Chapter 2

With Squalo's guidance it was very easy for Dino to find his way back to the high class neighborhood he came from. Dino thanked his lucky stars for it'd being so late outside. Usually people would stop him and Squalo trying to leave a impression on the young children of such respected families. Dino had learned early on that because of his family name people would always be trying to leave some sort of impression on him and therefore be in good shape with Dino's parents. Squalo received the same treatment yet because of the neko's fiery temperament people generally found him harder to approach. Which only made Dino more thankful that, one it was late and two he had Squalo with him.

Being so absorbed in being thankful Dino didn't notice that he was finally in from of the Cavallone mansion.

"Voi. Aren't you going to go in, Cavallone?" Squalo said finally breaking the silence. He didn't want to talk to Dino at all. He was pissed that Dino brought a random brat with him. Dino was always such a airhead and klutz that Squalo worried about his safety especially with a feral neko that could awaken at any moment. Squalo being a neko himself knew the violent personalities of nekos. However this did not mean he would openly tell the Bucking Horse he was worried about him.

Dino wasn't sure what made him hesitate. He was pretty sure that while showing up with a kitten -albeit a stray- wouldn't get him in trouble, it wouldn't exactly be welcomed either. He could already see the slight frown on his mother's face. Dino himself made a frown. He didn't want to do anything that might threaten his mother's delicate health.

Squalo noticing the blonde's hesitation decided to go ahead and press the red button on the bricked wall. A woman's face appeared on the screen above.

"Welcome back, Bocchan." Dino was startled out of his thoughts by the voice of his maid.

"Shall I prepare something for you and Squalo-dono, Bocchan?"

"Thank you, but I'll be taking my leave." Squalo said as he turned around giving a wave goodbye.

Watching Squalo leave was what brought Dino yet again from his worries. "Wait! Squalo! You can't just leave!" The blonde exclaimed as he watched Squalo's distant growing back. Squalo merely turned around and with a flick of his tail hurried off. Dino sighed.

"Bocchan?" "Kiko, please just open the gates. "Of course, Bocchan."

And with that the massive black iron gates open and in walked Dino. Holding the kitten in his arms just a little bit tighter, as he neared the front door, worries increasing in his mind. All worries seemed to cease however when the front door opened to reveal a woman with long blond hair in a beautiful white dress.

"Dino."

"Mama!" The young boy exclaimed as his ears register the voice that more often then not provided comfort for him.

Moving towards her child the Lady Cavallone had not yet notice the little bundle in his son's arms. "Dino, my child! I was very worried about you. It was getting late and- " She abruptly stopped when she proceeded to hug her child and instead of having just Dino against her body something bumped against her stomach. Something fuzzy and soft.

"Dino, what do you have in your arms!" Dino's previous thoughts return and he suddenly worried his mother would actually force him to return the stray kitten back on the streets. "Well you see, Mama, it's actually kinda a long story. I just found him injured and though, wait no. He actually tried to attacked me. Wait that's not right-" "Dino, calmed down. I won't ask you how or why you decided to bring that kitten here but I will ask you this, do you want to keep the kitten?" Dino nodded his head frantically.

"Alright, then. Sebastian!" A neko butler quickly appeared. "Yes, my lady?" "Please take this kitten away and see to it that he is given a shower and treated to anything else it might need." "Yes, my lady." As the Michaelis neko approached Dino, the blonde relinquished his hold on the kitten with a little bit of hesitance.

Once Sebastian disappeared with the kitten, the Lady Cavallone turned towards her son. "You sir in the meanwhile take a shower and come back to your Father's study once your done." "Does this mean Father is finally back?" The young boy asked with an edge of hope in his voice. "He will be in a couple of minutes. Once he comes we'll talk about your findings." "Yes, Mama."

This time the younger's voice took a hint of sadness not knowing whether or not he would keep the kitten he found. For some inexplicable reason Dino felt as if he had to keep the kitten. There was just something he couldn't put into words that made him want to keep the kitten. As Dino went up the stairs to one of the many bathrooms in the Cavallone mansion, he missed the fond smile his mother directed at him.

Dino kept on sulking even after he finished his shower. Stepping out of his bathroom he went on to choose some clothes from his wardrobe finally deciding on those silk brown pajamas that had horses all over them. It didn't matter if they were dorky pajamas, Dino loved them. He finished putting on the bottom part of the pajama set when he heard footsteps swiftly approaching and voices along with those footsteps. Dino could make some of the words being shouted.

Catch him- Wait- Don't let- Not that roughly!- See he got away again! Figuring it was probably the Trancy neko on the loose again Dino decided to go back to changing. Until he heard a hiss and the sound of something breaking.

That's weird. It usually doesn't take them that long to catch Alois. Dino though, eyebrows furrowing. Alois was a blonde kitten that would always cause trouble. Usually however he was caught by the other butlers and maids in the process of running away from his latest trouble. More often than not however, Alois got caught by another butler, Claude. Dino's frown deepened.

Finally deciding to see what the commotion was about he opened his door and in rushed a blur of black. Swiftly glancing to his back he saw what was causing the commotion. It was the kitten he had brought earlier. The small kit was running as fast as he could towards Dino's wardrobe.

The kit's escaped would have been successful were it not for Dino's bathrobe. Slipping on it the kitten tumble forward. Being so small in size it unsuccessfully tried to escape the clutches of the bathrobe. Which only served to tangled him more in it. The kit finally realized there was no way out. Only his eyes were visible and they glared at Dino with a fierce intensity.

There was a moment of silence.

And then Dino started laughing. And couldn't stop. The blonde might have been frighten by the kitten's glare because that was a fierce glared coming from someone so young but given the kit's disposition he just couldn't stop laughing.

Silver eyes blinked before once more before deciding to intensify their glared.

"What's wrong, Kitten? Did they scared you?" Dino asked as he approached the small kitten wiping a few tears that had fallen in his laughter. He knew his servants were a bit eccentric.

Crouching down to the kitten's level he leaned downed to untangled him from the bathrobe. As soon as the kitten was untangled a hiss escaped him a long with a swipe of his paw.

"Ouch!" Dino startled pulled his hand back. He tried to reach for kit again this time being sure to be careful of his paws. He carefully picked the kitty up clothed in no more than an oversize t-shirt. "See? I'm not here to do you harm. So calm down a little. 'Kay?" Easier said then done for the kitten.

As soon as Dino settled him in his arms the kitten became fussing and biting as well as trying to claw Dino's arms. Dino's first instinct was to drop the kitten. And he might have done just that were it not for him noticing the trembling that shook the small feline. Although it no one else might have noticed it and would just look at violent kitten, Dino could see and feel the tremors running through the kit. While noticing this he also noticed the various bandages lining up the kitten's arms. Apparently he had more injuries then Dino though. This made up Dino's resolve to hug the kitten tighter in a comforting way.

They stood like that for just a couple of minutes Dino trying to provide something soothing for the kitten and kitten still fussing away. When there was sudden footsteps outside Dino's door.

"I apologize for not requesting your highness' permission to enter and I apologize more for not being able to control the feral kitten." Claude, one of the oldest butlers kneeled down a few steps inside Dino's bedroom.

"Claude-san there's no need for that, I've told you many times before." Dino said. Even if he was a sort of boss to all the Cavallone servants Dino still added the –san to Claude's name because in all honest out of all the Cavallone servants, Claude freaked him out. There was just something creepy about how he would never smiled.

"But your highness-" Claude was interrupted by another butler, Sebastian. "Bocchan, my Lady requests your presence in the Lord's study." There was a bad feeling that went through Dino at this moment. He always felt uneasy around these two butlers and having both of them together in the same room would sent shivers down his spine.

Dino nodded and looked down to see that the mincino had fallen asleep in his arms. Seeing that both of the butlers were still there now glaring at each other Dino dismissed them so he could finish changing. Laying down the kitten on the bed he finished his pajama ensemble.

The blonde carefully picked up the kit and adjusted him in his arms. A small smile found it's way to Dino's face. Once he exited his room he found Romario (the butler he like the most out of all the Cavallone servants) waiting.

"Lady Agnese has given me orders to take the mincino for feeding." Romario stated. Dino handed over the brunet in his arms to the butler.

Maybe it was because Romario was already a grown adult and Dino a ten year old yet once again he was reminded of how small the kitten really was. As Dino made his way to his father's study those feelings of uneasiness about whether or not he'd be keeping the stray kitten made themselves present again.

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1,813 words! :D Thank you for everyone who reviewed and added this story to their Story Alerts and Reviewed.

I hope you keep enjoying the story and if you can please give me tips! Especially on characterization. I'm always always afraid I make the chara too OOC. One more note: The "nekos" are humans but with cat ears and tails. (Think of Loveless?) And in these past two chapters, Dino and Squalo are 10 and Kyoya is 5.

-With Love, ChocobiKitten