Heyo~ Welcome back! This took quite a while to edit but I finally did it! So, I hope you enjoy :D. As always comments are appreciated.

Trigger warning: Implied/ referenced child abuse mentions of scars. implied/ referenced sex


In the past, Dino and Xanxus had some sort of a relationship. If you could call being fuck buddies a relationship. Dino didn't remember how it started or who started it. Neither did he care. It just felt good having someone as powerful and angry as Xanxus withering beneath him.

It was like a drug.

Addicting...

Sinking his teeth into flesh, biting hard enough to draw blood, pushing his body into Xanxus', holding him down and having him scream his name, begging for more.

It was bliss…

And it went on for months with nobody, not even their own guardians, ever finding out because they only ever got along when they were having sex.

Typical casual sex with no strings attached and no feelings except for hate and lust.

And that was how it went. Was supposed to be—

Until…

Dino started caring, got attached, falling into the rabbit hole called love.

And…

It all started with a scar.

"Did someone hurt you?" Dino asked, tracing a scar on Xanxus' torso.

"I don't know what you're fucking talking about, trash," Xanxus mumbled, glancing up at the ceiling.

"This one's new…" Dino brushed his lips against it. "…And I know all your scars." It was kind of hard not to when he saw them every time Xanxus undressed. Dino just never asked about them. Always chalking them up to being from the missions the Varia were given.

"Why the fuck do you even care?" Xanxus snapped. Dino felt him tense up. "We aren't friends. We aren't lovers either."

"Xan—" Xanxus was right. 'Why do I care…?' "—Shut up!" Dino kissed him roughly.

A week later, during a meeting. It was like any other typical meeting in Vongola HQ. The dons were butting heads again. Enrico and Frederico had a silent conversation in the far corner of the room while Timoteo tried to stop a fight between the other dons from breaking out.

Amongst all the chaos, Xanxus slipped out. Nobody noticed him leave or the way he blinked, as if he were trying to get rid of the black spots invading his vision. Nor the way he bit his lip as if he were in pain. Nobody—except for Dino, who followed him out of the meeting room."Xanxus," Dino spoke, stopping him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Xanxus turned around and flashed him a smile that looked more like a grimace, ignoring the way Dino noticed the way he was digging his nails into his arm as if causing himself more pain would dull out the other. "Why are you asking?"

"You're lying." Dino's eyes slightly narrowed. Xanxus was starting to sway on his feet. "You're in pain."

Xanxus' eyes widened. "I—"

"You're a terrible liar, Xanxus," Dino cut in. "So shut up and go to the medic wing."

"I don't fucking need to," Xanxus snapped, glaring at him and gritting his teeth. Really feeling the pain now. "Mind your own business, horse-trash."

"No," Dino told him and pointed toward the medical wing. "Go to the medic wing." Or else he was going to drag him there kicking and screaming.

"No." Xanxus crossed his arms over his chest like a stubborn five-year-old who refused to eat his vegetables. "Make me." If this was anyone else, he would have blasted their brains out for daring to order him around. But since this was Dino, who he liked more than he would rather admit. He was going to let it slide.

"Fine." Dino picked up Xanxus and threw him over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. But still being careful not to jolt whatever injuries Xanxus had. (Xanxus was a lot lighter than he expected and bony too. It was worrying.) "I will." He did just that, heading towards the medical wing and ignoring the stares they got as they passed by. Not tripping even once, despite not having his guardians with him. (After all, his clumsiness was only a facade. He didn't need people to know the real him. The only people who did were Reborn, Squalo and Xanxus. Especially Xanxus, who had figured it out on his own. It was scary how someone he barely knew could see right through him.)

Surprisingly, Xanxus didn't throw a tantrum like he expected. Instead, Xanxus was silent. Probably too tired to say anything. Perhaps in too much pain as Dino felt him tense up. Felt something wet drip onto his shirt, ignoring it as Xanxus continued to stay silent. Even as Dino walked into one of the rooms in the medical wing, placed Xanxus down onto the bed and shut the door.

"Take off your shirt," Dino said, breaking the ice.

"Why?" Xanxus raised an eyebrow, smirking a little. "Do you want to have sex right now, Shitty-horse?"

"No." Dino rolled his eyes. Although it was tempting. Xanxus was injured, and Dino didn't want to hurt him more. Especially since he knew how rough Xanxus liked it. (Sometimes he swore Xanxus was a masochist) "I need to make sure I don't need to call doctor Shamel, and I can't do that with your shirt on."

"No!" Xanxus shook his head, fear flickering through his eyes. "You ain't fucking touching me!"

"I've touched you a billion times before, Xanxus," Dino stated matter-of-factly. "I—"

"T—This is different!"

Because they weren't having sex.

"I get it." Dino glanced into his eyes."You're afraid." He could see the fear in them. "You think I'm going to hurt you."Xanxus flinched, glancing away.

Dino sat down beside him. "It's okay, Xan," he told him softly. "I won't hurt you."

Xanxus glanced at him. "You won't?"

Dino shook his head. "I won't,"

"Okay," Xanxus mumbled, taking a deep breath. "You can take it off now."

"What?"

"My shirt, dumbass,"

"Okay." Dino placed his hands on the hem of Xanxus' shirt. But—

"J—Just wait a second!" Xanxus put his hands on Dino's, stopping him. "Y—You…" He bit his lip, taking another deep breath. Trembling a little. "…You won't tell anyone, will you?" He cringed at how pathetic he sounded. How pathetic he was being in front of Dino. He—

Dino frowned. "I—"

"Please, Dino," Xanxus cut in, pleading. "Don't."

He was so fucking pathetic.

"I won't,"

'What are you so afraid of…?'

"Promise?"

"I promise,"

'Why do I care…?'

...

A month later, Xanxus showed up at The Cavallone mansion like he usually did whenever he wanted sex.

Except this time…

Xanxus was soaking wet from the rain, trembling as tears fell from his eyes and covered in cuts and bruises.Before Dino could open his mouth, Xanxus was kissing him, grinding himself against him. Desperate, so fucking desperate to feel—

"Xan—" Dino pushed him away. "—Stop."

He couldn't do it.

"Shut up, scum." Xanxus placed his hands on Dino's pants, fumbling with his belt. "And just fuck me."

'Make me feel…'

'I'm sorry…'

Dino grabbed Xanxus' hands, stopping him before things could escalate. "No." He wasn't going to—not like this. Xanxus reeked of alcohol. It would be wrong. So, he just pulled him close and held him, ignoring the way tears and blood soaked his shirt as gut-wrenching sobs tore through Xanxus' chest and echoed through the empty mansion.

Dino pulled him closer, trying his best not to cry too.

'Why do I care…?

That was the first time they didn't have sex.

First time Dino woke up feeling empty.

The last time he saw Xanxus.

Xanxus who disappeared without saying a word.

Like he had been erased from Dino's life.

...

Dino only saw him again during the ring battles.

And instead of telling Xanxus how much he loved him. How much he needed him. And questioning Xanxus about where he had disappeared for eight years, why he still looked sixteen, and about the new scars. Dino said things he shouldn't have, opening up old wounds and rubbing salt into them. He—

He fucked up, burying his feelings.

...

'Why am I remembering the past?' Dino thought bitterly, glaring at the door to Xanxus' bedroom. 'Why am I even here?'

Why did he let Squalo talk him into this?

Why did Squalo always get him to do stuff he didn't want to do?

Especially this…

Coming all the way here because Squalo thought he and Xanxus had to talk about their feelings. (Or else he was going to stab them both for being absolute idiots.) And—

Dino had zoned out the moment Squalo started talking about feelings, and yet…

Squalo still managed to convince (threatened) him to come all the way here.

Even though…

Even though Dino didn't want to see Xanxus.

Didn't want to talk to him.

But at the same time…

He did.

Because fuck…

Dino missed him.

And maybe, Squalo was right. He had to talk to Xanxus, or he wasn't going to be able to sleep.

Couldn't even sleep. Not when thoughts of Xanxus always swirled in his head, keeping him up at night.

Couldn't even spar Squalo properly.

Completely losing focus and almost getting stabbed by Squalo's sword.

All because his thoughts had trailed off to Xanxus and the way they used to spar whenever they needed to blow off steam or just needed to get away. And how he sometimes managed to pin Xanxus to the ground with his whip against Xanxus' throat and one of Xanxus' guns pressed to his temple. Both exhausted and out of breath as their flames tugged at each other. And how adorable Xanxus was without even trying. And how Xanxus would always struggle to surpass his voice whenever they had sex. And—

And maybe, Squalo had forced it out of him. (After kicking his ass for not paying attention while sparring)

And maybe, Dino ended up telling him his past with Xanxus and how he's been losing sleep because his thoughts on Xanxus always kept him up at night and stopped him from focusing on anything but Xanxus, stirring up the feelings buried deep within his chest.

And maybe, Squalo had punched him in the face for sleeping with his sky and hiding it from him before telling him he had to go talk to Xanxus.

And maybe after that. Squalo had taken a deep breath and told Dino everything about the ninth and Xanxus.

Everything—about how Xanxus had grown up in the slums with his mentally ill mother, about how Timoteo had taken him in, about how Timoteo physically and emotionally abused Xanxus for years while lying to him about being his biological father until Xanxus found out the truth, driving him to start a coup and finally about how Timoteo sealed Xanxus in ice for eight years to only thaw him out months before the ring battles.

By the end of it, Dino was surprised, angry and upset. His flames blazing and boiling underneath his skin, wanting to burst and rage. "Why the fuck are you telling me this now, Squalo!?" He growled, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, eyes blazing and teeth-gritting. "Why did you keep everything from me?" He could have done something. Could have helped Xanxus. Could have protected Xanxus from Timoteo. Could have done a lot of things differently.

"Voiiii, you're the one who didn't fucking tell me about you and the shitty boss until now! I didn't even know you had feelings for him!" Squalo shot back, glaring at him. "And what the fuck was I supposed to do!? I wasn't even supposed to know anything!"

"Fuck!" Dino let him go and stormed off, slamming his fist into the nearest wall.

And maybe, Dino ended up doing what Xanxus did best—drinking his feelings away.

And maybe, Dino ended up a sobbing emotional mess.

And maybe, Reborn and Tsuna ended up finding him.

And maybe, Dino told them about his relationship with Xanxus and everything Squalo told him.

And maybe, they had agreed with Squalo. Dino had to talk to Xanxus. (They would deal with Timoteo and his guardians later)

And maybe, that was what gave Dino the final push to talk to Xanxus. And—

Which is why he was here.


Dino will definitely sort things out with Xanxus. Also reviews are appreciated. Would love to hear your thoughts :D.