Anaesthesia (KHR)

Chapter 2: Prodigy and Flames

Sawada Tsunayoshi's development was considered as frighteningly fast and far advanced than what most kids his age could have achieved.

To say that he is a genius would be an understatement of what he could do.

Still, it would also be absurd to say that he is a monster, but that merely shows the boundless potential that his tiny body possessed.

At the age of one, Tsuna learned how to speak without stuttering. He couldn't talk much like an adult with deep thoughts and understanding but his way of speaking is noticeably more mature than what a one year old could actually do.

After turning two, Tsuna learned that his father would rarely grace their home for a quick visit. When the blonde man does go home, he'd be talking of digging for oil in the Arctic and Antarctic continents as if the child he's speaking to is dumber than a piece of mushed banana.

Regardless, noticing that Nana doesn't mind his father's frequent disappearing acts, Tsuna would drop the fascinating questions that would formulate within his head, a thing his intuition also highly approved with its silent hum of warmth.

Iemitsu would energetically boasted about his adventures, oblivious of the dimming sunset orbs that kept watching him in a guarded way. "Hahaha! Next time, papa would bring Tsu-chan a penguin to play with!"

"Un!" Tsuna merely thought with a fake smile on his face, nodding and bobbing his head as if he is wholeheartedly listening to his father's sh*tty tales.

'Liar... Papa is always lying to me...'

Still, that was the first time the seed of doubt was planted in the heart of the young brunet.

Then came Tsuna's 3rd birthday.

Staring at the flames that licked the air as it sits upon the candle on his birthday cake, Tsuna felt entranced of its flaming dance.

"Happy 3rd birthday, Tsuna." A low voice, almost a whisper, came out of the young brunet's pinkish lips as he blew out the flame on his candle. "Tsuna... feels sad but Tsuna shouldn't let mama know that it hurts." Tsuna told himself as he bit his lips to stop the whimper from escaping him, but then, lonely tears suddenly welled down from his eyes.

Not a moment longer, small sobs could be heard from the dark, cold, and isolated kitchen of the Sawada's household.

The child's figure crumbled as he curled up into a ball as he whimpered his fears of being left alone. "Mama... Tsu-kun's heart hurts. Please come back soon. Tsuna will be a good boy, so please come back home soon. Ts-Tsuna will-wil..."

Tsuna began hyperventilating as his thoughts escalated from what his system could take. He doesn't understand why he's feeling such an awful thing.

Why does it feel like he was so alone? Wasn't mama always there? Won't papa be there even if he keeps lying? They won't abandon him.... right?

He's scared... Tsuna is scared because the voice in his head just told him that everyone will leave him alone... Even his beloved mama.

He wishes that the voice would be wrong. Wishes that everything would be fine. But the voice would firmly thrum as if it is its own person, filling him with too much dread that he felt suffocated.

And so, Tsuna is scared. Scared beyond his wits as he passed out from exhaustion on the cold, cold floor of the lonely kitchen floor.

He was later found by Nana who came home late from her groceries. She didn't expect her little one to be awake at such an early time! She thought that he would still sleeping since she was planning a surprise party for the little one. And yet, she just found out that her treasured son was burning of a very high fever.

A fever so high that even she felt burned... Despite her panic, she decided to call the hospital for help.

Yet little did they know, Tsuna's turning point has just began.

Aah. The flames are being fanned inside the little sky's heart. One day, it would burst... Burst like a massive, galactic, supernova... and nobody would even hear his cries, was the lonely song of the orange thrum where the brunet tightly clutches his chest. But until then, such flames are kept tightly sealed as its host would carry the burden without anyone to know. Not now, not in future, nor in the farthest future.

Thus, at the age of three, Tsuna came to know what fear and loneliness meant.

At the age of four, Tsuna insisted to his mother that he should go to school. He just felt suffocated in the comfy vibe that the house actually holds.

He'd disappear anyway. They'd abandon him someday. So why should he stay? Tsuna was even sure that Nana would be fine. The woman is a airhead for all her glory. She'd know, be it one way or another, but at least he'd have the time to prepare.

So he smiled. A smile so adorable on his childish face. A smile that held meanings beneath as he close his eyes. "Mama, Tsuna is a big boy now. I have to go to school so that I can learn many things and help Mama more!" The young brunet happily chirped as he hid his clenched fists behind his back, nails digging to his flesh as blood stained his nails.

'Tsu's heart is hurting again. It's so painful. Tsuna is so scared... Mama, please ask Tsuna. Please ask Tsuna what's wrong. If mama asks, Tsuna will tell mama about the talking fire. Tsuna will tell... will tell...'

Not noticing the darkmess in his eyes and being seemingly affected by her child's enthusiasm, Nana became happy and agreed without a moment to spare. Not even asking why Tsuna was sweating like crazy even if the weather isn't that hot.

The next day after Tsuna's request, she accompanied the little one to the daycare center near their community, enrolling Tsuna's name for the upcoming class next month as she ushered the little child to play in the playground while she discuss things with the staff.

Tsuna began to swing himself to and fro from the swing as he stared with a blank gaze towards the sky.

"Cold, cold, lonely sky, where have your friends gone by?" Tsuna hummed as he a dark shadow slowly settled in his eyes. "Gone they are and left me by, all alone without goodbye." A dark and lonely smile edge its way towards Tsuna's face.

Tsuna's heart felt conflicted by something within him. He can't understand what it is, but it gave too much pain to his chest. As if any moment, he would cry without reason.

Such moments would come and go in a rush. It wouldn't linger too long for the brunet to actually recognize but it also would stay long enough to be known. It's unsettling per se.

Yet, unbeknownst to Tsuna, an orange glow within the center of his chest came to light once more, more of a glow than a flicker when he was four, instantly filling the young one with fleeting memories that he knew wasn't his yet at the same time, was meant for him.

Tsuna whimpered as the ache escalated to a foreboding pain. "...hurts." Mumbled the brunet as tears fell from his sunset colored eyes before he felt a sudden lost of strength.

Feeling the sudden wind on his face at the highest peak of his swinging, Tsuna loosened his grip on the metal chains of the swing, as he fell unconscious in his midair fall.

Nana, who coincidentally craned her neck towards the playground, let out a shriek as she saw the falling form of his son.

"TSUNAAAAA!!!"

It was such a hopeless moment, for no one was there to catch the frail form of Tsuna. And so he fell. He fell to the ground with a hard thud to the head, leaving him to bleed. Blood pooling beneath his body as he lay limp on the ground.

Tsuna's intuition hummed and calmed its host. Yet even its warmth felt cold to Tsuna. Everything suddenly became... too cold for him as the unnoticeable orange glow in chest died down.

It was the exact moment that Tsuna felt... despair.