Prologue
Light in Flame

Panting could be heard throughout the room, and a slick popping sound accompanied as Xanxus pulled his softening member out of his second in command, who grunted in response. They lay side by side, skin hot and sweaty, lungs desperately seeking air.

It was a relatively new occurrence, the whole sex between them. Squalo himself had often thought about what sex with his boss would be like. So much rage and power, it made him feel strange, like he was the prey for once. 'Well now I know how it feels, I guess.' He thought to himself, as he looked at the dark man beside himself.

Squalo turned on his side making sure to put his hair behind him, and rested his head on Xanxus' broad chest, nestling in the crook of his arm, letting go a sigh of content.

The shark's feeling of content and happiness lasted for about two seconds as the dark skinned man shrugged Squalo away, "Fuck off, I'm not in the mood to put up with that shit." Xanxus murmured as he turned his back to Squalo, and pulled the blankets up.

"What do you mean 'that shit'?" Squalo asked angrily, sitting up. His hair fell and cascaded all around him like a white waterfall, and when Xanxus turned his head to look at the skinny man, he had to admit to himself that Squalo was beautiful. But he could also admit that he was loud, annoying and bitchy.

"You know what I mean." Xanxus sneered, "All that cuddling crap, you're not a God damn women." In truth Xanxus more or less didn't like holding his rain guardian because of what it made him feel.

Squalo gave him his best death glare, his fiery temper rearing its ugly head. "So you can shed blood with me on the battle field but you can't hold me?" Squalo gritted through his teeth and clenched his real hand. "This is getting really old Xanxus."

"Listen trash, I don't give a shit what you want." Xanxus retorted, his voice becoming low and dangerous. 'Who's the shark think he is to talk to me like that?' Xanxus thought, glaring at Squalo. "I'm the boss, not you." The dark Italian shouted, reaching out and grabbing his guardian's arm and pulled him closer. "If you didn't want to play by my rules then you shouldn't have vowed yourself to me!"

"When I swore myself to you it was because you weren't afraid of anything!" Squalo yelled back, his voice becoming louder and louder as he ranted; it almost became a presence itself. "Fuck if I knew back then that you can't even handle a relationship, can't even handle yourself!"

"I wish you did! You could have stayed with that weak loser Cavallone. You're a weak piece of trash that's only good for one thing." Xanxus was going off the handle, and the fact that he even mentioned Dino mad him madder on some level. In a way, Xanxus did want to stop berating Squalo. But it was past the point where he could stop himself. Without thinking he added, spitting in Squalo's face and bruising his arm, "I should have got rid of you in the very beginning. A whore from a nothing family"

Squalo yanked his arm out of Xanxus' hand with such ferocity and speed that it almost startled him, and he had to wonder if he had burned him. Squalo leaped out of the bed, taking the blankets with him and angering Xanxus further, and stormed towards the door. Squalo open the door, managing to spit a quick 'fuck you' out and pushing a pricy vase of a stand before slamming the door; Leaving behind him a satisfying shattering of porcelain and a dick-headed boss.

Unfortunately what Squalo couldn't avoid was the rest of the Varia seeing him naked, save for some blankets, and their laughter following him all the way back to his room. "Bunch of hyena shits," Squalo muttered as he slammed his door.

The whole Varia house was a flurry of activity. Maids hurried about, dusting and vacuuming while chiefs prepared expensive meats and sweet desserts. Everyone, except the actual Varia guardians themselves, where preparing for one of their 'family' meetings, which consisted of the Vongola and Cavallone coming over to 'discuss important matters'. What usually happened was more to do with getting drunk than discussing anything.

Squalo and Xanxus were far from getting ready to entertain guests. Instead, they were in Xanxus' office arguing. It had been a few days since the bedroom incident, and there hadn't been much time to cool off.

'How can I even calm down when Xanxus is treating me like shit?' Squalo fumed, slamming his fists on the large wooden desk that his boss was currently seated behind. "Why the hell did you send me on this mission? A God damned child could have completed this!" The silver haired guardian rubbed his temples, trying to calm down. Not that he really wanted to, but he also didn't want to look weak and childish. "The guy was completely incompetent, and unguarded. Why even waste my time?"

Xanxus kept on pretending to look over paperwork, his only response was a monotone "Because." 'Because I thought you would like an easy mission for a change. Because I didn't want you to get hurt. Xanxus quickly banished those thoughts, putting the papers down and looking at his second in command. "I gave you a mission that even you could complete. I give trash trash missions."

"You know what? You are such a-"Before Squalo was able to dig in he was interrupted by a timid nock on the door.

He swiftly opened the door to find one of the maids, bowed and nervous. "Uh-um, Sir? The Vongola and Cavallone are here." With that she bowed even lower and made her hasty exit down the hall.

Squalo just turned and glared at Xanxus before following in the direction of the maid. Xanxus sighed and strode out after him with more cockiness than he felt.

"Ah, the ever lovely Varia!" A blonde haired, brown eyed man laughed as he and a few men entered the large voyeur. "So nice of you to have us over!"

"I wouldn't have you over if I could help it." Xanxus remarked, eyeing down the young Cavallone. Xanxus didn't like Dino, he was just like Tsuna; Soft, weak and clumsy. Not to mention good friends with Squalo, but what did he care?

Dino just laughed it off, not wishing to start anything with the scarred mafioso. He turned his attention towards the rain guardian instead. "How my one hand man doing?" He smiled, as they began their march towards the dining room where the Vongola were currently waiting, and where they were to eat while discussing future plans.

"Fuck off ugly horse." Squalo shot back rather loudly, causing Dino to laugh once again and clap a hand on Squalo's shoulder. Although Squalo shrugged it off and bunched Dino in the ribs, the sight of anyone toughing the shark caused Xanxus' temper to rise its head.

When they were all seated a low buzz of noise filled the room as the inhabitants began talking to whoever was beside them, which was unfortunate for Squalo who was in his usual spot beside Xanxus.

"Pass me the salt shit head," Xanxus grumbled in between swigs of his drink.

"Seriously? You can't just ask me like a normal person asshole?" Squalo bite back, not in the mood for his boss' crap. "Or I guess you're just not in the mood for that shit." He added mockingly.

"Did I offend the lady?" Xanxus sneered, taking another sip of whiskey, rehashing their most recent fight with Squalo.

"You such idiot, you know that? You're not going to get shit from me except a punch in the face." Squalo hissed as he set he wine glass down rather harshly, causing some of its contents to slide out.

Xanxus just looked at him for a bit, which made Squalo grow even angrier; and when he noticed some of the others watching their argument he became somewhat embarrassed.

"Fine." Xanxus said as he reached for the salt. As he pulled his arm back he made sure to knock over his subordinate's wine glass. He causally began shaking salt onto his food and Squalo shot back, knocking over his chair.

Squalo stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds, his face and shirt dripping red wine onto the rest of him, and the floor. However as soon as he heard Bel snigger he lost it.

He whipped his plate at the prince, knocking food everywhere and once he turned his attention to Xanxus a second latter, the blonde thought better of retaliating.

"You piece of dog shit! I can't even understand you! I spend my entire life doing nothing but serving you, even when you were frozen and none of us knew if you where ever going to wake up. I've given you everything that I have and all you seem to do is take what you and throw the rest back in my face!" The shark screamed, as he threw his cutlery at Xanxus.

"Shut up!" Xanxus yelled back just as wildly, getting angrier by the second. He didn't like Squalo talking to him like this or what he was saying. Especially in front of other mafiosos.

"No! I don't-"Squalo was cut off by a large scarred hand slapping him across the face. Pain exploded in the right side of face and head, and all he could see were stars.

Xanxus was in a bit of shock. Of course it wasn't the first time he had hit Squalo, but he didn't think he had ever hit him so hard. He watched as Squalo slowly turned his head back towards him, and was truly in shock, as he watched one lone tear slide its way down Squalo's check before the shark could wipe it away.

Squalo turned away from Xanxus and quickly strode towards the door. "Fuck you Xanxus." Was quietly thrown behind him as he made his way out of the dining room and the mansion all together.