"You know that blonde girl? The Italian transfer with the bad accent?"

Shizu's attention was drawn from the vending machine selection to the two boys standing around the corner. They seemed to not know she was there, nor that she was suddenly on high alert and glaring in their direction. She could not see them around the corner, but knew they were there. What are they saying about Isa?

"What about her?" the other asked.

"I'm going to meet her at the baseball field after school and have some fun with her."

"What?! No way! She agreed to that?"

"Are you kidding? She hardly knows how to speak Japanese! But she can read it. I put a note in her shoe locker telling her to meet me there. You want a taste of her, too?"

The other boy laughed. "Of course! What if she says 'no' though?"

"She won't say 'no'. She's so stupid, she'll just come to the field and then we'll just…you know…"

"What if she tells someone?"

"She won't. Trust me. We'll scare her into staying quiet."

Shizu waited for them to walk away before smirking to herself. Oh, this will be fun. She snuck out of the school during lunch and returned with her favorite item. It was tucked away for later and the girl intercepted Isabelle from seeing the note in her locker. When class ended, she found Gokudera and scowled up at him. "I need a favor."

"I don't owe you anything," he protested.

"No, you don't. But if you do me a favor, I'll owe you later. Ask Isa; I always repay a debt." She saw him scowl back at her and rolled her eyes. "Look, just do me this one favor. I need for you to walk Isa home for me. Just stay with her until I get there and I'll treat you to dinner and still owe you something later, alright?"

He gritted his teeth, looking more than a little agitated. "Fine. What are you doing that's so damn important anyway?"

"Just having a little fun. Blowing off a little steam." Shizu saw his eyebrow raise and smirked. "What? You don't want to see what I'm going to do. Just run along."

"Whatever. It's not like I care about whatever stupid thing you're probably going to do."

After explaining to Isabelle that she had to stay late, she saw them off at the gate. She waited for everyone to leave before she retrieved her favorite item and made her way to the baseball field behind the school. Sure enough, two boys were waiting there. They looked alarmed to see her, but she hid her weapon behind her in the shadows cast by the school building. "Waiting for someone?" she asked, leaning on one hip.

These boys were stronger than her. They were both on the baseball team and were easily six inches taller than her. It was almost too exciting. The taller of the two frowned. "Where's Capello? I left the note in her locker."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but she had to go home." Shizu tilted her head, the wind rushing through her short, shaggy black hair. "Don't you want to play with me~?"

The shorter boy grimaced. "You look like a boy. Who would want to screw you?"

His friend cackled. "Except all the girls in her class! But you know, she's not that boyish. She has a bigger chest than some of those other girls. What cup size are you?"

The corner of her mouth lifted. "Oh…I don't know. Maybe B?"

"Flat," the shorter one retorted.

"Not too flat to squeeze," the taller one argued. He started toward her and when he was within a few inches of the girl, he reached to her chest. "They're soft. Hey, do you want to play with me and my friend?"

"Play, hm?" Shizu licked her lips and grabbed the front of his shirt with her left hand. "I don't know how to play; I've never done it before~"

His face turned bright red. "No way! You're a virgin?!"

"Why wouldn't I be?" The girl leaned up to his ear and blew on it lightly. "But I do know a few tricks…" Her teeth closed hard on his earlobe, biting down until she severed it. Blood poured down the side of his neck, drenching his shirt, and he pulled away with a cry of agony.

"Fuck! What the fuck's your problem, you bit-?!" The side of his head connected with something solid and blunt. His body fell to the ground and the object hit the side of his chest. Ribs broke, blood filled his lungs. He looked up at her through half-lidded eyes and saw the aluminum bat shine in the sunlight. Her pale, slender fingers were wrapped around the leather grip and she pressed the end. Spikes appeared on the bat and as it came down on his head, he released a gurgling scream. The spikes pierced his skull and into his brain.

Shizu braced a foot against his chest and pulled hard to get her weapon free. There was a little brain matter left on the spikes, but the crunch of his skull had been worth it. She turned in time to bash his friend in the side as the boy rushed at her in outrage. Blood exploded from his mouth as his organs were punctured. He stumbled, but pushed himself forward. She was knocked onto her back and felt his foot slam into her stomach and chest a few times before she was able to brace herself. The girl shoved herself to her feet and darted away from him in time to avoid a swing at her jaw. His other hand moved quickly, hitting her square in the nose. Warm liquid spilled down her lips and chin, but she ignored it. She had felt worse pain before.

Backing up a few steps, she held her bat tightly in her right hand. It's not broken. It's just bleeding, she told herself. Shizu prepared to strike at his head, but the punch to her nose had left her slightly disoriented. His fist connected with her face again, this time hitting her eye. He drew back and hit her face a third time. Her lower lip split and the taste of blood intensified. Damn it! I have to finish him off before he does some real damage! She swung and the bat struck him in the side of the head. He was injured, but still standing and seemed even angrier than before. How is he not dead yet?! He should be bleeding internally!

The girl saw a figure behind him and froze. She took several steps back, her eyes going wide. The boy behind her attacker was approaching slowly, like a predator stalking his prey, and his mouth was set in a firm line. A tonfa was raised and crashed against the back of the attacker's head. It hit again and again until the sound of skull cracking could be heard. The body fell. He looked at Shizu with a glare. She took a step back from him, but he lowered his weapon and kicked the dead boy's leg. "He was going to sexually assault my friend. I didn't have a choice," she explained. She had a feeling he didn't care. Tsuna and the others had told her about this boy.

Hibari turned his eyes from the corpse back to her. "Are you saying you did me a favor? Killing this delinquent?" He seemed to almost be taunting the girl.

"I couldn't let him hurt my friend or any other girls here at school!" Shizu protested. She ran bloody fingers through her hair and sighed. "Look, if you want to bite me to death, go ahead. Just leave me alive enough to keep my friend safe."

"You did do me a favor." There was a hint of irritation in his voice. "So I'll let you go. Report to the Disciplinary Committee room in the morning."

"Wait. What? Am I getting detention for killing this scum? And how did I do you a favor?" Shizu flicked her weapon, blood droplets falling from its surface and speckling the grass.

"Just be there first thing in the morning." He gave the dead bodies a final glance before stalking off back to the school.

Shizu looked down at herself and grimaced. I'm covered in blood. How am I going to explain this to Isa? I don't necessarily want to tell her the truth.

Shift P.O.V

"I'm hungry. When did Shizu say she would be home?" Isabelle was speaking Italian and emerged from her room in a pair of white shorts and a tight pink t-shirt. She let her long, curly blonde hair down from its ponytails and it swayed with each movement.

Gokudera refused to look her way. He was sitting near the living room window, glaring down at his phone. Tsuna and Yamamoto had met up after class to hang out, leaving him alone with Isabelle. "She didn't say when she would be home," he answered. The boy lit a cigarette, ignoring her look of outrage.

"What are you doing?! You can't smoke in here!"

"I have the window open."

"That doesn't mean-!" A ringtone could be heard coming from her pocket and she answered it cheerfully. "Shizu! Where are you? I'm starving! What should we eat tonight?" Her smile fell. "What? Really? I guess so. I don't like hanging out with this idiot. Huh? Yeah, alright. I'll see you later then? Alright!" She hung up and grabbed her jacket. "Shizu said to go to Hana's. I guess her and Kyoko want to hang out with me. You're supposed to stay here."

What the hell? He watched her go and leaned back in the leather armchair. What did she say to that girl? And why do I have to stay here?! Ten minutes passed before he got his answer. The apartment door opened and Shizu stepped inside, holding her side with one hand and gripping a blood-splattered aluminum bat in the other. Her uniform was splattered with blood as well, some of it obviously hers though most of it seemed to be from someone else. The girl's nose was bleeding, her lower lip was split, and she had a bruise quickly forming around her left eye. She looked at him as she sank to the floor, leaning against the front door. "What the hell happened to you?!" he demanded.

Shizu's head fell to the side, her breathing ragged. She reached up to lock the apartment door and sighed. "It caught up to me faster than I expected. I think he bruised my ribs."

"Who?!"

"Ugh…this bastard. He wanted to jump Isa so I had to kill him." She casually pointed to a gooey chunk on the side of the bat. "See that? It's part of his brain. That bastard."

Gokudera was more than a little unsettled by this, but could see that she needed help. As much as he hated to get too close to her, he knew he had to do something. He lifted Shizu in his arms and her head leaned against his chest, a quiet laugh escaping her. "Shut up! This isn't funny! What if he had killed you?! Idiot! Why would you go off and do something like that alone?!" The boy tried not to think of how nice it felt to hold her, struggling to not blush.

"If anyone's an idiot, it's you for not getting how it's funny."

He could hear in her voice that she was tired. He was glad that she was slightly delirious right now; it kept her from noticing how he blushed. Beneath the layer of blood, she was beautiful in an odd sort of way. Gokudera set her down on the couch and rummaged around in her bathroom for a handkerchief. When he returned to the living room, she was looking slightly better and took the cloth from him to wipe away her blood. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I had to protect her."

"You can't protect her if you get killed!"

"Ngh. I hate to ask, but can you start the shower? I need to wash off this blood. Don't let anyone into the apartment, got it?"

The boy scowled. "Fine." He walked back to the bathroom, obeying her instructions, and sat in the living room waiting for her when she went to wash off the blood. Many thoughts passed through his head. Why the hell am I sitting here doing whatever she says?! What do I care if she gets killed? That thought made him frown. Gokudera realized that he would be upset if she died. I hardly know her! Why should I care so much?! The next thought was that she was in the bathroom, just a short ways away, taking a shower. His face turned red. Why is she doing that?! She knows I'm out here!

Shift P.O.V

Stepping out of the shower, she frowned. A look in the mirror showed that her blackened eye was starting to get puffy. Damn it. I can't hide that from Isa. I hate this. But that was a good workout at least. The girl dried her short black hair and dressed in a t-shirt and jeans before putting her bloody uniform in the garbage. "So? Isa's going to be busy at Hana's for a while," she started, standing in the doorway to the living room.

Gokudera was smoking, which she had chosen not to get mad about. "What are you trying to say?"

She snorted. It hurt a little and blood dripped from her nose. "Damn it! One second." The girl pressed a handkerchief to her nose and frowned. "So I meant, what do you want for dinner? I told Hana to order something for Isa and that I'd reimburse her. For a limited time only, I'll cook for you. I normally only cook for Isa so consider this a treat."

"Just make whatever. I don't care." Despite this, his face was turning pinkish.

Shizu tilted her head and smirked. "What? You're not getting some weird idea, are you? Like some stupid newlywed fantasy?"

He stared at her a moment. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"N-nothing. Shut up." She heard him snicker and scowled as she rummaged in the fridge. "I'm making grilled beef with steamed rice and miso soup," Shizu declared. The girl set about cooking the meal and grimaced when she felt a presence enter the kitchen. Before she could turn, a hand reached past her to help himself to some of the cooked meat. "Couldn't wait?" She turned and blushed pink when she realized how close he was.

Gokudera chewed thoughtfully for a moment and half-grinned. "It's good."

"D-don't look so pleased! It's not like I made it especially good or anything; it's just regular grilled beef," she stated firmly. Why is he standing so close?! It made my heart skip a beat! Why? Just because I don't have much experience with boys?

"Did your mother teach you how to cook?"

Her shoulders drooped. "That's right. She taught me all of her Japanese recipes and a few Italian ones. The dipping sauce for the meat? That's a special mix that she showed me." She saw him dip a piece of meat into the sauce and smiled when she heard him chewing it. "What do you think? It's sweet and savory, right? With a little bit of spice."

"It's good."

Shizu was surprised when he asked what else she could cook. The two talked until the meal was done and as they ate, she found herself glancing over at him every so often. He really likes it? Isa never liked my Japanese recipes. She said they tasted weird. Why does it make me happy that he likes my cooking? And isn't it weird to be sitting here with him, eating, after I killed someone? He didn't even bat an eye when I told him. Most guys would have freaked out and left. She raised an eyebrow and began to wonder if he was somehow used to it.