I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.
a/n: This is my second D18 fic, so forgive me if there's any out of character-ness. I'll try my best to update on time, but most of all, please try and enjoy it! Thanks in advance for reviewing, I really appreciate it.
Dino, the leading member of the Chiavarone family. His magnificent work and dedication is what has made him stand out from others. A famed Doctor, said to be able to cure those with 'incurable' diseases that no one else can. A famed Counsellor, said to be able to solve any problems one may encounter. Called a God, called a Holy Saint, however, his past is unknown as is the way he attained so much knowledge.
"I'm sorry…uhn…I'm…I'm…sor…ry…"
"…it's okay…you must take this with you…my suffering is nothing compared to the future you will bring…it is… not… your fault…"
"I…couldn't save them again…I couldn't save…you of all people…what is this…? Blood stained hands and a corpse…I am…no doctor, no medic…I'm just…a cold-blooded murderer…"
A certain blonde haired man sat on the chair, eyes closed, his head resting on his hand; dreaming.
"Doctor." There was no response from him.
"Doctor, wake up." He placed his hands on the sleeping man's shoulders and shook him lightly.
"Doctor Dino…!"
"Huh…wha…?" Dino jolted at the sudden booming voice. "Oh, it's you, Romario. Did you need help with something?" He rubbed his eyes and scratched his head, coming back from slumber.
"No, I'm here to inform you that the patient you operated on is awake and doing well. He and his family have requested a word with you, which is why I'm here."
"Ahh, I see. Which room was he in again?" Dino stood up and pulled his white doctor's coat over his shoulders, patting it down so it looked neat and tidy.
Looking down at the papers with the patient's details written on it, Romario calmly answered, "Sixth room on the third floor, Doctor."
"Mmkay. Thanks. There's no need to be so formal, you know. I told you you can just call me Dino." He turned his back to Romario, entering the elevator just down the hall.
Romario followed Dino to the elevator to see him off. "You're my superior; I'm obligated to call you that."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Dino replied just as the doors were closing, implying the conversation to be let go of and ended.
"Hn, room six, eh?" Dino paced himself down the corridor, the nurses and other doctors bowing as he walked by, signalling his position in the hospital. Though he didn't really like it, he was used to it. He'd tried explaining countless times to the staff that there was no need for it, but the attempt was so futile he decided he'd just get used to it.
"Three…four…five…six." Dino looked down, and took a deep breath in. It was going to be the same thing said again for him, he knew that, but he put a smile on his face and tried to look interested. He knocked on the door and heard a faint 'coming'.
-click- A woman had opened the door to the room. Presumably the patient's mother, Dino had thought to himself.
"Hello, it's nice to meet you," Dino shook the woman's hand, "I'm Dino, the Doctor who operated on your son. I heard you requested an audience with me?"
"Oh my…! Yes, yes, please come in." She held onto Dino's arm and pulled him into the room excitedly. "Take a seat."
Dino pulled up one of the chairs in the room and sat facing the woman who had also taken a seat. Before Dino could say anything, the woman grabbed his hands and started to talk as if she were being rushed.
"Thank you so much for saving my son! I cannot thank you enough for what you have done. When he was first diagnosed with the disease, I went to many doctors and they all told me it was incurable or there were no doctors in the area who were able to help him. I was about to give up hope, but then someone told me about you, who would be able to help him."
Dino let out a shy chuckle. "You're very welcome, ma'am. It's an honour to be able to help you and bring a smile to your face."
"I'd heard many rumours about you being the most skilled doctor in the world, who was able to save any patient from death and cure incurable diseases. And now, you have created a miracle for me and my son, you are truly the God of doctors. A Holy Saint."
He forced out a smile. "Thank you for such kind words, ma'am. Though I create no miracles, it is a credit I do not take for granted that you think so highly of me." Dino looked down at his watch. "Ah, I'm very sorry, but I must leave for my next appointment now. It was a pleasure to meet you and I'm sure things will go well for you and your son."
"Oh, I'm so sorry to have inconvenienced you, Doctor. It was a pleasure to meet you too. You will always be a God to me who saved my son's life." Dino waved good-bye and left the room.
Closing the door, he let out a long sigh. "A 'God' this time, eh? It just gets worse…" He proceeded to walk up the hospital stairs and up to his office. "I feel bad for lying to her and telling her I had an appointment, but… I'm really not in the mood for that kind of praise." He slowed to a halt and walked back a few steps.
"Oops. Almost walked past my own office…" He opened the door and locked it. Dino took his jacket off and slung it on the back of the chair. In a glum mood, he sat down at his desk and placed his hand over his face, closing his eyes.
"Always the same, same thing…they don't get it at all…"
"Doctor, you're a Saint!" The patient beamed and smiled at Dino.
Dino waved his hands "No, no, not really."
"No, actually, you must be a God, you can perform miracles."
"Haha, I'm not a God. I don't perform miracles; I make operations to help people."
"I'm sure you are. Over and over again, you've saved so many lives. How can anyone ever thank you enough? Because of you, I'm sure many people will stop dying."
"I'd like to think that…" He frowned, but then diverted his attention to something else. "Well, you should be getting some rest now to ensure you get well quickly."
"Sure. Thank you Doctor. I'm indebted to you."
Dino exited the patient's room and hung his head down.
"Why the long face, Doctor?" It was Romario.
"Oh, nothing much, really." He forced onto his face a content and cheery look to persuade his trusted assistant to believe his words.
"Doctor, please do tell me if something is the matter. I've known you since you were a child, I think I can tell if there's something on your mind."
"Really now, Romario. You worry too much; I'm an adult now. I'm just a little tired and in need of some rest." He began to make his way to the break room, Romario following behind.
"Well, if you insist that that's the real problem, Doctor. By the way, don't you think it's nice you're considered a Holy Saint and a God to your patients? It's so pleasing to see you've become such a great Doctor through all your early hardships and have earned so much respect. It's really not an easy achievement; for someone to regard someone else their saviour." Romario seemed rather happy over Dino's 'mighty' title. Dino himself, on the other hand, thought otherwise.
"Romario,"
"Hm?"
"I'm not a blessing to the world. You should know better than that."
"I'm a living human being like them too… can they not they understand I'm not a God or a Saint? Even my assistant cannot see… -sigh- I don't make miracles, I don't cure incurable diseases, I don't do any of that. I wish someone would just acknowledge me not as a Saint, or a God, nor a famed Doctor, but just me. Am I really in their minds that deviated from a human?" Dino laid his head and arms on his desk.
"In reality, I haven't saved anyone at all…I shouldn't even be called a doctor, let alone a saviour or anything more…my hands are stained with the blood of so many things. But then again, they don't know that…Romario seems ignorant of it, but, it's probably better no one shall ever know than for one to find out…" Just when Dino was about to fall asleep deep in thought, he heard his phone ring.
Obligated, but not wanting, he picked it up. "Hello? Dino here, who's speaking?"
"Doctor! We need your help quickly; a patient just came in and his condition is critical! Please hurry, Doctor. We are in the operation room on the second floor."
"Got it. Moving as quickly as I can." Dino slammed the phone down and made his way down to the operation room.
Various thoughts of all sorts of things rushed into his head while he was making his way down. 'Why are you even helping? If you don't want to be called a Saint, a God, then why don't you just let them die? Why don't you say their condition is too bad and it's better to write them off as dead?'
Dino gritted his teeth and softly spoke to himself. "Because I can't do that…it's wrong…" He ran as fast as he could.
"Doctor!"
"Romario! Where is he? The patient…!"
"Here…" Romario led Dino into the operation room, showing him the patient.
Dino studied the patient for a while to see how fatal the condition was. It was a young teen, around the age of 16. His jet black hair and pale skin was tainted with crimson blood. He was barely conscious. This would be a sticky situation. He had handled a patient like this before, a long time ago…