A/N I was going to do a lemon in this chapter, but as I've been having trouble with my depression lately, I just can't get the motivation to even come near the computer when I think about writing a lemon, and if I were to put it off, I would never finish this story. So I'm going to continue on without the lemon, but maybe in future, I will come back and add in a lemon chapter just for you guys.

Curled up on the couch in the living room, Bel nibbled at the sushi Yamamoto had made for him earlier. He was waiting patiently for Gokudera to come back from Tsuna's office, the two organising a meeting between the Vongola and Shimon families. Bel had been content with his sushi and the TV, still feeling a bit of pain in his backside; his first time had been painful in a way he had never experienced before, and yet… the sensations Gokudera had given him had been overwhelmingly delicious.

"Oya? What are you doing down here? Should you not be back upstairs getting your ass pounded some more?"

Bel frowned as he looked over towards the doorway, finding the Vongola Mist standing there with a look of distaste on his face. "Fuck you; I'll do what I want."

Clearing his throat, Mukuro stepped further into the room. "Disgusting vermin such as yourself is not allowed to touch me. I would never even consider fucking you if my life depended on it. How Hayato can touch such disease-ridden filth is beyond me."

Bel's jaw dropped at these words, having never expected them. Squalo had screamed and shouted at him many times over their years together, but not even he had put the blond down like this; Squalo had... Squalo had respected Bel enough to never talk to him like this. Hell, even Gokudera had had enough respect for his arch nemesis to not say those kinds of things.

But Mukuro…

"…" Pulling his jaw taut, Bel reached into his pocket to fish out a few knives. Pulling them into view, he growled, "Say that again and I'll make you into a cactus."

Letting Mist flames leak out, Mukuro stepped closer. "Try it, little boy. The rest of the Vongola will spend years trying to find every part of you, and in the end, it'll be like putting a jigsaw puzzle back together."

"Now, now, guys; don't fight." With Yamamoto's voice soon following Mukuro into the room, the two turned their attention to the Rain Guardian. "Tsuna and Gokudera won't be very happy."

"How Tsunayoshi feels is of no concern to me." With that said, Mukuro turned around and exited the living room.

"Are you okay, Bel?" Yamamoto put his attention onto the blond, finding the younger looking as if he were upset. "What did he say?"

"That I have diseases, and I'm filthy…" Clenching his hands tightly, Bel thrust one of his knives into the couch beneath him.

"Bel, you know none of that's true." Sitting on the couch beside the younger, Yamamoto smiled. He wasn't afraid of the knives dancing dangerously across his thigh; he trusted Bel not to hurt him. "Mukuro's just angry. He's slept with you before."

"He has?" Sending Yamamoto a disbelieving look, Bel cocked his head to the side. "But… Why? Why did I sleep with him?"

Chuckling, Yamamoto cleared things up. "Well, it wasn't long after the Representative Battles."

"Representative Battles?" Chewing at his lip, Bel hated feeling out of the loop; so many things he had done in this timeline that he truly had no idea about…

"Yes. In your world, are you aware of the Shimon Family?"

"No…"

Tapping at his chin, Yamamoto's eyes crinkled with kindness. "It will take too long to explain everything to you, Bel. But just trust me on this. After the Representative Battles, you got into Xanxus' wine stash, and you got very drunk. You found yourself at Kokuyo Land, and though I'm not entirely sure of why you went there, I think it was because you had a bone to pick with Fran."

Feeling his stress growing as Yamamoto listed yet another name he had no knowledge of, Bel raised slightly-shaking hands to his head, ducking it as he pulled his knees to his chest. "Who's Fran…?"

"An illusionist Mukuro has been training, and a former Mist Guardian to the Varia."

"So… something happened to Mammon…?" Not knowing why he felt frightened of the idea of Mammon having to be replaced, Bel winced; this was just so much to take in…

Yamamoto nodded. "Yes. I'm afraid so. But that is another very, very long story. She is currently fine and with the rest of the Varia."

Bel nodded, feeling a little better at this; as long as Mammon was okay… "What happened next…?"

"Again, I don't know the full story, but Mukuro intercepted you before you could get to Fran. Whatever happened there, no one but you and Mukuro know, but… From what I've heard, you were drunk enough to seduce Mukuro, and… Well, you both slept together. I believe the two of you both regretted it the morning after, and from there, it's created nothing but more conflict between the two of you."

"…How old was I? Was it my first time?"

Yamamoto hummed, trying to find the appropriate answers to the questions. "Well, you were seventeen. And I'm pretty sure you were still a virgin; it wasn't until after that did you really start forming observable interest in sex."

Bel let out a groan. "So I gave my first time away because I was drunk? Now I feel dirty all of a sudden."

Putting his hands on frail shoulders, Yamamoto shook his head. "It happens, Bel. It's nothing to feel dirty about. I don't think your other self feels dirty about it, so you shouldn't, either. Especially since you just gave your first time to someone who really does love you."

"Eh?" Cocking his head, Bel frowned. "Hayato-kun… loves me…?"

"Yup. He won't admit it to you – at least, not so soon. But I can tell he's really starting to love you because he's actually spending time away from Tsuna. He wouldn't do that for just anyone – in fact, the only other person he's done it for was his girlfriend. That's how I can tell."

Smiling shyly, Bel wrapped his arms around himself in a self-conscious manner. "I… I like being loved, Takeshi-kun…"

"It is a good feeling, isn't it?" Patting golden locks in an affectionate manner, Takeshi smiled. "No matter what happens from here on in – whether you stay in this timeline, or you go back to your own – I'm sure you'll still be loved, Bel."

"Even in my own time?" Biting his lip, Bel shook his head. "I'm not so sure about that, Takeshi-kun; everyone hates me back there. I want to stay here with Hayato-kun forever."

"I'm positive that even in your own time you'll find someone, whether it be Gokudera or someone else. The Bel from our time… He was only alone because he chose to be alone. He didn't want to settle down with anyone, because for whatever reason, he never wanted to be with the same person twice."

Looking at his lap, Bel gripped his pants tightly. "…I think he's lonely, and afraid of getting too close to people… Like me…"

"You got close to Gokudera, though."

"…" Bel nodded, another smile slowly forming on his lips. "You're right, Takeshi-kun. If… If I have to go back… Can you help my other self to not be so scared? If he comes back, I know he'll be happy with Hayato-kun. So, please? Make him happy? I don't know about in this timeline, but… in my own… I've already been through a lot… I don't want him to have to hurt even more than I'm sure he already does."

"I'll do my best, Bel." Reaching out to hug the younger, Takeshi smiled. "I promise."

Bel couldn't help but smile back, having always found the older male's happiness to be contagious – now was no exception, of course. "…Thank you…"

"You're welcome, Bel. Are you almost done with your sushi? I can make you some more if you want it."

"I'm kind of full; can I have some more later?"

"Of course." Pulling away from the boy, Yamamoto stood up. "I'm going to go and see how Tsuna and Gokudera are doing. You can come up whenever you want, Bel; Tsuna won't mind."

"Okay." Watching the Rain Guardian leave the room, Bel then turned back to the TV. He was no longer interested in the anime he had been watching; he instead was more focused on his thoughts as a huge smile broke out on his face. Curling into a ball of excitement, the blond giggled before rolling around on the couch. "Hayato-kun loves the prince~! The prince loves his Hayato-kun, too~!"

Rolling around in an attempt to hold in all of his joy, Bel couldn't care about anything else; all that mattered was that the person he loved, loved him in return. It hadn't hit him until that moment, but after speaking with Yamamoto, he knew that what he felt for Gokudera was more than just a crush – and the only logical explanation he could come up with was that it was love.

Bel had never thought such happiness could exist until this moment, and he hoped it would never end.