Chapter Eight- So…what you in for?

Not beta'ed at all, not even a little. Also I don't own anything but my wild imagination.

-(this is a line)-

"So what do you want?" Squalo asked as she directed the preteen to her couch to relax and recover.

Dino cocked his head sideways, he had the most adorable, confused expression on his face that it took all of Squalo's will power to stop herself from pinching his cheeks and cooing. Even with the blood stains on his shirt and upper lip. He'd gotten his nose pretty smashed but from what Squalo could see it wasn't broken.

That would be tragic, Dino the Bucking Bronco with a crooked nose, a travesty to all those beautiful Bishōnen boys that this universe likes to spit out like cherry pits.

He really was an endearing brat, Squalo couldn't help but think as she watched him probe his nose and grimace in pain and then did it again and seemed surprise when it continued to hurt.

Squalo also couldn't help but wonder…if Dino was this cute now then Tsuna, who will only be a year or so older when they first meet, will probably make her ovaries explode or something. Maybe she should rethink her idea of keeping things cannon for the most part and retire early. Brat was probably still in diapers right now and already he was causing her headaches.

But while Dino may be adorable, his attention span leaved something to be desired. Squalo huffed, annoyed with the boy as Dino had already forgotten about her question and was too busy looking around her living area. He seemed fascinated by the fish tank.

Which to be fair anyone would be, a large aquarium like that, not to mention the sharks that called it home and the very few fish that lived in there too. Although they were mostly cannon fodder for her ASL lovelies.

"Oi, uke-boy! I asked you a question."

"Huh? What'z that you called me?"

"U.K.E. B.O.Y. It means you, bright-eyes. Now do you want something to drink?" Squalo was practically at the end of her patience and was thinking of finishing those thugs work for them.

"No madam I'm fine."

Squalo's right eyebrow began to twitch. "Madam? Do I look old enough to be a madam!? I'm probably your age!"

"I'm 12."

"…11." More twitching.

"Wow you're a baby!"

…both eyebrows were twitching madly now. Squalo took deep breaths and tried to calm herself. The kid was an idiot but he was also the heir to a Mafioso family that would one day become number 3 in the world, thanks to said idiot.

"Here." Squalo picked up her wireless home phone and threw it at him, watching dispassionately when he failed to catch it with his hands and instead stopped it with his forehead.

"Owie!"

"Just call your people to pick you up." Squalo sighed and walked into her kitchen, she could still watch him through the aquarium if she needed too but she failed to see how she could possibly ever be in danger from him.

She got herself a cola and sipped at it slowly as she watched Dino make the call, it was funny to watch as the boy cringed back into the sofa when whoever was on the other side of the line began to shout at him.

After several minutes of that Dino finally got a word in and reported where he was and in what condition he was in before he was able to hang up.

Which should have been the first thing that phone call should have been about. Whoever was on the other end of the line obviously didn't take his job seriously or care about Dino.

It couldn't be Romario then, 'cuse that man was completely devoted to Dino, or would be in the future if he wasn't on Dino's detail yet.

"So- gonna tell me what that was all about?" Squalo asked.

Dino hesitated for a second and stared down at the phone before his mouth twisted into a frown and his eyes harden with resolve.

"I think someone in my father's bodyguards is a traitor."

"Oh?" Squalo drawled and slipped on the straw loudly. "Why would you believe something like that?"

"Several reasons. But the current one is when I wasn't picked up at school like usual and none of my usual bodyguards were in their designated places. Also those men…I think I recognized one of them. A nephew or something like that although I can't remember who he was related too. But I saw him with a bunch of father's guards a few weeks ago so…" Dino shrugged helplessly and Squalo could see how frustrated and scared this whole thing was making him.

"So you suspected for some time then?" Squalo asked and Dino nodded. "Have you told anyone? Maybe your father?"

"Father told me I was being a spoiled brat and to just go to school and kiss ass to all the higher families." Dino's face was a picture in horrification as if he just realized what he'd just said. "I apologize for my language!" He bowed over his knees even while he continued to sit.

Squalo laughed. "Kid you haven't heard language until you've spent a day with me. But I am curious, why are you telling me all this?"

Dino simply said. "You asked." As if that really was all it took for him to spill his guts.

"Well yea." Squalo shrugged, "But I could be an enemy for all you know. Leading you into a false sense of security to get all of your dirty little secrets, maybe I work for this traitor…and now you just told me that you suspect someone in a probably narrow field of suspects."

"But you're not." Once again it was said with complete assurance.

"How can you be so confident?" the absurdity of this entire night was beginning to weigh on her.

"I can feel it. You're a good person." Dino said. "Maybe a bit blood-thirsty…" He squeaked out when Squalo glared at him when he called her a good person. "But ultimately you helped me out when I was in trouble back there and I doubt you have anything to do with the politics of my family."

"Hmmm. Maybe you're right or maybe you're wrong. We'll see about that later. So this person you just called, who was that?"

"Franklin." Dino's voice lowered. "To be truthful he's my main suspect but he's been with the family for years, ever since my mom died. Father has complete trust in him even though there are many incidents that seem to happen around him."

Squalo came over and sat next to him on the couch, making sure there was some distance though since she didn't want to seem like she was crowding him.

"Small things at first, misplaced files that were of little import by themselves but as a whole- well they had a lot of information about the family and everyone who is employed there. Father told everyone during the panic scare that the files must have been accidently shredding with the unimportant files and to not worry. I doubt that happened though and there are others as well who feel the same way I do. Some of them changed their names and moved their families. The thing is- Franklin was in charge of the security for that wing that week and other then a small slap on the wrist nothing happened. Not to mention that a few rookies seemed to have gone missing, they're all ones that had seemed to have a problem with Franklin, but Franklin told everyone that they were runners and he sent some of his best people to dispatch them before they could spread any of our family's information to other families, the jerk got an expensive bottle of wine and a damned pay raise."

Squalo frowned, "That's really suspicious."

"I know right? There's a bunch of stuff like that and I've compiled a few files on him as well as a few others that I think may be in on it as well."

"Who do you think they're selling too?"

Dino shrugged. "I have no idea. Could be they're freelancers or maybe they work for a more powerful family but…" Dino's frustration was bleeding into his voice. "I'm just so sick of it. Callvanio Primo created this family from his own two hands, he was powerful and influence. Did you know that he was rumored to be friends with Vongola Primo?"

Squalo nodded absently, she didn't remember any of this being canon but maybe…how did the Dino and Squalo of canon verse meet? Squalo found that she couldn't remember at all, if she knew to begin with at all.

"So…what are you going to do if the people you just called are these so-called trators coming to dispatch and finish the job?"

Dino's agape expression caused her to exhale harshly.

Face- meet palm.

The loud knocking on the door caused both of their heads to swerve at the same time.

"If they hurt my sharks I will cut your dick off got that?" Squalo said calmly and reached into the couch cushions and pulled out her short sword making Dino's eyes bug.

"Yes miss."

"It's Squalo dear." Squalo smirked and took a fighting stance, Dino clumsy feet scrambling to get into a defensive stance was adorable but now wasn't the time to coo. "Now let's see who's behind door number 1."

-(this is a line)-

So…yea…not even sure what the freck is happening anymore. I think a tiny bit of plot tried to make its way into my story. It's a lot more detailed than the befriending of Skull, so…no longer a drabble story?

Who knows?

I hope you enjoy it regardless, Dino is adorable and I luw him to pieces, to be honest he was my first choice for my SI to be reborn as but then I read some really good Squalo fics then rewatched the Ring Match episodes and feel in love with him as well.

I do feel like my love for Dino may have transferred to Squalo a bit, although she see's him more as a cute puppy you can't help but pet on the head and coo over. Don't worry though, we'll get to the paper training later. lol

So, it goes like this- my 3 favorite characters are Dino, Squalo, Xanxus and Skull are tied at the end so it's more like my 4 favs.

Thank you everyone who's reviewed! You guys are just so amazing there aren't enough words in the English language to say how awesome you guys are.

Remember, reviews make author smile, smile makes writing easier.