Chapter 3: Silenced Screams
1878 Words
Tsuna didn't get far.
He made it to the front gate before Haruki caught him.
"Where do you think you're going?" His brother's voice was sickly sweet, the kind of sweetness that preceded pain. "Running away, little brother? That's not very nice."
Tsuna froze. His hand was on the gate latch, but he couldn't move. His body had learned to obey Haruki's voice, even when his mind screamed to run.
"Papa is very upset," Haruki continued, stepping closer. "Mama is crying. All because of you. Because you're so selfish."
Tsuna shook his head. He tried to open the gate, but his fingers wouldn't cooperate. They were trembling too hard.
"Selfish and stupid," Haruki hissed. "You can't even run away properly. What kind of useless freak can't even escape?"
Tsuna felt tears prick at his eyes, but he forced them back. Crying only made it worse.
"Look at me."
Tsuna looked.
Haruki's face was twisted into something ugly. Something that didn't belong on an eight-year-old boy. His eyes were cold, calculating, cruel. He looked like a predator playing with its prey.
"You think you can leave?" Haruki whispered. "You think you can escape? You belong to me, Tsuna. You're my toy. My punching bag. My shadow. And shadows don't get to leave."
He grabbed Tsuna's arm, his fingers digging into the soft flesh. Tsuna whimpered, a small, pathetic sound that he couldn't stop.
"Shut up," Haruki said. "You don't get to make noise. You don't get to do anything. You just get to exist. And the only reason you even get to do that is because I allow it."
He twisted Tsuna's arm, and Tsuna felt something pop. The pain was blinding, white-hot, searing through his entire body. He opened his mouth to scream—
And nothing came out.
No sound. No voice. Just silence.
Haruki smiled. "There. That's better. That's how you should always be. Quiet. Obedient. Useless."
He let go, and Tsuna crumpled to the ground. His arm was burning, throbbing, screaming in agony. But his throat was silent. His voice was gone.
It would never come back.
Nana found them ten minutes later.
Tsuna was still on the ground, cradling his arm. Haruki was sitting on the porch, looking bored.
"What happened?" Nana asked, her eyes flickering between her sons.
"Tsuna fell," Haruki said with a shrug. "He was trying to run away, and he fell. I think he hurt his arm."
Nana sighed. "Again? Always causing trouble." She knelt beside Tsuna, examining his arm. "It looks swollen. Probably broken. We'll have to take him to the hospital."
Tsuna looked up at her, his eyes pleading. Please. Please believe me. Please see what he did to me.
But Nana's eyes were already on Haruki. "Are you okay, sweetie? Did he hurt you?"
"I'm fine, Mama. I tried to help him, but he pushed me away."
"Of course he did." Nana shook her head. "That boy. I don't understand what's wrong with him."
She called for a taxi and took Tsuna to the hospital. The doctor confirmed the break: a spiral fracture of the humerus, consistent with a twisting injury.
"How did this happen?" the doctor asked.
"He fell," Nana said. "He's always falling. He's very clumsy."
The doctor looked at Tsuna. Tsuna couldn't meet his eyes.
"I'd like to ask him a few questions," the doctor said gently. "Alone, if that's okay."
Nana frowned. "He doesn't speak. He's mute. You won't get anything out of him."
"I'd still like to try."
Nana sighed and stepped out of the room. The doctor sat down beside Tsuna, his expression kind.
"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked softly. "You can nod or shake your head. Or you can write it down."
Tsuna stared at the doctor. He wanted to tell him. He wanted to scream the truth. But his throat was closed, his voice was gone, and his body was trembling with fear.
Haruki will find out, his mind screamed. If you tell, he'll hurt you worse. He'll make you pay. He always does.
Tsuna shook his head.
The doctor looked sad. "Are you sure?"
Tsuna nodded.
"Okay." The doctor sighed. "Okay. I won't push. But if you ever want to talk, I'm here. My name is Dr. Yamamoto. You can always come to me."
Tsuna felt something crack inside his chest. A tiny fissure in the wall he'd built around his heart.
But then Nana walked back in, and the wall sealed itself again.
The abuse got worse after that.
Haruki knew Tsuna couldn't speak. He knew there would be no evidence. No witnesses. No one to tell.
So he was bolder.
The hits came harder. The words cut deeper. The cruelty became more creative.
One day, Haruki locked Tsuna in the garden shed for six hours. It was winter. Tsuna had no coat. He was shivering violently when Nana finally found him.
"What were you doing in there?" Nana demanded. "You know you're not supposed to play in the shed!"
Tsuna tried to explain with his hands. He gestured toward Haruki, who was watching from the kitchen window with a small smile.
"Haruki? What does he have to do with this?" Nana shook her head. "He was inside all day. He was helping me with the laundry. Don't blame him for your mistakes."
Tsuna's hands fell to his sides.
He had stopped fighting.
He had stopped hoping.
He had stopped believing that anyone would ever see the truth.
The pacifier was his only comfort.
At night, when the house was quiet and Haruki was asleep, Tsuna would take it out from under his pajamas. He would hold it in his hands, feeling the warmth, the gentle pulse of orange light.
You're not alone, Luce's voice would whisper in his dreams. You're not forgotten. You're not unloved.
But Tsuna was all of those things. He knew it. He'd been told it enough times.
"Why?" he would whisper to the pacifier. His voice, though silent in the waking world, was loud in his dreams. "Why did you choose me? I'm nothing. I'm no one. I'm just the unwanted twin."
You're a Sky, Luce would say. And the Sky is never unwanted. You just haven't found your family yet.
"Where are they?"
Waiting. Searching. They don't know you yet, but they will. And when they do, they'll love you the way you deserve to be loved.
Tsuna wanted to believe her. He really did.
But it was hard to believe in love when all you'd ever known was pain.
The breaking point came on Tsuna's eighth birthday.
Not that anyone remembered. Nana was too busy planning Haruki's party, which was scheduled for the following week. Iemitsu was out of the country. And Haruki—
Haruki was in a mood.
"You're eight today," Haruki said, standing over Tsuna's bed. "Eight years old, and you're still useless. Still mute. Still worthless. What a waste of space."
Tsuna closed his eyes. He was too tired to fight. Too tired to care.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you!"
Haruki grabbed Tsuna's hair, yanking his head up. Tsuna winced, but he didn't cry. He was too tired for that too.
"You know what I've always wondered?" Haruki asked, leaning in close. "I've always wondered what it would be like to have a brother. A real brother. Someone who could talk to me. Play with me. Be my friend."
He laughed. It was an ugly sound.
"Instead, I got you. A broken doll that doesn't do anything. Doesn't say anything. Doesn't feel anything. You're like a ghost, Tsuna. A ghost that haunts me."
Then why don't you let me go? Tsuna thought. Why don't you let me leave?
"Because you're mine," Haruki said, as if he could hear Tsuna's thoughts. "My toy. My punching bag. My shadow. And I'll never let you go. Never. You belong to me."
He let go of Tsuna's hair, and Tsuna's head thumped against the pillow.
"You know what I'm going to do?" Haruki said, his voice light and cheerful. "I'm going to make sure no one ever believes you. I'm going to make sure no one ever wants you. I'm going to make sure you're alone forever. Because that's what you deserve."
He smiled.
"Happy birthday, little brother."
Haruki left the room, and Tsuna lay there, staring at the ceiling.
For the first time in his life, he felt something other than fear and sadness.
He felt anger.
It was small, quiet, buried deep beneath years of abuse and neglect. But it was there. And it was growing.
The pacifier on his chest pulsed, warm and bright.
Yes, Luce's voice whispered. Feel it. Embrace it. Let it fuel you. You are not weak. You are not broken. You are a Sky. And the Sky fights back.
Tsuna closed his eyes.
He was going to fight back.
But not tonight.
Tonight, he was going to survive.
To be continued...
📝 AUTHOR'S NOTES
Chapter 3: Silenced Screams
This was a heavy chapter. We see the moment Tsuna's voice is truly taken from him—not just physically, but emotionally. Haruki's cruelty knows no bounds, and Nana's willful blindness continues to enable the abuse. But there's a glimmer of hope: Tsuna is starting to feel anger, which means he's starting to fight back.
Content Warning for This Chapter: Child abuse (physical and psychological), broken bones, neglect, ableism, emotional manipulation
Trigger Warning: This chapter contains graphic depictions of child abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
💬 CHARACTER NOTES
Tsuna's Mindset:
At the start of the chapter: Hopeless, defeated, resigned
At the end of the chapter: Angry, determined, beginning to fight back
Key realization: He doesn't have to accept this. He doesn't have to stay.
Haruki's Cruelty:
Method: Physical abuse, psychological manipulation, isolation
Goal: To keep Tsuna under his control
Key trait: He enjoys the power he has over Tsuna
Dr. Yamamoto:
Status: Hospital doctor who treated Tsuna
Key trait: Kind, perceptive, offered to help
Significance: First adult who showed Tsuna genuine concern
Nana's Denial:
Reason: She prefers to believe her "perfect" son is innocent
Result: Enabling Haruki's behavior, abandoning Tsuna
Key moment: Blaming Tsuna for the shed incident
✨ READER QUESTIONS
How did you feel when Tsuna's voice disappeared?
Do you think Tsuna will ever be able to speak again?
What do you think about the anger Tsuna is starting to feel?
📖 PREVIEW FOR CHAPTER 4
Chapter 4: The Pacifier's Whisper
Luce appears in Tsuna's dreams more vividly than ever. She shows him the world of the Arcobaleno, the Tri-Ni-Set, and the family waiting for him. Tsuna learns the truth about his flames and makes a decision that will change everything...
Thank you for reading Chapter 3! If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment and vote! Your support means the world to me. 💛
And remember: Tsuna's journey is just beginning. There will be darkness, but there will also be light. Found family is coming. Reborn is coming. And Haruki will get what he deserves.
Next Update: Chapter 4 - The Pacifier's Whisper
Estimated Update: Soon!
This story is a work of fanfiction based on "Katekyo Hitman Reborn!" by Akira Amano. All rights belong to the original creator. This is a non-profit fan work created for enjoyment only.
- Writer
