Genesis - Katekyo Hitman Reborn - Chapter 23

Summary: There was a reason why Reborn got Haru involved with the Mafia. Even if she was useless to them in fights and even if she couldn't provide as much emotional strength as Kyoko, she was vital and without her, there would just be no Vongola. G86/GiottoHaru

My lack of KHR knowledge might make some things untrue or some characters OOC!

I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

Please forgive any mistakes, both character-wise and grammatically-wise. I don't have time to re-read or edit things.

---

Genesis: Chapter 23

HappyFace1886

---

Haru stumbled past the trees, her face flustered and her mind a complete blur. She had absolutely no idea what to think about what had just transpired. Had Giotto-sama really k-kissed her? B-But why? What did he mean by that anyways? Was it some foreign custom she wasn’t aware of? Sure, she had heard about Europeans kissing each other as a form of greeting... but on the lips?! And not to mention, why now of all times?!

The confusion lingering in her mind dispelled a little when she caught sight of a hunched over figure sitting on the ground. Adelina had her arms wrapped around her legs, her face buried into her knees while she rocked herself comfortingly. Haru’s eyes softened and for the moment, she forgot about what just happened, distracted by the sight of the distraught girl.

“Adelina,” she whispered as she approached her. The blonde stiffened and the rocking paused when Haru sat beside her. “Please Adelina, talk to me.”

“I’m fine,” came the somber response. “You should head on back before you forget the way. We don’t want you getting lost...”

“Adelina.”

“I can’t... I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I’ll learn about the truth sooner or later.” Haru said in a firm, but gentle voice. “Wouldn’t it be best if I learned from someone who won’t make it sound worse than it actually is?”

Adelina raised her head, showing Haru the tear stained cheeks. There was a harsh glimmer in Adelina’s emerald eyes that matched the angry scowl on her face. “What makes you think I won’t?”

Because Adelina’s reaction had been abnormal. She probably had first-hand experience on whatever incident involved Giotto. Then there was how Giotto-sama had known where Adelina would be. Those two had history and their indirect interactions told Haru that they had cared for each other at one point.

“I know you won’t.” she replied simply.

Adelina huffed out air and looked away from Haru, her grip around her knees tightening. Haru waited patiently, knowing the story would come out sooner or later. Adelina may act mature, but she was still quite young. If Haru’s experience with kids were any indication, the silent pressure in the air and her own inner turmoil of emotions would compel her to start talking.

And as predicted, the words came out softly.

“The demon is an orphan.” The words were hushed, a tinge of fear in them that came not from talking of the ‘demon’, but in fear that someone would overhear her words. “He was the only survivor of an attack made by bandits on a traveling couple. I didn’t hear much of the details because I was just a baby then. He... was eight years old when he was brought to my village.”

Haru’s eyes widened.

Just eight years old when he had lost his parents? And by bandits? That would mean that Giotto-sama had seen his parents being killed right in front of him!

Adelina continued, inhaling shakily. “Even back then, everyone knew he was special. There was an air about him that drew people to him... not to mention, he was really smart. He picked up on everything fast and efficiently. He was also very nice... having a gentle air that made one content around him. Because of that, a lot of the village women left their children with him because he had a way of keeping us occupied without causing trouble.”

“And that’s how you two met?” Haru inquired.

There was a pause of silence before Adelina wrung her fingers together. “I was very young when I first met the demon... but I still remember it clearly.”

Adelina turned her head back towards Haru, a tired gleam in her eyes that shouldn’t belong to someone so young.

“He was very... beautiful. There was a light about him that was captivating. I became enchanted with him immediately and as my mother told me, I followed him like a lost chick. He was always patient with me, of course. And it was him... who discovered this place.” Adelina looked around the field once. It was covered in snow, but during the spring, there were flowers of all type for one to play in. It was hidden enough so that not many people knew about it and its secrecy was one of the things Adelina cherished.

So many fond memories...

Yet it was mixed with so many dark ones as well...

“But in the end, it had all been a lie. He was a demon possessed child who was here to distract us from the light.” Adelina murmured bitterly.

“That’s not true,” Haru said in frustration, feeling slightly relieved at finally being able to say what she had wanted for so long. “Giotto-sama is not a demon! Why does everyone say that?”

“That’s because you don’t know the truth!” Adelina shouted!

“I know the truth!” Haru shouted back with equal ferocity. “I know of the truth more than all of you combined! Giotto-sama is not like that! He’s... He’s...”

He was sweet and kind, just as Adelina had described. He was thoughtful and caring, always making sure Haru was alright whenever they trudged around the forest. Even though he had lost so much and had been mistreated by others, he had never lost his innocence and compassion!

And in the future, he would become great. He would grow to be the Primo of the Vongola, an organization that protected the weak against the corrupted. How could someone with such potential waste away in this remote village where the people hated him and called him cruel names?

It just didn’t make sense!

There was a change in Adelina’s face, first shock before a warm smile.

“That’s why I know I can trust you Haru,” she said softly. “You don’t see him as a demon... even when he himself sees himself as one.”

“What?” Haru breathed in shock.

“Giotto,” the name felt unfamiliar and hard on Adelina’s tongue. It had been years since she had even thought of the name, “is no demon.”

“But you-.”

“I call him that because that is how he sees himself as well.” Adelina said in disgust. “And if that’s how he wants it, so be it. I’ll call him that as well.”

“Adelina,” Haru said cautiously. “What exactly happened?”

“Right here,” Adelina said, her voice breaking a little as she felt her heart speeding up at the memory. The pain from that time came rushing back, her mind threatening to black out. Her hand automatically latched onto the shoulder where the scar was. “Right on this field, a... wolf appeared. It was wounded, probably a fight with one of its pack mate or a bear... but its wound made it so that its instincts were at edge. I was on this field with Giotto that day.”

Haru felt a sickening feeling in her stomach as her mind went above and beyond to provide all sorts of dangerous situations that might have happened.

“We ran, of course. We were children, what else could we do?” Adelina snorted before her eyes darkening, her hand tightening on her shoulder as she tried to control the shiver that went down her spine. “That was a mistake. The wolf chased us. Fortunately, we knew the terrain well, so we were almost upon the village... when I tripped.”

“Adelina,” Haru said in a hushed voice, her eyes turning to where Adelina had a death grip on herself.

“The villagers heard my screams and the men came rushing.” She continued, her voice growing more and more nonchalant with every word she said. “The wolf had me by the shoulders and... was shaking me around. I remember screaming loudly. There had been so much blood and the pain... the pain had been unbelievable. Since I was so tiny, the wolf had the power to shake me into pieces. But that didn’t happen.”

“Because Giotto-sama was there,” Haru murmured and Adelina’s shoulders stopped shaking, her wide eyes looking at Haru in surprise.

Such faith she had in him.

It was the one thing no one else in this world had or would even bother to provide for him. Trust was something hard to come by for an orphan after all. No one would heedlessly defend him for Giotto would always be an outsider to them, friend or not.

He was not of blood to any of them after all. No one would vouch for him when he wasn’t their kin.

But here was this strange foreign girl, faithfully standing by him even when everyone painted him to be the devil.

Adelina couldn’t hide her tender smile. If it’s Haru, then it would be fine. “That’s right, Giotto saved me. While the adults watched stupidly, figuring it was too late to save me, Giotto had actually taken action. He somehow managed to pry the wolf away from me... and... while he held me in his arms... fire seemed to erupt from his head. There was a powerful glow in his eyes as he glared at the wolf... and simply told it to go away.”

Haru blinked in confusion.

Adelina chuckled “That’s right. He just told the wolf to go away... and it tucked its tail between its legs and ran for the hills.”

“So he saved you,” Haru restated. “Then why is he called a demon?”

“Because of how he saved me.” The bitterness in Adelina’s voice returned. “Fire had appeared on his head and it hadn’t burned him... an animal had obeyed his commands with just a glare. People began to claim that Giotto was possessed by the devil. And of course, being the stupid fools they are, they accepted it because it was the simplest explanation.”

“You don’t believe it?”

“Of course not!” Adelina shouted in outrage. “He saved my life! He has done nothing to threaten us and yet, because of this one incident, instead of feeling grateful, they let fear of the unknown take over! If anything, he’s an angel sent from the heavens to protect us from evil!”

Oh if only Adelina knew, but Haru wasn’t going to say anything. “Is that why Giotto-sama lives so far away from everyone?”

Adelina snorted in disgust. “No, he began to stay here after Father Attilio came to our village two years ago. Before, he lived in the forest near the village after the village threw him out.”

“And,” Haru began hesitantly. “And he didn’t leave the village?”

“Maybe he had nowhere else to go,” Adelina said. Giotto had arrived at her village at a young age, after all. And since the village had been tiny, everyone had taken care of him. Perhaps it was those past memories that made him linger? Perhaps he felt indebted to the village even after the villagers had treated him so horribly... throwing stuff at him, calling him names, ruthlessly hurting him both physically and emotionally. It wasn’t until Father Attilio had arrived and offered to exorcise the demon that the abuse had stopped, also because Giotto didn’t venture close to the village. “But now things have changed.”

“What do you mean?” Haru asked.

“Giotto sees himself as a monster as well,” Adelina explained carefully. “No matter what I said or tried to do, that is how he saw himself.”

“You stood by him even after all this happened?” Haru asked in awe.

Adelina stiffened and looked away. She didn’t deserve any praise. Instead, she needed to be rebuked for being weak. “No... I was a child, I was stupid. After I recovered from my wounds, I went searching for Giotto, but he would never let me close. He would watch from afar. I would argue with him, saying he saved me, but he wouldn’t listen.”

Of course not, Haru thought bitterly. The words of the villagers had probably gotten to him by the time Adelina had recovered... and Adelina had no need to feel so regretful. She was still a child even now to Haru and if that was the case, Adelina shouldn’t have been forced to shoulder such a heavy burden at an even younger age!

“No matter what I said, he would just look at me as though... as though I didn’t understand!” Adelina said in frustration, tears welling up in her eyes at the memories of walking in the forest alone at night, wanting to go near him and yet always pushed away. “I got angry and then... and then one day I just lost control. I called him a demon, spat out that he was a monster for letting this happen, for not fighting against them. I-I didn’t mean the injury from the wolf, but for letting this whole demon thing spiral out of control. I knew he wasn’t a demon! He had to know that as well! And yet he didn’t do anything about it! Never fought back! Just let all this to happen! But I shouldn’t have done that! I should h-have been more patient, talked to him... or talk to the villagers! Said they were crazy! I should have abandoned my family and stayed by him, but no... no, the pressure got to me as well and I-I snapped!”

Haru placed an arm around Adelina, pulling her close while leaning her cheek against her head. She stroked Adelina’s arm comfortingly. “It’s okay... it’s not your fault.”

“How can you say that?” Adelina demanded, pulling away from Haru with uncontrolled tears streaming down her face. “I abandoned Giotto when he needed me most! I-I let him down even after he had saved my life! I-!”

“You were a child,” Haru said sternly. “And children should have no need to worry about something like this.”

“B-But-.”

“And I’m sure Giotto-sama understands as well.” Haru said, giving Adelina an encouraging smile. “It’s like you said. He’s an angel... and angels are forgiving creatures, right?”

Adelina stared at Haru in awe before she broke down in crying, lunging for Haru. She wrapped her arms around her, crying into Haru without inhibition while Haru held her protectively. It was something she had wanted to hear for so long, that Giotto wasn’t a demon... that he was even more than just a simple human... he was someone special, someone kind and sweet who wasn’t the monster everyone else claimed to be.

As Haru held Adelina, she heard a soft murmur that she couldn’t quite hear properly.

“Adelina?”

“Save him Haru...”

“H-Hahi?”

Adelina pulled away from Haru, looking up at her with desperate eyes. “Save Giotto Haru. Take him away from this place.”

“Hahi, Adelina, what are you saying?”

“He’ll never leave on his own regard, b-but if he’s with you, I’m sure he’ll follow you anywhere!” Adelina proclaimed.

“Wait a second Adelina, I-!” Things were moving too fast! And did Adelina even understand the gravity of what she was saying?

“You have to leave!” Adelina said pleadingly. “And you have to leave now! That’s why I came here tonight! To get you to escape with Giotto!”

“W-What do you mean?” Haru asked carefully, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

Adelina chewed her lower lip. She was basically denouncing her village by saying this, but this was too important to just keep to herself. She wasn’t going to run away again. Not this time. “I don’t know what the elders are planning, but from what I’ve heard, they’re going to try and use you to get rid of Giotto.”

“What?” Haru said in surprise. “But how?”

“I don’t know and I don’t want to find out!” Adelina said, wilding shaking her head in protest at the mere possibility. “We can’t let them hurt Giotto any further! You have to get him out of here before things get worse! If-If it was anyone else, I wouldn’t have said this much, but I know I can trust you with him Haru. If he’s with you, I’m sure he can get the happiness he would have never gotten here. Please... at least think about it.”

Haru remained frozen, unsure of how she should approach this situation. Something like this was well beyond her scope of expertise! Goodness she was only fourteen! Then again... Tsuna-san and the others had faced life-threatening situations at the same age.

But how was she supposed to know what the right path was? What if she did something impulsive and the future never happens? What if she prevented Giotto from becoming the Primo?

Still, a nagging thought lingered. Was it worth letting him suffer more if it meant he was to become the Primo of Vongola?

Oh gods, don’t say that she might be at the focal point where her decision might make it so that Tsuna-san was never born?

The stress was too much to handle!

And yet, something made Haru pause. She remembered the smile on Giotto’s face whenever he looked at her, the pure uninhibited joy... the way he’d hold her hand and hug her tenderly, almost as though he was worried that she’d vanish without a trace if he wasn’t careful.

Unconsciously, Haru’s hand rose up and her fingers lightly touched her lips.

...could she allow Giotto-sama to continue to be hurt because of such selfish reasons?

Haru placed a hand on Adelina’s shoulder, a soft almost sad smile on her face. “Yeah... you’re right Adelina... let’s get Giotto-sama out of here.”

---

::tsuzuku::

---

Chapter 22                                                  Chapter 24