Soko was discharged by the end of the week and spent most of the weekend with Toko hovering near her despite her protests. She'd been injured on jobs before, but never badly enough to necessitate a hospital stay, and was thankful that their connection with the Chiavarone had gotten her in and out without too many questions. That said, she drew the line when Don Chiavarone once again showed up at their doorstep and excused herself for some fresh air. She'd come to accept that his presence would likely be a constant as long as he and Toko were involved, and didn't dislike him, but she was always reminded of just how different she and her partner were when she saw them together.
She wouldn't call it jealousy. Longing, perhaps, for things she'd never had or known about. Toko seemed to understand and reluctantly let her go, but insisted she keep her phone on.
Soko didn't really know where she was going when she got into the car. She just drove for a while, rolling the window down on the country roads to enjoy the breeze and sunlight, when she was suddenly struck by curiosity. Xanxus knew where she lived, but she'd never been to the Varia headquarters before. Would dropping by unannounced make him angry? She wasn't sure, but she figured she had nothing better to do that day. Making her way back to town, she found a flower stand in the open air market and looked over the choices very carefully. When she'd made her decision and purchased a few white flowers, she gently set them in the passenger seat of the car and fished out the paper with the address.
The Varia headquarters was in an even more remote location than the Vongola estate but it was even harder to miss, looming out of the countryside with castle-like spires. Soko was surprised that there was only a cement wall between the road and the building, though there were a couple of men stationed outside who came to meet her.
"What's your business here?" one asked.
"I'm Belladonna," she introduced, and apparently didn't need to explain further because they nodded, one telling her he would park the car and the other escorting her inside. Soko took the bouquet out of the car and carried it with her through the front gates. It was noticeably cooler inside, and she glanced around, admiring the furnishings. The Varia headquarters nearly put the estate of their main family to shame, with marble floors and staircases and painted landscapes hung on the walls.
"You're here to see the boss, right?" the guard accompanying her asked, leading her up the steps to the second floor, "I don't think he's expecting you." It was a gentle warning.
"No, he isn't."
"His office is the last one on the left side of the hall," he said, gesturing to the right hallway, and she thanked him. She'd only just started walking when she heard hurried footsteps in her direction and turned to see one of the men who had been with Xanxus at the industrial complex. She'd been a little out of it at the time, but they all stood out so much that she knew she would recognize them. This one was tall with half of his hair shaved off and the other half brightly colored, some sticking straight up. He was dressed in the same uniform and sunglasses he had worn then.
"Soko?" he asked, smile widening when she nodded. "It's good to see you looking better. The boss was worried sick, not that he would ever say as much." He extended one gloved hand. "Excuse me, I forgot we haven't been formally introduced. I'm Lussuria." She shook his hand and he eyed the flowers she cradled with her arm. "Were you on your way to see the boss? I'm sorry, I shouldn't keep you."
"It's fine." She bowed. "Thank you for taking care of me."
"Well, how sweet of you! Just the other day, the boss was grumbling about how hard it was to get a 'thank you' out of you."
Soko looked up. "What else has he said about me?" she asked carefully, and Lussuria laughed.
"He mostly sulks, really. Now and then, he'll complain. I'm not sure if you know how much of an accomplishment it is to actually hold a conversation with him-!"
"Are you done?"
Soko was startled, whirling around to face Xanxus, who had apparently left his office and was standing a few feet away. Lussuria laughed again, giving Soko a small wave and wishing her luck before running off in the opposite direction. Apparently satisfied, he turned around and began walking back to the open doors at the end of the hall, stopping once when he didn't hear her footsteps.
"Are you coming or not?"
She hurried after him, following him into the office, which was only slightly less extravagant than the rest of the building. There was a cushioned chair across from his desk and she set the flowers in front of him before taking a seat. Xanxus raised a brow at them, and then looked to Soko questioningly.
"You speak the language of flowers," she said, "Or at least one of your people does."
"It's the latter." He pushed the bouquet to the side of the desk, off of the papers they were laying on, but did so gently. "What do they mean?"
She frowned. "I'm not going to just tell you."
Any patience he'd had previously evaporated. "Is this all you came here to do?"
"I needed to get out for a while," Soko admitted, "Toko has Don Chiavarone over."
"And?"
She crossed her legs, hoping she didn't look as anxious as she felt. "And I wanted to give them time to themselves."
"Bullshit. You're here because seeing them together makes you uncomfortable."
"That's not true."
"Your partner told me that."
"I never said anything like that to her," Soko argued, incensed at the idea of Toko gossiping about her with their allies, but Xanxus shrugged.
"You've been working together for four years. She can probably read you well." He gestured to the flowers. "Are you really going to make me call Lussuria down here just so I can figure out what the hell you're trying to say?"
"No need, boss," came a sing-song voice from the slightly open doors behind Soko and she glanced over her shoulder. Lussuria opened the door the rest of the way, revealing himself and three others-Soko recognized all of them from the rescue operation-huddled just outside the office.
"Trash," Xanxus growled in a warning tone.
"We'll leave soon," one of the others said with a grin, the blond who had thrown a knife at Rita, "We just wanted to see the boss' woman."
Soko took a moment to process his words before she realized what he was saying and almost shot out of her chair. "What?"
"What kind of moron gives flowers to a mafia assassin?" another murmured.
"Hush, Levi, don't you remember Xanxus sent flowers first? She's replying, it's cute."
"Voi, is that really the same woman? She looks different."
"Of course she does, idiot. She wasn't wearing anything but blood and tattoos the last time we saw her, ushishishi~."
"Lussuria," Xanxus said, the finality of his voice stopping all conversation, "What do the flowers mean?"
"White violets," he sighed, "They mean, 'let's take a chance on happiness.'"
Soko covered her face with her hands, mortified. She wasn't supposed to be present for this part. The whole point of the flowers was so she could get her message across remotely. Sure, she'd hand-delivered them, but she was sure that Xanxus wasn't the only one who would know what they meant, and she hadn't though he'd demand to know right then and there.
"Do you need anything else, boss?" Lussuria asked sweetly, and when Soko glanced timidly up at him, she saw rage bubbling just beneath the surface.
"Get out of my office, all of you."
There was a chorus of, "Yes, boss," before the door's shut and, to Soko's horror, his attention returned to her. He looked a little bewildered, but mostly amused.
"Are you...propositioning me?"
"No," she blurted, wondering if she could dart out the doors, too. She couldn't even look at him anymore.
"Stop that," he ordered, "You're an assassin. Don't hide behind your hands like a brat just because you're embarrassed."
"I don't think you understand just how uncomfortable I am right now."
"Trash..."
"Will you stop calling me that?"
Xanxus paused only a second after her outburst before continuing, "The flowers were a joke, and you know that. I don't do indirect communication. If you have something you want to ask, then ask now, to my face."
And that, Soko knew, was not going to happen. So she asked something else. "How old are you?"
Xanxus looked like he was debating whether or not to throw her out. "You should really know better," but he still humored her, "Thirty-four." He waited.
"Not going to ask me?"
"No. You're younger, I know that much by looking at you."
The tension was building again. She could tell he was close to drawing his weapon, and honestly, so was she. The best course of action, she decided, would be to leave, and she slowly stood from her chair. Xanxus didn't stop her, but he kept his eyes locked with hers every step she took back towards the door until she slipped out, sneering, "coward."
Lussuria was waiting for her in the entryway. "How did it go?" he asked anxiously, gesturing for one of the guards nearby to fetch her car.
"I'm not sure what you mean."
"Your confession, dear," he said, then frowned at her silence. "That wasn't what you were here to do?"
"I honestly don't know what I was here to do," she said, "But no, that didn't end up happening."
He still offered a smile. "There'll be other chances."
She wasn't sure she wanted another chance, but let out an uneasy, "thank you," for lack of anything better to say.
When her car was brought around, Soko returned his wave and headed out, glancing back at the Varia headquarters in her rearview mirror once before driving away. She didn't think there could possibly be a worse pair; her flaws and Xanxus' were of a similar nature, reclusive habits and mistrust, and she worried that the only relationship they'd create would inevitably become a train wreck. She envied Toko and whatever it is she had with Don Chiavarone, the way he'd slowly and gently entered their lives as opposed to how Xanxus had shoved himself into hers.
She doubted this had anything to do with complicated mafia relationships and everything to do with another thing she and Xanxus had in common-poor people skills.