ZOMG another chapter!

And, sorry if you find Xanxus a bit OOC in this. However, I believe that if he actually had someone he thought he could be gentle with, he would. He is human, and he DOES have a Sky Flame, even if he doesn't use it.

Enjoy!

~Panther-chan

I knocked on the door, reviewing my thoughts while I waited for the customary "enter".

"Enter."

I almost chuckled at the predictability, but refrained. Barely. I opened the heavy door and made sure it was shut behind me, walking forward a few steps while I watched for any signs of irritation from Xanxus, where he was sitting in his chair.

Where he was supposed to be sitting in his chair.

I felt two arms wrap around my waist and a face was pressed into the crook of my neck, the breath tickling my skin. The body behind me was pressed tightly against my back, warmth radiating at an unnaturally high temperature.

I took a short moment to think, and guessed who it was. After all, who else could be in this room without dying?

"Xanxus?"

"Mm."

He hummed into my neck, tickling me even more.

"Did you miss me?" I made another guess.

"Mm."

He didn't reply any other way except to hum deep in his chest, so I squirmed a bit. "Let me turn around, please." I kept my voice calm, my heart speeding up slightly at the heat coming from the man.

His arms loosened just enough to let me turn on the spot and they tightened again, around my lower back. He didn't move other than that, so I wrapped one arm around him, the other on the back of his head, playing with the short black strands. He hummed again, contently, and I took the time to wonder what the hell happened to my boss.

I doubted that anyone managed to abduct or brainwash him, since he was so deadly and so very indestructible. I really didn't think he missed me enough to react this way, and he was acting like a kitten who liked to be petted a lot.

Long minutes passed by. I was almost sure it was a full hour, since my legs started to ache from standing still for so long. I sighed just a bit, and tightened my arm around his back.

"Xanxus, is something wrong?"

"No." he mumbled into my neck, nuzzling it slightly.

Hm. Okay.

"So… what's with the hug? We've been standing here for how long?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm and polite even though I had just asked a sarcastic question.

"… Mm?" he seemed to ask me to repeat what I had just said. I don't think he heard me.

"Can I sit down? I'm a bit tired."

"Yeah."

He took his arms back for a moment before he seemed to realize that he let me go, and then grabbed me around the waist again. Everything around me blurred together for a moment before I lurched to a stop on the chair I had thought he was sitting on when I first entered. Except, I wasn't sitting directly on the chair. Xanxus was on the chair, and I was on Xanxus. Knowing my own weight, I turned my head to speak over my shoulder.

"Aren't I too heavy?"

He chuckled and gripped me around the waist even tighter. It hurt slightly, my hips feeling compressed, so I tried to shift. His arms constricted even further, and that hurt a lot.

"Ah…" I flinched, trying to find a way to sit where I wouldn't be hurt.

"Sorry."

He actually seemed apologetic, and the limbs immediately loosened, giving me room to move and a painless way to sit.

"Thanks."

One of his arms moved to my shoulder and pushed my head down so it was on his shoulder. I still couldn't see his face, and I don't think I wanted to. I already had the urge to run, and I really didn't think it would help my situation whatsoever.

He kept me on his lap for God knows how long, never really letting me go. It was actually pretty comfortable, and he certainly was warm enough to keep me from getting cold. Still, it was awkward for me. I came home to find everyone being strangely nice, then Squalo told me I was pretty much useless and very breakable, then my boss forces me to sit on his rather comfortable lap while I wonder what the fuck happened while I was asleep in my bed, recovering from vertigo.

"Uh, Xanxus? Seriously, what's up?"

"Nothing." He muttered so low I barely heard him.

"Then why are you making me sit on you?"

"You're warm."

"I'm warm? You're a fucking furnace."

"Hm."

"I'm serious. Do you have a fever or something?"

"I don't get sick."

"For some reason, that is very believable. But I'm kinda freaking out here. Everyone's being just a bit too nice, and Squalo pretty much said I was useless and brea-"

"Fucker thinks he can insult you?"

Xanxus growled. He didn't growl like someone that you walked up to and punched out of the blue.

He growled like a lion about to kill you.

"Xanxus!" I cried out warningly, grabbing his arm after noticing he had stood. I would later realize how stupid this was, seeing as he had a crazy glint in his ruby eyes, but my brain was fried from the oddity of it all and I simply reacted. "He didn't actually say useless. He just… he just reminded me how, uh, delicate I am compared to you guys and how… breakable I am."

"Che. Not if I have a say." I was pretty sure I heard Xanxus mutter those words under his breath, a dark look in his eyes, but I might've imagined it.

"Are you feeling more normal now?"

"Eh?" he snarled, turning to face me, a head taller. I felt very small all of a sudden.

"This day has been strange. Do I need to repeat it?"

"No."

He used his inhuman speed again, this time to trap me against the wall, one hand next to my face and the other pinning my wrists above my head. He was being surprisingly gentle, but that didn't help the sinking feeling I was getting in the pit of my stomach.

"Xanxus…?" I said questioningly, hearing my heartbeat in my ears, the blood rushing by. It sped up to an alarming pace when he leaned his head down slightly and pressed his lips against mine, gently, as though he were afraid I would break like a china doll. A shiver ran down my spine, and I felt a kind of numbing cold start in my hands and wander down my arms to my shoulders. It kept going to constrict around my heart, but it stopped when his lips moved against my own, the contact getting rougher.

His hand didn't release my wrists, and he pressed his body against me, trapping me against the wall.

"Mmph…" I turned my head, breaking the kiss. "Xanxus, let me go. Stop it!"

He used his unoccupied hand to cup my cheek and force me to look at him. His red eyes were smoldering, making my knees weak with what I thought at first was fear.

"Xanxus…?"

I think he might've heard the quaver in my voice because he stopped himself right before he kissed me again, breath tickling my face, eyes nearly closed.

"What?" I barely heard his whisper above the pounding in my ear.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because."

He didn't give me a chance to continue speaking, pressing his body tight against my own and trapping me completely against the wall, ignoring all questions and protests that managed to make their way around his rough lips that covered mine.

"Mm…"

I snuggled closer to the heat that was so close to me, feeling two thick tendrils wrap themselves around me and pull me closer to the source. Rough skin, patched with scars, shivered ever so slightly as my cool hands spread over it, letting the warmth sink in. A blanket of heat surrounded me, keeping me comfortably warm with just enough of a cool breeze that came from a window to keep me from overheating.

"You awake?"

"Mm?"

I opened my eyes, revealing the two tendrils of heat to be his arms and the blanket to be the covers of the bed. The skin underneath my fingers belonged to none other than Xanxus, and the scars matched my multiple bruises.

"Ah, ow…"

I tried to move my legs, but pain shot down instead of up and I let them fall limp, instead sighing and looking up at his face. It was almost impassive, but I think he was still partially asleep.

"I am now."

"No shit."

He turned onto his back and I was pulled effortlessly on top of his chest, heart beating strongly against my bare skin. His breath ruffled my hair slightly, and mine tickled his chest, making him shift again. His arms stayed around my back and we simply laid together for as long as we could. I wasn't sure what was driving to make him act so… lovingly, but I prayed it didn't run out any time soon.

"Sorry." I heard him mutter, and one of his hands that dwarfed my own covered part of my side, matching the bruises exactly.

Holy shit.

That was the second time he apologized to me in the past 24 hours.

Holy fucking shit. That's a lot, coming from him.

"Xanxus?"

"Hm?"

I chuckled darkly. "I refuse to become one of your bitches, and I refuse to be a sex toy. I also refuse to let you abuse me on a regular occasion. Just a heads up."

"Wasn't planning on it. And I don't have bitches. Fucking annoying."

"Heh. Whatever you say."

"Squalo. What did he say to you exactly?"

"He was being nice, like Belphegor, and it was weird. He simply explained that compared to the rest of the Varia I'm rather breakable. A single misplaced punch and I'd probably be dead."

"Che. Fucker thinks-"

"I don't know what he was thinking, and I don't know what you're thinking, and I wonder why the hell I'm so calm right now."

"Because you're mine."

"That depends. Are you mine?"

I winced slightly, remembering who I was talking too just a moment too late.

"If you want."

The reply surprised me, not from the words, but because of the tone. It was tired, and almost cautious.

"Well… yes. Yes, I would like that. Because I don't feel like being used."

"You're not."

"Please explain that."

"Che."

He started to sit up and I slipped down, the bruises making me hurt like crazy, even more than my legs. "Ah." I winced again, the soreness and pain shooting me in the sides, legs, and arms. I ignored it and latched onto Xanxus. "No! Don't get up."

"What the fuck?"

"You're warm and I'm cold right now."

"Useless piece of… whatever."

He slipped back under the covers and I did my best to snuggle against his side without hurting myself even more and without irritating him. His arm seemed to move on its own and wrapped around me once more, pulling me close enough to lay my head on his chest. I sighed, very comfortable, and let my hand rest on his stomach, my eyes falling shut.

"Oi."

"Hm?"

"Gimme your hand."

I lifted my hand.

"The other hand."

I turned onto my back and gave him my left hand, feeling his calloused fingers gently take it and slip something on the ring finger. My eyes snapped open and I almost snatched it back, alarmed. It wasn't an engagement ring, though, so my panic faded.

"Scared ya? It's a fucking promise ring to make the pieces of trash out there keep their filthy hands off what's mine."

"Heh." I smiled, looking at the white gold band that held a simple diamond in the center. "Why me?"

"Because you're mine."

"Besides the obvious reason."

"Because…"

He seemed stuck for once, so I turned onto my stomach and leaned on my elbows, looking up at him. He saw me and growled, grabbing my shoulders and yanking me up onto his chest once again, kissing me roughly. When he let me go from the kiss he held me tightly against himself, taking a deep breath.

"Don't expect me to fucking repeat myself."

I nodded, unable to speak from the constricting force around my midsection and my ribcage.

"I want you to be mine – and mine alone – because… you're the first and only good thing to come deep enough into the Mafia to reach me and stay good. Everything else is corrupted, but… you stay pure. You don't let yourself be affected by the violence and the bloodshed, and… you stay by me. I want to keep you by me, even if I have to destroy everything else in this godforsaken world to do it."

I blinked, startled. Xanxus actually felt that way?

"Xanxus?"

"What?" he growled.

"If I'm yours, then your mine, okay?"

"I knew you'd say that."

He held up his left hand to show a plain white gold band around his finger with the same vine like patterns as mine. I smiled brilliantly, feeling oddly elated.

My smile fell.

"Oh shit."

"What?"

"Cloak!"

I tried to leap out of the bed, temporarily forgetting my pain in the realization that Cloak probably thought I was dead. Xanxus, however, pinned me down and held me there, growling in irritation and laughing at me at the same time, making for an odd combination of sounds.

"Do you mind? She probably thinks I'm fucking dead!"

"Relax. She's tough, remember?"

I sighed. "You're not letting me up." I stated.

"I'm not letting you up." He confirmed, chuckling. I huffed and crossed my arms best I could.

"Well, I can't get up anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"That was my first time and I'm fucking sore. And in pain."

"Oh."

The facts seemed to slap him in the face and he rolled us both around, gently, so I was once again laying on his chest, his heart underneath my ear, the beats steady and strong.

"It's okay. I can get you to order people to bring me stuff."

"Got that right."

"Seriously?"

I lifted my head, eyebrows raised in amazement.

"You're mine. I take care of what's mine."

"So you're saying that since, in your mind, I belong to you like some object, you'll take care of me?" One eyebrow remained lifted, questioning him.

"Let me rephrase that. You're mine. If someone doesn't do as you say I will fucking kill them, then get someone else to do it."

I laughed with him, knowing he wasn't joking at all. I only hoped this affection would last longer than a month.

"Hello?"

"Hey Cloak!"

"Oh my God! Acer! Are you okay? What about your uncle? What happened? Is he okay?"

"That was a cover story. Go on Messenger and I'll tell you all about it, okay?"

"Uh, sure…"

The phone beeped and I took my laptop out of my bag. Xanxus had left a while ago with Squalo and some underlings to complete a mission, and I was in his room, sitting on the recently cleaned bed.

SKYVOV2 has logged on.

CLOAK&DAGGER has logged on.

CLOAK&DAGGER "Who are you?"

SKYVOV2 "I'm insulted. Didn't I just tell you to log on?"

CLOAK&DAGGER "Acer?"

SKYVOV2 "No shit, Sherlock."

CLOAK&DAGGER "So, what happened?"

SKYVOV2 "The guest speaker, Iemitsu Sawada, is basically an underling of the man who's trying to find and force me into working for him. I'm currently hiding in plain sight. My uncle having a heart attack was just a cover story. No worries. Everything and everyone is fine. What about you and Jacki?"

CLOAK&DAGGER "Jacki was a bit worried. I'm fine, but…"

SKYVOV2 "But what?"

CLOAK&DAGGER "I… um, I need help… with someone."

SKYVOV2 "What can I do?"

CLOAK&DAGGER "Well… you know how I guessed you were in the Mafia?"

SKYVOV2 "Yeah?"

CLOAK&DAGGER "There's a gang of them chasing me, and I thought you were part of them."

SKYVOV2 "Name."

CLOAK&DAGGER "?"

SKYVOV2 "Give me a name."

CLOAK&DAGGER "Uh… well, there's one of them that's tried to talk to me… his name, I think, was Romario."

SKYVOV2 "Romario… What did he look like?"

CLOAK&DAGGER "Glasses, short black hair. He's middle aged, I think, and he mentioned someone named Dino."

SKYVOV2 "Dino and Romario. I'll see what can be done. Hold on a few minutes, I'll ask my brother."

CLOAK&DAGGER "Thank you so much."

SKYVOV2 "What are friends for?"

I cracked my knuckles, trying to find my cell in my bag. I found it and pressed the speed dial for Belphegor, who answered almost immediately.

"Hello Merchant."

"Yo. Come to Xanxus's room for a second. Don't tell anyone, kay?"

"Very well."

The phoned beeped, and I hung up as well, putting it down beside me. Not a minute later someone knocked at the door and the prince's voice came through.

"C'mon in, Belphegor."

The dark door opened and Bel slipped in, shutting it behind him.

"Hello, Merchant. Ushishishi, why are you in the King's room?"

"Because I can't move right now, that's why. Sit."

I patted the bed beside me and he jumped onto it, bouncing in place for moment before smiling even wider and facing me, cross-legged. "What does the Merchant need from the Prince?"

"Tell me everything you know about Dino and Romario, please. They're hounding a friend of mine and I want to know why."

"Dino is the tenth boss of the Cavallone Family and Romario is his right-hand man."

"Are they allies of Vongola?"

"Yes."

"Okay… Why would they be bugging a college student?"

"Is it the Dark Princess they're annoying?"

"Yeah, it's Cloak. I'm worried, though. The way she said it means they might be resorting to force."

"Hm. Well, if you wish to speak with Dino, the Prince could arrange it. For a price, of course."

"What is it, then?" I was wary of this price, knowing he could demand something pretty high.

"Why is the Merchant wearing a promise ring in the King's room, and why can't she move?"

"I'm wearing a promise ring in Xanxus's room because he practically forced me into it, but it's okay, and I can't move because I'm bruised and sore. Now get me in contact with Dino, please."

"So… the Merchant is the Queen now?"

I blinked. "Uh, I guess so."

"The Prince is happy."

He laughed and gave me a quick, gentle hug. I shrugged, resolving to figure it out later, and went back to the computer as Belphegor snatched my phone, dialing a random number.

SKYVOV2 "Yo. I'm getting in contact with these guys now. I'll have an answer pretty soon."

CLOAK&DAGGER "Who are they?"

SKYVOV2 "A boss and his right-hand man."

CLOAK&DAGGER "Shit, holy shit… what do I do?"

SKYVOV2 "Want me to send for you? I'm not sure how people will receive you, but my brother seems to be… uh, fascinated by you and he'd probably do it."

CLOAK&DAGGER "Fascinated?"

SKYVOV2 "He's a bit insane and is obsessed with royalty, and calls people peasants. He seems to think you're descendant from the Australia monarchy, disbanding centuries ago."

CLOAK&DAGGER "How did he know that?"

SKYVOV2 "Like I said, obsessed. Anyway, want me to send for you?"

CLOAK&DAGGER "Um, okay…"

SKYVOV2 has logged off.

"Hey, Belphegor… any way we can bring her here?"

"Ushishishi… the Prince shall fetch the Princess, yes?"

"Yes. Go fetch the Princess. And don't freak her out, please. And get Lussuria up here, I need to go to my own room now."

"Very well…"

He slipped off the bed and dashed out the door with a surprising velocity, and minutes later Lussuria was at the door, cooing over the ring of which he didn't even know the giver, or (probably) the meaning.

"Well, let's get you to your room, then. You can't walk, right?"

"Right."

"Well, let's do this, then!"

He picked me up bodily with unnatural strength and skipped… yes, skipped all the way to the other end of the goddamn base. The whole time he acted like he was holding a fucking feather instead of a woman, and every single time we passed by other members he'd jump-kick them so fast I thought we didn't move at all. It was kind freaky.

When he placed me gently onto my own bed, he laughed and said it was nothing before I could even say thank you. Then he asked for a reward, and proceeded to put up my hair in complex braids and twists, pinning it all in place with only a few bobby pins.

"I've always wanted to see how this would look on you! It's so beautiful, hun!"

"Uh, thanks. Now, Cloak is probably on the way, so could you go and make sure no one attacks her?"

"Oh, sure. Anything for that darling little girl. Hm?"

He left me to my thoughts, and I patted my hair, looking in the mirror and posing a few times. "It really does look good on me, huh?" I smirked and snapped a photo with my cell so I wouldn't forget it.

Stumbling back to the bed, I sat down cross-legged and put my phone on the night-stand, opening my laptop once more to find a few new emails. One from the school, one from Jacki, and one from Mammon that told me about the latest news in the stock market and asked my opinion.

I smiled lightly at the one from the Arcobaleno, knowing that he was asking this mainly to show that he trusted me to keep my word and pay him back one day.

I analyzed the statistics and replied with my personal opinion on what businesses would fall and which would rise, and what actions he should take.

Knock-knock-knock.

"Come in." I called in reply, closing my computer and pushing it away from me slightly. A very, very startled Cloak entered with a bag on her back, visible eye wide as a dinner plate and an expression that said she was in complete and utter shock.

"Hey, Cloak." I greeted casually, waving. She slowly turned her head to look at me as though I was a stranger, then recognition dawned on her face and she walked with the pace of a snail towards my bed.

"Hi." she said simply, standing in front of me.

"I know you're probably in shock, but sit!" I commanded cheerfully, patting the bed beside me.

"Okay."

She turned and sat down on the edge of the bed, and I reached over to warily take her bag and put it on the floor beside her feet. She didn't even notice and I sighed.

"Cloak, I need you to talk to me to be able to help you."

"Oh, uh… Well, the guys that were after me… um, they said something about recruiting me to give me access to supplies to heal people, and helping my career as a doctor. Or something."

"Hm. Well, as it turns out, Dino is the tenth boss of the Cavallone Family, and Romario is his right-hand man. They're also our most trusted allies."

"Huh?"

She gave me a look filled with so much panic, worry, and fear, I reached out and pulled her into a hug. "Don't you worry. I won't let anything bad happen to you. I won't. I'll even beg my Boss's boss to keep the pressure off you. Seriously. I will. I'll speak with our own Tenth boss, and the Ninth, even though I don't like him at all, and see what I can do. I'll get the rest of the Varia to help, too, okay?"

"Why… why for me, though?" she whispered hoarsely, her fear not abating in the least.

"Cause you're not just my friend, you're my fucking family. That's why."

"And… family is the most important thing in the world, right?" Her voice seemed less shaky, holding more determination and strength than before.

"Right. I may not be a fighter, but I can be scary all the same. Now, tell me your opinion on what's going on."

"You're loaded. You're Mafia. And your top ally was trying to recruit me by force. What do you think my opinion is?"

I laughed. "Here, let me contact my Boss for a sec."

I grabbed my laptop and opened it for the umpteenth time that day, clicking on MSN.

SKYVOV2 has logged on.

I quickly checked the roster for Online people, and saw Belphegor, Mammon, and Squalo. There was a new one, named 9SKYOV.

"Nine, Ninth… Sky, Boss… OV, of Vongola… Must be the Ninth." I muttered under my breath, ignoring the questioning glance Cloak sent my way.

SKYVOV2 "Hello, Ninth."

9SKYOV "Hello. And you are?"

SKYVOV2 "My name is Acer. I am the new Officer of the Varia."

9SKYOV "Ah, of course. And what is it you wanted to speak of?"

SKYVOV2 "My friend seems to be having problems with our ally, Dino Chiavarone. I was hoping you would be willing to help me meet him to clear it up."

9SKYOV "Hm. I'm not sure I would want to. I will have to meet you in person first. I haven't even heard anything of a new Officer named Acer from Xanxus."

SKYVOV2 "Of course. Did you have sometime in mind?"

9SKYOV "Which base are you currently in?"

SKYVOV2 "I am in the American base."

9SKYOV "Very well. You will come to Italy with Xanxus and your friend. I will see what can be done."

SKYVOV2 "Thank you very much, Ninth."

9SKYOV has logged off.

"Che, bastard… logs off without saying goodbye… fucker thinks he can ignore me?"

"Isn't he the top Boss though?"

"Oh. Well, maybe he can ignore me, then. I doubt he can ignore Xanxus, though. Not many can."

Cloak shifted and faced me, face demanding answers. "You always speak of this Xanxus guy as though he were indestructible."

"That's cause he is. If you shoot him he'll dodge and shoot back, and if you piss him off he'll shoot you. Either way, you'll most likely die."

"Hm. Doesn't sound like the kind of boss I would want."

"My story is a lot different than yours." I commented offhandedly, staring into space and remembering how I had been dragged into the Mafia, only to be saved and given options by the Varia, my Family.

"Moving on! The Ninth wants me, Xanxus, and you to go to Italy to meet him. He said he'd see what can be done, but I do hope Xanxus will comply with what I have planned, otherwise the Ninth would probably eat me alive."

"Wow. He sounds like the kind of boss I wouldn't want, too."

I laughed, patting Cloak on the shoulder. "Ah, but Xanxus is exactly the kind of boss I want, and the one I have. Now, on to lighter topics, eh?"

Please remember that I write this because I want to. I also want to discuss whatever the hell you wanna talk about! If you look really deep in parts of the series (soon to be of 3 parts), then you'll see that there are a lot of things that you can think deeply on and make assumptions. Please, tell me what you find and I'll tell you what it's about!

~Panther-chan