Ghost of the Past (Katekyo Hitman Reborn/Xanxus) WATTYS 2017

Chapter 9 - Feathers

Dino's POV

Dina was bitter. She had been for the past week.

I guess that's the thing with women, they show their anger in their actions.

Their mouths don't say a thing but well...

She slams each door she closes, when she placed her signature on Karen's contract for guests her writing was harsh and her eyes said everything.

As kids, when we were upset, her eyes used to flash purple. I'm glad to know that at least one thing hasn't changed about her.

We were all scrolling an checking through the records of who might have ordered those moschas while Karen observed the remaining moscha pieces in her lab. The tension was so thick that I even felt myself wanting to be sucked in by the floor.

"You know, I always thought this place was the absolute worst for you... I'm beginning to think I was wrong." I tried to start a small, light conversation.

Dina stopped her furious typing and turned to look at me. "It was way better than seeing your stupid face every single day."

That was it. I was completely fed up with my little sister I couldn't help the words that came out next. "Why the hell are you being like this?! What happened with you and Dad?!"

She stood up so suddenly, her chair falling back and her expression showing fury. She pulled down a sleeve off her shoulder showing a scar, possibly five inches long extended from her collarbone and stopped a few inches above her chest.

"You wanted a reason?! This is the reason!" She pointed at the scar, tears streaming down her face.

"I didn't get this scar by being an assassin, I got it by being a daughter." She was quiet now, you'd almost think she was calm but her sniffling said otherwise.

"I was 6 years old when he discovered my flame and that was the day he first came at me, 8 the day..." She shifted her shoulder. "I found out that a bottle hurt so much more than a fist."

She laughed softly, a bit masochistic-like. "At least here, I didn't know the people that hurt me but at home... I was hurt by the person who used to read me bedtime stories, the one who would scold me whenever I touched anything sharp and his reason? He thought I wasn't his daughter. Because during that time the only people who could use flames were the Vongola family."

"For that reason, I have loathed and despised Tsunayoshi's and Xanxus' family because it reminded me of him. How many children in the world would close their eyes think that their father was a monster?!"

I stood there shocked as she pressed her fingers to her lips, as if she were trying to shield her face but she wasn't strong enough to do do so.

"Dina-san..." Tsuna mumbled while tooking a step towards her but she turned heel and ran off. I tried to chase after her but was pushed back by Hiro.
"Don't you dare." He glared at me and I shook my head as one tear suddenly drifted down my cheek.

"I didn't-- I had no--" He silenced me and told me that it wasn't my fault.

None of us had noticed Xanxus' absence.

"The moschas were stolen, that's why we have no records!" Karen panted as she ran in the room. "Where's Dina?!" She practically screamed after noticing that Dina wasn't here.

"It's better if you don't ask." Hiro said softly.

But Karen shook her head, almost manically. "She has to know!"

"Know what?" Tsuna asked, worriedly coz it seemed like Karen was gonna tear her hair out.

"The men who were knocked out weren't able to use their flames, they explained it as though it was an off switch and they were powerless!" Karen pushed her purple hair back from her eyes.

"The only people we know who can do that...."

Karen nodded grimly. "The vessels of the colorless flames."

"Colorless?!" I blurted out loud. "I thought there was no such thing!"

"You thought wrong." Hiro responded before the lights above us started to malfunction. You could literally hear the machines in the place start to die out.

"W-what...?" Tsuna clenched and unclenched his fists, looking as though he was putting too much effort.

Suddenly, I felt energy leave my body and sleep nearly overtook me. The sort of sleepy feeling that reminded me of when I was homeschooled and couldn't keep up with the tutor anymore because my eyelids were too heavy.

I tried to ignite my flame but I couldn't. Frustration seeped through me as I slowly slid to the floor.

~•~•~•~•~

3rd Person's POV

Dina stopped. "Why are you following me?!" She turned around as Xanxus remained silent a few steps away from her.

"You told me to stay away from you and I did! Why are you making this so hard for me?!" She didn't even realize how close she was to him until she found herself pointing his chest. Silently, she cursed the hard surface.

Even he, himself didn't know why. It was maybe because he felt a similarity an understanding with what he went through. Maybe it was because he wasnted to know more. Why? How? When? Where? For some reason, he just had to know.

The lights above flickered and as he felt his energy fade, Xanxus saw in Dina's eyes something he's never seen before as something snapped in her. Realization. She knew what was happening. And something else...

Fear.

There was always sadness, happiness, anger, but never any fear.

"Crap." She muttered lowly and grabbed Xanxus' tie before slamming her lips upon his.

Xanxus went rigid, tense before feeling a newfound power surge through him so powerful, so inmense that he couldn't have enough.

His old instincts kicked in, the one when he was still the 9th boss' son. His playboy insticnt. Please, it was only a fact that the heir of one of the strongest families in the world had women clinging unto him and followed him around. Those were the days.

What also helped was the fact that she was the best kisser he'd ever kissed.

She was hasty, quick but even so... the way her arms circled around his neck as if he was the only thing she could cling on to as a lifeline. The heat that surged through his body was undescribable. There were no words.

He pulled her closer until he felt himself become overwhelmed by the power surging through him but this time, when she pulled away, he still felt it inside him.

"What-?" He began astonished. But she shushed him as they heard footsteps down the hall.

"I gave you some of my flames, since it's borrowed you have certain limits."

Xanxus openly glared at her before testing out his old flame but it wouldn't work, his red flame had been replaced by a blue and orange flame.

Slowly, Dina fell to her knees. It was obvious that she was exhausted and Xanxus was the only one with a chance to defend himself or both of them if it came down to it.

"Well, well, well..."

Dina froze at the sound of that voice, Xanxus had to check if she didn't become an actual statue. She placed her hands over her ears and rocked herself back and forth. Like a child, not wanting to hear the truth.

"That's impossible." She kept repeating those words as if they were a line from the bible.

"Is this one my replacement?" A guy, only a few years older than them smirked. His jawline was sharp, his eyes cheshire-like, hair blue like the night sky. His hand was held out to the side as if carrying something but he wasn't. If you looked closely, you could see steam rising from his hand.

Effects of his invisible flame.

Dina wouldn't even look up to meet his gaze. "Look at me Dina. I can't say I'm surprised."

"Kuroi." Dina whispered the name as though it was a sin.

His smile grew wider, eyes holding glints of insanity.

"After all, birds of the same feather flock together."