*Sighs with relief* Luckily I managed to finish this chapter on time. Alas, I kind of forget to mention it's also the last chapter. I want to apologise to everyone who expected that this story will be continued. But it's possible that I'll write a sequel in the future. When I'll be less busy in my job, that is. Either way, thank you all dear readers for your constant support!

Next morning

Squalo returned to the Varia headquarters feeling very annoyed. At first he had been glad that Lussuria had been assigned to the mission with him since their assassination target had been an owner of a gay club. Squalo would rather swallow his own sword than visit such place on his own. Unfortunately for him, their unlucky target had caught Lussuria's eye. The pervert had asked for some "sweet time" with the club's owner and the swordsman had allowed it since he hadn't been in the mood for listening to the other man's whines on their way back. Still, Squalo was pissed off as they had wasted a lot of time.

"I'll leave delivering the report to you, captain Squ~"

Lussuria seemed so happy that Squalo had an urge to punch the necrophiliac pervert in the face. Nonetheless, he nodded grudgingly and headed for Xanxus' office. On his way there he run into no one else but Vongola's Tenth.

"VOOII, SAWADA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? AND WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU?"

They boy was covered in bruises and his clothes were torn and messy. He smiled sheepishly to Squalo.

"It's nothing. I've just had a little fight with Xanxus."

"OUR DAMN BOSS DID THAT TO YOU? I'LL GO TO THAT BASTARD AND…"

Squalo was so agitated that he was ready to storm to Xanxus' office and tell him off but Tsuna stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"Wait. It was entirely my fault. Please don't tell anyone about it, okay?"

Only then Squalo took a better look at the boy and noticed something really disturbing. On the boy's neck there were bite marks and something that suspiciously looked like a hickey. Also when Tsuna said goodbye and started walking away Squalo noticed that he was limping. A terrible realisation dawned on him.

- OUR BOSS DIDN'T BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF SAWADA…!

While Squalo stood there completely stunned, Lussuria approached him.

"Weren't you going to report to the boss, Squ?"

"Yeah. Something stopped me on my way there."

Lussuria looked at his colleague with a somewhat worried expression.

"Are you feeling well? Your face looks very pale."

"Of course I'm well. Why wouldn't I be?"

Squalo slowly walked away towards the office. Meanwhile Lussuria was greeted by the secretary who had just returned to the headquarters.

"Good morning, Lussuria-nee-san. You look troubled. Did something happen?"

Lussuria wrung his hands in a dramatic gesture.

"Oh, Miseria-chan! I think there is something seriously wrong with our strategy captain!"

The secretary raised an eyebrow.

"There is something wrong with Squalo-san? Why do you think so?"

"His voice…It was almost quiet."

Miseria nodded her head understandingly.

"It really does sound serious."

Squalo reluctantly entered the office. In there he found Xanxus who, unusually for him, was in a very good mood. He even had a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

"It's you, shitty-shark. Did you clean up the trash?"

"Yes. The mission was a success, boss."

"Good. Don't forget to write the report for that worthless woman."

Squalo nodded and was ready to leave when Xanxus gave him an unexpected order.

"And take a day off."

"Why?"

"Have you glanced at yourself in a mirror? You look like shit."

- Is Xanxus…being nice to me?

Squalo actually would rather be send on a mission as he couldn't find a place for himself in the Varia headquarters. Even polishing his sword or brushing his shark's teeth didn't help him to relax as usual. Eventually he decided to go to the training hall and practice his sword skills. On his way there he bumped into the secretary who was carrying a bottle containing a colourless liquid.

"Good day, Squalo-san. How are you today?"

"Voi. I'm fine as always."

The secretary gazed at him intently.

"I see. Then are you in the mood for drinking soma vodka?"

Usually Squalo would just yell at her for drinking during her working hours but this day he didn't really feel like it. Instead he nodded silently and followed the secretary to her office. There she took out two glasses and poured some vodka into them. Squalo quickly gulped his and banged it angrily on the secretary's desk.

"VOOII! IT'S SO FUCKED UP!"

The secretary took a sip of her own vodka and looked at him questioningly.

"Do you mean the fact that Xanxus-san and Sawada-san started sleeping with each other?"

"YOU KNEW ABOUT IT?"

"I wasn't sure. You've just confirmed it for me."

Squalo poured himself another glass and gulped it in one go.

"I'M NOT EVEN SURPRISED BY THAT SAWADA BRAT! HE HAD A CRUSH ON OUR BOSS FOR A LONG TIME!"

"Really?"

"VOOII! ARE YOU BLIND, WOMAN? WHY DO YOU THINK HE KEPT COMING HERE CLAIMING THAT HE WANTS TO BE FRIENDS? FRIENDS, MY ASS! BUT IT'S A WONDER WHY XANXUS EVENTUALLY WENT ALONG WITH IT!"

The secretary shrugged and gulped the rest of her vodka.

"But in the end, isn't it beneficial to all of us? I mean, Xanxus-san seems pleased, and also he'll be less reluctant to work under Sawada-san, if he can be the one on top in bed."

Squalo, who was in the middle of pouring himself another glass of vodka, looked at the woman in surprise.

"VOOI! DO YOU THINK HE'S MANIPULATING OUR BOSS?"

"It's hard to say with the likes of Sawada-san. One thing is certain, he's definitely not so naïve and simple-minded as he looks."

This time Squalo drank the vodka slowly, savouring the secretary's words. He decided that something needed to be done about that complicated situation. Still, to cope with it today, he was going to make himself completely drunk. Otherwise he would be too tempted to go to Vongola headquarters and chop Sawada Tsunayoshi's head off.

One week later

When Tsuna finished his "meeting" with Xanxus, Squalo was already waiting for him next to the front door. He pointed his sword at the boy.

"VOI! I'LL TELL YOU ONLY ONE THING, SAWADA! IF YOU EVER DO ANYTHING TO HURT HIM, I SWEAR TO CHOP YOU TO PIECES!"

Tsuna responded to him with an innocent smile:

" But I don't know what you're talking about…"

"YOU KNOW VERY WELL!"

The smile on the boy's face vanished just to be replaced by a serious expression.

"Don't worry. I won't."

To LaughterGirl: Just because Tsuna's an uke, it doesn't have to mean he is a weakling ;)

To MissSexyRain: The last time Tsuna's guardians believed him cause he really does fall down the stairs quite often. But the next time he'll have to be more creative...

To Swanfrost15: Thanks. I tried hard.

To X-Eddreine-X: Wao, it's one of the longest reviews, I've ever got. And I also wouldn't want to be in Byakuran's shoes when Tsuna's guardians will finally find the truth out ;)

To Kuyomi-Chan-Is-Dead: Well, sort of.

To Puruku: I hope this update was soon enough ;)