Fanfic: Nubivagant Ch 11, Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

Minuet: a deceptively difficult dance for French aristocrats, conducted in triple meter

Surprisingly, the one who raised the alarm first was Tsuna. Kind, forgiving, trusting Tsuna.

This was a Tsuna who had gone to war for six long months in a future that he had seen destroyed with his own Flame. This was a Tsuna, who had learned to prioritize his own above all, who had stared death in the face and told it no, not today.

This was a Tsuna, who had, as Masami had once said, given up normalcy for everyone to live.

He watched the new transfer students introduce themselves with his Intuition ringing loud in his ears and shifted uneasily. By his side, Hayato and Takeshi glanced at him, too attuned to their Sky to not notice his anxiety immediately.

"Tsuna?"

"Juudaime?"

"What's wrong?" they asked together and then shot mild glares at each other.

Tsuna hesitated. "I don't know," he said finally. "I think…we should talk to Kyoya."

Hayato and Takeshi traded a long look, one hand going to the pocket with the lighter and the other going to the baseball bat in his bag. Their stances shifted in an instant, going into what Tsuna half-fondly and half-exasperatedly thought of as 'bodyguard mode'.

"Okay, we'll go talk to him at lunch," Takeshi said with a smile that leaned just a little too sharp. "Don't worry about it for now, ne?"

"Yeah, I'll protect you, Juudaime!"

"Oh wait," Tsuna realized. "I was too distracted to get their names."

"Maa, I'm sure it can't matter that much."

The training room on the second floor of the Varia Compound was cast in darkness, the lights turned off. Only the light of the full moon outside the bulletproof windows illuminated the still figure standing in the center of the room.

An outsider looking in might see a petite, slender silhouette with enough vague curves to suggest a young woman. The smooth lines of her shadow was broken up by the indication of a flared hem at the knees and the rectangular heels at the feet. The head was decorated with loops and curls in some sort of elaborate style with long, cylindrical pins.

The figure broke from her stillness to raise a hand to the ceiling, and the distinctive shape of a fan joined the shape. The other arm was raised to the side, an identical-seeming fan held parallel to the floor.

New position in place, she froze once more, graceful and motionless as a marble statue of old.

A cloud passed over the moon, briefly throwing the room in utter darkness once more. When the moonlight creeped across the floor boards once more, like some unspoken signal had been given, the figure began to move at last in a dance that combined too many styles to be classified as any singular one.

Each practiced shift was done in agonizingly slow motion, as if her limbs were being dragged through quicksand, but there was no denying the utter control being displayed from the tip of her fingers to the points of her feet. A masterclass in how every part of the body was expressed in dance.

As the figure gradually twirled across the room, the edges of the two fans began to glow a soft purple. She began leaving streaks of purple light behind her with each movement of her hands, fiery after-images that dispersed into nothingness within moments. Strings of fireflies dancing in the night only to die when their short time came to an end.

It would have been a beautiful display on its own. But as if dissatisfied, she who was now surrounded by dissipating purple arcs of light began to move faster. And faster. The purple streaks became longer, spiraling in various shapes. It was as if an artist was doodling in the air with glow-in-the-dark purple paint.

Yet, the figure continued to move faster. Faster. Faster. Faster until the entire room was overlaid with crossing strands of purple Flame, its source nothing but a blur to the naked eye, more trails being created faster than the old ones could fade away. The pattern created was lovely if abstract, the kind of art that would be hung in museums for pedestrians to stare blankly at.

If the observing outsider had been Stupid enough to attempt to touch a part of the spider web being created before his eyes, he would have instantly developed third-degree burns on contact. Trying to charge through it with no protection would probably have resulted in a thousand corpse pieces left on the floor for Housekeeping to clean up in the morning.

The one who danced was still young, though. Still developing, still growing. She couldn't keep this up for long. And indeed, a few minutes later, she started slowing down until she once more stood in the center of the room in the same position she started in.

There, she paused, still but for the panting breaths that shook her torso. A heartbeat passed. And then another.

Finally, training completed, the fans were snapped closed with a twitch of experienced fingers, and she relaxed into a more neutral position. As the sun creeped over the horizon, she spun and slid into an elegant curtsy for the watching outsider leaning against the open doorway.

"Greetings. Was there something I could help with?"

Xanxus just raised an eyebrow. "Go see Lussuria after breakfast. You pushed your left side too far. And stop doing this bullshit in the dark. We look like an amusement park out here."

"What is it, small animal?" These days, Kyoya would, with great reluctance, situate himself on top of the water tower and eat his lunch there. So long as they didn't get too loud, he'd even generously ignore the crowding happening below him on the rooftop.

And of course, should they forget this rule, he'd gleefully bit them to death.

(These days, his Elements all stayed as close to him as possible, equal parts protective and possessive. Tsuna hadn't even been able to bring himself to complain, not when he grew anxious himself if he didn't see everyone at least once a day.

Just to be sure everyone was still fine. Just to be sure everyone was still alive.)

Today, Tsuna had gathered up his courage and climbed up the ladder, Hayato and Takeshi right behind him. He looked up at the wandering Cloud whose shadow kept the entire school safe and knew he was going to make him distinctly unhappy with what he said next.

"Those new transfer students…did the Disciplinary Committee look into them?" he asked.

Kyoya, resting on his back with his head on his folded arms, grunted in response. "Their houses were impacted by the earthquake so they transferred here from Simon Middle School. Other than that, everything else looked fine. The littlest one lost his parents young."

Tsuna wanted to hesitate, wanted to claim that maybe he was making something out of nothing, but he'd made that mistake in the future one too many times and people had gotten hurt because of it. Inaction had cost him far more than action ever had. "Can we look into them a little further?"

An ominous pause. Kyoya lifted his head and turned to peer down at him with narrowed grey-purple eyes. He could already feel those familiar Cloud Flames starting to stir with agitation. "More scavengers here to threaten the peace of Namimori, omnivore?"

Tsuna took a deep breath, took reassurance in the familiar presences of Hayato and Takeshi at his back. "My Intuition says they're not what they appear to be," he said honestly. "Whether that's good or bad…well, it's rarely been good for us before, right?"

"Hn." Kyoya sat up in one fluid movement and jumped off the water tower to land beside Tsuna, already looking outwards to the Territory he claimed as his. "I will investigate. Small animal, ask the baby to look into them as well."

Tsuna breathed a sigh of relief and felt his shoulders relax a touch. "Thank you, Kyoya." His Cloud was ever dependable even when roaming as he pleased.

"Hmph, don't get used to it." Kyoya glanced at Hayato and Takeshi, who had remained quiet, content to let Tsuna do his thing. Adding more voices — and thus noise — to the space would only have aggravated Kyoya further. "Crowding herbivores, guard the omnivore well."

"Tch, like I need you to tell me that, you violent prefect," Hayato muttered but pressed closer to Tsuna all the same.

Takeshi laughed and placed a hand on Tsuna's shoulder. "Of course we will, Kyoya. Good hunting."

"You guys," Tsuna said weakly after Kyoya had left, "I still need to breathe…"

"Whoops, sorry, Tsuna!"

"Juudaime! Are you okay!?"

"Shishishi, are you sure you're ready for this, Signorina?" Belphegor grinned at the little lady standing opposite him in the large, reinforced training room, knives already held idly between his fingers. She had asked him for a sparring session yesterday, and he had been bored and curious enough to agree.

Right now, at rest, the Signorina gave off only the faintest trace of Cloud Flames as always, control immaculate; a fool could be fooled into thinking her easy prey ripe for the picking. She replied with a meaningless smile and a curtsy that would have made the Royal Governess cry tears of joy. "I am in Your Highness' care."

If nothing else, the Prince could appreciate that she was the only one around here who knew to show proper manners towards Royalty, however fake that courtesy might be. The Boss didn't count — he was a King and acted as Kings should.

From what he remembered of that strange dream, she should put up a decent fight. "Very well. Then let's get started." And with a flick of his wrists, he sent his knives flying. Perfectly on target, of course.

Without so much as a blink, the Signorina batted them all aside with her tessen with enough force to embed the knives on each side of the wall. Did she know about his wires? The placement of each discarded knife and subsequent wire created a rather convenient criss-crossed path between them.

Well, no matter. Even if she did know, that wouldn't save her. Belphegor sent out another wave of knives absently and was met with the same reaction. Now, wires divided the room and neither would be able to cross without cutting themselves. And still, she hadn't moved from her spot so much as a centimeter.

"Do you even have any long-range capabilities?" he asked curiously. Would she put herself at such a disadvantage on purpose or was she simply dumber than he thought?

"Do I?"

Half a second later, pure instinct had him jerking to the side before a projectile could hit the side of his throat. Belphegor glanced back and saw one of her hair pins quivering in the wall, lingering wisps of Cloud Flames already quietly vanishing.

Oh? That moved much faster through the air than it should have. "So you've learned to infuse your weapons with your Flames. Not bad."

It was a significant jump from bolstering yourself with your Flames — something most Flame Users did, unconsciously or not — to pouring enough Flame into an inanimate object for enough of it to take effect mid-air and not immediately disperse as soon as contact was broken. Her progress was still slower than Belphegor's had been, but he was a genius. It wouldn't be fair to hold peasants up to the same standards he held himself to.

"But is that all you can do?" Belphegor let his own Storm Flames flare, sharpening his sight and warming the metal held in his hands. Like this, he could clearly see all of his wires spread out across the room, and yes, the placement had to have been deliberate by her to impede both of their movements equally.

She still hadn't made any move to seriously attack rather than deflect. How odd, he would have expected more…initiative from a Cloud who might be able to settle in the Boss' Inner Court. "If you continue wasting my time, I'll have to punish you. Because I am a Prince."

"Apologies, your Highness. I just needed a little time to warm up." Without warning or any prior build-up that he would have sensed, elegantly vicious Cloud Flames spiked, subtly tinged with hunger and gluttony enough to engulf the entire planet under its umbra, all concentrated in her fans and her feet.

The Signorina lunged forward at last in a burst of speed that even Belphegor's eyes had some trouble tracking, an ambush predator unleashed and ready to kill their prey with one lethal bite, a cheetah sprinting across the plains. With the sharp edge of her Flame-lined fan, she sliced through all of the wires in-between them effortlessly and was right in front of him, midway through a swing that would decapitate him, having crossed the entire room in two seconds flat.

Belphegor laughed. "Yes. Yes, that's more like it!"

"I can look into it," Reborn said, later that night when the children were asleep. "But you have bigger things to worry about, Dame-Tsuna."

"Eh? Like what?"

Reborn waved an ornate-looking envelope at him. "The Ninth sends his regards. It's time for your Inheritance Ceremony. It'll be next week."

"Hieeeeeeeee!? Already!?" Tsuna flailed, heart suddenly going double-time. He knew what the Ceremony was, of course, but — "I thought that would be when I'm eighteen! Isn't this too early!?" He'd thought he had four more years to figure out the whole Mafia situation!

Reborn jumped up and bopped him with a Leon-ruler on the head gently…by Reborn standards anyway. "Panicking is not Mafia Boss Behavior," he scolded. "You should never lose your head when faced with unexpected news."

"Ow," Tsuna pouted, cradling the new lump on his skull. "No one would be calm when told they're going to inherit the biggest, baddest Mafia Family in a week, Reborn."

"You need to be anyway," Reborn said, as implacable as ever. "And as for why now…" He tilted his fedora forward to shadow his eyes, and oh no, that was a huge red flag. "The Ninth didn't say but I suspect he thinks Xanxus is a threat to the Family."

…wait, what?

"Xanxus?" Tsuna repeated, honestly confused.

He had met the Varia Boss again in that bloody not-future and had found him much more settled, his Sky Flames no longer screaming in Discord as they had during the Ring Battles and instead solidly balanced by a complete set of Guardians. Xanxus had even, if somewhat begrudgingly, called him "baby Decimo" the entire time and saved his life once or twice.

The man Tsuna had met…had been intense and fierce and violently protective. Exactly how a Wrath Sky should be, and one that Tsuna had recognized, even in his inexperience, any Mafia Boss should be honored to have in their Family.

The one and only time Tsuna had brushed his Flames against Xanxus', the older Sky had been grouchily teaching him how to use the Harmonization aspect of Sky Flames to help Discordant Elements heal. It had been one of the few Sky-specialties that Future Dino really hadn't been able to help him with but one that had been essential at the time with Mukuro and Chrome teetering on the brink, stressed to the breaking point by the Vindice and Byakuran's games.

(Oh! That reminded him, he really needed to persuade Chrome, Ken, and Chikusa to move out of the dump that was Kokuyo Land and come live in Namimori. And he had to find enough leverage to get the Vindice to release Mukuro.

Ughhhh, Tsuna could scream sometimes when looking at his to-do list since returning from the not-future.)

Back then, Xanxus' Flame had been coiled and powerful but not aggressive, like a sleepy dragon uninterested in chomping on you unless you went after its treasures. Tsuna had been startled by the whisper of Cloud that rose from the very center of those Flames to greet him, a Cloud that he had recognized immediately though he'd never actively felt it before while Flame Active.

Future Masami's Flames had been as cool and graceful as she must have been herself, making contact with a soft, careful touch before retreating once more. Finally properly Harmonized with Kyoya as he had been — during the very peak of battle, of course, both of them barely alive, after a match in stubbornness and frustration — Tsuna had been astounded at how her Flames differed from her brother's.

Kyoya's Flames were so pure and powerful that only the Vongola Cloud Ring could match him. He was a thick, dense, far-reaching Cloud in Tsuna's Sky, forever floating up high but always there and visible, casting a long shadow that Tsuna could hide under whenever he needed a break.

Future Masami's Flames in Xanxus' Sky had been more of a…fog? Light, airy, and dispersed, liable to fade away silently in the morning blue. Her Secondary Mist Flames had been much stronger than Kyoya's, creating a strange sense of constant movement, too faint to pinpoint but disorientating enough to have given Tsuna second-hand car sickness anyway.

(Xanxus had laughed for a solid five minutes when Tsuna had gone green at first contact and had to run to the bathroom to throw up.)

If Kyoya was an easy to find but too strong to control Cloud, then Masami had been a drifting Cloud just out of reach and too insubstantial to trap, always one gust ahead of you.

Xanxus' Sky had been spread wide and free, not surrounding or enveloping Masami's Flames at all. Like an open home base whenever that Cloud wanted to rest in it for a while, light as a feather barely touching the ground before being blown off by the wind again, rather than a confining house.

In fact, all of his Bonds had been like that, some sticking closer than others, but each and every one free to wander as far as they pleased, because Xanxus' Sky had been powerful enough to stretch from horizon to horizon, and nowhere was too far or out of his reach. No matter where they went, they would go underneath that vast, watchful Sky.

To this day, Future Xanxus was the only Sky that Tsuna had ever met who could do that. Dino, Uni, Tsuna and even Byakuran instinctively sheltered their Elements snug within their Sky, providing a place where they would always belong and keeping everyone close.

That kind of rare autonomous mentality was probably what made Xanxus such an excellent Sky for the Varia, where they needed more independence and space than more traditional Families.

Tsuna certainly couldn't have done it. Even now, he carefully brushed all of his Bonds with a touch of Sky to reassure himself that they were all still there and safe, and got a gentle pulse back from each one, even the sleeping Lambo.

(Well, Kyoya's response was more of an irritated why-are-you-disturbing-me-omnivore bonk but same thing.)

How could that Xanxus, perhaps slightly different now in the past but still the same person, and Masami's Sky, be a threat? To the Family of all things? Xanxus loved Vongola. It was the crown on which all of his other jewels rested, the greatest of his treasures.

"Tsk. Use your thick head, Dame-Tsuna. With Masami joining the Varia and nominally in the Cloud Officer position, Xanxus now has a full set of Guardians, which he didn't before. He's more powerful now. Naturally, the Ninth is concerned that he'll plan another coup," Reborn said.

Tsuna…squinted. "That doesn't sound right," he said dubiously. "Are you sure Vongola Nono is using his head?"

"It's not the place of subordinates to question the Boss," Reborn quipped, which was all but an agreement from him. "Anyways, regardless of the reason, the Ceremony has already been announced, and Mafia from around the world will be gathered to witness your ascension."

Tsuna grimaced and looked out his bedroom window. All of that sounded awful to him. It wasn't too late to beg Kyoya to help him run away to the Carribeans, was it? He knew some English now, he'd be fine.

WHACK!

"Don't even think about it, Dame-Tsuna."

"Hiiiiiieeeeeee! Reborn! That hurt!"

…actually, speaking of Xanxus and Masami…

"You have Squalo's number, right, Takeshi?" Tsuna asked the next morning, swerving into a road they didn't normally take to school when his Intuition gave a grumpy warning. He would be avoiding the new transfer students as much as possible, thanks.

"Yeah! Why, what's up, Tsuna?" Takeshi folded his arms behind his head, deceptively at ease as if his eyes weren't constantly scanning their surroundings for threats.

Tsuna resisted the urge to sigh. Everyone was so paranoid now. Including himself. "Can you call him? I want to talk to Masami-san if I can." If he was going to be Vongola Decimo — which he was still trying to think of a way out of — then he might as well use the Family resources.

He wasn't going to ask Vongola Nono for help, though, not after what Reborn had told him last night. And the less said about his useless father, the better.

"Sure! Hold up a second."

Hayato grumbled under his breath and dragged them under a nearby tree, chewing aggressively on the gum that he'd started using to break off his nicotine addiction. "Why are we contacting her, Juudaime? If you need any help, I'd be more than happy to serve!"

Tsuna sweatdropped. "Hayato, you're going to mess up your jaw if you keep chewing like that." The chewing calmed down instantly. "And I know we're going to be really busy preparing for the Ceremony and all that. The Varia won't be. Probably."

Hayato somehow blushed and started tearing up at the same time. "Juudaime…! You're such a considerate Boss! We don't deserve you!"

"There, there." Tsuna helplessly pat Hayato on the head and looked at Takeshi for help, only to get an amused grin in response. A second later, a ringing phone was put on speaker and pressed into his hand.

Squalo picked up on the third ring, already yelling in Japanese. "YOU! WHAT DO YOU WANT!? JUST BECAUSE MY NUMBER DIDN'T CHANGE DOESN'T MEAN YOU GET TO CALL WHENEVER YOU WANT! DO YOU KNOW HOW LATE IT IS!? I'M BUSY!"

Tsuna winced and held the phone farther away from him. By his side, Takeshi laughed and leaned over his shoulder to say into the phone, "But you recognized my number and picked up immediately, Squalo, even though I've never called you in this time before."

"SHUT UP! THAT'S JUST QUALITY, DAMN IT!"

"Maa, sure, sure. Hey, Tsuna wants to talk to Masami, could you patch us through?"

"YOU! WHAT AM I, A SECRETARY!? FUCK OFF AND CALL HER YOURSELF!"

"But we don't have her number."

"Sounds like a skill issue," Squalo groused, quieter but still unimpressed. "Better level up, brat, you're still a long way from Varia Quality."

"Hey, just because you guys have turned stalking into an art — "

"Squalo-san," Tsuna finally cut in before they got hung up on. "It's about a possible threat to Vongola and Namimori. Masami-san would want to know."

A long silent pause. Tsuna fidgeted and hoped he wouldn't hang up anyway. Hayato gave him a thumbs-up and a proud smile, tears streaming down his face. Takeshi just patted his shoulder reassuringly and grinned.

"...fine," Squalo grumbled at last. "But get her number this time, you! This is the only time I'll do this!"

And then, before anyone could respond, they got treated to what the Varia seemed to think of as waiting music: hardcore American rap with enough curse words thrown in that Tsuna could recognize them.

"..." they said.

Thankfully, half a minute later, there was a click and a familiar voice speaking in gently accented Italian. "Greetings."

Tsuna perked up, already feeling much better. He would sometimes get updates from Kyoya on how Masami was doing if he asked on a good day, but it had been a while since he'd heard her voice himself. "Masami-san! It's me, Tsuna!"

"Hey, Masami!"

"Ugh, it's the maiko witch."

A soft laugh. "Greetings, everyone," she said, switching smoothly to Japanese. "To what do I owe the honor of a call transferred from Squalo-san himself?"

Tsuna cringed at the reminder. "Yeah, sorry about that…"

"We wouldn't have had to resort to this if you had just given us your new number in the first place, maiko witch!" Hayato bristled in place and shoved another piece of gum in his mouth.

"Well, this is the first time in a while that I've had access to a secure landline. But you're right that this is a matter that should be remedied. I'll text you my new number."

"Oh." Hayato blinked, building fury abruptly deflating at the unexpectedly agreeable response. It didn't even sound like she was being sarcastic. "Yeah, well, you'd better," he finally muttered, kicking a pebble on the ground with his hands in his pockets.

Tsuna held back a smile at his cute Storm before straightening up and focusing back on important topics. Hayato and Takeshi mirrored him immediately, the air turning serious in an instant. "Masami-san, I have a mission for the Varia. Off the books."

"...oh? Should I be transferring this call to Xanxus-san?" Masami sounded idly curious but not especially invested or concerned.

Tsuna noted the lack of title given to Xanxus but didn't comment. "Not yet," he said. "I don't want to bother him until I have something more concrete. But I do need the Varia's information-gathering abilities."

Masami hummed and replied, "Alright. I'm listening."

Oh good. He hadn't really expected Masami to turn him down but giving orders like this, even circumstantially, to a Cloud not his own had still been a risk. (Though, to be honest, Kyoya still didn't listen to him half the time.) That was one hurdle down. "Seven students just transferred to Namimori Middle. My Intuition marked them as a potential threat, and I want to know why."

He glanced at Hayato, who nodded, ever prepared, already tapping away at his phone. "Hayato's sending you the details. Kyoya and Reborn are looking into it, too, but we'll all be busy with the Inheritance Ceremony soon, and I don't want this left by the wayside."

Masami was silent, presumably reading through whatever Hayato had sent her. As the lack of response stretched, though, Tsuna couldn't help but anxiously prompt, "Masami-san?" Did he push too far? Was she mad at him?

To his surprise, she finally replied in a tone far warmer than anything he'd ever heard from her before, "You're much stronger and more proactive these days, Tsunayoshi-san. I'm very proud of you."

"Oh!" Tsuna had to take a second to process that and then immediately blushed bright red. He couldn't help it — Masami was the first person he had ever genuinely sought approval from after Mom and to hear it like this —

His stomach did something funny. His cheeks burned. Tsuna blabbered something nonsensical and promptly fainted.

"Tsuna!"

"Juudaime!"

(Masami listened to the chaos on the other side of the line and laughed quietly to herself. "Some things never change," she mused and hung up.)

Half a world away, Masami considered the new task she had been handed. She doubted the boys had remembered that Italy was seven whole hours behind Japan, which meant it was currently the witching hour here.

Not that the Varia ever slept. She had been in her office (the Cloud Officer's office) when the call had been transferred over. With the exception of perhaps Belphegor who prized his Royal Sleep, the Officers were probably all awake, too.

Information gathering on this scale wasn't really the Cloud Division's strong suit. There was a reason that the intra-Division Info Team was mostly made up of Mists with some Rains and Suns thrown in. But an "off the books" mission…

Well. She did know one particular Mist with excellent information gathering skills. And she even knew what they would ask for in exchange.

"Officer Mammon."

"Mou." They looked up from this quarter's budget sheets to see the Boss' new Nameless Cloud curtsying in their doorway, amused by the title she had taken to calling them to satisfy her need for formality. "What is it?"

"I have a personal request."

"That'll be 1000," they replied automatically.

She looked them straight in the hood and walked forward to put a stack of euros on their table. "Done."

Oh? Mammon swooped down to grab the stack and count through the bills at lightning speed. Exactly as they'd requested, not a single euro short. "Mou, I'm impressed. You know the value of money. Fine, talk."

"I want a thorough background check on the Simon Family."

"A whole Family?" Mammon said dubiously. "That'll be expensive."

"As far as I can tell, the Family is composed of seven main members."

Ah. Nevermind. "Transfer an amount equal to an S-Rank Mission pay to my bank account and I'll do it," Mammon said, knowing full well that this sort of mission would typically be classified as B-Rank at best.

If she wanted a mediocre job done, then she could go to someone else. If she wanted the World's Strongest Esper, then she'd need to pay the price.

The only one for whom Mammon would ever do anything for free was their Sky. This was already a discounted rate from their usual, in concession to the fact that the one asking was a potential fellow Element their Sky was courting.

She took out her phone from her pocket and tapped at it for a minute. "Done."

Mammon checked their bank account and nodded in approval. "Transaction completed. When do you need the information?"

"As soon as possible."

"Mou, I should charge you an expedition fee, but I'll let you off this once. I'll come find you in the evening."

"Thank you, Officer Mammon."

Mammon was Quality and an Arcobaleno to boot. When they said they would deliver, they delivered.

Masami flipped through the report they had handed her exactly as promised and sighed. She had hoped this would remain a small concern, easily dealt with. Instead, she got a ticking time bomb all the way from Vongola's founding.

How irritating. How like Tsunayoshi's luck that this matter had been buried for nine whole generations but chose to resurface now.

Standing up, she left her office and headed straight for Xanxus'. Even from the hallway outside, she could feel the supernova Wrath Flames burning inside like a kotatsu that would gladly provide warmth and protection if only she let it.

Masami ignored it as usual and knocked.

"Come in."

Masami stepped inside with a curtsy and got an idle glance from crimson eyes. It looked like Xanxus had already completed all of his paperwork and was preparing to either sleep or go blow up training dummies on the second floor. It was always hard to tell with him. "What is it?"

"I received a request from Signore Tsunayoshi to investigate a potential threat to the Vongola early this morning," she said. "The background check from Officer Mammon puts this threat at SSS level and could result in interference at the Inheritance Ceremony."

As she'd expected, the mention of a threat to the Vongola got his attention immediately, despite the instinctual flicker of annoyance that Tsunayoshi's name prompted. Xanxus scowled and rounded his desk. When he held out his hand, she relinquished the report without protest.

Masami waited patiently as Xanxus rapidly scanned the papers with practiced focus, frown deepening by the page. "What the fuck is this bullshit?" he growled. "From Primo's time? Really!? And right when the old man's losing his shit, too."

She held back a grimace. So far, Xanxus hadn't brought her to any of his required weekly meetings with the Ninth, for which she was grateful for. Everytime they came back from the Main House, Squalo would have steam coming out of his ears while Xanxus blanketed the entire Compound in his Wrath and shot at anyone Stupid enough to get in his way.

…Masami might be getting a bit spoiled, surrounded as she was by competent agents who either took care of themselves with little to no attention from her or removed themselves from the premises in a body bag if they didn't. As a result, her tolerance for foolishness had greatly decreased, which could be a problem if she ever did have to meet the Ninth Generation.

Fortunately, she was both still technically on "probation" and also not one of Xanxus' Guardians. She could dodge useless political meetings for a while longer.

Unfortunately, that didn't mean she wasn't well aware of the myriad of issues that masqueraded as Vongola Nono and Xanxus' familial relationship. Not something she wanted to touch with a ten meter pole, even if it looked more and more likely that she wouldn't be able to bypass all of it without drastic measures.

"Tsk…what's all this about Sin and Penalty? What are we, a fucking church!?" Xanxus finally looked up and tossed back the file. "Make a copy and send it to the Officers. And tell the shitty shark and fucking peacock to get in here. Something big like this, I have to tell the old man myself."

Masami nodded, expression neutral. "And Signore Tsunayoshi?"

Xanxus made a face like it disgusted him to even think about their prospective new Don but seemed more resigned than angry. They had been…not close but not antagonistic in that strange not-future, hadn't they? The details had long since slipped her mind, as dreams were wont to do. "Since that wimpy trash had the nerve to ask, may as well send it to him, too. We can't look like fucking sissies at our own Inheritance Ceremony."

"Ehhhhhhh!? There are Flames of the Earth, too!?" Tsuna was baffled. Baffled. He had finally gotten his head wrapped around the whole Flames of the Sky business, and now there was more!? How was this fair!?

"I've never heard of it either," Reborn commented, going over the report that Masami had sent them with a handheld magnifying glass in a full-on detective outfit. "Looks like your Intuition was right, Dame-Tsuna. Congratulations."

"Not one of those words were helpful," Tsuna informed his sadistic tutor. "Not one."

"I can always say more of them if you want."

"No thanks." Tsuna made an X with his arms and groaned, ruffling his hair. "Great, now we've got another Family after us for some historical betrayal that no one's heard of, with Flames that also no one's heard of. And the Inheritance Ceremony is in eleven days!"

"You should think on the bright side, Dame-Tsuna. Now you can get rid of two birds with one stone by defeating the Simon Family and thereby proving your strength to the Mafia at your Ceremony."

"Reborn, why is your solution always violence!?"

"Violence gets results."

Tsuna rolled his eyes and got up. It was almost time for school, and he could feel Hayato and Takeshi waiting for him from the gentle tugs on his Flames. If he delayed anymore, they'd panic and probably kick the front door down. Again.

"That's not the kind of person I want to be," he said. "I'll discuss this with the others and see what they think."

Reborn watched from a nearby tree, binoculars in hand, as Tsuna gathered his Guardians around him on the rooftop as much as he could. The Bovino brat was still in elementary school. Mukuro was present only through Chrome, and Hibari stayed on top of the water tower.

Mukuro and Hibari still avoided each other whenever possible. The only time Hibari would so much as tolerate Mukuro's presence was if a) Tsuna was in the area to appease them both with his Sky Flames, b) it was a truly urgent situation, and c) he was out of sight, out of hearing, and concealing his Flames beneath Chrome's so Hibari could pretend with some plausible deniability that he didn't exist.

Tsuna was working on it. Perhaps one day they might even cooperate as Guardians should, if only for Tsuna's sake.

His student was progressing nicely. Being thrown ten years into the future and then straight onto a war torn battlefield hadn't been something even Reborn could have planned for, but it had worked out in the end:

Dame-Tsuna had finally properly Harmonized with all of his Elements and started coming into his own as a Sky.

As Reborn had always told him, facing down adversity together was a powerful bonding experience. The kids were all closer now, to Tsuna and to each other, and stronger for it. Sure, they had all been forced to grow up and were blooded far earlier than he had planned, but —

Even Reborn, the World's Strongest Hitman, couldn't shield them from the Millefiore's danger while trapped at the base due to the poison radiation in the air. There had been nothing he could do but train them and provide coaching from afar, no matter how much that had smarted.

Still, what was done was done. However unconsciously, Tsuna was taking care of his Family as a Mafia Boss should, as a Sky should, and even reaching out further to the Varia through his existing relationship with the new Cloud Officer. That was well-beyond what Reborn had originally expected at this point in his training.

Now, he just needed a little more seasoning and experience before he'd make a magnificent Mafia Boss. That, and an important enough incentive to actually take the position. Tsuna was a classic Sky; a threat to his chosen Family that could only be defied through the power offered by Vongola was Reborn's bet.

True, Tsuna could probably be more adjusted to the Mafia policy of 'shoot first and ask never', but Reborn wasn't holding his breath on that one. Even he couldn't get a stubborn Sky with a full set of Guardians backing him up to transform into a full-on 'carnivore', as Hibari would call it, against his will.

Reborn had come to terms with that months in and had thus been completely unsurprised when Tsuna had come out of that future war with blood on his hands but that soft, pacifist heart unchanged. Tsuna had at least come to terms with the need to fight and even kill for his Family, even if that wasn't his first response.

Perhaps that was for the better, given Nono's hopes for the Vongola Decimo's inevitable reign.

For now, Reborn would watch and wait to see what this new Generation would decide.

Takeshi listened closely as Tsuna explained the situation to them, Hayato chiming in here and there with more details from the file that he had already memorized on the way to school. Maybe Before, he would have tuned out all the small details, but he'd learned his lesson.

A new opponent in the Mafia Game right as Tsuna was about to level-up? Come on, that wasn't sportsmanship-like at all.

"Gah," Hayato grumbled after everything was cleanly laid out. "Who knew those new transfer students would be this bothersome! We should just wipe them all out before they become a threat to Juudaime."

"Kufufufu, I agree," said the illusory Mukuro sitting next to Chrome.

"Shut up! I wasn't talking to you!"

"They do sound very extreme!" Ryohei said, on his feet and working off his extra energy by practicing boxing moves on an imaginary opponent. "I'm sure we can become friends though! After an extreme fight, just like with the Varia!"

"You — turftop idiot, that's not how it works!"

"Eh? I thought the winner gets the loser's friendship! Isn't that the extreme rule of the Mafia?"

"Well, yes, but not like that! Argh, explaining anything to dumbasses is a waste of my brain…"

"That's not very extreme at all, octopus head!"

"OI!"

"Hahaha, what do you think, Tsuna?" Takeshi asked his best friend under the dim of everyone's usual antics.

Tsuna had been tense and anxious over this all morning, and he still had that worried furrow to his brow now. It was too reminiscent of how he had looked Before, and Takeshi didn't like to see it. He had developed a little trick though. Takeshi let out a gentle ripple of Rain Flames and was satisfied to feel Tsuna relax and lean against him. The sudden quiet from the others was a bonus.

"...I don't know," Tsuna responded, staring blankly into his half-eaten bento box. "I don't want to fight if we can talk it out. Maybe there's a misunderstanding somewhere. We don't have a clue what these new Flames of Earth can do, so I'd rather avoid a fight if we can."

Takeshi hummed encouragingly. "Yeah? We can do that." And if they didn't respond well to talking it out…well, there was always his sword to help Tsuna out.

Hayato echoed his thoughts, as he usually did nowadays in matters regarding Tsuna, "And if not, we'll just wipe them all out for you, Juudaime! They can't be allowed to interrupt your big day!"

"Why do you make it sound like my wedding or something…?" Tsuna sighed and looked up at the Mist Twins. "What do you think, Chrome?"

Chrome startled, still shy and used to fading into the background although they had all been working on that. "M-Me? Umm…I think…it's a good idea but we should be prepared if things go badly."

"Kufufufu, my darling Chrome is right. No one from the Mafia can be trusted," Mukuro said, conveniently ignoring the fact that he was also from the Mafia. "You should be ready for them to betray you, Tsunayoshi. Just like how one day I will betray you and take control of your body."

"Okay, Mukuro," Tsuna said, unconcerned. Mukuro made that threat all the time and never went through with it. It was kind of funny now. Even Tsuna had stopped reacting to it after the third time Mukuro put himself in the line of fire to save him during their trip to the future.

(Takeshi tried not to think too hard about the Before of their return, of that particular level in the Mafia Game. It always made him feel unarmed and undefended, out in the open for anyone to take a shot at them. Snipers were such a cheat.)

"Actually, on that subject," Tsuna said, brightening a little, "Hayato, have you had any luck?"

Hayato sat up straight and nodded eagerly. "Yes, Juudaime! Like you asked, I looked into past cases when the Vindice let a prisoner go. I think, once you're Vongola Decimo, you'll have the power and standing to bargain with the Vindice into letting that stupid pineapple go into your custody."

Off to the side, Mukuro visibly jerked. Tsuna was taking in everything Hayato said with his Serious Game Face on, his Sky aglow in his eyes. He nodded and said thoughtfully, "Okay, so as long as the Inheritance Ceremony proceeds, then — "

"Tsunayoshi," Mukuro cut in, eyes wide and illusory form wavering. Woah, Takeshi had never seen him do anything like this before. He didn't know why Mukuro was so surprised; he clearly hadn't been paying enough attention to Tsuna.

Although, to be fair, it was probably hard to do that when you were semi-possessing someone else's mind and mostly stuck in Vindicare.

This sounded like a super convenient solution, though, especially with that ceremony coming up so soon. And pretty much tailor-made to convince Tsuna, who would do anything for them, to finally give in and accept the position he'd been resisting for as long as Takeshi had known about the Mafia Game.

…huh. That was kinda suspicious. Takeshi wondered if Hayato had ended up finding research conveniently placed by a certain kid who was really invested in Tsuna becoming Boss. He would have to ask Hayato about it later.

"What are you doing!?" Mukuro hissed, sounding well and truly agitated now. "I'm perfectly fine where I am, I don't need your pity! And to accept the position of Vongola Decimo — I thought you were better than that — "

"Mukuro," Tsuna said, frowning now. "You can't think I was ever going to leave you there, did you?"

Mukuro gaped at him. Chrome glanced rapidly between Mukuro and Tsuna, hope and delight starting to bloom on her face. For his part, Takeshi just grinned and leaned back on his hands, letting Tsuna work his magic even on the recalcitrant Mist.

"You're one of mine," Tsuna continued solemnly, and they could all feel his Sky expanding to fill the rooftop, pure and vast and the truest home Takeshi had ever known. He sighed, relaxing into it, while Hayato near melted onto the ground. Ryohei settled nearby with a warm grin.

Mukuro looked like someone had hit him on the head with a baseball or maybe torn his entire world out from underneath him. Yeah, Takeshi was familiar with that feeling. On an entirely separate page from her twin, Chrome was beaming now, something almost smug in her expression.

Tsuna stared at him with his beautiful orange eyes and said, unyielding conviction ringing in every word, "I'll get you out. Even if that means becoming Vongola Decimo. I promise you, Mukuro."

And how could anyone ever doubt him when he spoke like that?

Mukuro spent a long moment looking back at Tsuna like he was a dream born from his deepest wishes or perhaps a particularly cruel illusion. Finally, he ducked his head and looked at the ground. "...very well. I'll hold you to that, Tsunayoshi."

And if his voice was kinda strangled and choked, well, everyone here would do him the favor of pretending not to notice.

Tsuna nodded firmly. "Good. And once you're out, you can bring Chrome and the others to come live in Namimori."

"Now you're getting ahead of yourself," Mukuro grumbled. As if he wasn't pointedly looking away with a faint blush on his face. Poor guy really didn't like being this transparent, huh.

RING!

"Oh, hey, that's the bell," Takeshi said into the startled silence.

Half a second later, Kyoya jumped down from the water tower with tonfas already in hand. "I've graciously tolerated all of this crowding today, but tardiness is against the rules. I will bite you all to death."

"HIEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Hahaha…whoops.

"So? What have you decided, Dame-Tsuna?"

"...I'll go forward with the Ceremony. And I want to arrange a meeting between me and the Simon Boss. Hopefully, we can talk this out and no one will have to get hurt."

"And if you can't?"

"...Reborn, can you give me a chance to talk to Vongola Nono?"

"Of course. He's already on his way here anyway."

"EHHHH? REBORN, YOU CAN'T JUST SPRING THAT ON ME OUT OF NOWHERE!"

"Sure I can. I did just now. He's bringing the Varia, too."

Tsuna started sobbing into his pillow.

Masami took back her previous thought about being able to avoid useless political meetings for a while longer. If she had known this would be the result of indulging Tsunayoshi's request, she'd have stopped then and there.

…well, not really, but she could dream.

"I feel like I should be asking for a pay raise," she mused to herself.

"I can give you a lesson in negotiation for 15000," Mammon said. "It's an important life skill."

Xanxus scoffed, lounging back with his arms crossed and a foot on the table. "Your six months aren't over yet. Dream on."

"I'm definitely not getting paid enough for this." Masami glanced around the private jet heading towards Namimori and then the file of the Ninth Generation on her lap. "No other 'probational' rookie is being brought along to bodyguard the Vongola Dons."

"Ha, you got that right!" Squalo threw back his glass of vodka and wiped his mouth. "Vongola Nono even made it a mission for us."

"Mou, the pay is right."

"Shishishi, it'll take Quality to take on those so-called 'Flames of the Earth'," Belphegor pointed out, flipping a gleaming knife between his fingers absently.

"That's if we even get to fight them," Leviathan grumbled. "Otherwise, it's just a bodyguard job."

And barely that. They were all ignoring the blatant attempt at keeping them in sight and on a leash while the Ninth Generation was out gallivanting around.

"Aww, don't worry, hun," Lussuria patted the armrest of the seat next to her, knowing better than to touch her without an invitation. "I'm sure we can talk about the terms of your contract based on your performance here when we get back."

Xanxus opened one eye to blink lazily at her. "You'd have to stop fucking waffling about first. Permanent Varia Contracts don't mess around."

Like they weren't all just waiting for her to give in and either Harmonize or Reject Xanxus. Pity that Masami had only grown into her Cloud stubbornness during her time refining her Flames at the Varia. The more they pushed, the harder she dug her heels in.

For now, she made a noncommittal sound. She would see what Kyoya's Harmonization with Tsunayoshi looked like firsthand and also see another example in the Ninth Generation. Maybe then she would make a decision.

Maybe.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Oi, shitty shark! Bring me more wine."

"YOU! DO I LOOK LIKE A SERVER TO YOU, BOSS!?"

"Nono and his Guardians are here, Dame-Tsuna."

"What about the Varia?"

"They're coming on a different flight. They'll probably arrive tonight."

"Okay. I…want to meet Vongola Nono and Xanxus-san together."

"I can arrange that but you had better not back out, Dame-Tsuna."

"Rebooooorn! I won't!"

It was surprisingly anti-climactic to step on Namimori soil once more. Technically, she had been away for less than half a year. What a change half a year (and a decade) could make.

The Masami of then would hardly recognize the Masami of now. Would probably be disappointed, in fact, at what she had become. What she had let the Mafia make her despite all her claims to the contrary.

Well, too bad for her. She had lost the right to make those decisions, because she had been too weak, and the weak didn't get to decide the path of their lives.

Masami had traded her naivety for strength and agency. She refused to regret it.

"We're going to the hotel," Xanxus decreed in a bored tone and strolled right past her.

"Yes, Boss!" Leviathan hurried after him.

Squalo huffed but followed while tossing over his shoulder, "You, go do whatever you do."

"Does the Signorina need an escort?" Belphegor asked with a grin, all mocking chivalry.

"I thank Your Highness for his concern, but I believe I'll be just fine," Masami murmured from behind her fan.

"Shishishi, very well. Come on, Mammon, you're lagging behind."

"I'm the one who can teleport," Mammon pointed out dryly.

Masami tuned out the bickering and looked to the horizon. It was almost sunset. It was time to go home.

It felt odd to stand in front of that familiar ancient manor and knock on her own wooden doors. But Masami didn't know where her key was, could barely recall how she had last left Namimori; it was all a blur.

A beat. A pause. The doors swung open. Her big brother stood in front of her, with eyes older than she remembered, dressed in his favorite kinagashi, and held out a hand adorned with a Ring that sang of generations of Cloud Flames.

"Masami. Okaeri."

She took his hand, and this, at least, was familiar. The same hand that had held her since she was a toddler who could barely walk and steaded her when she wobbled all throughout childhood. The same calloused hand that had protected her all her life.

"Onii-san. Tadaima."

Home…was as it stood in her memories and yet not. She walked down the hallway and couldn't tell whether a painting missing from the wall was here before she left or acquired sometime in the next ten years. The zabuton was soft on her knees but not the right shade of brown her memories (?) insisted it should be.

The taste of tea was right though. As was the smell of the garden and the feel of the tatami mats beneath her feet. The Hibari Kamon remained proud and vibrant on the wall, not yet bombed to oblivion with the rest of Namimori.

That night, the siblings didn't speak. They sat together and drank tea, admired the moon, and then curled up together in the same futon like they were children once more.

It was enough.

Enough to be home.

"Ne, Hayato, you sure the kid didn't plant those materials on the Vindice?"

"Of course he did, baseball idiot. But I made sure they were real and that nothing else existed, too. I'm not fucking stupid."

"Maa, okay, okay. I was just checking — you know how the kid can get. And I know you've always wanted Tsuna to be the Boss of the Mafia Game."

"Ugh, how many times do I have to tell you, it's not a game! And even though I do think Juudaime deserves nothing less than the position of Vongola Decimo, I would never put my opinions above what our Sky wants. It just so happens that what he wants this time is that pineapple weirdo freed."

"And what Tsuna wants, Tsuna gets."

"Damn right."

The next morning, Masami sat at the table in a simple, comfortable yukata and watched Kyoya prepare breakfast. He had gotten better at cooking while she was away. His knowledge of what was currently available in the fridge certainly surpassed hers at this point in time.

Experimentally, she reached out with a tendril of Cloud Flame and 'poked' him like she never would have considered doing to one of the Varia Clouds. While great for practicing techniques and sparring, the Varia Compound wasn't exactly the best place for any kind of friendly Flame Interaction.

Kyoya's shoulders twitched subtly, and though he didn't look away from the stove, she got back the equivalent of a gentle boop to the nose, a familiar admonishment from a big brother to his misbehaving little sister before she had learned to hide that mischief away.

(Sometimes, she wondered who she would have been if Rika hadn't taught her to be the way she was. The answer every time was dead, so that train of thought never went anywhere.)

Masami smiled, completely genuine for once, sitting in her childhood home with the sunlight falling lightly over the kitchen table. Kyoya's Flames were familiar and comforting on a deep, instinctual level. She must have subconsciously felt them her entire life, even while Flame Inactive.

He was, as could only be expected, an enormously powerful Cloud, but one that would shelter and hide her away if she needed it. His reach spread far and wide, but she felt no need to clash against him for her own space. Their claimed Territories were rarely in conflict, after all, which explained how they had lived together for so many years without fighting.

It was an exceedingly rare situation amongst two young, powerful Clouds, Satoshi had once explained to her, and their parents had been greatly relieved when their two children had shown no signs of wanting to tear each other apart.

(They had only really started fighting when outside stressors had pushed Kyoya into trying to nudge his sister deeper into his Territory for her protection, which had only unavoidably violated her own Territory until she was forced to leave.)

Thinking about it, Masami was somewhat surprised at how…composed Kyoya's Flames felt, even with so many intruders on his Territory, She would have expected him to be more feral and restless, especially with the situation as uncertain as it was.

Curious, she tilted her head, chin cradled by her open palms. She 'poked' him again and got an annoyed sigh this time. "Not while I'm cooking, Masami."

She pouted, all of her guards down for a rare, precious moment. Perhaps it was the warmth of her childhood lingering in these walls; perhaps it was being back under her brother's protection after months outside. Rika wasn't here to reprimand her, and Kyoya had already seen her at her most immature (literally her baby years).

Here, now, Masami could afford to be an immature, bratty, spoiled younger sibling for just long enough to earn another long-suffering sigh and a physical boop to the nose when Kyoya carried the pot of fried rice to the table. He was probably missing those carefree, halcyon years, too, to indulge her so.

"Eat first," Kyoya said, far softer than he would with anyone else. "And then you can investigate."

Masami giggled. "Hai, Onii-san."

Kyoya's Bond with Tsunayoshi was obvious if you knew to look for it. Tsunayoshi's Sky Flames were bright and welcoming with an undertone of fierce protective strength, gently smoothing out any agitation in Kyoya's Cloud Flames and crooning reassurance of his place in the pack.

How…interesting.

Bright and shining Tsunayoshi might be, but his Flames were comfortably room temperature at best. And as she had always suspected, Masami, who was cold down to her bones but perfectly comfortable in the dark, would have been a terrible match as an Element.

"You always saw Tsunayoshi-san as beneath you," Masami stated with the lilt of a question, cuddled up to Kyoya on the engawa and staring at the koi pond. Their koi, at least, were unchanged and as fat as ever.

Kyoya petted her hair, for once falling straight and dark down her back with no hair ornaments to be seen. "He finally showed me his grown fangs. He's becoming a true omnivore, able to devour all in his path."

"Even though he comes with a crowd?"

"...it's not awful to go hunting as a pack now that they have all sharpened their fangs," Kyoya conceded reluctantly.

"Hmm. Then…what does it feel like to have a Sky?"

"Are you considering that scarred carnivore?"

"One version of me in the universe chose him. I'm…thinking about it."

"Hn." Kyoya thought about it for a moment. "It feels…like this house in the shape of a person. Like a second den."

What a nice thought. Still, Masami hesitated.

"The small animal waited for me to offer. If your scarred carnivore is worthy of you, he will do the same."

Although they might prefer it, Kyoya and Masami couldn't stay hidden in their den forever. They had responsibilities their younger selves didn't, obligations to other people outside of their own small family pack. They could and did spend the morning together, but they had an appointment to meet in the afternoon.

Kyoya padded into his baby sister's room after putting on a black and formalized version of his usual Disciplinary Committee uniform that the baby had given him. He would have refused on principle, but the omnivore had broken out the puppy-eyes.

At least the material was comfortable and flexible. His movements wouldn't be restricted in a fight.

Masami was sitting in front of her vanity, dressed in the clothes that she had arrived in. He hadn't missed the subtle homage to their Clan Kamon and was debating getting a pin himself. She had an array of wisteria-patterned kanzashi spread before her and was twisting her hair into one of the more complicated styles that Rika had taught her.

Kyoya wandered over and picked a hairpin up. Exquisite, high-quality silk flowers dangled from solid steel, the end sharp enough to slice through bone. It was excellent craftsmanship.

"A gift," Masami murmured. "From Lussuria-san."

Hmph. At least her new pack was properly looking after her. He handed the kanzashi over when she held out an open palm and watched as she slid it in place. Finally, she picked up her gussen from the vanity and turned to smile at him, poised and serene once more, any hint of rare vulnerability hidden away once more.

That was fine. Kyoya and the walls of the Hibari Manor would keep her secrets for her so the outside scavengers saw nothing but the carnivore she was and knew to fear her fangs.

"Shall we go, Onii-san?"

Tsuna tried not to fidget in his seat or tug at the uncomfortable tie around his neck. He wasn't used to three-piece-suits, but he guessed he'd better start. Everyone here was in some version of formal wear, even the Varia.

(Although they were just wearing their usual uniforms with a few black ties thrown on, which was apparently close enough to skate by. Smart. Tsuna wished he'd thought of that.)

They were all gathered in one of the big hotel meeting rooms, sitting around a huge U-shaped desk. Vongola Nono and his Guardians sat in the middle, the Varia were on the right side, and Tsuna and his Guardians were on the left. Reborn stood nonchalantly by the door. Everyone was here…but, well…

"They're late," Nono's Storm and Right-Hand, Nougat, groused, a vein visibly pulsing on his forehead.

Tsuna tried not to sweatdrop. Kyoya and Masami still hadn't arrived yet, and it was five minutes past the arranged meeting time. Even Lambo was here, and he was mostly already asleep in his chair, pacified by two bulging pockets of grape candy. Mukuro was eavesdropping through Chrome and already radiating distinct glee over this minor inconvenience to the famed Vongola.

He would tug on his Bond with Kyoya for a hint, but Kyoya had been sending strong Do-Not-Disturb vibes since yesterday evening, and, uhh, Tsuna still had some survival instincts, okay?

Tsuna peeked across the room at Xanxus and found him leaning back in a plush armchair — where did he even get the chance to find one!? — eyes closed and a glass of wine in his hand. Clearly, he couldn't care less.

Vongola Nono looked at him with warm concern. "Tsunayoshi-kun…"

"Ah…let's give them another five minutes," Tsuna said, wincing when his voice came out on the timid side. He could feel Reborn's pointed stare even without looking.

"Very well." Nono leaned back and started eating one of the hotel-provided cookies.

Tsuna really tried not to facepalm.

The minutes ticked by agonizingly slowly. At his right, Hayato glared at the sole clock in the room like he could explode it with his mind, fingers clenched ominously over his trousers. At his left, Takeshi smiled like he didn't have a care in the world, eyes glazed over and mind clearly elsewhere.

Tsuna looked at the ceiling and wondered why he had to deal with this.

At precisely four minutes and fifty-eight seconds, Nougat gritted out, "This cannot go on — "

BANG!

Ah, of course. Tsuna was almost completely resigned to how his life was now. Everyone in the room naturally turned to look at the door, which had been unceremoniously kicked in, and there were the errant Clouds, Kyoya in front with his foot still raised.

…at least, Tsuna consoled himself, Kyoya was in a suit and had actually shown up.

Kyoya stalked into the room, already looking annoyed. From behind him, Masami stepped in and closed the door behind her.

She looked good, Tsuna thought. He couldn't (and didn't want to) remember the last time he saw her in person, but she was perfectly put-together, in a very Masami-version of the Varia uniform, maybe just a tad taller now, and her eyes were clear and bright above the veil of her black fan.

Tsuna couldn't help but smile to see his friend so healthy and so herself. Masami met his gaze briefly and seemed to smile back, eyes curving at the ends.

"Hmph. So this is who we've been waiting for? I'm not impressed," Nono's Cloud, Visconti, growled, arms crossed, and oh look! There went Tsuna's Hyper Intuition, shrieking in the back of his mind a second too late.

…oh no.

They had forgotten to account for what would happen with three Clouds in the same room.

Immediately, Kyoya and Masami turned in unison to look at Visconti, faces blank and movements eerily in sync. They were still standing close to the door, side by side, and Visconti was all the way across the room, by Nono.

Despite the distance, Tsuna could all but see the icy-cold killing intent pouring from each Cloud and clashing in the middle. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as the atmosphere became suffocating, balanced on a razor-thin edge of violence. It made him want to go hide under his bed, but unfortunately, that had stopped being an option months ago.

If this continued on, things were going to devolve into a very destructive fight between three monstrously powerful Clouds very quickly. And the hotel would probably be leveled in the process. And no one would get anything done.

"Kyoya," Tsuna pleaded. At the same time, Nono said quietly, "Visconti." Xanxus overrode them all by firing a single shot into the ground at the midpoint and snarling, "Settle the fuck down, trash!"

Uhhh…

Baffled, Tsuna blinked at Nono and Xanxus and got a grandfatherly look of approval and an irritated scowl back. Was there…was there some sort of Cloud herding instinct that all Skies developed?

Whatever the trick was, it did seem to work. Visconti looked away with another mutter about "impudent youngsters", and Kyoya huffed but strolled over to take his designated seat, shooting Tsuna a look that all but promised a biting later.

Tsuna held back a whimper.

Meanwhile, Masami did a strange but elegant fusion of a curtsy and a bow. If Tsuna ever tried that, he'd probably turn himself into a pretzel again, even now that he wasn't as clumsy as before. She then floated vaguely in the direction of the Varia, settling herself against the wall behind Xanxus.

And with that, everyone was here and the meeting could finally begin.

…or not.

"Before we begin," Nono said first, "I just want to start off by saying how proud I am of how far you've come, Tsunayoshi-kun. I've read every report that Reborn has sent me and heard glowing reviews from the Cavallone Boss and the Sky Arcobaleno."

(Across the room, Xanxus rolled his eyes sky-high and scoffed under his breath. Vongola Nono's Guardians scowled disapprovingly at him, only to meet the uncompromising glares of the Varia who surrounded him.)

Tsuna blinked at Nono, startled and a tad disbelieving. "Oh, umm, thank you, Vongola Nono."

Nono's Sky Flames pulsed through the room, old but powerful, trying to spread his Harmony in the most pervasive way that Tsuna had ever felt. What was he even trying to do? Everyone here was either Bonded to a Sky or claimed by one at least for the duration of this meeting. Future Dino had impressed upon Tsuna that Skies using their Flames on other Skies and their Own was a big no-no in the Mafia, very much a 'keep your hands to yourself' kind of deal.

Surely, Vongola Nono would know that so what was this supposed to be? Did he think that just because everyone here was supposedly 'Vongola' that he had this right? Tsuna held back a grimace and quickly drew on his own Flames to surround everyone here who was his in a safe bubble, denying contact from any potential poaching Skies.

It reminded him unpleasantly of how his father had behaved the last time he was home — during the Ring Battles — just spreading his Flame out across the whole house without any regard to Tsuna or the kids or even Mom, who was still in the dark about the Mafia. Lambo and I-Pin had complained the entire time that the foreign Sky Flames were itchy and uncomfortable and clung to Tsuna, who hadn't felt much better and hadn't had the ability back then to shield his own either. Reborn had made sure they had all spent as much time outside as possible.

"Please, you can just call me Grandpa," Nono said with a kind smile, appearing not to notice the subtle rebuff but drawing his Flames back a little anyway. A test? Or was this just how he conducted meetings until a Sky told him otherwise? "It's what you did when you were young."

Tsuna stared, genuinely speechless for a second. He really hadn't planned on bringing this topic up today, because they had bigger things to worry about, but what exactly was he supposed to say to that?

Hayato and Takeshi pressed their shoulders to his, a familiar gesture of reassurance, and their solid presences finally brought words to his tongue, despite the ringing in his ears and the heat growing in his chest. "You mean it's what I did before you Sealed me."

The room went dead silent.

Xanxus' boot broke the silence at last with a loud thump on the carpet when he uncrossed his legs and sat up straight for the first time since he'd arrived. He looked at Tsuna, and he could feel the Wrath Flames rising up to meet his Sky even with the distance between them.

"What did you say, trash?" Xanxus said, dangerously soft, quieter than Tsuna had ever heard him, lethal as an unsheathed dagger in the dark.

Tsuna gulped but lifted his chin and refused to be cowed. "Vongola Nono came with my father and Sealed me when I was four years old after he found me with active Sky Flames. I've been recovering from that incident for the past ten years."

"Tsunayoshi-kun…" Nono whispered, having the audacity to sound sad.

Xanxus stared at Tsuna for a second more, his Flames licking the air, tasting the truth in his words. Then, he turned to look at his so-called father and started roaring with laughter, slapping his armrest, bitter and mad and vindicated. "HAHAHA, I can't believe you pulled the same bullshit twice, old man!"

Vicious scars appeared on Xanxus' face, stretching down his neck, the proof of Nono's abuse. "Sealing a potential Vongola Heir and ruining their life for a fucking whole-ass decade!? Twice! TWICE! HAHAHA, I REALLY HAVE TO GIVE IT TO YOU, YOU TWO-FACED OLD MAN! I never could have imagined your fucking hypocrisy went THIS FUCKING FAR!"

"Xanxus…" Nono said, in the same Kami-damned tone, looking old and tired and regretful, a decade too late.

"My, my," Lussuria twittered, hand on his cheek but cold murder radiating from his usually lively Flames, "Sealing an active baby Sky…even the Varia aren't quite that cruel. You could have just arranged a hit, Vongola Nono, wouldn't that have been so much easier?"

"Shut up!" Nougat barked, bristling protectively over his Sky. "You dare speak when you know nothing of Nono's conflict and agony over the decisions that he's had to make!?"

"Yes." Tsuna almost couldn't recognize his voice when it came out, cold and steady, like he was already in Hyper Dying Will Mode. He stood up, vaguely aware of his Guardians falling suit, Lambo almost falling off his chair before Chrome scooped him up in her arms. For once, he had no forgiveness to offer at this table. "I do dare. I dare when it's my life he ruined, creating Discord in every relationship I've had since I was four years old, creating Discord in myself! I couldn't think, I couldn't walk, I couldn't even ask for help, and I was four! I didn't even know why I was Dame!"

"It wasn't until I met a powerful enough Cloud willing to help that I was able to even start wearing away at the Seal and have any semblance of a life. And it wasn't until Reborn arrived to awaken my Dying Will that I could Harmonize with my Elements like I always should have been able to as a Sky! I dare, because Lussuria-san is right, and you should have just killed me if you could find the resolve to Seal me!" Distantly, Tsuna realized that he was now standing in front of Nono, hands slammed onto the desk, shouting with the full force of his grief and pain, his friends steady and reassuring at his back.

Vongola Nono stared up at him, hands trembling where he clasped them in front of him. He was pale, lines etched deep at the corners of his mouth and high on his forehead. "I have no excuses to offer, Tsunayoshi-kun. It was my mistake. Even if Iemitsu…no, there can be no justification for what I did. I'm deeply sorry for the pain I have caused."

Tsuna looked at him dispassionately and felt nothing but empty inside. "It's not enough. It'll never be enough," he proclaimed and saw Nono break a little inside to be rejected by his last Heir. But —

"That's not what we're here for." Tsuna took a deep breath and turned to head back towards his seat, every last one of his Guardians following without a hitch. Hayato pulled back his chair for him, and Takeshi pressed a supporting hand to his back before nudging him in.

Tsuna sat down and took another deep breath before looking back up. Xanxus was openly staring at him, something sharp and newly considering in his gaze, his Flames twisted around him and possessively spread over his Guardians as Tsuna had done himself.

Over his Guardians but only peripherally touching Masami, just enough to keep Nono's Flames off of her but cautious in a way that indicated she hadn't given him permission for any other liberties.

His oldest friend, his savior though he hadn't fully realized the magnitude at the same, still had her fan obscuring half her face, but her eyes were steely and hard when they met his for half a second before flickering away to check on Xanxus.

Nono was slumped in his seat, defeat in every line of his body. His Storm and Sun fussed over him, but his Cloud was standing at the window, back to his Sky. His Mist and Rain stood off to the side, pointedly looking away. His Lightning, younger than the rest, was also frowning, a look of disappointment on his face. So not even all of his Guardians had known. How ironic, how pitiful, that Nono had known that his own Guardians would disagree with his decisions and therefore decided to hide it instead of rethinking whether or not he was making the right ones. If Tsuna ever stooped to that level, Mukuro might as well go through with possessing him.

Still standing guard by the door, Reborn's fedora shadowed his eyes, his mouth set in a frown. He glanced up when he felt Tsuna looking at him and gave him a single nod, approval and agreement all in one. Though old friends with Nono, Reborn was firmly on Tsuna's side this time.

Tsuna was still angry. Furious and resentful as he had been since the first time Reborn had sat him down in that distant future and explained why his Flames had been acting the way they were and what had happened to him in tense, curt words. But he had arranged this meeting to discuss other things, and this topic would keep until Vongola Nono was in his own coffin, so.

"Enough," Tsuna said. "Let's talk about the Inheritance Ceremony."

Nono closed his eyes and visibly pulled himself together, straightening up in his chair but looking older and more tired than ever. "As you wish, Tsunayoshi-kun."

"First things first. Why are we conducting the Ceremony so early?" Tsuna demanded. "I was told that it should be when I'm eighteen years old."

Nono managed a weak chuckle. "I'm an old man, and as you so clearly pointed out, well past my time. It may be a little early, but I'm confident that you and your Guardians are ready to lead the Vongola as the Tenth Generation."

…yeah, no, it didn't sound any more believable the second time around. Tsuna didn't even have to say so himself.

Xanxus scoffed again, louder and harsher this time. "As if, old man. If that was the reason, you should have stepped down for me ten fucking years ago. The real reason is because you're scared shitless of me and mine."

Nono frowned sternly. "Now, Xanxus, I understand your rage but — "

"YOU UNDERSTAND NOTHING, YOU SCUM!" Xanxus shouted, slamming his fist into his armrest with a bang. "YOU'RE NEVER SATISFIED WITH ANYTHING I DO! YOU JUST WANT ANY EXCUSE TO PUT ME BACK ON THE ICE, DON'T YOU!?"

"Xanxus…"

It had sounded awful the first time that Tsuna had heard it, and it still sounded awful now. How was it that every single Mafia father that he'd ever heard of was, to borrow Xanxus' catchphrase, trash? Takeshi's dad didn't count. "Is it true?" Tsuna asked directly before the guns came out.

Nono heaved a put-upon sigh and turned to appeal to him, "Tsunayoshi-kun, I only want to ensure your succession without any problems. Xanxus' resentment is my fault, and I don't want more of my mistakes to affect your reign."

Tsuna stared. Was this what happened when you stayed in the Mafia for too long? You started to believe your own lies, even without a Mist's help? "Do you even have any evidence to back up your suspicions?"

"I'm sure you've heard of the Vongola Intuition — "

"So no," Xanxus tsked and sprawled back in his seat, anger withdrawing for an aged, dark bitterness that was even more painful to witness, that felt terribly familiar to his own. "You never change, you senile old man."

Tsuna looked back and forth between the two warring Skies. He needed to tread carefully here or risk alienating both. "From my interactions with Xanxus-san, his absolute loyalty is to the Family," he said. "I really don't think this is necessary."

Nono directed an indulgent (patronizing) smile at him. "That's very kind of you. It's this exact spirit that will lead the Vongola back to what it should be, back to what Primo originally wanted. But I've known Xanxus since he was a boy. I know best his ambition and pride. Please believe that I want only what is healthy for the Family."

"WHY YOU!" Squalo, who had been vibrating in place this entire time, finally snapped and raised his sword. Tsuna was kind of surprised that it had taken this long.

"Shut up!" Xanxus barked before anyone else could react. "You don't have the right to talk here, you shitty shark!"

Although he had only singled out Squalo…Tsuna thought that those words might be directed at all of his Guardians, who were all either just as restless as Squalo or deathly still, incensed on their Sky's behalf and more than ready to start a fight.

(Masami, he noticed, was the only one who didn't have a visible reaction. But Tsuna knew that didn't mean she wasn't affected.)

A good Sky, trying to protect his Elements, his Intuition twinged, and that decided him.

"Okay," Tsuna said and sensed the screaming tension wind up another notch, too many eyes snapping around to scrutinize his every twitch. He ignored it, Flame rising with his resolve. "I might not know Xanxus-san as well as you, Vongola Nono, but I do know the Varia Cloud Officer."

Every head turned to look at Masami, who looked back serenely over the edge of her fan, unperturbed.

"Masami," Tsuna said, smiling at her with warm orange-shaded eyes full of trust, letting his guard down entirely in this room full of potential enemies because this was to make a point, "is Xanxus-san planning a coup against me?"

Masami blinked slowly back at him before kicking off from the wall she had been leaning on and snapping her fan shut with a sharp sound. If she was angry that he had addressed her without an honorific or put her on the spot, no one could tell. "No," was the simple reply.

"Do you promise?"

"Yes."

Without a second of hesitation, Tsuna nodded and turned to Nono with a beaming smile, sparkles twinkling cheerfully around him (probably Mukuro's doing, his petty Mist). "See, Nono. Everything is fine. You can stop hassling the Varia now."

"..."

Half of Nono's Guardians and the Varia face-planted into the ground. And then came the loud cries of protest.

"ARE YOU AN IDIOT!?" Nougat demanded with furious disbelief. "You would believe his own Officer, just like that!?"

"Oi!" Hayato flared up, free to finally express his own irritation at the situation now that it wasn't a Sky-to-Sky conversation. "You think you can talk to Juudaime like that!?"

"He's nothing but an insolent naive brat!"

"Shishishi, I can't believe that's all it took."

"Nono, we can't possibly trust that — "

BANG!

"Anyone," Kyoya's voice cut clean through the sudden silence, deceptively calm even though he had just slammed a single tonfa hard onto the floor. He lounged lazily in his seat, leg over his knee, but abruptly surrounded by a terrifying aura of sheer bloodlust and Cloud Flames, "who doubts my imouto's word, doubts mine." He bared his teeth, pressing down on the tonfa until it started making a visible dent in the floorboards (that Tsuna would undoubtedly have to deal with later), despite the fact that he really shouldn't have been able to casually exert that much force in his current position. "And anyone who offends us both, offends the Hibari Clan. Do you dare?"

Silence.

Tsuna…didn't even know there was a Hibari Clan, much less one both powerful enough and influential enough that the Mafia-born here instantly recognized the name. He would have to ask Kyoya later. For now — "I trust Masami and Kyoya with my life," he said into the stillness with the authority of simple fact. "If they say Xanxus-san is loyal, then he is. If I'm to be Vongola Decimo, my first act won't be to condemn a loyal member of my Family on nothing but suspicion and paranoia."

This time, Tsuna actively let his Sky Flames rise and expand outwards, careful to keep his touch light but firm, pushing Nono's own Flames back completely until it was confined to his side of the room, as it should have been from the start. He made sure not to touch Xanxus' Flames at all since that was common Flame Etiquette. Safe and strong in the heat of his resolve, he stared into Nono's wide eyes and challenged, "That is my Will. Do you accept it?"

And Vongola Nono bowed his head at last. "...as you will it, Decimo."

"Good. We'll go forward with the Ceremony since it's already been announced, but the Varia should be treated as part of Vongola since they are." Tsuna let his Flame simmer back down but didn't relax. Clearly, all these old geezers respected was power, not common sense, or you know, any kind of basic humanity. "With that settled, let's discuss the Simon Family."

"Tsuna." To his surprise, it was Reborn who interrupted him this time. When he turned to look curiously at his tutor, Reborn pointed out the window. "It's getting late. Why don't we discuss that tomorrow?"

"Ehhh?" Tsuna gaped at the red and magenta streaked sky outside. "It's sunset already!?" Mom would be expecting them back for dinner soon! And the last thing he wanted was for whatever this was to follow him back home. Wait, Lambo's bedtime! And handling the sugar rush from all that candy! No, no, no, no, time to wrap it up!

("Wow, he immediately became a wimpy brat again," Lussuria whispered, a hand covering his mouth.

Xanxus snorted and slouched back in his chair. "...typical.")

Filled with frantic energy, Tsuna got to his feet and clapped his hands with a forced grin. "Reborn's right! Let's reconvene tomorrow. Oh, um, but I really only need to talk about the Simon Family with the Varia since they're in charge of security at the Ceremony, right?

Making shooing motions at his Guardians behind his back until they got with the program and got up with him, Chrome carrying a completely conked-out Lambo, Tsuna slid his way unsubtly to the door that Reborn was already holding open as he rambled. "Please don't feel forced to stay here, Vongola Nono, you said your health is fragile and we wouldn't want you to get sick! I'll see you back in Italy for the Ceremony soon, hope you enjoyed your stay and have a safe trip back! Great meeting, everyone, thanks and bye!"

Tsuna executed the worst bow he'd ever made (no doubt to Masami's well-hidden horror) and promptly left a trail of dust and a roomful of shocked individuals behind him, his Guardians following him at varying paces.

"..." The Ninth Generation said.

"They had the right idea," Xanxus decided, standing up with a stretch and a yawn. "Time to go, trash. Have a 'safe flight', old man." He didn't hold back a snigger as he prowled out, the other Varia right behind him, each with their own mocking smirk or glance.

"What the fuck just happened?" Ganauche wondered.

"Reborn, what have you been teaching that kid!?" Croquant asked, all but dissociating out of his skin as a Mist was wont to do when encountering unpleasant things.

Reborn jumped onto the table with ease, landing right in front of Nono. "I can't take all the credit," he said. "Masami and Byakuran were a big help."

"I didn't know our future Decimo would be so emotionally compromised by one of Xanxus'," Schnitten said with a scowl. "Is that really wise? She only had to say two words to completely turn him."

"The Cloud willing to help Tsuna when he was struggling under the Seal was Hibari Masami. Even if she's not his Cloud, Tsuna will always trust her like he would any of his Guardians." Reborn paused and then warned, "He won't tolerate any attack on her. Nor the Varia now."

"Good. That's…good," Nono murmured.

Nougat startled. "Nono?"

Nono turned to look thoughtfully out the window. "Such a strong connection between the Main House and the Varia is perhaps just what the Vongola needs. Everything that Tsunayoshi-kun showed us today proves that he is the right choice for Decimo." And then, to everyone's surprise, he smiled widely despite that absolute catastrophe of a meeting. "Thank you, Reborn. I can leave the Vongola and Xanxus in Decimo's safe hands. Come, let us return to Italy. We must tell the staff to prepare for their new Don."

Xanxus broke down howling with laughter as soon as they got back to their hotel suite. "Did you — did you see that old man's face!? He looked like he got smacked with a dead fish! Fuck, it's been so long since I've seen anyone put him in his place like that!"

Squalo rolled his eyes but brushed his Flame lightly against his Sky anyway, happy to share in his rare joy. "Not since Vongola Ottavio was with us, right?"

"Damn straight!" Chortling, Xanxus dragged himself up right and wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. "Trash, you better have gotten all that on tape."

"Mou, right here, Boss." Mammon held out a recorder smugly. "I won't even charge per watch." And that was saying something from the miser.

"Shishishi, the Prince was greatly entertained." Bel tucked his hands behind his head with his signature grin, kicking back on the sofa. "That video will be a worthy addition to movie night."

"I didn't expect Sawada to stand up for us like that," Levi commented. "Does he have some ulterior motive? Should we check it out, Boss?"

Xanxus snorted, waving a hand dismissively. "That trash? He has his whole fucking heart out on his sleeve. Wouldn't understand an ulterior motive if it bit his blabbering head off. Didn't you feel his Flame back there?"

As if any of them could have missed it. "He's much stronger now," Lussuria said, cocking his head and re-fluffing his fur hem fussily. "Must be that trip to the future. Still want to challenge him, Boss?"

Xanxus narrowed his eyes in thought, Wrath Flames twisting in the same volcanic defiance, ambition, and rage that had first brought Squalo to his knees to swear, certain that this man would bend the world to his Will or burn it all down. If his Sky wanted to move against that soft civilian boy and his little friends again, Squalo would follow without question.

Even if Lussuria was right, and Sawada really was much stronger, his Sky Flames the purest and brightest that Squalo had ever felt (Xanxus' was still the strongest and fiercest, of course). His Guardians, too, their Flames staunch and unwavering, a fully fledged Sky Court united in purpose and strength. Each and every one had killed in defense of their Sky and each other and were willing to kill again. Squalo knew the look; it was night and day in comparison to the hesitant, untried children they had fought against in the Ring Battles.

Still, they were Varia Quality. They would find a way.

But then, Xanxus blew out a breath and lifted his head to stare at the hotel ceiling with a tired twist to his mouth, Flames simmering back down to a familiar still lake of molten lava. "Nah. If he's willing to go against the old man for his beliefs, then let him have it. Reminds me of Enrico, just a bit."

…Enrico Fermi? The oldest son of Nono, the man Xanxus had acknowledged and looked up to as a big brother for half of his life? That was…

"Besides." His gaze shifted to the side, to the girl standing next to the door who had stayed silent this entire time, hiding behind her fan as usual. "You'd go against us if we moved against that baby Sky, wouldn't you?"

Masami stared back evenly, serene grey eyes giving away nothing. "I staked my own word and honor on this matter," she said, soft but about as yielding as the sharp edge of his blade. "My brother invoked the Clan to back me up. I would…dearly hope to not be proven a liar."

Yeah, of course she fucking would. Squalo scrutinized their wayward Cloud closely. He had been surprised that she had been willing to do that actually, given how hard she had been fighting Harmonizing with Xanxus. She didn't even call him Boss for fuck's sake. Not something Squalo had been sticking his nose in; he knew better than to interfere in a Sky-Element courtship. For her to throw her own lot in with them at the most crucial time, maybe it was going better than he'd thought?

Or maybe she was just acting like a contrary-ass cat like Clouds liked to do. Who fucking knew — not Squalo.

Xanxus just hmphed and looked away to brace his feet on the table now relegated to footrest. "I don't need to do anything. He can fly or die on his own goddamned time. I just need some wine and steak to watch the show. Oi, shitty shark! Call room service, it's dinner time."

Squalo would follow Xanxus to the end of the world and straight into hell with minimum complaining. But sometimes, he really wanted to strangle his Sky. "I'M NOT YOUR FUCKING SERVER, YOU SHITTY BOSS!"

OpalescentGold: Tsuna finally shows the backbone he grew out of necessity! Meanwhile, Xanxus, who once had three Sky brothers to lean on and has none now, is eyeing Tsuna thoughtfully. Masami continues to dig her heels in despite being reasonably fond of the Varia because she has decided she wants to be Like That. Squalo just wants everyone to shut up and do their paperwork.

Side Note as of 10/29/24: I did go back and revamp the earlier the chapters so they might be worth a re-read if it's been a while.

Please leave a comment if you have the time!

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