in the jaw.
Knuckle fell to the floor. He cupped where Alaude had struck, bewildered.
“I raised my fist against you. I struck you. For no apparent reason. I did not do it to rescue anyone. I am to be judged more harshly than you, by both the law and God.”
“No, that’s not-”
“And why not?”
“B-because… I…” Knuckle bit his lip and closed his eyes. ”You don’t understand.”
“What don’t I understand? You said that you are to be eternally damned for raising your fists against another human being. Well, so have I. Under your laws, I am to be eternally damned as well. Is that not absolutely ridiculous to you? No one on this earth will judge you for what you did.”
“God will.”
“To hell with God!”
Knuckle’s face twisted into anger and he hopped to his feet. Alaude smirked.
“And now you will raise your fists to defend Him? Will He not judge you for that?”
“Get out.”
“No.”
“Now.”
“Make me.”
Knuckle grabbed Alaude, intending to escort him out of the church, but Alaude did not give him the chance. He pushed back. Knuckle pushed harder. Alaude set his foot behind Knuckle’s leg, and the toppled on top of each other.
Then Alaude pressed his lips on Knuckle’s.
Knuckle instantly punched him in the face.
Alaude stumbled back with another smirk, and Knuckle stared at him, horrified.
“I-I’m extremely sorry, Alaude, I-”
“I wouldn’t have arrested anyone for that,” said Alaude. “I wouldn’t have arrested you for fighting the men that were deadset on killing Giotto and the others. But I would have arrested me for punching you. Those are the laws as they stand. I imagine God’s might be the same. What makes you any different than any other human being? What gives you the right to pass harsher judgment on yourself than any law, mortal or immortal, would? Because you are a priest? A priest is no better or worse than any other man. You of all people should know this.”
And Alaude turned on his heel and left the church.
Title: The Cost of Victory
Author: bearit
Rating/Warnings: PG13
Genre: Friendship
Characters: Yamamoto/Tsuna
Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! belongs to Akira Amano. I have no rights to the series. This piece of fanwork is unofficial and not making a profit.
---
What Shoichi didn’t tell Tsuna, and what Shoichi probably didn’t expect, was that while the bullet made it seem like he was dead although he was not, he would still retain consciousness.
Or maybe it was an out-of-body experience. Gokudera would believe that. Tsuna wasn’t sure if he did; after all, wouldn’t an out-of-body experience mean that he was not physically in his body? That he could still see everything, including himself?
No. Tsuna could hear, and he could drift into his subconscious, but he could not move or open his eyes. He didn’t want to think about it too hard, but he was pretty sure he wasn’t breathing, either. That was a thought he was sure to drive him insane, after all.
Tsuna was in his subconscious when they found him, so he did not know what everyone’s reactions were. But he was awake for his funeral, and he heard everyone’s last words to him.
Except for Yamamoto’s, for Yamamoto did not speak. But when Tsuna discovered that he could also feel, for he felt Yamamoto’s lips upon his own, he knew what Yamamoto’s goodbye was.
It was a promise for revenge.
Tsuna hated that Yamamoto was slipping down this path. First his father, and now his fiance. Yamamoto was sure to snap, and he hoped that the Shoichi of the past would heed the orders he was given and the younger version of himself would arrive to bring Yamamoto back.
Sometimes, alone in his coffin and hearing the desperate pleas of Gokudera, who visited every day for hours at a time, Tsuna wondered if he should have told Yamamoto the plan. That way, he could have been spared the pain, spared the darkness, and not turn into a man no one but Reborn and Squalo meant for him to be. And yet, Tsuna knew it had to be this way. He had chosen who he told carefully. And their enemies were surely watching Yamamoto closely.
This was a fight that was bigger than the two of them, and even bigger than the Vongola. Tsuna hated it, but if losing Yamamoto to a lifetime of assassination and bloodshed was the sacrifice needed, he needed to make it.
He only hoped that when he awoke, Yamamoto would forgive him.