Chapter 11

Two weeks. Squalo and Dino hadn't been speaking to each other since two weeks, except when it was unavoidable. The schoolmates by then were already used to see them two always together, so at the beginning they were quite surprised to notice the two friends were parted. And so they decided to throw oil on the fire spreading evil rumours, just for the pleasure of being total assholes.

Nevertheless, neither Dino nor Squalo were listening to them, they were just too busy calming down the storm that was upsetting them.

That day Reborn, seeing that Dino wasn't cohoperating, but he was just wandering around without a real reason, decided to scold his pupil. So Dino found himself right face to the ground. In a normal state he would have complained, but he just said nothing, he didn't even try to stand up. Reborn sighed in an annoyed way.

- You're just useless, Dino.

Silence was the only reply he got.

- What are you doing there? Move, react!

- … And what should I do?

- This is your business, just don't stand there like a sloth!

The blond boy just mumbled something, but stopped right when he saw Reborn's gun pointed at him. Reborn's tone of voice was menacing.

- Move, stand up and go out!

- To… To do what?

- You know.

- But…

Dino, who was just standing on his knees in that moment, found himself grounded again with the umpteenth kick from his tutor. When he finally managed to get up from the floor, he tried to say something, but Reborn had already vanished. He began torturing his hair, but stopped all of a sudden when he remembered Squalo's friendly pats. That again. He decided that for the moment he could've passed over that kiss, while thinking about what he really felt about the white haired boy. Now it was more important to get back together a friendship.

Squalo was practicing at the usual place. Swinging the sword was a thing that really relaxed him. He thrusted the blade, but he stopped the hit at half. He was going to hit the wrong person.

- DINO?

The blond boy breathed in relief. He had scrapes, so he probably had run all the way and had fallen to the ground many times. Like a gun, his voice striked Squalo's ears.

- Squalo!

Then Dino just fell down. With a feeble voice he murmured:

- I've fallen down, Squalo… Why don't you help me? What's happening to you?

The white haired boy instinctively leaned towards him, but did nothing at all.

- Dino…

- It's allright, I'll forget about the kiss and all, but you can't ask me to forget also our friendship. You're the very first friend I have, the very first who would support me… I can understand you're confused, I'm confused too, but I don't want to lose our friendship for such a thing. Squalo… I don't want to lose you…

Dino's voice had been increasing, while saying those things. Squalo stayed silent for some time, thinking about what the blond boy had told him. He then rubbed his head, took up his sword, which had fallen to the ground, then helped Dino stand up by holding him by an arm. Then sighed and barked:

- Vooi, you talk too much, I can't stand it.

Dino was utterly surprised, but understood he had gotten the message, so he murmured:

- So… Are we… Friends again?

- Something like that.

Squalo mumbled. The blond boy smiled happily. Squalo gazed at all the scrapes Dino had managed to get, then hissed angrily:

- Vooi, you should be careful too! You just can't come here complaining about my injuries when YOU, the king of self-inflicted pain, always need a nurse to take care of you!

Dino laughed lightly, then he turned to Squalo with a bright smile. Squalo couldn't explain the reason why, but he lost two or three heart beats. The latter kept holding Dino until they got to a bench, in the centre of the town.