Family resemblance
Dino ran through Namimori, hoping he wouldn't arrive too late. When he finally reached the market where the explosions could be heard from, he found Tsuna and Basil facing a silver headed man. Dino silently cursed. He hadn't seen Squalo in years and he wasn't expecting him to have become even more menacing. However, Dino wasn't the same weak boy he used to be and he wasn't intimidated by Squalo anymore.
"You're just like always, Superbi Squalo" he said, in a cold voice. "Isn't it embarrassing being so rough on kids?"
Squalo hesitated for a moment as he recognized Dino.
"If you don't stop this distasteful game of yours, then I'll be your opponent" threatened Dino.
Once again, Dino saw Squalo hesitating but in a blink of an eye, the Varia officer had decided to grab Tsuna with a loud "VOIIII". Dino immediately reacted when Squalo touched his little brother but in a moment of confusion, another bomb exploded and Squalo disappeared with the rings. After making sure Tsuna was okay, Dino watched the direction where Squalo had run away. He didn't care about the rings, they were only fakes. No, what was upsetting him was seeing with his own eyes how Squalo, once more, had taken the wrong decision. Dino had tried to keep track of Squalo's doings for the last months and what he had discovered had confirmed his worst fears. But he hadn't had the heart to say anything to Gioia. However, seeing how things had turned out today, he knew he would soon have to face her and explain to her what her brother had been up to…
Gioia turned off the heat as the doorbell rang. She opened the door and barely hid her look of contempt when she discovered who was visiting her.
"Ciaossu!" greeted Reborn. "We need to talk. Can I come in?"
Gioia let him enter without saying anything and watched him take a seat at her table.
"I was about to cook something. You don't mind if I do while we talk?"
"I don't" answered the Arcobaleno.
Gioia nodded and set up to work. She could feel the little baby's stare at her back and felt really uncomfortable. As far as she could remember, Reborn had never trusted her, no matter how many times Dino had tried to convince him. He always saw her as Squalo's sister, the Varia's little protégée.
"How is your brother doing?" he suddenly asked.
"Fine, I suppose" she sighed.
"Have you talked to him recently?"
"No. I haven't really been in touch with him for the last year."
"You haven't talked to him for a year?" Reborn's voice was openly suspicious.
"Of course I talked to him!" she retorted, starting to get irritated. "But he only asked how I was doing and that's all! So stop bothering me with this!" She turned, pointing a kitchen knife at him. "What do you want to know, Reborn? Just say it already!"
Reborn smirked at her, his eyes hidden under his fedora's shadow, and Gioia used all her self control not to throw the knife at him. She knew the Arcobaleno would easily dodge so it wasn't worth it to risk getting her beautiful knife confiscated.
"You really don't know anything about your brother's plan?" Reborn insisted.
"You know perfectly well my brother never shared anything work-related with me. Back then, when that accident happened, he considered me a brat who didn't need to know anything about what was happening. And guess what? He still thinks so!"
Gioia rarely lost his temper but it had always been difficult with Reborn. She just loathed how he looked at her, judging her. Gioia held his gaze, refusing to lose against him. Finally, the Arcobaleno left his seat and made for the door. But before closing it behind him, he turned one last time to her.
"I'll say it just this once" he said, in a slow and menacing tone. "When the time comes, you better make the right choice, Gioia Gandor."
Stunned, Gioia watched the door close and stayed still for a moment, letting the threat sink in. Fuming, she threw the kitchen knife; it buried itself into the door, right where Reborn had been. The right choice? When the time comes? What was that stupid midget talking about?! After racking her brains for an hour, pacing and punching her pillows, Gioia gave up and grabbed her things to go to the hospital. Maybe a visit to Tanaka would calm her down.
Dino shook his head when Tsuna ran away from the hospital after they had explained to him everything about the rings. Seeing Tsuna reminded Dino of his younger self when he continuously ran away from his responsibilities. It had taken Reborn some time to make him understand he had no choice but to become the Cavallone boss. With an amused smile, Dino headed to the exit and ran into somebody who loudly swore in Italian.
"That wasn't really polite, Gioia…"
The girl's eyes widened as she recognized him.
"What are you doing here?"
Dino frowned at her reaction. He appreciated the usual smile and hug Gioia would give him when she saw each other after a long time. But the girl was currently looking quite upset and Dino had a really bad feeling about it.
"Just… business" he answered, trying to sound as natural as possible.
"Business?" she repeated, squinting at him with doubt.
"Y-Yes, mafia business" he added, carefully avoiding her gaze. "I was in Japan so I thought I'd visit Tsuna. And he happened to be at the hospital so-"
"Tsuna's here?!" she interrupted. "Is he okay?"
"He is. He just ran into… a little trouble."
Gioia stared at Dino, making him feel more and more uncomfortable. He could see that she was observing every detail on his face to decipher what he was hiding from her. She had been good at it since she was a little kid and although it amused Dino most of the time, it was a big disadvantage when you were trying to lie to her.
"What is going on, Dino?" she finally asked, her eyes insistent.
"Nothing much" he quickly said.
"I'm not a fool" she snapped. "I know Tsuna is someone important in the mafia! Why would Reborn tutor him otherwise!? I just can't figure out which family he's supposed to be a part of!"
Dino cursed inwardly. What was he supposed to do now? What was he allowed to tell her?
"You're right. He is important" he confessed. "But I can't tell you details, Gioia. I'm sorry. You should stay out of this and don't do anything… wrong."
Gioia's expression flickered and Dino instantly knew he had said what he shouldn't have.
When they had first met, part of Dino had truly wondered if Gioia and Squalo were actual siblings. Except for the colour of their eyes, everything seemed to differentiate them. That was what he had been thinking until he had seen Gioia in a fit of rage. It had happened one day, after school, when Dino had decided to pick her up. He had found her in front of her middle school, circled by a bunch of kids laughing and shouting insults at her. Dino had watched her putting down her bag and thought she was going to burst in tears. But when she had stood up again, he had unconsciously backed away, struck by her venomous expression. Before Dino could put himself together and stop her, she had hit several of the kids, sending one of them to the infirmary. When he had grabbed her, he had locked his eyes in hers and for one moment, he had felt as if he was facing Squalo. The same reckless, violent hatred that he had seen so many times in his friend's eyes. After that accident, it had taken months to Tanaka, Cas and Dino to help Gioia master her temper.
And right now, she seemed on the verge of losing control.
"Don't you dare say that to me" she snarled. "I don't care about what that damn Arcobaleno thinks. But you, Dino..."
The Cavallone boss felt a twinge in his heart. Even though she sounded furious, Dino could hear in her voice she was profoundly hurt. No matter how many times Dino had told Reborn that Gioia had nothing to do with any of Squalo's plans, the Arcobaleno had never trusted her. So it was highly possible that Reborn had directly threatened her in the view of what had happened that day. At a loss of words, Dino decided to simply apologize.
"I didn't mean to hurt you, Gioia" he whispered, lowering his head. "Please forgive me."
"You didn't mean it?" she shouted. "Then why did you say it? Why are you lying to me! I hate you, Din-"
Gioia gasped and Dino saw her face turn pale as she was staring at something behind him. He quickly turned and discovered the old butler Tanaka, a look of utter disappointment on his wrinkled face.
"Gioia" said Tanaka, cold and severe. "You apologize this instant."
Gioia hesitated for half a second before looking down, ashamed.
"I'm sorry" she muttered, fighting against tears.
"Who are you talking to?" the old man scolded.
"I-I'm sorry, Dino" she repeated, any trace of anger gone.
"Now, you leave this hospital, girl, and I don't want to see you until I call you. Understood?"
Gioia nodded and immediately obeyed. Dino, who had also shrunk under Tanaka's intimidating presence, watched her disappear in the crowd, feeling as distressed as her.
"That temper really is something" Tanaka let out a heavy sigh.
"You didn't have to be that hard on her" Dino mumbled.
"I had to, Dino. And you know it" he smiled at the young boss, suddenly looking just like an old tired man. "Now, I'd like you to explain to me why my child was so upset."
Note:
Yep, already an update with a short chapter! It helps not to have any exams left! If everything goes according to plan, the Varia should arrive next chapter! :D I just wanted to deal with Dino before that and give a little insight into Gioia's character :)
Thank you very much for the reviews! And welcome to the new readers! ^^
a simply fan: hahahaha I've been asked this so many times but I still haven't decided whom I'm going to pair Gioia with OTL I'm actually hesitating between a couple of characters but I don't want to say anything yet because I change my mind REALLY OFTEN so yeah ^^ Thanks for your constant support ;A;
QUESTION: So a simple fan's review made me curious and I wanted to know what you, readers, think: whom would you like to see Gioia be paired with? :) I'm just curious about what you feel ^^
Anyway, sorry for the blabber! Thank you for reading and have a nice day! :D
