You can't change your bloodline. It's stupid to even try.

[not_mafia]

Who: Tsuna and you!
What: The nightmares of the next vongola boss...
When: The nightmare plot
Where: The realm of nightmares
Rating: nightmare The first section may and probably will escalate to R (it pretty much starts out at at least T anyway); the other two sections are PG-13.

[From a boy like Tsuna, you wouldn't imagine the nightmares to be as hellish as other resident's were. To some extent, this is true; however, his nightmare does not revolve around petty fears. These nightmares are not littered by events of the past, but are shaped by apprehension for the future. The nightmares have differing situations, but there is one feeling that rings strongly through them all.

Helplessness.]

Helpless | Worthless | Hopeless

Comments

[not_mafia]

[Tsuna's hands don't stop trembling, and he sinks into her a little further. The hopelessness is so overwhelming, it's like you can barely move.

Like you're trapped.

Hey, when that cage appear around the both of you, anyway?]

[ino]

[WELL SHIT. she's moving to hold Tsuna upright, pulling a knife with the other hand with all the willpower she's got. She doubts a knife will do anything -- in fact, she's sure it won't -- but it gives her a defense, however shitty]

Come on. We've got a more pressing problem, here.

[not_mafia]

[Tsuna doesn't look up, doesn't move from his spot. A shuddery breath escapes him.]

There's no way out.

[The cage is, very slowly, shrinking. It's hard to tell with one look, but if you pay enough attention for a few seconds, you can see the bars inching their way closer.]

[ino]

[frustrated] Tsuna -- !!

[yes, she can definitely see that the cage is shrinking. which is why there's now some urgency to her voice] There has to be something -- ! [but she's not really sure of that, now that she thinks about it]

[not_mafia]

[He slowly draws away from Ino, head bowed now.]

No. There isn't. I can't get away. I can't, I can't.

[The shrinking seems to accelerate. Those bars are getting too close for comfort...]

[ino]

[she looks around, panicked ... and clenches her fists at her side for a moment, before ... yep, she's slapping him across the face]

Tsuna! Get yourself together, dammit!

[not_mafia]

[He yelps, and the cage literally comes to a grinding halt, the metal creaking sharply. A hand comes up and touches his face, and he stares at Ino, wide-eyed, hand shaking.

He knew he deserved it. From other people, he would expect the hit. Arya, Zelos, Reborn.

Not from Ino.

The cage shrinks again, but this time, nearly too fast to even perceive. It goes through Ino like air, and encompasses only Tsuna, who slowly bows his head, dropping his hand.

A single tear drops from his face.]

[ino]

[oh, shit. OH SHIT. that was not what was supposed to happen. he was supposed to stand up and pull himself together.

she's running towards the cage, now, sticking her hand through the bars to try and grab him]

Tsuna--! Shit!

[not_mafia]

[Try as she might, no matter how hard she strains or stretches, she's just a finger's breadth away from Tsuna.

Tsuna doesn't look up.]

I see. That's how you feel, then.

[The voice doesn't shake at all. It's quiet... resolved.]

I understand. Everyone else feels like that as well.

[ino]

[okay, she doesn't know quite what that means, but --]

Tsuna, look! We've got to get you out of there! Then we can deal with everything else! Together!

[not_mafia]

This... is everything else, Ino.

[He reaches out to the side, touching a bar. He's smiling, even as tears are running down his cheeks.]

Weren't you listening? I told you there's no way out.

[ino]

[she grabs his hand, when he moves to touch the bar]

There is! There has to be! [she's getting desperate, at this point] Just believe in me!

[not_mafia]

[He looks at the hand.]

I never stopped believing in you, Ino. Not for a moment.

[And then his hand slides away.]

It's me I don't believe in. That's all.

[The cage seems to be expanding now. It's starting to push you away from him.]

[ino]

Well, I believe in you! [she's clinging to the bars, now, trying to pry them apart so she can slip in] Tsuna, please! Come with me!

[not_mafia]

[He stares at Ino, watching her try to pry apart the bars with no success. Just a few minutes ago, he'd been so eager to come to her. He'd wrapped his arms around her, held her like he never wanted to let go.

There's a part of him that still wants to go to her. It's clear in his eyes; she's been his support all this time. But there's a great sadness in his eyes, and he looks so defeated, too. It's like he doesn't even deserve her effort.

He bows his head, and another tear falls.]

I'll just disappoint you again.

[ino]

You've never disappointed me, Tsuna! [she's even pulling out the tanto at her waist to try and cut at the bars. something, anything, to get her back in there] You can't keep saying that! I know it seems hopeless but --

[she reaches her hand inbetween the bars, at least, reaching towards him] We can do this!

[not_mafia]

[The bars stop expanding with a gentle creak. Tsuna looks up at Ino, looks at her hand.

He wants to trust her so badly, it's painful.

He lifts his arm a little, hesitantly. A pang of hurt reflects in his eyes for a moment, and his hand begins to lower again.]

[ino]

[dammit. DAMMIT. she looks at him, desperate, stretching her hand as far as she can]

Tsuna, please --

[not_mafia]

[Hesitance.

And then, he reaches forward, and touches her hand.

The cage is gone.]

[ino]

[she visibly relaxes with relief for a moment when the cage disappears, before pulling him towards her in a hug]

[not_mafia]

[Tsuna returns the hug, but it's weak. His forehead is propped against her shoulder as a couple of tears slide out, hitting her arm.]

[ino]

[the hug is quick; after all, getting away from here quickly is the best option. so she'll pull tsuna's arm around her shoulders to support him, and starts heading ... in a direction. any direction, but here]

C'mon.

[not_mafia]

[He walk silently next to her, head slightly bowed. There's nothing but darkness all around them.

But at least there aren't any cages threatening to crush them or pull them apart. If you want to know just what the heck that was all about, Ino, now might be your only chance.]

[ino]

[she focuses for a bit on trying to figure out where they're actually going, but ... yeah, there's no clues from the darkness, so she'll just focus on Tsuna]

Who were those people?

[not_mafia]

[He lifts his head a little.]

The first one was Vongola Nono. The boss that I'm replacing.

[And his eyes narrow, hurt in his eyes.]

The second one... was my tutor. Reborn.