Forcing You – D27

3.

Nana talked about her day. She was sitting beside Reborn and across from Dino. She told the boys to eat more, especially Tsuna, since he needed to grow.

"But mom, I already eat enough!"

"I'm afraid that you don't get the right nutrients, especially since you're getting lunch at school now." Nana complained, grinning.

The conversation went on for a while. They talked about everything and nothing. It was a typical family dinner time scenario. Dino smiled to himself. Tsuna had been so strange moments earlier. He was happy that he had become the same again, at least for now, at least towards his family. He wasn't sure if Tsuna was acting or not, and to be truthful, he was a bit afraid.

"Dino-kun, do you have a mosquito bite on your neck? I'll give you something to put on that after dinner." Nana asked as she bent over to reach a plate on the table.

"O-oh, thanks!" Dino smiled, not wanting to inconvenience her.

"As your former teacher, I would have expected you to be rid of that mosquito before even hearing it buzz." Reborn said, sipping from a mug.

"I'm done eating." Tsuna got up suddenly and took his plate to the kitchen. He came back to Dino with a small tube of ointment against insect bites. "Here, this is for you."

Dino watched the boy walk past him and up to his room. He looked at the tube in his hands and sighed. It wasn't an insect bite. Once Tsuna was out of earshot, Reborn looked at Dino seriously.

"Did you get a new woman or something?" he asked, suspicious. "That's not an insect bite."

"Something like that."

"You're hiding something from me."

"I have to sometimes."

Reborn gave up. He would find out some time or other. He had his sources after all, being a hitman. He hopped off the seat and wandered away. Whatever Reborn did during his spare time was a mystery. Dino got up and gave the ointment to Nana without using it, thanking her. He asked her how long he could stay. Having received the answer, "as long as you want," Dino smiled and thanked her again.

Dino went to the room he was staying in temporarily, the storeroom on the second floor. He looked at his half-unpacked luggage and estimated how many times he'd have to wash his clothes. Maybe he'd get Romario to bring more over. He grabbed a book and lied down on his bed. He flipped through a couple of pages before bringing the book over his face. He couldn't concentrate on the book with Tsuna on his mind.

Dino had so many questions. He knew Tsuna's feelings were genuine but he didn't know how strong they were. Was Tsuna gay? Did he like men, or was Dino a special case? Had Tsuna had his first kiss with a cute girl? Had he even had it yet? Too many to answer. And they weren't easy to answer with a little research. He couldn't even ask the boy without feeling awkward.

He recalled Tsuna's attempts at seduction. Twice. He had nearly succumbed twice. The sensation he felt when he was kissed was new. They were light, sloppy kisses. An actual first kiss? Nervousness? He did not know. He remembered their shy, soft touch. Tentative at first, then forceful. His embrace told him all he needed to know. Tsuna, right now, had the feeling of 'love' towards Dino, or something close to that, he was convinced. A feeling of strong affection, he tried to call it. And Dino? He wasn't able to react. He had never been in that situation before.

Dino remembered. He had been with women. He was straight. He always had been. Women here and there in Italy. He had them by the dozen. He was always faithful, however, but broke off when he needed to, much to his partner's chagrin.

He considered Tsuna again. Dino wasn't in a relationship with anyone at this point in time. He wasn't repulsed by Tsuna's advances either. He didn't feel that a same sex relationship was disgusting or anything. In fact, he was quite open-minded about it, as he was open-minded about anything else. But Tsuna was not another woman. He was his precious little brother, a little boy who just was in the midst of puberty. This boy needed to be protected. Cherished. Who better than Dino to fulfill the job?

Dino slapped himself mentally. He was actually considering the boy's confession. He couldn't. No matter how much he liked the boy, he didn't feel anything stronger towards him. Yes, he loved him. But it was another kind of love… Would he even love Tsuna that way? And even if he had accepted Tsuna, how would their entourage react? How would Tsuna react? What did he want, exactly? Sex? Dino knew how that worked between men. Maybe. He shook his head and removed the book from his face. He turned off the lights and twisted and turned in bed until he fell into a deep slumber.

Tsuna could hear the snores that penetrated the room's walls.

Inside his own room, Tsuna tried to concentrate on his homework. With Dino so close, he felt uneasy. Even though the man was sleeping, Tsuna could not feel comfortable. He roughly finished his worksheets and stuffed them into his school bag. He flipped the light switch off and lay in bed, pensive. He pulled his sheets close to him, imagining them to be the man just a room away. He hugged them tight, but nothing felt as warm as Dino's body.

He thought for a while about what Dino had said to him before dinner. Was Tsuna really mistaking admiration for love? The first time they had met, he thought that Dino was cool and reliable. How had his feelings developed into something so impure all of a sudden? He did not know. He wanted to satiate his curiosity by forcing himself on the man. He wanted to know and experience the joys and grievances of being in love. Any teenager might want that with a partner their age. Tsuna was fifteen. Dino was twenty-two. The age gap was large. The man was right about it. But to him, love knew no bounds.

That was what the assumed. Another notion came into his mind. Was he merely sexually frustrated? What did he want from Dino? He had become aroused just by interacting with him. A physical attraction? No, he pushed his suspicions away. He loved Dino for all that he was. He knew Dino well enough to claim that. Yes, he would go on and think that he loved the man. He would devise more plans to make the blonde love him too.

Tsuna was not satisfied. He put his hands down his pants and gently stroked himself, picturing his love. How he wanted him! He would have to be patient. He made up for that by thinking of all the things they would do once together. Hell, he'd even let Dino have sex with him. Let the older man lead. His brain was filled with lusty thoughts, thoughts of them holding each other tight, feeling good together. He panted, tired. He wiped his hand sloppily on some tissues by his bedside and reflected. He chastised himself for having such ideas. He felt so dirty for his actions, but he could not help it. It was Dino's fault after all.

I corrected the honorifics for the previous chapters. I am sorry it is blocky but it is necessary for the development of their story and understanding how they feel! Tell me what you think. No updates until next week m(_ _)m