hello! This is my first time requesting a drabble from a prompt hopefully I'm doing this right-
Coming from the Flower Prompts post, may I ask for Arbutus for Squalo and Dino? I really like your writings for those two qwq 🩵
Hi hello this is actually perfect! Don't worry, feel free to send more! And thank you so much for the compliments, I absolutely adore your drawings 💕
Now, you gave me a DELICIOUS prompt, I hope you are going to enjoy this snippet!
Arbutus - a realization that you are my one and only
Squalo and Dino meet each other again after the battle for the Vongola rings has ended, after all dust has settled and this time it is awkward. Some would say even painful to watch and indeed it does not go unnoticed by everyone around them.
Both the men had entartained the thought of them being together for the longest of time, they had yearned and pined even, in their teen years.
And then the huge presence of Xanxus had been the sort of bitter ending they both had, or so they had thought.
There had to be a battle.
There had to be opposite sides.
And then they finally understood.
When Dino finally realized, it was at the end of the Rain battle - he had expected to save Yamamoto from the inevitable death by being mauled by a shark and instead he had seen Squalo.
And in front of what had been his friend - and probably something more - unconscious and bloody, Dino could not help himself.
He felt dizzy, he felt all blood suddenly go away nd most of all he did not register how he had immediately crouched next to Squalo's body, trying to call him, to keep him awake.
And that was exactly when he realized it.
Oh no, he thought, oh no.
He absolutely knew it as he was dragged away by Romario, as Iemitsu was making his way.
And he found himself doing something he'd never thought he'd do. He begged for Squalo's life, no, the Varia's lives to be spared, inventing on the spot any possible excuse as to why the Vongola should not execute the Varia.
Sure, he is now indebted to the Vongola, but it was worth it, he thinks.
When Squalo opened his eyes again, in that hospital bed, the first one he saw was Dino.
None of the Varia were there, especially not Xanxus was there and yet.
The one walking next to him had never been Xanxus so far and Squalo had been so wrong the entire time, because there was someone waiting for him to wake up and it was Dino.
The uncomfortable feelings he had been struggling with finally agreed. Squalo looked intently at those sad brown eyes, memorized his faint smile as Dino told him that he had finally woken up.
And there and then Squalo realized that it had never been Xanxus the one he was looking for, the one he would lay his life for. and there and then he thought, oh fuck, oh no.
When Squalo managed to speak, his voice trembled lightly "Why... Why did you save me?"
And Dino's voice trembled too, hesitated even. "Because that would have been inconvenient if you died."
And they both knew that this was just a pathetic excuse, and they knew they were and always had been each other's person.
And now that the dust has settled, and they are both still alive, it is awkward and embarrassing and everyone is eyeing them trying to be polite but also curious to know what exactly has changed.
And neither one tries to make a step because - oh well, thwy should be past being two awkward teens vaguely in love.
They dance around each other and sit in the same room politely six feet apart like two Victorian lovers pulled out of a Jane Austen book and Tsuna and his guardians are too young to understand fully, and the Varia don't really have the emotional ability to just give the right nudge.
Luckily or not, however, Reborn has a plan.
Dino is after all a student of his and by proxy he has known Squalo for long enough.
It is going to be a fun time for everyone, especially for Squalo and Dino, Reborn thinks.
