Hibari woke up to a splitting headache. The throbbing behind his temples was relentless, and his eyes stung with dryness, as though he'd been crying. Did I cry yesterday? he wondered. He couldn't remember clearly, and the thought irritated him.
Groaning softly, he pushed himself upright, the morning light filtering through the blinds far too bright for his liking. A glance at the clock told him it was already noon. He felt drained—physically, emotionally, completely.
He rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the haze, but the growing thirst in his throat forced him to move. Padding toward the kitchen, he was sure Dino had gone out. After all, he'd heard the sound of keys last night, and Dino didn't seem like he wanted to be around him anymore. Fine. I don't feel like seeing him either.
Reaching the kitchen, Hibari stepped through the doorway, only to freeze.
Dino was there, leaning against the counter, his back turned as he poured water into a glass. Hibari's heart lurched in surprise, and for a second, he considered slipping away unnoticed. But the moment he took a step back, Dino turned, his gaze locking onto him.
"Kyoya," Dino said, his voice sharp, a mix of surprise and frustration.
Hibari stiffened. Without thinking, he turned on his heel, wanting to retreat. But before he could take another step, Dino's hand shot out, grabbing his wrist.
"Hey— wait up! Why are you like this?" Dino demanded, his voice louder than usual, the edge in his tone startling.
Hibari whipped around, his expression snapping into a glare. "Let go," he snapped, his voice low and cutting.
Dino didn't budge, his grip firm. "No. Not until you stop running away."
"Running away?" Hibari's tone turned icy, his eyes narrowing. "You're the one who—" He cut himself off, his chest tightening as the sting of Dino's words from last night returned.
"Go on. Say it," Dino pressed, his voice sharp. "Don't hold back now, Kyoya. You clearly have something to say."
Hibari's jaw clenched, his frustration bubbling over. "You're the one who said we should end things! You're the one who gave up! Don't act like you're the victim here!"
Dino's fists tightened at his sides. "Gave up? You think I gave up? Do you have any idea how hard this has been for me? For us?"
"You don't explain anything!" Hibari snapped, stepping closer, his voice louder than Dino had ever heard it. "You just throw out some half-assed excuse and expect me to accept it? What am I to you, Cavallone? Some plaything you can toss aside when it's too much for you to handle?"
Dino's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's not fair, and you know it!" he shouted back.
"You've shut me out for weeks, Kyoya! I've tried—God knows I've tried—but you won't let me in! What am I supposed to do?"
Hibari's hands clenched into fists, trembling with barely restrained fury. "So that's your excuse? Blame me because you're too much of a coward to talk to me properly? You're pathetic!"
Dino flinched, but his anger flared hotter. "I'm pathetic? You're the one who acts like feelings don't exist! Like this doesn't matter to you at all!"
"Then why are you still here?" Hibari spat, his voice venomous. "Why didn't you just leave? Why are you still pretending this means something to you?"
Dino's breath hitched, and before he could stop himself, he stepped closer, his voice dropping into something raw. "Because it does mean something to me! Don't you get it, Kyoya? You mean everything to me, and it's killing me that I'm not enough for you!"
Hibari froze, his lips parting slightly in surprise, but no words came out. His silence stretched on, and Dino's frustration grew heavier with every passing second.
"Say something!" Dino demanded, his voice louder now, almost desperate. "Why the hell won't you say anything, Kyoya? Do I not even deserve a response from you?"
Hibari's jaw tightened, but he didn't speak. His gaze shifted slightly to the side, avoiding Dino's eyes, and that was enough to push Dino over the edge.
"You're ignoring me? Seriously?!" Dino shouted, his anger boiling over. "I'm standing here, pouring my heart out, and you can't even be bothered to look at me?"
Hibari's jaw tightened, but he kept his gaze averted, his silence only fueling Dino's frustration further.
"What is wrong with you?" Dino snapped, his voice rising. "Do you even care? About me? About us? Or am I just some meaningless distraction to you?"
Hibari's fists clenched at his sides, his breathing sharp and uneven. But still, he said nothing, his eyes fixed on the floor.
Dino's chest heaved as he stepped closer, his voice trembling with anger and pain. "You know what? Maybe that's all I ever was to you—a convenient distraction. You don't let anyone in, do you? You just keep everyone at arm's length like some untouchable god, too high and mighty to feel anything real!"
That struck a nerve. Hibari's head snapped up, his sharp glare meeting Dino's fiery gaze. "You don't know anything about me," he hissed, his voice low but laced with venom.
"Oh, don't I?" Dino shot back, his laugh bitter and humorless. "I've spent all this time trying to break through your walls, trying to understand you, trying to love you, and you've given me nothing in return. Nothing! And now I'm the bad guy for wanting more? For wanting you to actually show me that you care?"
Hibari's eyes darkened, his body tense like a coiled spring. "You think you're entitled to something just because you decided to stick around? Don't act like a martyr, Cavallone. You're not some savior here. You chose this. You chose me."
"And maybe that was my mistake!" Dino's voice roared through the room, his words slashing through the air like a blade. "Maybe I was wrong to think you could ever love anyone but yourself!"
Hibari's breath caught, and for a moment, he froze. The words hit him harder than he expected, tearing through the fragile control he was clinging to. His chest tightened painfully, and before he could stop himself, he shouted back, his voice louder than it had ever been.
"Shut up!" he yelled, his hands flying to his ears as if trying to block out Dino's voice. "Just shut up! I can't—" His words broke off, his frustration spilling out in a way he couldn't contain.
Dino's chest heaved, his emotions spiraling out of control as he watched Hibari like this—raw, vulnerable, completely unlike the unshakable guy he thought he knew. But instead of calming him, it only made Dino feel more lost, more furious.
"You can't?" Dino's voice was sharp, laced with mockery. "Of course you can't. You never deal with anything, do you? You just shut yourself off, pretend nothing matters, and everyone else has to figure you out. God, Kyoya, you're so selfish!"
Hibari stiffened, his hands slowly lowering from his ears, his expression darkening. But Dino didn't stop. He couldn't stop.
"That's all you'll ever be—selfish and impossible. You think you're above everyone, like you don't have to listen to anyone but yourself. Your attitude is unbearable, Kyoya!" Dino's voice cracked, and though he didn't even know if he meant the words, he knew he wanted them to hurt. "You can't just ignore people and expect them to stick around forever. No one can deal with someone like you!"
Hibari's glare was cold and piercing, but he said nothing, his lips pressed into a thin line as he trembled with restrained fury.
Dino's own anger peaked, his emotions a chaotic storm he couldn't control. "You know what? I regret this. I regret you! I should've never—" He stopped himself, his chest heaving, but the damage was done.
Hibari's eyes widened, a flicker of hurt flashing across his face. Dino saw it, but he was too far gone to pull back now.
"And you know what, Kyoya?" Dino spat, his voice lowering into something venomous. "Go ahead. Be the bitch you've always been. See if I care."
The words tasted vile as soon as they left his mouth. No, I didn't mean that. I didn't mean any of it, Dino thought, but it was too late.
Hibari stood frozen, his body rigid, his breathing uneven. He didn't lash out with words, didn't respond in kind. Instead, he turned on his heel, his face a mask of controlled rage and anguish.
"Kyoya—" Dino started, his voice breaking, but Hibari didn't stop.
Dino reached out and grabbed Hibari's wrist, desperate to stop him, to fix what he had just shattered, probably. But Hibari had reached his limit.
"Let go of me!" Hibari snarled, yanking his arm free and shoving Dino hard in the chest. Dino staggered back, his back colliding with the edge of a chair.
The sharp impact sent a jolt of pain through Dino's body, and any semblance of control he had left crumbled.
PANG!
In a blind flash of rage, Dino swung his arm, his hand connecting with Hibari's cheek in a slap that echoed through the room.
Both of them froze.
Hibari stood motionless, his head turned slightly from the force of the blow, his hair falling into his face. Dino's eyes widened, his hand trembling as the weight of what he had done sank in.
"Kyoya..." Dino's voice was barely a whisper, shaky and uneven, as he stared at the red mark blooming on Hibari's cheek.
Hibari didn't answer. He didn't even look at him. Instead, he took a shaky step back, his movements slow and deliberate, as if testing his own control. But Dino's mind was a storm of emotions—rage, regret, frustration, and desperation all battling for dominance.
Before he could think, before he could stop himself, Dino's hands shot up to cup Hibari's face. His touch was rough, his fingers trembling as they pressed against Hibari's skin. Then, without hesitation, his lips crashed against Hibari's in a desperate, aggressive kiss, fueled by raw emotion and chaos rather than any coherent thought.
Hibari froze for a second, startled by the suddenness of it. But the sharp sting of his lips splitting under the force snapped him out of his daze. "Ugh—let go! You're crazy!" Hibari hissed, his voice muffled as he struggled against Dino's grip. His fists pushed at Dino's chest, his movements frantic and uncoordinated.
Dino didn't register the words. He didn't even know what he was doing anymore. His mind was a mess, every thought tangled in guilt and desperation. The metallic taste of blood lingered between them, but he couldn't stop, couldn't let go, as though holding onto Hibari this way might somehow keep everything from falling apart.
"Stop it!" Hibari's voice was sharper this time, his struggling more violent. He twisted his body, his nails scraping against Dino's arms in his attempt to push him away. Dino barely flinched, his grip tightening as he tried to keep Hibari close, the kiss growing sloppier, more unhinged.
"Dino!" Hibari finally shouted, managing to shove Dino hard enough to create some space between them. He stumbled back, panting, his hand flying to his lips where blood smeared across his fingertips. His glare burned with fury and disbelief. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Dino stood there, frozen in place, his chest heaving as his gaze flickered between Hibari's flushed face and the streak of red on his lips. Reality came crashing down on him all at once.
Dino stood frozen, his chest heaving as the weight of his actions bore down on him. His mind was a chaotic blur, but his body refused to move, his hands still hovering uselessly in the air where they had been moments before.
Hibari's glare was sharp, his eyes burning with a mixture anger and disbelief. "You're insane," he spat, his voice trembling but icy. He turned abruptly, his hand pressing against his mouth, his movements quick and rigid as if staying any longer would shatter him completely.
Without another word, Hibari stormed toward the door, his steps echoing through the tense silence. Dino remained rooted to the spot, unable to even breathe as the door slammed shut behind Hibari, leaving him alone in the suffocating emptiness.