Painful Discoveries

Disclaimer ~ I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn

*The one where Bel mourns*

When Squalo handed Bel his newest mission file he was grossly unprepared for how the storm would react. He had thought the prince brat would do his creepy laugh and then leave to complete the mission. That was what has happened for the last two years since Bel joined the Varia and took the position as Storm Officer. Instead Squalo got the kid tensing up and tears streaming down his cheeks.

Squalo let out a very startled and frightened "VOI" when Belphegor started outright sobbing after Squalo called his name. The child, because there really wasn't any other way to describe him in that moment, dropped to the ground and curled around the file. Sobs wracked his tiny body.

Squalo didn't know what to do. Something in that file set Bel off and Squalo didn't know anything about comforting crying ten year olds.

"Squalo! What did you do to him!" Lussuria yelled as he entered the room.

"Nothing you shitty sun! I handed him his newest mission and he suddenly," Squalo broke of his yelling with a gesture to Bel. Squalo wanted to pull his hair out in frustration.

Both tried to get Bel to stop crying but to no avail. When they got too close he flinched away from them. Their storm had never shown any signs of vulnerability or fear. Ever. And yeah, it hurt just a bit to see him so scared of them.

"Bel, sweetie, what's wrong?" Lussuria asked gently. He was crouched a few feet away. Close but not crowding. Bel shook his head and curled tighter around the file in his hands.

"Luss go get boss," Squalo said softly. Luss hesitated before quickly going out the door. He wasn't going to leave Bel alone but someone needed to get Xanxus there. If anyone could calm him down it was his Sky. Squalo only had to wait a couple minutes before Luss returned with Xanxus but it felt like an eternity. It was...honestly heartbreaking to hear Bel crying. Squalo definitely prefered the creepy laughter and murder attempts to whatever this was.

Xanxus didn't hesitate to release his flames and pull Bel into his arms. Unlike with Squalo or Lussuria, Bel clung to Xanxus. The little storm had his shirt in a death grip and his head firmly buried into his sky's chest. Xanxus wrapped his arms around Bel and ran a hand through his hair softly. They stayed like that for several long moments, until Bel's sobs dissolved into silent crying.

"What's the matter?" Xanxus asked in a voice softer than Squalo had ever heard before. Bel pointed at the folder that was dropped in favor of clinging to Xanxus.

"Use your words little prince," Xanxus requested softly while Squalo picked up the folder. Inside was a mission that he thought Bel would have liked. Some bastard had been kidnapping little girls and raping them before he killed them. There was a folder of his known victims and pictures of their bodies. The mission was to track this guy down and end him. Bel loved the type of missions where he got to kill the scum of the earth in painful ways.

"Victim 34. Age eight. Name Maria Elizabeth Astley. Third child of Duke Charles Astley and Amelia Jasmine Astley. The king and queen of an out of the way kingdom located in Ireland," Belphegor's voice was void of emotion as he told them this information. Squalo looked at the file and found Victim 34. All there was on the girl was her approximate age was set to be between seven and nine.

"Voi! How do you know who she is?" Squalo questioned.

"Her worst fear was snakes after her older brother, Luka, was bitten by one and nearly died from it when she was five. Her favorite pastime was to make flower crowns in the meadow nearby while Luka read his books to her but dancing and singing was a close second. Maria was the only one who cared about Luka in their family and in return he swore to do anything to protect her. Luka killed his twin when he pushed Maria down the stairs and broke her leg. Luka proceeded to flee the kingdom, killing many of the inhabitants except for Maria. He left Maria with a couple in Spain that would cherish her," Bel reported in a dead voice. Squalo looked at the picture again and felt sick. He saw the resemblance between the little girl and Belphegor.

"She's your sister," he whispered. A horrified silence overcame the room at that revelation. Xanxus tightened his hold on the storm, who had stopped crying but seemed to go into an emotional shut down. Squalo didn't hesitate to sit beside Xanxus and offer his own comfort to the baby storm. Luss was even quick to leave and return with Mammon. Luss shoved the tiny mist in Bel's arms, who promptly cuddled Mammon. Since Luss filled the mist in during the kidnapping, they wouldn't charge Bel for this. Squalo though was another story.

"The prince killed the rest of his family and didn't feel anything. So why does it hurt?" Bel asked in barely a whisper.

"It hurts because you loved her," Xanxus whispered back. "You cared about her so much that it pains you to learn she was hurt when you weren't there to protect her."

"I don't like it," Bel said leaning his head against Xanxus.

"Nobody does Bel," Squalo said. The rain leaned to where his shoulders were pressed against Xanxus.

"We are here for you darling. And when you are feeling up to it, we will take out the bastard that hurt your principessa in the most painful way we can," Lussuria promised. The sun had taken a similar position to Squalo on Xanxus' other side. They stayed like that for several hours, letting Belphegor draw comfort from them for as long as he needed.

There would be time to return to the bloodthirsty assassins the rest of the world believed them to be later. Right now their youngest needed them more.

Hell of a first chapter huh? I had my friend pick a number at random and he picked one of the four ideas that were even remotely sad out of my 33 total ideas. Sorry that everyone is ooc but I couldn't really avoid that in this. I tried to keep them as in character as I could but I couldn't resist some Varia cuddles with baby Bel.

This will be the Katekyo collection centered around the Varia, more specifically Belphegor. It was either him or Xanxus and Bel won the coin toss. I have one planned around Tsuna and the 10th generation, but I haven't wrote a chapter for it yet.

I've decided that posting once a week is gonna drive me crazy. I'm not patient when it comes to my fics. I'm going to return to my original schedule where I post when I have a chapter finished.

Let me know if you liked this chapter! As always requests are open and welcomed if you have an idea for me.

Please Review!