That night… It was definitely a night to remember. But in no way was it a night that either of them wanted to ever think about ever again.

Neither of them could really say that they got any real sleep that night. Though neither of them would really admit it to the other, the second either of them went into a deep sleep, something would always wake them up again.

For Gokudera, it was the scene of Iemitsu hitting his beloved in the face. That's the only thing he saw. The fist connecting with his face, the small boy flying backwards into the wall, the blood trickling from his pink lips. Sometimes, the dream didn't play out, it just stopped at the second when Iemitsu's fist hit Tsuna's cherubic face and that moment was for some reason frozen in time, never moving. He could only watch helplessly as Tsuna's father hit him. The only thing Gokudera saw was the look of pain of Tsuna's face. It was stuck there and the gut-wrenching feeling inside of him tore at his insides as he only saw the look of agony of his lover's face.

For Tsuna, it wasn't so much as a moment so much as phrases. The entire dreamscape was pitch black, but his father's voice still echoed mockingly throughout the dark sanctum.

"How much of a filthy fag this boy has turned you into."

"Have you had sex with this boy?"

"Can't the filthy, stupid, little fag boy speak for himself?"

"I come home to find my son gay… with a delinquent!"

"Now you've turned my loser of a son into even more of an outcast. … You know what they say about birds of a feather."

As Tsuna listened to his own father's voice verbally abuse the one he loved over and over again, a very subtle image started to materialize in front of him. It started out as nothing but a faint, gray glow, but as time went on and more and more verbal slanders were said, the image finally cleared up. It was a huge close-up of Hayato's weeping face. Of the miserable expression he'd worn for most of the night. Of the terrified look on his face when he heard that Tsuna had wanted him to break up with him. Never once did those faces falter. He never saw anything except sorrow on the face of his boyfriend.

Each time one of the boys had a nightmare, they awoke with a jolt, in a cold sweat. They had realized after about their first dreams respectively that they were lying next to their significant other and tried as hard as they could to not wake them.

Somewhere around two o' clock, Tsuna awoke again (awakened by around his fifth nightmare) and he had forgotten where he was. He hadn't been sure why, but he felt terribly sad, his face heavy as if he'd been crying, his throat dry, his face aching. He soon realized that he was laying in the arms of his best friend, his boyfriend, his lover, and he was wondering what could be making him so sad in this situation. But then it hit him again.

He didn't completely figure it out on his own. Gokudera had filled in some of the blanks. Even though the only source of light in the room was the silvery streaks of compromised moonlight through the window (it was still raining), Tsuna could still see the aftermath of the night prior's disaster etched into his pale face. Even if only illuminated by the little moonlight, Tsuna could still see the red circles surrounding his lover's eyes. His favorite eyes. He could still see the frown lines surrounding his mouth. His favorite mouth. He could still see the extreme sadness forever drawn into Hayato's face. His favorite face.

When Tsuna soon realized why all of these things were ruining his favorite person's beautiful face when last night's occurrences returned to him and hit him like a train.

Tsuna just stared into space unbelievingly for a while but before he knew it, hot tears were streaking down his face again. They started out silent, but before long they had progressed into sobs, violent ones. Tsuna tried to desperately to calm himself down before Gokudera could feel the bed shaking and wake up. Somehow he must have succeeded because Hayato didn't wake up.

When Tsuna finally calmed down, he just laid there and listened to the silverette's breathing until just knowing the fact that the bomber was still there lulled him back to sleep.

It was morning now and both boys were still asleep. No light came in through the window this morning, as it was still raining. It wasn't nearly as hard as it had been the night before, but it was hardly what one would call a drizzle.

It was around eight before either of them stirred awake, groggy, heavy, and miserable. Tsuna was the first one awake again and instead of waking up the Storm guardian, he just laid there.

He was done. He was sick and tired of worrying. He really wanted to end it with Hayato. So badly. But not for the reasons you'd expect. He wanted Hayato to never be so miserably again. He never again wanted to see him make the faces that he just recently haunted him dreams. But at the same time, Tsuna knew full well that he would rather stab himself with a rusty knife then to not have the silverette by his side. He knew it was selfish, but he couldn't help it. He just loved him so much.

Tsuna tightened his grasp around the taller teen and nuzzled into him more. Gokudera unconsciously tightened his grip around Tsuna in response. Tsuna inhaled the scent of his boyfriend. He smelled like soap and mint, but his aroma was also laced with the musky smell of cigarettes, even though he had started to cut down considerably ever since they had started going out. Quietly, Tsuna started confessing,

"I don't want us to be together anymore. I want you to be free from this torture. I want you to be able to forget about me and find someone who deserves you. I want you to find someone who will never make you make those faces again and forget about me forever. But I'm so selfish that I can't even let you have that satisfaction.

"I want to let you go so you can never be this sad again. You deserve it. But I can't possibly let you go. I love you too much. I'm in too deep."

"Me, too," a strong, deep voice chimed in from above. Tsuna started and looked up into the smiling face of his Storm guardian. Tsuna blushed deeply as he realized that Hayato had heard everything he just said. Then he also realized that that wasn't really a bad thing.

Nonetheless, it was embarrassing for someone to say and even more humiliating for someone to hear, so Tsuna pouted and lowered his face into Hayato's chest. The bomber smiled and hugged him closer to his chest.

Hayato himself was really in no mood to be smiling, but he couldn't help it if Tsuna had the most amazing talent ever: to make him smile when all he wanted to do was cry. But Gokudera had made a promise to himself and also to Tsuna, although the latter was unaware of it. He had promised that he would never let Tsuna see him cry ever again. He would never be so careless as to let the one he loved the most see him as anything other than happy. He didn't deserve to see a face like that.

"Um… Hayato-kun?" Tsuna's angelic voice cut through Hayato's thoughts and the silverette looked over at the younger boy.

"Tsuna?"

"I…" Tsuna trailed off. He had absolutely no idea what he had really wanted to say. As a matter of fact, he was pretty sure that he had never really had anything to say to his Italian lover. "I… I don't really know. I just… wanted to hear your voice."

Gokudera gave them distance between their chests for a second and looked down into the brunette's face. Tsuna looked back into the Storm guardian's face awkwardly, wondering if he had said something completely stupid.

However he quickly pushed that thought out of his mind as Gokudera dove forward, resting his head on Tsuna's shoulder, hooked his arms through Tsuna's, and pulled him even closer than before.

"Hayato-kun?" Tsuna said questioningly, although he didn't hesitate to wrap his own arms around Hayato and pull him closer as well.

"You want to hear my voice?" Hayato asked. Tsuna nodded into thin shoulder and Hayato smiled. "I love you."

Tsuna blushed. He'd said it to Hayato a lot as of late and Hayato had said it to him, but there was always something enchanting about hearing it again. It was like he was hearing it for the first time.

"I love you, too," Tsuna said.

"No, you don't understand. I am completely, totally, and hopelessly in love with you," Gokudera said, smiling. "I don't ever want to let you go. I just want to stay here with you, forever."

Tsuna gasped. He was so touched by Hayato's words. He had never met someone who could make him feel this way before. That could make him feel so loved, so cherished, so complete. Tears started swimming in his eyes as he tried to find words that would even come close to matching that declaration.

"I know how you feel," Tsuna said. "I feel the same way."

"Your dad's not gonna like that," Gokudera said and instantly regretted it. How stupid could he be to really bring up his dad now? After he'd put both of them through so much pain?

Tsuna was silent for a while and Hayato wondered if he'd gone too far. He started to separate from Tsuna when he felt the Sky guardian pull him close, nuzzle his head farther into his chest, and squeeze his shirt tightly with his hands.

"Screw my father," Tsuna growled.

Gokudera's heart leapt… but at the same time, it broke. He was so elated that Tsuna would really choose him over his own father. His own flesh and blood. But at the same time, he felt incredibly guilty. Who was he to come between his beloved boss and his family? Who was he to suddenly rip that apart?

"Tsuna, wait," Gokudera said hesitantly and pushed Tsuna away… but only the slightest bit and looking at him. Tsuna, however, didn't look up. "I can't let you ruin your relationship with your father. Your family should always come first."

"I'm not getting rid of my family completely. I still have my mom. I just never want to speak to that man ever again," Tsuna said, still not looking up. "She accepted that I love you. In fact, she was happy for me! She was ecstatic because she'd never seen me so happy. And I'd have to agree with her. I don't think there's ever been a time where I've been this happy all the time."

Gokudera just watched as Tsuna said anything and everything that he had ever wanted to hear.

"But he… he just couldn't be happy for us. He just couldn't leave us alone. Its not of his business who I fall in love with and its not of his business what I do with the one I love."

Gokudera inhaled sharply. That topic was back again. He wasn't exactly sure why, but Iemitsu's asking if they had ever had sex had an incredible impact on Tsuna.

"Why does that bother you so much?" Hayato asked cautiously, knowing that he was treading on dangerous grounds.

"Because even if we had had sex, there was nothing he could do about it then. So what if we had? What would he have done? Beaten me harder? That wouldn't change the fact that we'd done it," Gokudera realized that Tsuna was right, but as the topic of Tsuna being beaten came up again, the bomber cringed.

There was an uncomfortable silence that followed Tsuna's last statement. Even before he finished his sentence, the last few syllables resonated through the air.

There was more silence and Gokudera had assumed that the conversation had ended. But then Tsuna said,

"I'm sorry," and suddenly, he was back to his angelic, innocent self again. Suddenly, he was fragile again. He was… vulnerable, again.

"Its okay," Gokudera said, holding him close. "I love you."

"I… love you, t-too," Gokudera started as he realized that Tsuna had begun to cry again.

Gokudera cringed again. Seeing his beloved Tsuna in pain was the most excruciating thing ever. But at the same time, Gokudera was ashamed to say that feeling the littler boy shake against his own body, even though he was shaking with sobs, turned him on. He could feel Tsuna gripping his shirt in tight, balled fists and he felt the brunette's legs almost curled around his own. Tsuna felt needy and Gokudera could relate. He wanted to be as close to Tsuna as humanely possible and then even closer still. He wanted for Tsuna to hold him like that all the time. He just wanted to stay in this position forever.

But the fact that someone was trying to stop that… that someone was trying to prevent them from being able to hold each other, to kiss each other, to be with each other, nearly broke Hayato's half in two. He sighed heavily and hugged the brunette closer.

Suddenly, Tsuna stopped shaking. He had ceased his sobbing so abruptly that he had made Gokudera jump in surprise and look down at the brunette. Tsuna looked up at him in return and before Gokudera could even ask what was wrong, Tsuna had lifted his head and pecked the silverette on the lips.

The sign of affection didn't shock Gokudera, but he was indeed surprised by the sudden change in attitude. But he soon forgot his surprise as Tsuna kissed him again, this time holding their lips together for a while. Gokudera blinked, confused. Tsuna usually didn't kiss him like this. Sure, he had been the one to initiate their making out before, but these kisses had a different feel behind them. They were chaste, they were warm, but most of all, they were needy. It suddenly occurred to Hayato that Tsuna needed him right now. He also realized that he needed him as well.

Gokudera finally reacted Tsuna's advances and returned the kiss, pushing Tsuna's head back slightly and leaning his head against the pillow to enhance the electricity that the kiss brought them.

Tsuna sighed contentedly into the kiss, not exactly ecstatic yet, but at the very least happy that the taller of the two boys had responded to his kiss. He honestly hadn't expected him too. Usually, Hayato was more than happy to kiss him, but it just seemed like now, he just seemed like he'd want to push him away.

But Gokudera obviously wasn't going to push him away. Quite the opposite, actually. He shifted quickly so that he was lying on his back and the littler Mafioso was lying on his stomach.

Gokudera's lips were still pressed against Tsuna's; so hard that the brunette's cherry lips would definitely be swollen later. As they tried to become ever closer and make the kiss feel ever more electrifying than it already was, they soon ran out of space between their mouths and their teeth were starting to meet, clacking together every time they moved even in the slightest.

Hayato suddenly broke the kiss, but only for a second. He slid his tongue lazily over Tsuna's bottom lip, begging for access in between his teeth. Tsuna granted it eagerly, moaning in pleasure as their tongues touched for the first time, sending sparks through both boys' bodies. The two young mafiosos battled for dominance, tickling each other's tongues, dragging their tongues against the sides of each others' mouths, there was just no limit to what they could do.

Hayato soon realized that he wasn't even really thinking about what he was doing, he was just enjoying the sheer, unadulterated pleasure that came from being so close to his boss.

Tsuna's hands, which had just been placed lazily on Gokudera's chest, slowly made their way up, inching their way towards his neck. The slow process of them moving sent shivers up the silverette's spine and he felt the silver hairs of the back of his neck stand up as Tsuna tickled the sides of his neck seductively until they settled, wrapped tightly and protectively around Gokudera's neck.

Gokudera finally broke the violent kiss, noticing that Tsuna's lips were in fact swollen and a hell of a lot more red than usual. Tsuna made a noise of disapproval at the sudden distance and tried to pull the silverette back down towards his lips, but Gokudera shook his head, still panting hard. He then suddenly started kissing Tsuna all over his face, but not before noticing how goddamn gorgeous his boyfriend looked right now. The low light created by the dark curtains accompanied with the fact that there was no sunlight right now left a shadow across Tsuna's face that was simply angelic. The light shined off of his cherubic, peach skin and even bounced off of his beautiful chocolate eyes, not that they needed help being bright and beautiful. They easily light up the room, or at least Gokudera's field of vision, even with the sad glow behind it.

Gokudera hated that glow. Well, not so much the glow as much as the sadness that accompanied it. He hated that glow even if it didn't deteriorate the young Vongola's beauty in the least. He hated it because he knew that on the inside, despite the stunning exterior, Tsuna was aching inside. And Gokudera was determined to kill that ache.

Gokudera trailed butterfly kisses all over the boy's face until he stopped at the forehead, then leaving a long, wet trail with his tongue until he reached that beautiful peach neck. Either the hickies that were there before had healed, or Gokudera could give two shits about hickies left before. He only cared about what was happening now.

He circled his tongue around the pulse point for a few seconds before finally covering it entirely with his mouth and sucking on it. He moved his hands up from where they were resting and entwined them in Tsuna's cocoa-colored locks. Tsuna moaned quietly and threw his head back, fortunately in no way obstructing Gokudera's access to his creamy skin.

When Hayato was sure, that he had thoroughly left his mark on Tsuna, he decided to move a little upwards: to Tsuna's Adam's apple. As soon as the Storm's hot lips circled the Vongola's throat, said boy beneath him gasped quite audibly, followed quickly by a shudder and a moan.

Gokudera could feel the butterflies in his stomach that he got whenever he and Tsuna got intimate, but this felt different. It felt not only needy, but necessary. Like if they weren't together at this moment, they might not be able to go on.

Gokudera was done sucking on the Adam's apple now, sure that he had left a considerable bruise that would dictate who Tsuna belonged to. He decided to move upwards again and give Tsuna's already swollen, pink lips some attention. He kissed Tsuna's lips rather violently, forcing his tongue into his mouth when Tsuna moaned.

Hayato was just inching his hand across Tsuna's exposed stomach when he heard a loud tone play from his nightstand. They were both startled out of their bliss by the loud dinging that was coming from Tsuna's cell phone. Gokudera just sat there for a moment, staring at the cell phone, somehow not angry, just… inconvenienced. He turned back to Tsuna to see a completely pissed-looking, little brunette, glaring at his phone. Then, Tsuna reached around Gokudera's neck and pulled him up to meet his lips again.

Gokudera briefly considered forgetting completely about Tsuna's cell phone and keep making out with his boyfriend, but he knew what had to be done.

He placed his hands on his lover's shoulders and pushed him up off of him, while being careful not to lose any of their closeness, their lips making an endearing, smacking sound as they separated.

"No, Tsuna. You have to check it. Its probably your mom," Gokudera said firmly, even though he'd love nothing more than to kiss his brunette angel until they melted into each other's arms.

"Who cares?" Tsuna mumbled, not diving in for another kiss, but wanting to.

"Because I never told your mom that I found you yesterday. She's probably worried sick. I know I was," Gokudera said, still holding onto the Sky's arms.

"Who cares?" Tsuna said again.

"Tsuna, your mom isn't the one to blame here. She-"

"Of course she's the one to blame!" Tsuna said rather loudly. "It was her stupid idea to have this freakin' 'dinner party' and look where it got us!"

"You don't think she realizes that?" Gokudera said calmly, keeping his composure so as to calm Tsuna down. "She actually said that on the phone last night."

"S-She did?" Tsuna sniffled and Gokudera saw that Tsuna was crying. Sooner or later they were both going to cry themselves dry.

"Yeah. But she only wanted to have me over because she saw how happy you were. Or at the very least noticed a slight change in attitude. You mean the world to her and she just wanted to find someone with an identical point of view." Gokudera smiled when Tsuna looked up at him, his mouth parted in a disbelieving gasp. He kissed the younger boy's forehead gently and Tsuna finally gave in.

"Fine, I'll check my phone, okay?" Gokudera nodded and let Tsuna get up off of him.

He watched carefully as Tsuna flipped his orange cell phone open, causing the little tuna phone charm to jingle as it shook. The light that illuminated on the external screen told Gokudera that Tsuna had had 22 missed calls and 19 text messages. Gokudera mentally cursed himself for forgetting to tell Nana that her son was safe.

He watched the conflicting emotions that spread across Tsuna's angelic face as he read the text messages. His expressions changed from angry to worried and settled on a look of sadness that was only complimented by the tears that had started to form at the bottom of Tsuna's mahogany gems.

"Call her," Gokudera said. "I'll be here waiting for you." He smiled even though he didn't really feel all that happy.

Tsuna looked up at his silver-haired boyfriend silently, trying to find something to say but before he knew it his face scrunched up and he was crying again. Gokudera pulled him toward him and held him close. Tsuna's tiny body shook with sobs for a few moments until they finally subsided and he was just leaning longingly against Gokudera's.

There was no sound for a whole ten minutes except for the sound of each of the boys' breathing. Finally, Tsuna straightened up, although his head was still resting on Gokudera's chest.

"Fine, I'll call," he said and Gokudera smirked when he realized that Tsuna was probably pouting.

Tsuna sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, only looking briefly at his boyfriend before leaving the room with his cell phone. The second the little brunette left his room it felt like the entire area dropped ten degrees. The entire room just felt so empty that at the same time it was suffocating. God, this was frustrating. To love someone so much that being away from them for a few seconds hurt this much? But then he remembered the brunette's gentler smiling face. His auburn hair that glistened in the sun. The beautiful, chocolate crystals that outshone the sun on the brightest summer day. His angelic voice and even more heavenly laugh. That's when Hayato knew that this pain… it was worth it.

Of course, that didn't mean that this; all the stuff that was going on right now, still didn't hurt. This was definitely still painful. This would definitely take some healing. But they would heal together.

Gokudera jumped as he suddenly heard Tsuna yelling from the other room. His enraged voice shouted into the receiver and Gokudera could tell that it was definitely about his father. He'd rather not ignore the brunette if at all possible, but he knew that he wouldn't want to hear whatever was being said and he was pretty sure Tsuna wouldn't exactly want him to be listening in, so he found his headphones on his nightstand and plugged in. An angry, screamo song shrieked at him through the speakers and he let himself sink into his bed and into the music. Or at least tried to.

He tried to listen to the music and let his mind wander away from Tsuna, but no matter what he couldn't stop thinking about him. He was only in the other room but at the same time he was so far away. Not only was he far away, but he was in pain. He was angry and sad and, for some reason, alone. Gokudera growled to himself. Why had he left him alone?

Hayato threw his headphones off, not even bothering to pause the song he was listening to and walked from his room. He sort of regretted it when he immediately heard Tsuna yelling angrily into his phone.

"No, Mom, I'm done with this, okay? I'm not going to call and talk to him?" There was a short pause during which his mother said something on the other end. "Because he called us dirty fags, Mom! Its obvious he doesn't want anything to do with me, so I'm just returning the favor. I don't frickin' care if that's wrong, Mom! The things he did, the things he said, were wrong!"

Gokudera heart wrenched. This entire thing was tearing this family apart.

Gokudera stopped in the doorway to the living room and just stayed there for a while and watched.

God, even when trembling with unbridled rage, Tsuna was still beautiful. His cheeks were flushed red with anger and his chocolate eyes were narrowed but even so, he was still gorgeous. Not much light got through the window because of the rain, but the little that did manage to weasel its way in hit him from just the right angle, not that there could be a wrong angle when it came to Tsuna. The way the light hit his exposed back and chest, his cheeks, his entire body, made him look like an angel. Gokudera was leaning against the doorframe, smiling lovingly at his little Sky guardian when suddenly Tsuna exploded.

"I'll tell you freakin' why I won't try to reason with him! Because he made me scared to tell him that I was gay. What kind of father makes me question whether or not to let him know what's going on in my life? When you found out, you were excited for both Hayato-kun and me! You were excited because I was happy! But my own father couldn't freakin' do that?" Tsuna stopped for a half-second to catch his breath before continuing. "I want to include my father in my life! I mean, why not? I thought he was dead for more than half my life! But, of course, I couldn't have that! I had to deal with a father who came home after a trip and verbally abused my boyfriend! Like hell I'll reason with him!"

There was another short pause while Nana talked on the other end. Gokudera could hear her pleading on the other line, saying something incoherent to the Storm, but her crying was all he needed to make his heart sink.

While he listened to his mom talk, Tsuna started to catch his breath. He was panting heavily and his face was red, as he had been yelling for some time now.

"You're defending him?" Tsuna shouted suddenly in disgust, startling Gokudera enough to make him jump. "After you watched him verbally abuse both me and my boyfriend, then physically abuse me later!"

Gokudera suddenly felt like he was going to be sick. He heard more desperate pleading on the other end of the phone.

"A misunderstanding? There was nothing to misunderstand! Do you honestly expect me to believe that I'm misunderstanding something?

"What, do you think I misheard him? Okay, Mom, maybe you can tell me where I misheard him. Did I mishear him when he called us fags? Did I mishear him when he tried to pry into my life by asking if I've had sex with Hayato? Did I mishear the multiple times he hit me?"

There was no argument on the other end this time.

"I want nothing to do with him anymore," Tsuna said, lowering his voice considerably. "I'm staying with Hayato for now. I'll come home when I'm ready." No sooner had he hit the "End" on his phone had Gokudera wrapped his arms around the brunette's small, fragile body. The Italian teen had his head buried into Tsuna's shoulder blade and in doing so had dislodged his glasses, which were now hanging limply off to the side. Gokudera squeezed Tsuna tighter as he felt Tsuna place a small hand on own.

"Tsuna," Gokudera muttered quietly.

Tsuna started shaking under Gokudera's embrace and he squeezed his boyfriend's hands with both of his.

Gokudera sighed contentedly and slid one of his hands lower until it was resting on Tsuna's creamy stomach and the other lifted his lover's head up so that their lips met passionately. Tsuna turned slowly in the silverette's grasp until their naked stomachs were pressed together and the brunette's arms were wrapped around Hayato's neck. Gokudera's arms stayed where they were for a few second but before long he found them traveling down the Vongola's smooth, peach back until they were resting on his ass protectively.

Gokudera deepened the kiss by sliding his tongue along Tsuna's teeth until he opened his mouth to the taller boy. Tsuna moaned as their tongues made contact, then again as they battled for dominance. Neither of them knew how or why it happened, but suddenly Tsuna's legs were wrapped around Gokudera's waist and Gokudera was supporting him in his arms and was pressing the smaller brunette up against the wall behind him. One of the Italian's long, pianist hands was tangled in Tsuna's unkempt brown hair while the other was holding his boss up against him.

Gokudera finally separated their lips but only for it to meet with more of Tsuna. His lips were now licking along his entire jawline until his reached up to his ear, which he bit down on seductively.

He then let go and said the only words that mattered. The words that would keep them together no matter what disaster hit them. The words that would hold their bond together forever.

"I love you."

And that's really all that mattered.