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

Chapter 10 - Memories

Xanxus fired another dying will bullet using Dina's extra flames but it was no use.

Little by little, he felt himself weaken. His shoulders, with time dropped lower and lower as though they were weighed down by a brick each time he fired a bullet.

"Pathetic." Kuroi grinned, his smile cheshire-like. "You're so dependent on Dina's power, reminds me of myself really."

"I watched you die..." She stifled a gasp, her long fingers covering her mouth as tears, once again, welled up in her eyes.

"I assure you, that won't happen again." Kuroi was unfazed by her sadness. "Me? Dying? Are sure you know who I am? Little ol' unkillable me!"

He threw his head back and laughed, his shoulders shaking by the force. "Dina Cavallone is nothing more than a shameless little bitch, too dependent on everyone around her. She's nothing more than a chewed up toy, ready to be thrown away."

Dina and Xanxus felt the heat fan their faces as Kuroi built up his flames. Xanxus tensed but he gritted his teeth as fury raged through him. The same fury he felt when he found out his so-called father's 'little secret'.

He remembered himself calling her something similar and that made him rage even more. The girl behind him was so similar in so many ways that it scared him. Horrified him, really. But he knew one thing.

"She's worth a thousand of you, scum." He growled out.

Dina's eyes raked over Xanxus' whole form. The bruises and cuts he was bleeding from. The would be scars and the scars that were cut open yet again.

She let out a soft whimper as she realized what he was actually fighting for and it filled her heart with so much joy and so much pain.

"Xanxus!" She yelled out with newfound strength before grabbing his hand. She was burning up, he felt her touch as though an inferno had wound up in his palm. Burning him but not in a painful way. It was a warm feeling, the one you feel when drinking coffee, and it warms your insides and you feel safe, relaxed and warm.

Her flames, as they were, spread like wildfire and surrounded them with warmth. Xanxus was only able to recognize the angry scream of Kuroi before Dina tugged his sleeve, signalling that they had to leave.

He felt the need to pull his hand away and fight back but it was common sense that they both wouldn't and won't stand a chance against Kuroi.

With her flames working as a shield, blocking them against Kuroi's flames and Kuroi himself. Xanxus scooped Dina into his arms and ran.

~•~•~•~•~

Flashback

"Kuroi!!!" Dina's fists pounded on the door of Kuroi's bedroom. "Kuroi!" She, now frustrated, gave one full kick to the door before it swung open, revealing a shirtless Kuroi.

"Is the institute on fire?" He asked dazedly, his eyes still unfocused as Dina looked at him in disgust.

"Get changed! They'll be choosing the partners today! Have you forgotten?!" She fumed and the dark haired boy only stared back at her.

She gave a small scream before grabbing a random article of clothing on Kuroi's messy floor, deemed it semi-wearable and threw it at him.

"We might miss the dessert!" She cried.

She slammed the door shut on his face.

~•~•~•~•~

"What's got your panties in a twist?" Kuroi scoffed before popping a lollipop in his mouth.

"Aren't you glad that I'm your partner?"

"No. I'm stuck with a child, this isn't a partnership. It's babysitting."

The truth was that she was more than glad, but she wasn't willing to admit that just yet.

"Aw!" He removed the lollipop from his mouth and swung an arm around her neck. "Don't say that." He pouted, eyes twinkling before squeezing her cheeks. "My little sister looks cuter when smiles... Is all..."

~•~•~•~•~

"The stakes are high, with this job! Why can't you understand that, Dina?! What if I die?! What about Hiro?!" He was red faced, words like knives but the next were poison.

"You can never understand because you don't have a family!" Realizing what he said, his eyes widened.

"I thought you, Hiro and the others were my family..." She started to walk away from but he grabbed her hand.

"I'm sorry, Dina. I didn't-"

"It's fine. I get it." Dina forced out a smile, which ended up as a sort of sad grimace. "You're... a good man, Kuroi."

She placed her hand on top of his and made him let go of her before gently patting his shoulder.

"Always lucky to have you."

~•~•~•~•~

"Kuroi!" His lifeless body was flung to ground as Dina cried out and desperately tugged at her binds.

End.

Dina closed her eyes after she told the story, she can never finish it... Only cut it off before the climax.

"Take me instead!"

"Are you-"

"No." She answered her blue haired friend truthfully. "Noelle, Kuroi was... You should've seen him..."

Dina keeled over, feeling like puking before thinking against it as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"And now, people are hurt." Noelle placed an arm around her. "It's not your fault."

"But-"

"Cavallone." Xanxus entered the room, most of his wounds gone due to the Sun flames of other institute members. "Shut up."

"Hate to say it, but he's right." Kai mumbled from his seat, an ice pack resting on his eye.

Tsuna and Dino were now being treated. According to Kai, Dino kept falling all over the place that most of his injuries were caused by himself. Dina told him that this was no surprise.

Tsuna, on the other hand, didn't know how to fight without the use of his flames which led to all hell breaking lose.

Most of them, like Dina and the others, were able to escape to the underground safehouse on the other side of Liberta Island.

Xanxus sat on a couch at the far side of the room, not wanting any human interaction.

Dina of course, noticed this and much to Kai's dismay, sat down beside him.

She ended up counting the small cuts on Xanxus hand before popping a candy in her mouth.

"Vitto..."

"What?" She asked, surprised that he was the one to start the conversation.

"My name, the one my mother gave me."

"Vitto?"

"Vittorio." He said, the corners of his mouth barely tilting up. Dina beamed at him. She knew that it wasn't much but slowly he was opening up to her.

"Whatever you say, Vitto." The name rolled off her lips so smoothly as she hummed softly to herself.