Jan 1 (Katekyo Hitman Reborn) the next hurdle

[smakn.livejournal.com]

Title: the next hurdle
Day/Theme:  Jan 1 // he whose body is crazy and feeble
Series: Katekyo Hitman Reborn
Character/Pairing: Ryohei
A/N: I just realized that Ryohei's name can be split up into two of my favourite character's names--Ryo and Hei. Wait, wait, cancel that. I don't think I know a Ryo...
Other than that, not ridiciously proud of the ending. I need to revise it.
Summary:  There will always be one more hurdle to jump.
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He runs ten, twenty, thirty--numbers mean nothing anymore--laps every morning and and night. There is only the sound of his feet (tap, tap, tapping) and the air he's pushing against. He always seems to be pushing against something. His running shoes thud on the ground and his breath comes out in sharp pants as Ryohei finishes his (78? 92? 105?) lap.

He's stronger, that much he knows. Each day his legs run further and further (from what, he doesn't know. To where is an even bigger question.) and he doesn't gasp as much as he used to. Not that he was weak in the beginning.

(Oh, but he was, in the way a child is weak to an adult---all that strength gained is nothing when compared to the next hurdle.)

And now....Ryohei's armor. The imprenetable shield, the unbreakable sword. His punch is like the earth, strong and unshakeable. None can defeat him---in competitions his rivals fall one after another, a stack of dominos with no end.

He is intimidating. He is strong. He is invincible.

He is still that child, only capable of beating his peers and shattering when faced with an adult. He doesn't always realize, doesn't want to even acknowledge it, but the signs are obvious.

Ryohei finds out just how weak he is when the black and blue flowers bloom on his skin, his sister's worried eyes and gentle hands carefully bandaging his wounds.

(And then he crushes the petals as he tries once again to leap over that hurdle.)
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