Summary: So that she would not cause problems for the Family, Maria is shipped off to Japan, where she will join Sawada Iemitsu's family. When two skies converge, what are the results? BigBrother!Xanxus Strong!Tsuna No character bashing!
Warning: Sorta incest in later chapters. Sorta Self-Insert but not really.
Disclaimer: I do not own KHR. I do own my SI Maria and any other ocs i decide to add.
Vongola Nono smiled at the small bundle in the young boy's arms. The boy's scowl seemed to be permanently glued onto his face, red eyes evading the Ninth's as he tried to look at the bundled up little girl. Just a while ago, a woman came stating that Xanxus, the young boy, was his illegitimate son; that he was the heir to becoming Vongola Decimo. He could not say no to the impressionable child, nor could he reject the little bundle that was his supposed half-sister he carried in his small arms.
"Get them away from her!" Xanxus growled, trying to keep the maids away even as the bundle started to cry. A high, piercing wail, situated to a hungry baby or a change of diapers. The maids attempting to take the baby from Xanxus paused, looking to their boss.
A protective boy concerning his family, Nono thought, nodding his head in approval. He walked until he was standing right in front of the panicked boy, smiling calmly at him. "Xanxus, if you will, the servants in the house would be glad to help you. I've called someone in to escort you to you and your sister's room." He informed the boy.
Xanxus snarled at the guards, clutching the baby closer to him. The scowl disappeared when the baby cried louder, Xanxus attempting to calm her. Nono thought he vaguely heard him whisper for his mom, only remembering she was gone and they were with him before steeling his face in resolution. "Where's my room."
It was a start, Nono thought.
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Xanxus, in his overly large room decorated with extravagant features, cleared his face of any emotion. He let the one-year old play with his fingers, stuffing them into her mouth or just looking at them in amazement.
"Yeah, yeah," Xanxus muttered carelessly, wiggling his fingers at her. She squealed in happiness, stuffing them once more into his mouth. He could feel her only two teeth biting down, but she still wasn't that strong. "Stop." Her mouth stopped moving, and Xanxus looked at her in confusion. "Hn." She started to chew on his finger once more. At his look, she pulled it out, reaching for his face.
Xanxus pulled her closer, letting her chubby little hands play with his nose, his ears, touch his hair. He smiled softly, poking her nose. He smiled when she followed his finger, going cross-eyed before she closed her eyes and shook her head. Like a cat, he thought.
"It's just us kid. No more mom to tell us stories or sing you to sleep. We're in the mafia now, got it? Its only you and me, and probably my dad. No holding back, alright?" Red eyes stared at dirty red, the spell broken only when the babe fell over and began to cry. "Good. As long as you understand."
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"XAAAAANXUUUUUUS!" A high-pitched voice shrieked. Vongola Nono, known to his family and Famiglia as Timoteo, sighed. He felt as if he should be used to this- he'd raised four sons and a daughter to adulthood. What more would another seven year old do that he hadn't already witnessed in his other children?
Had it already been five years since Xanxus and Maria appeared in his life? Indeed, Xanxus forbade anyone going near Maria while she was still toddling around, but he couldn't stop her from going to them herself. She had called Nono 'Papa' which made him swell with pride even if he only officially adopted Xanxus.
Xanxus was also proud to be the son of Vongola Nono, but wanted Maria to dream of her mother as a woman who died protecting her children. Timoteo didn't know whether to be concerned or relieved that he allowed the small girl a fantasy. Letting her find out that her mother was a prostitute and pathological liar would break her heart.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAA! XANXUS! STOP HIM!" Maria screamed from somewhere down the hall. Her shrieks were echoed by the sound of (expensive) glass breaking and sounds of distress from the help.
Timoteo sighed. He knew it was a good idea to put that second house to use. Although he'd hardly see his little bambina, it would be nice to save money from all the repairs done to the mansion. Xanxus would be leading the new Varia, and his recruits were already arriving. In fact, the current problem was one who called himself Prince. Balthazar, was it?
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Outside, said girl was running away from the deranged self-proclaimed prince who kept throwing knives at her. She screamed Xanxus' name again, hoping he'd hear her, before she bumped into someone.
"Oh my, what a cute little girl we have~!" A happy voice exclaimed. She felt strong arms pick her up, setting her onto her feet.
"T-tha…" Her voice choked when she caught sight of the teen staring at her, his bright green hair sticking up. There was a strange look in his eye, too…The girl blinked, taking a deep breath, and then screamed. "XAAAAAAAAAANXUUUUUUUUUS!"
"Uwah!" The flamboyant teenager stumbled back, leaving enough space for the small girl to run through. She noticed the blonde from earlier right behind her once more, deciding to try to run even faster to get away from all the crazy.
"VOI! What's with all this fucking screaming!?" Maria came upon a familiar silver-haired teenager she recognized as her brother's (best) friend. What scared her was the naked sword in his hand. Stifling her scream, she dodged past him, dancing out of his reaching hands and straight into her older brother's.
"What's with the screaming?" Xanxus asked her blandly, looking at the small cuts and scrapes on her skinny body. He would have to get her some new clothes again, the ones she had were getting too small.
"There are creeps everywhere! Some prince guy, and he's the same age as me but he still gets to play with knives, was chasing me, and at first I thought it was fun and we were playing tag, but then he started throwing the knives! Can you believe it!? Then I run into this weirdo and it looked like he wanted to eat me! But that was after some creep-o with a stupid face tried to catch me for screaming your name all over the place! And then Squalo said a bad word! He said a bad word! Do something Xanxus!" Maria was out of breath by the time she finished her rant, her voice breaking every other word. Her throat was sore, and her face red from all the running.
"I'll take care of it," Xanxus simply said, glaring at all the listed creeps his little sister had described. "Go pack your bags, we're moving."
"We're moving!? What about Papa!?" The little girl in his arms was wide-eyed and open-mouthed. He could see millions of other questions in her eyes, but chose instead to explain little.
"We can still visit Nono. But right now, we need a bigger house. We have a new group now; the Varia," Xanxus explained, shifting his hold on her.
"Eh? Like a new family and stuff? Why can't we all live here!?"
"Hn." His eyes narrowed.
"I can always fix it!"
Xanxus scoffed.
"But glue and duct tape work all the time!"
"Hn." His eyebrow ticked.
"What about Papa!? He'll get lonely!"
"…" He had given up and just given the younger girl a blank stare.
"Fine! But it doesn't mean I have to like it!" The girl squirmed out of Xanxus' hold, freezing at the sight of all the weirdoes she had encountered. She quickly ran away, her shriek of fright fading the farther she got.
"…Boss?" Levi asked uncertainly, looking at the red-eyed teenager meekly.
"Fuck all you worthless pieces of trash. That's my fucking little sister. One wrong move and you're dead." Xanxus walked away calmly, the promise of death in his eyes, his voice, and the way he moved perfectly true.
"…!" Levi collapsed in a dead faint, his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Lussuria had gasped dramatically, a hand to his forehead exclaiming about sibling love. Belphegor chuckled and muttered something about a princess before stalking off somewhere. Squalo scowled, walking away from what he deemed the idiots.
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"Why do you make your hair cover your eyes?" Maria asked her companion, trying to catch his eyes through his fringe.
"Ushishishi, because I allow it to." His grin was wide and full of too many teeth, unnerving Maria a little. She was nothing but stubborn, though, and pouted at the prince.
"That's not an answer," She grumbled, crossing her arms and glaring at him. Belphegor was reminded of the look Xanxus constantly had on his own face. He suppressed a shiver at the thought of his boss's fury directed at him. "You better not give answers like that to fratello. He might throw something at your head, and you're too pretty to get hurt."
Bel blinked, not that it could be seen through his fringe. "Pretty?" He grit out, frowning at the grinning girl.
"Yeah. Your hair looks really nice and soft, and you're skinny just like me! You look like a princess." She smiled, a dimple appearing in her right cheek.
"Princes are handsome and regal. I am not pretty." Clearing out that misconception, Bel stood and made to leave.
"Wait! Come play with me in the garden, yeah? The narcissus are in bloom and they look really pretty, and don't you think that we should cut some to put in the roo-. Bel! Wait!"
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"Y-young boss's sister!" It was the creep who was obsessed with her brother, the Levi A. Than guy.
"Creeper," the only girl in the Varia acknowledged (let it be known that she worked her ass off due to her fratello being a giant meanie who didn't let her have her way of being a lazy civilian thankyou very much). "What are you doing away from Xanxus?" She asked, skirting around him to try and head into the kitchens.
"I'm running a very important errand!" He exclaimed, eyes starry and full of awe. "Boss is dehydrated, and so requested that I fetch him some drinks. The vintage wine has not yet been shipped in, so I will be going to retrieve the finest quality." His eyes locked onto her form, freezing her in her tracks.
"…" Maria eyed him, waiting for her cue to run.
"Do you need anything from the market?" Levi finally asked, breaking her from her thoughts.
"Hah?" She covered her mouth, frowning at the unladylike sound that she'd made. "I-uh…" Her mind scrambled to try and take advantage of this opportunity. "There is a new game that is out- Pokemon I believe? I'd also like some energy drinks, the Beast brand if you could. Something sweet from the bakery, nothing too chocolatey if you would." Smiling slightly, Maria waved at the teen scribbling into his notepad, slipping through the doors and into the kitchen.
Finally.
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"Hey Xanxus, am I a princess?"
"What?" The teen looked up from his paperwork, massaging the bridge of his nose. He took in his little sister, sprawled out on the carpet behind his desk. "Repeat that."
"Am I a princess?" Maria asked again, looking up at him from her position. "Papa's like, the king of mafia right? I also heard people calling Antonia principessa, and since she's called princess, then does that make me one, too?"
Xanxus looked back at his papers, the words blurring together. Sighing, he threw them back onto his desk, grabbing the glass of wine he'd set aside. "Depends," he finally answered, waiting until she looked back at him. "Do you think you are one?"
"Well," Maria hesitated, curling herself up into a ball and facing Xanxus. "Enrico told me that you're Papa's son, and that I don't share the same blood as him. He said that I only share half of my blood with you." Her slanted eyes, oval face, and vague Asian features did contrast from his own strong European looks.
"You're my sister, and nothing will change that," Xanxus stressed. "If I'm a prince, then you're a fucking princess. If you want, you can even be the fucking queen."
"Language!" Maria scolded, then giggled at the look on his face.
"If anyone gives you shit about not being related to Nono, then come to me."
"Okay, Xanxus." Smiling, Maria uncurled herself, standing up and hopping towards Xanxus. "I'll leave you to your work. Love you!" With a peck on his cheek, the younger girl raced out of the room.
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"Bel! Xanxus said that I am so a princess! That means we can get married and stuff!"
"Ushishishi! That's good- we can take over London then as the new monarchs!"
"Like the butterfly?"
"Ushishi. Sure."
"Hey hey. Sorella Luss told me that if someone tried to take your boyfriend or something, then to beat the crap out of them. Something about fighting to prove your worth and a dragon. Do I have to fight people to marry you?"
"Maybe. The prince doesn't need anyone to fight for him."
"What if it's another princess? I need to fight to prove my dominance as alpha princess."
"Shishi. You've been watching those animal documentaries without me?"
"Nevermind that. What if a stronger prince comes to try to marry me?"
"No prince is stronger than me."
"But what about-,"
"Boss doesn't count. He's more like a… a king."
"Fratello… a king?"
"Yes. Back to the subject though… I would have to fight other contenders to the death, then give you their hearts served on a platter."
"Eew. Can't you just send me flowers?"
"It's tradition, Principessa."
"Y-you called me-…!"
"Ushishishi."
"Bel! You're awesome!"
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"Why can't I go to regular school? Why do I have to go to Private School?" Maria whined, dragging her feet behind her brother and his right-hand. "Elissa from the park said that in regular school they did different subjects. I have to take etiquette classes, and she doesn't. I don't like etiquette."
"Stop complaining," Xanxus scolded, looking down at his sister. "I thought princesses had etiquette or some shit when ruling the country."
"Yeah, those are frilly princesses." Maria scrunched up her nose, frowning in distaste. "I wanna be a warrior princess, like Nonna Daniela. She even showed me her old crossbow!"
"You're in the Varia, Maria. Take those classes as something you could use on a mission, like infiltration," Squalo said, stopping the short girl from continuing her rant. "Varia quality means using whatever you have and can get your hands on. That includes etiquette classes."
"Wooow. Squalo, you're so cool." Maria looked up at the silver-haired swordsman, eyes shining in awe. "Like can I use my hair as a rope if I braid it to choke someone wi-."
"Squalo! What are you teaching this little girl!?"
Maria looked around, discovering that her brother had left her and Squalo behind and disappeared to wherever he was supposed to go. She refrained from pouting, knowing he was busy and would check on her once they were back home.
"I'm teaching things that's none of your business, Cavallone." Squalo huffed at the pout on the blonde's face, shuffling Maria in front of him. "Kid, meet the Cavallone heir, Dino. This is Vongola's Maria."
"Aah, nice to meet you!" Maria took in his nice blonde hair and his hazel eyes, admiring his charming smile.
"N-nice to meet you," she stuttered, her face feeling hot. "Does that mean you're a prince?" She asked, looking up at him through her lashes.
Dino laughed, standing straight. "I guess so!" The three began walking, Dino stumbling every now and then. "How old are you ragazzina?"
Maria felt her face grow hotter, looking up to Squalo to try and get him to answer. He merely arched a brow at her, looking back towards the school. "I-I'm seven. It's almost my birthday, though…"
The conversation died as they entered the school, Dino and Squalo dropping her off at her class and then continuing to their own. Maria smiled. She found another prince that she wanted to marry!
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"Xanxus! I met Dino Cavallone today! He's soooo pretty." Xanxus looked at the girl sprawled out once more on his carpet. "He's even a prince, too!"
"The kid's a wimp. He falls all over the place and breaks plenty of shit." He rolled his eyes at her scoff, putting down his paperwork. "Looks like a prince without any of the qualities of one."
"H-He stumbles a little, sure, but he should be smart, right? He's in the same class as Squalo!"
"Passerotta," he began, using the nickname father had given her because of her bird-like qualities, "he fell every two minutes when I saw him. When he ate, he made a mess of himself, the food, and his surroundings. The man is a giant mess waiting to happen." The Cavallone heir also refused to run the Family, which Xanxus found cowardly and stupid.
"I-I like him, though!"
Xanxus froze, licks of flame struggling to free themselves from his fingertips. He quickly quashed them, turning to look at his sister once he was under control. "Maria."
"Y-yes…?" Merda- her eyes were watering, probably having sensed how tightly held his anger was.
"I'm not mad at you," he explained, beckoning her closer. She scrambled into his lap, looking up at him with eyes more brown than red. "You are too quick to decide who you like. You need to assess the person you wish to involve yourself with, to determine whether or not they are worthy of your time." He thought of more things to tell her, like befriending certain people would bring harm to her and the family if they decided to make connection. He thought of people using her and leaving her broken, of people taking advantaged of her trusting heart.
"Xanxus…?"
"Do not be so quick to trust, Passerotta." He said, sighing at the tiny nod she gave him. "Here, I have your first mission result. Being the leader of your group of infiltrators brought good results. Be proud."
"Because I'm la passera! The Sparrow!" She smiled, big and full of teeth with a dimple in her right cheek. "I work best with people, yeah?"
"You're a good leader," Xanxus affirmed, pushing her off his lap to stand. "Let's go. I'm bringing you to Nonna for tea, then she'll have one of Nono's guardians drop you back here."
"Okay." She hugged his waist, standing on his feet as he awkwardly walked out. "I love you, Xanxus."
For Maria, Xanxus would destroy anything. He would protect her from anyone and everything, even his own Family.
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"W-what's going on…?" Maria asked, looking at her older brother's Vice-Captain.
"I'm doing you a huge favor, Maria," Ottavio said, pulling her along Varia HQ's halls. "I really dislike getting little girls involved in the affairs of stupid men, and Vongola Nono adores you. Something's happened, and Xanxus and the Ninth really want you to be safe, okay?"
"W-what?"
Ottavio cursed himself in his head. He was good at charming and smooth-talking people, but children were just too honest and naïve. "We need to get you to safety. Your Nonna Ottavo is waiting with her guardians to take you, so you need to go, okay?"
"O-Ottavio, wait!"
"Quick!" He hissed, shoving her into the waiting car. Her Nonna's guardian, old mister Ambrogio who didn't really look old but looked like a teenager, grabbed hold of her as the car started moving.
"Nonna! What's happening!?" She cried out, struggling out of Ambrogio's hug.
"Hush now, Maria. Everything will be explained later, alright? We're travelling to our house in Sicily, so go to sleep." With a nod to her Rain guardian, Giada, who looked just as old as she did, Maria was poked with Rain flames, and fast asleep.
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"They took her Xanxus. I could not stop them fast enough."
Xanxus said nothing, the flames of his rage only growing hotter the longer he stood.
"Our plans don't change. We go and storm the Vongola now."
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Timoteo entered the room his mother and her guardians were gathered in, lines of stress etched into his face. Coyote Nougat, the only of his guardians not injured from the fight, trailed in behind him.
"And? How did things go?"
"I put Xanxus on ice, if that's what you're asking. Their coup has failed."
Ambrogio offered a chair to him, which he gladly took.
"Maria is safe and fine, thankyou for asking. She's been in and out of sleep. Giada may have used too strong flames when we calmed her."
Timoteo merely shot his mother a look, which she responded with a glare. "Mother-,"
"Oh no. You cared for her for five years while she was under your roof. Even if you never officially adopted her like you did Xanxus, she still called you father. You cannot take away another grandchild of mine, even if she is not our blood."
"Xanxus was the world for her. She needs safety and stability; things that being in the Varia did not give her. Where I am sending her, she will be safe. Antonia will hopefully birth a new heir now that my three sons are gone." He held himself from choking up. His three eldest were foolish, and maybe a bit spoiled, but he loved them. He loved Xanxus, too, but could not give him his wanted title.
"How do you know Antonia will birth an eligible heir? The heir will need to be a Sky, which none of Antonia's children have the possibility of showing. They are all too much like their lightning father. How do you know that Maria will be safe, wherever you are sending her ah? Do not disappoint me more than you already have, Timoteo."
"Iemitsu has already agreed to house Maria with his family in Japan, mother." Timoteo stood, beckoning to Coyote to follow him. "I'll collect Maria and bring her with Iemitsu to Japan. She will be safe."
Daniela frowned as her son left the room, closing her eyes and shaking her head slowly. "That boy. Now that the one who was taking care of her has gone, he decides to send her far off to where she won't make trouble for the family."
"Daniela…?"
"Giada, Ambrogio, look into Iemitsu's database and see if you can uncover his address. I would like to be able to send packages and gifts to my granddaughter while I'm still alive. Letters from Italy to that address may be screened, but packages should be acceptable, no?"
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"Anata…" Nana looked to the sleeping girl on the futon laid out next to her Tsuna's bed. She looked so peaceful, her long, dark hair spread out like vines. "Are we really able to take care of another child? Do-do you think I would be able to take care of her? I can't even understand what she says…"
For the longest time, Nana felt confidence in herself. She was married to a nice, strong, handsome man who worked to provide for her and their son. They lived in a large house in a nice suburban neighborhood. She made the best food in the town, rivalled only by the Yamamoto's sushi place and the Nakatsukasa's bakery.
Of course she had doubts once in a while about what her husband was doing so far from home (and her), but her faith was strong in him.
Him coming home after two years of not seeing him, of only hearing his voice, and he brings along his boss and a stranger's child.
"This is Maria. I was hoping we could take her in," He told her, and she couldn't help but panic about this child being his illegitimate daughter. He soothed those worries, but would not explain how he came to have custody of her.
"Darling?" She asked, turning to look at him. She found his eyes locked on Tsuna's form, soft and full of love. She smiled softly, leaning back against his chest.
"Maria's in the process of learning Japanese," her husband finally answered her, leading her out of the room and towards the kitchen. "She was raised by her older brother, who worked with my company. He's… he's gone now, and she couldn't stay in the environment her brother had her in. My boss, the one who visited, he's the one who asked me to take her in."
"Do you think I'll do a good job raising her, though?" She asked, not able to keep her worries held.
"Nana," Iemitsu breathed, leaning forward and hugging her tight to his chest. She loved this man so much. Maybe too much, even. "You've done a wonderful job raising our Tsunayoshi. I have no doubts that you'll do just as amazing with Maria." He leaned back, looking into her eyes with nothing but love. "We've always wanted more children, right? What do you think of our new daughter?"
"Iemitsu," she smiled, tears forming at the corner of her eyes, "really? Do you think Sawada Maria sounds right? Oh, she's so adorable… do you think you can find baby pictures maybe?"
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As long as his family (both his family and his Famiglia) was happy, Iemitsu would do anything for them (even if it was taking in a young girl who had the potential for strong Sky flames into a household where his own son exhibited Sky flames of his own).
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"Hello," Maria mumbled, her Italian accent thick.
"H-Hello," Tsuna replied, shuffling his feet back and forth.
The two locked eyes, honey brown meeting red brown. A small, genuine smile grew on their faces, hands reaching out to each other.
Bright orange flames ignited where they touched, enveloping them in a searing warmth.
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Hello Tsunayoshi. I am your future.
Hello Maria. I am your past.
We're here to help.
AN: And this is the start of my first story in several years! Woo! If you find any errors, don't be afraid to kindly let me know, yeah? I've been writing this late at night, and it's running along the lines of another story I wrote a while ago but never got around to posting. This is a revised edition. Sorta.
An explanation for why Nono took in Maria with Xanxus instead of making him leave her with their mother- I don't really have one. Maybe their mother was put into a separate house, where she was quietly disposed of because of reasons? I have it all in my head, it's just hard to put it to paper (or the equivalent of yeah?).
don't forget to review!