As expected, Dino and his friends had defended Squalo with everything they had. They had sat through numerous statements and court hearings, and even now after the trial, they hadn't abandoned him.

Dino stood up from the witness stand after the sentences had been handed out, wrapping his arms around his lover. Burying his face in silver strands, he could have cried; it must have been a miracle Squalo had gotten out of this with the charges acquitted.

Glaring at Xanxus as the man was marched away in handcuffs, Dino then turned back to the younger, allowing his gaze to soften once more. Raising a hand, he caressed a pale cheek before he said quietly, "It's okay; he's gone now."

Squalo didn't reply to this; he simply moved closer into the stronger male's warmth, allowing Tsuna and the others to crowd them.

"Ne, Squalo, I'm so glad you didn't go to jail, too." Reaching out to brush his fingers through silver locks, Takeshi smiled. "But at least Xanxus doesn't get parole or even bail this time; he won't be coming back to bother you."

Squalo couldn't say these words made him feel any better; Xanxus came from a powerful family, so who was to say the man wouldn't get out one way or another? That's what had happened last time…

"Sweetheart, how do you feel?" Lussuria, who had been seated further back in the courtroom as he hadn't been a witness, finally approached the group with Belphegor trailing behind him. The man put a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder, not expecting an answer; the younger was exhausted, having not slept at all for the past three nights due to the stress of today. "This has been such a huge ordeal for you, hasn't it?"

Squalo ducked his head, having depleted his vocabulary for the day; now he just wanted to go home and curl up in bed and sleep for as long as he possibly could. He looked up as he felt someone tugging at his jacket, finding Belphegor had moved closer to him.

"What's wrong, Bel?" Dino allowed his fellow blond to come closer, knowing the other would have been just as stressed as Squalo; the long-haired man hadn't been the only one to suffer by Xanxus' hand.

"Oh, hon, leave Squa-chan alone for now." Lussuria was gentle as he pulled his charge away from the younger ones, not wanting for Belphegor to agitate Squalo; Squalo needed to be alone so that he could think and clear his head. "Let's go home and we'll play together, alright?"

Bel nodded after a few seconds. He moved his hand back to his guardian, taking hold of the orange fur-lined collar. He waited patiently as Lussuria farewelled the others before he followed the man out of the courtroom.

Back with Squalo, he remained where he was standing, his legs feeling like jelly. He was sure that the only reason he hadn't collapsed was because Dino was holding him upright.

"Squalo, I'm so very sorry…"

Turning around at a voice he hadn't heard for years, Squalo flinched at the sight of Xanxus' adoptive father. The man was on his deathbed, and yet… Here he was, apologising to Squalo after watching the man he had raised be sentenced to time behind bars.

Why was Squalo being apologised to…?

"Timoteo…" Dino nodded respectfully at the old man, his hold on his boyfriend tightening. "I didn't see you here."

The man – Timoteo – was as polite as ever. Sitting in the wheelchair he was confined to, he was pushed closer to the group by the man accompanying him. "That's okay, Dino; all that matters is that Squalo is safe now. I truly… had no idea what he was doing…"

Squalo hated hearing these words; Timoteo had no reason to act as if everything was his fault, because it wasn't…! It… was anyone's fault but Timoteo's… The man was too kind, and he had never raised Xanxus to be the way he had turned out. "…"

"Leviathan is dead." Timoteo's eyes held a faint white to the iris, a sure sign that he was going blind, if not halfway there already. "You were pushed so far to have done that, Squalo…"

"…"

The old man's hands clenched, his voice becoming softer. "I didn't… If I had known what was happening… If I had known, I would never have let him hurt you again… Please, forgive me…"

"I never blamed you for any of it in the first place…" Squalo whispered, his hands clenching tightly to Dino's shirt. "You have no reason to apologise to me…"

"That was my son doing all those awful things… That young man who just left… That was Belphegor, wasn't it…?" Feeling his heart shatter at the nods he received, Timoteo closed his eyes. He couldn't cry, but he was sure that if he could, he would have long since bawled his eyes out by now. "He was such a sweet-natured boy when he was younger… But I'm afraid I can only see fear and trauma in him now… Trauma not entirely mental, but physical, too… Because I couldn't raise my child properly…"

"Don't blame yourself." Shaking his head, Squalo allowed his voice to become stronger; Timoteo was someone he truly respected, and he didn't want to see the other like this. "It was never your fault to begin with."

"Perhaps you are right, Squalo…" Dropping his chin to his chest, Timoteo sighed. He was silent for a few seconds as his companion begun pushing him away, but just as he passed the younger group, he again whispered, "Perhaps you are right…"

His voice becoming non-existent once more, Squalo took a few steps forward in request for them to leave. There was no hesitation on any of their behalves, and before they knew it, they were on their way back to Dino and Squalo's home.

~~XX~~

Sitting by the large window in the living room, Squalo stretched his legs as he held his cigarette out of the open window. His dark eyes stared out across the paddock, part of him trying to enjoy the scenery for what it was – but they all knew that his true intentions were to keep an eye out for anyone who shouldn't be there.

"Hey, Squalo, can I borrow your lighter?" Hayato, who had come out of the kitchen with his own packet of cigarettes in hand, sighed as the older male showed no sign of having heard him. Moving over and grabbing Squalo's shoulder, he spoke again. "Oi, Squalo. Let me bo – fuck!"

Squalo had truly been startled by the sudden contact. After freezing up for a few seconds, he had spun around and punched the other as hard as he could in the nose. His breathing had quickened, and he couldn't help but lose himself in his mind, certain that he was going to have to fight for his life – all he could think of was Xanxus and the abuse he had lived through.

"You fucker…" Holding his nose, Hayato could feel his blood flowing over his hand. He winced at the pain before holding out his clean hand, waving it in front of Squalo's face to see if the other was in reality or not. However, what he wasn't expecting was for the long-haired man to flinch and then attack him, knocking him to the ground.

The other occupants of the house must have heard the commotion as Dino was soon pulling Squalo from the younger. The blond himself received no mercy as the thinner male next turned on him, Tsuna and Takeshi having to intervene to keep the other from hurting his boyfriend, too.

"Squalo!" Dino was horrified, not knowing what had brought this on; was Squalo so broken, all he could do was fight…? Did he even know where he was and what was happening…?

It didn't seem like it.

And then, as if the stress was just too much for his mind, Squalo blacked out mid-swing. Tsuna and Takeshi backed away, leaving Dino to hold the still body in his arms with a disbelieving look on his face. "Squalo…"

"He's snapped, Dino…" As much as Tsuna didn't want to admit it, it was clear; the damage done to Squalo's mind had sent him a little loony, and who knew if it were reversible or not?

Probably not, if Squalo had resorted to murder due to his fragile mental state.

Dino nodded, knowing the brunet was right. But no matter what, he was going to stand by his lover's side and help him through everything.