thekillerwhale | IC Inbox

It would be fine. Nagisa said that he wanted to meet you sometime to thank you since you were helping to look for Gou. I still really appreciate all of that effort. And I'm sure Gou, Rei, and Ishtar would all like your company as well. So you don't need to worry about it.

[He laughs a bit.]

I hope he's not giving you problems now.

Yeah? I'm glad I have a good first impression to work with then. [So rarely that happens. Gokudera laughs a little.] He's just annoying. Ugh, I don't even want to think about it. How's Gou doing?

I'm still worried about her, but she seems fine and she says she's fine. She says that she wants to sit everyone down and discuss what happened. I'm kind of nervous to know what could have happened. I'm hoping that it's something harmless like she got really lost and had to stay with someone, but the text messages that I got....

They were very shady...

Some person told me not to continue looking for her and that she'll contact me eventually. But they said that it's "not my business" or "concern".

[He lets out a sigh]

At least it's done for now.

Oh...and there was also something I wanted to ask you. Mukuro-san...He said that you were in the mafia. He was trying to reveal more, but I said that it would be best if I discussed it with you since...well, it's personal information and I'd rather hear it from you.

He WHAT?

That FUCKING SNITCH!

[Welp. Guess there's your answer.]

A-ah! Hayato! It's okay! It's not like it bothers me!

I just don't want to listen to bad rumors so I wanted to talk to you directly!

[He still punches a wall a few times, which might be audible. Stupid stupid Mukuro, ruining everything!]

... I didn't mean to - to lie to you or mislead you. You were just - you're normal and you were already freaked out enough when you got here, and it isn't like there's any mafia here so it wasn't really relevant and - and I figured I'd tell you when you settled in more.

[He hears the loud thuds and starts getting worried.]

It's okay. It's fine. You were thinking of me and I appreciate that.

I told him that you haven't done anything but help me and that I still feel like I can trust you. That hasn't changed, Hayato.

You're a nice person no matter what kind of background you have.

Haha...I don't...even really know that much about the mafia except for the things from that one movie or things about the yakuza.

[There's another soft thud as he just kinda lets his forehead hit the wall, listening to Makoto's kind words. Damn it, his heart is doing that clenching thing again.] Well, movies are never all that accurate. Some people are assholes, sure, but there's a lot of good people trying to do good work, too. I was born into a mafia family, but that's not the one I'm with now. Back home, I'm the right hand man of the tenth head of the Vongola family! [He's said that with more pride than just about anything else he's said about himself.]

Er.

Well, I mean. I will be. When we kinda graduate high school and all that.

So...what do you do?

I know that bonds are really important in mafias, right? Like the family is a priority.

We uphold the ideals of the Vongola family - especially to protect those that can't protect themselves! [Really it's less like 'mafia' and more like 'power rangers' when they do it. No wonder Yamamoto thought it was a game for a long time.]

Family... I think the family that you choose is more important sometimes.

[He was really glad he decided to get the story from Gokudera himself because Mukuro was making him out to be a bad person. He won't tell him that because he doesn't want to rile him up again, but he's glad he's having this talk and getting his side.]

"Protecting others that can't protect themselves"...So it's like one of those "good gangs" that you sometimes here about. Bad title, but good deeds.

It was originally started because the law wouldn't or couldn't help people! [Well, Vongola was, as for the 'actual' mafia it's hard to tell since they deliberately kept no records and came up with a bunch of false stories.] There's some bad people, but there's a lot of good people too!

So like a group of vigil antes.

[He smiles even though Gokudera can't see.]

That doesn't sound bad at all.

IT'S REALLY GREAT, AND THE TENTH IS THE BEST. HE'S REALLY KIND-HEARTED AND DETERMINED AND DOWN TO EARTH- [And Gokudera has a LOT of FEELINGS, okay? ~~Tsuna was the first person to care if he hurt himself.~~] ... He was here, for a really short time. If he ever comes back - I think you'd like him. [BECAUSE HE'S AMAZING.]

[Oh! Then there was sudden passionate yelling. He can't help but give a small chuckle at that.]

The Tenth?

[Oh right, he was getting ahead of himself. He coughs.]

Sawada Tsunayoshi.

[He makes an affirmative noise of understanding.]

Is he your leader?

If I'm asking too many questions, you can stop me. I'm just really curious about this now.

No, it's okay. It's kind of nice to actually talk about this to you now? Yeah, he's our leader. HE'S THE BEST LEADER!

[He laughs again when he starts getting excited about his leader again.]

When he comes here, I'll definitely have to meet him then.

It's all really interesting, you know? Hearing about all of these different kinds of people with different abilities from different worlds. And even if we're from the same country, it's still very different.

Yeah. When I -

Okay, uh, to backtrack a little ... I wasn't entirely truthful when I said friends helped me through the transition period coming here, that first time. I mean, they did, but ... this isn't the first time I've done this kind of thing. Time travel and alternate universes, I've dealt with those before, even visited one. Like, before I got here even. Anyway... something that's been bugging me, I've been wondering if... maybe we're all actually from the same world after all - just different versions of that world, or that universe. Maybe there's a Gokudera Hayato somewhere in your world, and maybe there's a Tachibana Makoto somewhere in mine, you know? Space is infinite, and always expanding.

Anyway, when I got sent home it wasn't ... exactly the same as my world. That's how I knew I was probably coming back here. I was, uh. Starting to see if maybe I could find you there, just to test the theory, but I didn't get very far in looking before I was yanked back.

[Makoto listens to the explanation, trying to wrap his head around it. It sounds like something straight out of a science fiction movie or a video game, but there is probably truth behind it. The fact that they are all here proves some of it.

When he heard that he went looking for a version of him when he went back, he couldn't help but feel his heart warm at that.]

Really? You went looking?

Haha...Japan is really populated.

If you get sent back next time, try Iwatobi High School.

[He then makes a humming noise in thought.]

What if that version of me is different? What if he's really short and is good at art? Hahaha!

Yeah? I will. That'll make the search easier. [Oh good Makoto wasn't weirded out by it.]

Then he's really short and good at art, if he's Makoto I'm sure he'll be a good friend.

[He smiled brightly at that even though Gokudera couldn't see it. He was glad that Gokudera could find such a good friend.]

Maybe the Hayato in my world is really tall and has bad aim. Hahaha!

I bet he's super tall. Like, a giant. Two hundred thirteen centimeters even!!

[He's probably always a short chainsmoker actually. That's been pretty consistent no matter where he goes. Goddamn it. Even 24-year-old-him seemed to be ... well, taller, but still the shorter one among his companions, aside from Tsuna. WHO HAD THE HEART OF A GIANT SO IT DIDN'T COUNT.]

Eh?! Really? That tall?! Maybe he'd be a basketball player at that height. But if he has bad aim, then it would be really sad.

[He laughs at that.]

I'd invite him to join our swim club, that way he can just reach out and hit the other side of the pool.

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