" The Boss .. " - A Shark Tale Story ( Mr Sykes x Don Lino )

The Struggle Within

The next morning arrived, but Don Lino didn't feel any of the weight lift from his chest. In fact, if anything, the heaviness from the night before only deepened. He'd barely slept, his mind restless, circling the same thoughts like a predator hunting something it didn't understand. The realization from last night sat like a stone at the bottom of his gut.

I can't fall for him. I can't.

He had spent his entire life as the apex predator of the ocean, feared, respected, and untouchable. Emotions like this—confusion, attraction, vulnerability—they weren't for someone like him. Lino had always prided himself on control, on keeping his emotions in check. But with Sykes, it was different. It was like every time Sykes spoke or looked at him, something inside unraveled, and that terrified him more than any rival or threat.

The day started like any other—business, responsibilities, the ongoing flow of running an empire. But today, it all felt distant to him. His mind kept going back to Sykes, to the way he had calmed him down last night, to the way his voice—steady and reliable—had brought him back from the edge, just like Elena used to.

Sykes didn't show up at the hideout that morning. He was still recovering, Lino told himself. Or maybe it was something else. Maybe Sykes was giving him space after sensing the tension last night. Either way, Lino was both relieved and unsettled by his absence. He wasn't sure what he would have said if Sykes had been there.

"Boss?" Luca's voice cut through Lino's thoughts, pulling him back to reality.

Luca stood before him, his usual smirk gone, replaced with something more serious. He had noticed the change in Lino over the past few days. Lino hadn't been himself, and while Luca wasn't one to push, he was too smart to ignore the shift in the Don's demeanor.

"Everything alright? You've been... off."

Lino didn't respond right away, still processing the weight of everything. But Luca wasn't wrong. He had been off. The whispers, the voices, the memories of Elena... and now Sykes. It was all colliding in a way Lino wasn't prepared for.

"I'm fine," Lino grunted, though his tone lacked its usual conviction.

Luca raised an eyebrow. "You sure? Because you don't look fine."

"I said I'm fine, Luca." Lino's voice hardened, a subtle warning not to push further.

Luca, ever the observant one, narrowed his eyes but didn't argue. He'd been with Lino long enough to know when to back off, but he also knew something was deeply bothering the Don. It wasn't his place to pry, but Luca had always been fiercely loyal, and he didn't like seeing Lino like this.

"Alright, boss. Just thought I'd ask," Luca muttered, turning to leave.

Lino watched him go, his thoughts drifting back to last night. He couldn't let this distraction—this confusion—interfere with his business. He was the Don, and he needed to be focused. But no matter how hard he tried, his thoughts kept spiraling back to Sykes.