Kyandi: Greetings, everyone!
Roksana: We apologize for not getting this chapter up sooner.
Kyandi: I'm sorry! I wasn't really feeling the best yesterday and spent most of the day laying down due to a really bad crick in my neck.
Roksana: It was the type that made it extremely difficult to hold her own head up.
Kyandi: It's better today, so I was able to finish this chapter. Which is a good thing, but I really liked this chapter.
Roksana: Did you have to give me such a ridiculous weakness?
Kyandi: Yes! I thought it was funny. And to have Xanxus use it against you!? Pure comedy!
Roksana: Hush, don't spoil!
Kyandi: Oh, right! Everyone, enjoy and review.
Roksana: Kyandi-sama does not own Katekyo Hitman REBORN.
Chapter 52 Party Time
Over the next couple of days started Roksana's real training.
Apparently, after showing up Squalo's little test, he decided that Roksana needed intense training. Roksana soon found out what it meant to never feel safe. Squalo, Bel, Levi, and Lussuria launched attacks on Roksana at all hours of the day and night, Squalo declaring that if she could make it a week with them trying to kill her at all hours, then she could survive working with them for a month. Because Mammon's illusions didn't work on her, the Arcobaleno stayed out of it, watching from afar as his comrades ambushed Roksana at the most unlikely of moments.
After being ambushed when coming out of the shower, and being chanced out of her quarters, hastily tying a robe in place, Roksana learned how to shower quickly and how to sleep with one eye open.
By the end of the first week, she was ready to rip them all a new one.
The morning of day ten found Roksana draped over the counter where she sat in the kitchen, the staff bustling around her. The kitchen, it seemed, was about the only place where she seemed to be safe from the ambushes and that was only because no one wanted to do anything that might delay Xanxus getting his meals on time.
"Another sleepless night, Miss Roksana?"
Roksana raised her head as a maid walked past her, putting away plates that had just been cleaned. She was a pretty young woman, somewhere in her mid-twenties, with long auburn hair and serious green eyes. Her name was Catherine, but she had insisted that Roksana call her Kitty. In the week and a half she had been there, Roksana had gotten to be on friendly terms with the young woman.
"I swear they're trying to kill me, Kitty. That, or make me kill them." Roksana replied. "I'm so tired, I almost fell asleep while eating my dinner last time. Have you ever face planted a bowl of hot soup? It's not pleasant."
"No, it doesn't sound like it is." Kitty replied, her nose wrinkling as she imagined it. "But didn't Master Squalo say it was only for a week?
"Yeah, but that doesn't end until midnight tonight. I still have to make it through the rest of this day." Roksana replied. "And I'm running on next to zero sleep. I could be knocked over by a light wind, right now."
"I'm sure that's not true. After all...you made it all the way to the kitchen, and I know that Master Belphegor was waiting in the hall." Kitty replied, half focusing on her work as she spoke.
"Ugh. Don't get me started on Bel. The only reason I got around him is because I've taken to carrying bolt cutters on me. Knives are easy enough to deal with if they don't have those pesky wires on them." Roksana replied.
Sitting up, Roksana focused on the food sitting before her that she had made but hadn't touched yet. Kitty glanced over at Roksana and heaved a sigh. Looking around to make sure no one else was looking, Kitty moved closer to Roksana, lowering her voice.
"I really shouldn't be telling you this but...I heard that Master Squalo is planning a full ambush of you this afternoon when you head to the training room, and the one that is going to be sealing the whole deal...is Master Xanxus." Kitty told her.
"Oh, really?" Roksana asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, but you didn't hear this from me." Kitty told her, patting her arm before going back to her work.
Over the last week, Roksana had gotten into the routine of going to the training room after lunch, in order to dance off and work off her lunch. It seemed only fitting that they would take advantage of that routine and the guarantee of where she would be. Roksana could definitely take advantage of this. Now inspired, Roksana finished her food and got back to her feet.
"Thanks for the information, Kitty." Roksana told her.
"Of course, Miss Roksana. Knock them dead." Kitty called over her shoulder.
Roksana took that information and rolled with it. Making sure she wasn't seen by anyone else, she gathered what she needed and set her trap. If they wanted to lay a trap for her and ambush her, then she would just have to turn it on them. Once she was ready, she used their reluctance to attack her in the kitchen, to take a short nap sitting at the counter with Kitty watching other her. When she woke up, she made her something to eat and then headed for the training room.
She was so wired and aware of her surroundings that she could practically feel them watching her. Acting like she didn't know the murderous intent that followed her down the hall, Roksana pulled open the door to the training room and vanished inside. That was the signal for Squalo and the others to move in. Entering the training room at different points, though, they found it empty.
"Where did she go?" Levi asked.
There wasn't really anywhere for someone to hide in the open room. Not even someone as small as Roksana. Scanning the room, they could find no sign of the girl, but they were sure she had entered the room and not left. It was then that Squalo remembered something that both Iemitsu and Reborn had said about Roksana.
One should never look at or below eye level for the girl.
Cursing under his breath as he caught the glint of steel wires at his feet, Squalo's head snapped back, looking up at the ceiling. There, anchored to the ceiling by steel wires wrapped around the staff of her sansetsukon, was Roksana. With a grin, she gave a yank of the wires, the wires at the men's feet, jumping up to snap shut around them. In one fell swoop, Roksana caught Squalo, Lussuria, Levi, and Bel. With another yank of the wires, Roksana dropped from the ceiling, twisting so that when she crashed into their heads, it was feet first.
When Xanxus walked into the room, he was confronted with the sight of his men laying on the ground, tangled up in steel wire, with Roksana sitting cross legged on top of them all, idly rolling a lollipop in her mouth. Squalo was trying, and failing, to cut through the wire, Bel, too, but Roksana didn't seem concerned with them managing it anytime soon. Mammon came into the room behind Xanxus, laughing when he saw them.
"Really, how blonde do you think I am?" Roksana asked. "You really didn't think I'd figure this out?"
"With how little sleep you've been getting? Not really." Lussuria admitted.
"You're not the first assassins to try a trick like this." Roksana told them, climbing off. A yank of the wires and she unraveled them, freeing the men. "Now, enough of this. This isn't really the kind of training that's going to do me any good, seeing how I've made a living out of ruining assassination plots. I'm going back to bed and I'm going to catch up on my sleep. Any disturbs me...well, it'll just be in your best interest not to."
Covering a yawn, Roksana headed for the door. Squalo's cursing and mumbling followed her as he got to his feet along with his comrades. With someone like Roksana, who was use to throwing wrenches in the plans of hitmen, he should have seen that coming.
"Oh! Tomorrow we have to go shopping again!" Lussuria called to Roksana.
"The hell why!?" came Roksana's retorted, the girl groaning as she turned to look at him.
"There's a big party the Ninth is hosting at the end of this week and, as his son, the boss has to go. We, of course, go with him." Lussuria told her.
"Not a no, not a hell no, but a hell fucking no. I'm not some Barbie doll to be paraded around. I'm not going." Roksana retorted, turning to leave the room.
Only to walk right into Xanxus' hand, the man grabbing her face to stop her. Roksana made noise of annoyance, trying to pull his hand from her face, but Xanxus held her firmly in place.
"If I have to go, so do you, trash." Xanxus told her.
"Go to hell! I'm not doing it!" Roksana retorted.
Much like an older brother tormenting his younger sister, Xanxus tightened his grip on her face, Roksana cursing at him in every language she knew as she tried to pry his hand off her face. Growing annoyed with her insistent protests and refusal to do anything he told her to do, Xanxus increased his grip on her face, Squalo and the others watching as Roksana wrestled with his grip, the two spitting one insult after another at each other like a pair of quarreling siblings.
Squalo couldn't help but notice that, through it all, Xanxus didn't even begin to reach for his guns.
"I'm not doing it and there's nothing you can do or offer that'll make me do it." Roksana told Xanxus tartly, finally prying his hand off her face to glare up at him.
Xanxus, though, had a trump card up his sleeves after spending the last week watching her.
He knew one of her weaknesses.
"Cake pops."
"W-what?" Roksana asked, looking up at Xanxus.
"If you shut the hell up and go, I'll make sure the old man has cake pops at the party." Xanxus told her.
Roksana pursed her lips for a moment, her eyes narrowing in thought before she bit through her lollipop and pulled the stick from her mouth.
"Fine, but I'm not wearing those ridiculous, five inch heels Lussuria found." Roksana said simply, turning to walk away.
Jaws dropped, Squalo and the others shocked by what they had just seen. Not only had Xanxus negotiated with someone, Roksana had actually accepted an order.
What was the world coming to!?
-0-0-0-0-
Roksana ended up sleeping the rest of the day through, only awakening long enough to grab something to eat at dinner time, dumping a bowl of soup on Bel's head when he made fun of the massive bedhead she had. After that, she went back to bed, completely ignoring Lussuria trying to keep Bel from killing her.
The next morning, Lussuria took her out early for shopping, insisting that they didn't need any of the others to tag along. Roksana was more than happy with that. It was evening by the time the two returned, Roksana carrying a garment bag over one arm. When Bel wanted to be nosy and demanded to see the dress, Roksana plucked the crown off his head, threw it out a nearby window, and told him to "go fetch".
If they wanted to see the dress, then they would have to wait. She was already embarrassed enough by it. Roksana instantly headed back to her room, hanging the garment back up on the door of the wardrobe. When there was a knock on the door, Roksana opened it to find Kitty and one of the male staff waiting outside the door.
"We need to strip and remake your bed, Miss Roksana." Kitty told her.
"Yeah, sure." Roksana replied, opening her door wide to let the two into the room.
While they got to work doing their jobs, Roksana dropped to sit in the chair at the desk. As Kitty pulled the blankets and sheets off the bed, her eyes landed on the garment bag.
"More clothes, Miss?" she asked.
"An evening gown." Roksana replied.
"An evening gown? So fancy. What's the occasion, if you don't mind me asking?" Kitty asked.
"The Ninth is throwing a party this week. Xanxus has to go and he insists that if he has to go, then so do I. These types of crowded events aren't really my thing, but Xanxus made a deal with me. I go and he makes sure they have cake pops at the party. I'm a sucker for cake pops." Roksana replied.
"Well, who knows. You might have fun." Kitty told her.
"Doubtful. About the only good thing about these events is if I can find a decent dance partner. I love ballroom dancing, am a six year competitive dancing champion." Roksana replied.
"Oh? I'm sure you'll find someone to dance with. These mafia men, or at least the older ones, can surprise you with how well they can move about the dance floor." Kitty told her.
"That would be about the only thing that would save my evening." Roksana replied.
"Only going will tell." Kitty replied as she and the man began putting fresh sheets on the bed.
"I suppose." Roksana replied, idly.
"Anyway, should I ask why it was that Master Belphegor left the dinning room last night, dripping Cook's minestrone soup everywhere?" Kitty asked.
"The short answer is, he deserves it." Roksana replied.
"I'm sure he did." Kitty replied.
"I didn't create more of a mess for you, did I?" Roksana asked.
"Oh, no. Usually the masters make far more of a mess of the dinning room. They like to fight over meals and Master Xanxus never makes them stop." Kitty assured her.
"I've noticed. I'm so use to quiet dinners that it was quite the surprise. But I can deal with it." Roksana replied.
Kitty and her companion finished up the bed, the man gathering up the old sheets to take to the laundry. As he left the room ahead of Kitty, Kitty fluffed the pillows, putting them back into place.
"Well, that's good." Kitty told her before turning to face her. "If you need any helping getting ready the night of the party, then just let me know. I'm sure we can manage together."
"Thanks, Kitty. I'll take you up on that." Roksana replied.
Kitty gave her a smile and a bow of her head before leaving the room. Roksana watched the door close behind Kitty before turning her eyes back to the garment bag. A sigh left the girl's lips as she dropped her chin into her hand.
"And here I swore I would never go to another one of these fancy functions after how boring the last couple have turned out." Roksana remarked.
Heaving a sigh, Roksana pushed herself to her feet. Walking over to the bed, Roksana fell across it, grumbling into the blankets. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't believe she had agreed to going just for cake pops.
No, wait...
It was cake pops, so it was a good deal, no matter how she looked at it.
Didn't make her like the thought of the dress and heels Lussuria picked out anymore, though.
-0-0-0-0-
"Tell that trash to hurry the fuck up!"
It was Saturday evening and Xanxus, Squalo and the others were standing outside, next to the limo they would taking to the party, waiting on Roksana. Squalo had just yelled at a maid to get Roksana. He was growing impatient and annoyed, waiting on the girl.
"Oh, shut up already. I'm coming." came Roksana's voice.
"About damn ti...what the hell happened to you?!" Squalo demanded when his eyes landed on Roksana as the girl exited the building.
All eyes were riveted on the girl as she approached them in a floor length, silver, halter gown with a plunging neck line that dipped down to where the dress cinched right under her breast and was held close by criss-crossing strings of midnight blue beads. The dress has a splattering of blue glitter across the chest and a slit that rode up the length of her right thigh.
Roksana's hair had been brushed over to the left side of her head, the hair along the right side of her scalp pulled back and pinned to the back of her head with a moon shaped pin. A pair of silver, tear drop earrings hung from her ears, a simply, matching choker hanging around the thin line of her neck along with another necklace from which hung a bird-shaped charm. She still wore all of her rings, carried a little black clutch, and had finished off her look with a pair of silver, strapy heels with at least three inches worth of skinny heel.
Her make-up was light, just a dusting of blue eyeshadow and pink lip gloss to highlight her natural color. She had a white shawl draped around her shoulders and tugged it closed around her chest when she looked up to find all of them staring at her.
"What are all of you gaping at?" she demanded.
"So you can actually look like a woman." Squalo remarked.
Roksana frowned at the comment before lifting the hem of her dress enough to show him the heel on her foot.
"I'm wearing three inches worth of a usable weapon on my feet. Make another comment like that and I'll show you how it's used." she told him.
"You look stunning!" Lussuria told her as Squalo glared at her.
"I feel like a damn Barbie doll. I have prided myself on my fighting and academic potential, not how many men I can make drool or how many women I can make jealous." Roksana retorted.
"You sure complain a fucking lot." Squalo told her.
"You think? Get married someday. Your wife will put my complaining to shame." Roksana told him, moving to the limo.
Roksana carefully tucked her dress around her as she got in, the others climbing in as well. The ride to the main Vongola estates, wasn't too long of one. When they arrived, the place was lit up bright, people coming and going, crowding in groups to talk. A man waited to open the door, holding a hand out to Roksana to help her. Roksana took his hand with a thanks, climbing out of the car while her eyes remained fixed on the large building before her.
She waited until the others joined her, trying to ignore the stares directed her way. Which was hard to do when people started whispering. Roksana felt like she was back in Russia, once more, her father's acquaintances whispering behind their hands about her, her studies, her accomplishments, and every single rumor they had ever heard about her.
It wasn't a pleasant feeling to have.
"Just ignore them." Squalo told her, coming up on her left. "Old farts like that just like to fucking gossip."
"You don't have to explain that to me. I feel like I'm back in Russia." Roksana replied.
"People talk to damn much?" Squalo asked.
"Let's just say that there's more than one reason why I left." Roksana replied.
Xanxus lead the way up the front steps and inside, people clearing the way and throwing looks their way. Stepping into the wide front parlor of the estates, a butler taking her shawl from her, Roksana really felt like she was walking into another one of her father's functions, all eyes being centered on her, judgment following her every step.
If there was one thing years of that kind of judging stares had taught her...it was how to rock an entrance.
So, straightening her back and throwing her chin in the air, Roksana tossed her hair over her shoulder and strutted into that ballroom like she owned the place. Xanxus and the others, who had entered ahead of her, were torn between being surprised by just how well she could rock the entrance and not being surprised because, honestly, it was Roksana and the girl could probably rock a burlap sack, walking through the grossest of slums.
Xanxus was standing there, watching the girl ignore the judging stares thrown her way, when Timoteo found him.
"She seems to be doing well and the two of you don't seem to be killing each other." Timoteo said.
Xanxus acted like he hadn't heard the man and merely turned his face away from him. This got a frown from Timoteo's Storm guardian, a man by the name of Coyote, but Timoteo just laid a hand on his shoulder, silently telling him to just leave it be.
"Ninth!"
Timoteo turned when he heard someone call out to him. Roksana had finally caught sight of him and was heading his way, smile on her face. He greeted her with a smile as she came to a stop in front of him, bowing her head in greeting.
"I'm glad to see you back to full health." Roksana said, looking up at him.
"And I am glad to see you and Xanxus are getting along." Timoteo replied.
"Umm...I wouldn't say "getting along". We just haven't killed each other...yet." Roksana replied, grinning as she peered at Xanxus out of the side of her eyes. Xanxus scoffed at her in annoyance and walked away, making Roksana's grin grow. "If anything, he's been treating me like a bratty little sister. I've just learned to throw the glasses back at him that he throws at me."
"He throws glasses at you?" Coyote repeated.
"Almost daily, but I'm not the only one. For all the class and manners you, yourself have, Ninth, your son's manners, especially his table manners, are deplorable." Roksana said.
"So I've been told." Timoteo replied. "While I have you here, let me introduce you to my guardians."
Roksana turned her eyes back to Timoteo as he turned to the men behind him. He started with Coyote, his right hand man.
"This is my Storm Guardian, Coyote Nougat. Behind him is my Rain Guardian, Brabanter Schnitten." Timoteo gestured to a man with a large x-shaped scar on his right cheek. He next turned to a man with a lizard tattooed on his left cheek. "My Sun Guardian, Nie Brow Jr."
"A pleasure." Nie said, bowing his head in greeting.
"My Cloud Guardian, Visconti." Timoteo gestured to an older man with sunglasses perched on the top of his head. The next man he turned to was a dark skinned man with red corn rolls and a pale pony tail. "My Mist Guardian, Croquant Bouche. And this is my Lightning Guardian, Ganauche III."
The last man was a younger looking man with pale hair in the front and darker hair in the back. He gave her a smile in greeting. Roksana politely bowed her head to them all.
"I'm Roksana Volkov, the Moon Guardian of Vongola Decimo. It's a pleasure to meet you all." she greeted.
"A politician's daughter as a Vongola guardian. I never thought I'd see the day." Coyote remarked.
"Yes, well, I've found that when it comes down to the politics of it all, there's not much a difference between the mafia world and the political one. One of the biggest differences, for me at least, is that I can be more of myself in the mafia world than I can in the political one." Roksana said, grinning more to herself. "I'm not widely accepted among my father's associates. In fact, I'm rather frowned upon. I can have a bit of a...temper issue."
"So we have heard. Reborn calls you the Vongola Star of Wrath." Timoteo remarked.
An awkward laugh left Roksana, the girl reaching up to fiddle with the bird necklace around her neck.
"Ah, yes...that nickname. I would deny it...but then that would make me a liar. I usually have a very good handle on my temper, but when it comes to the safety of my friends...not so much." Roksana admitted.
"As is fitting of a Vongola Guardian." Croquant remarked.
"Hmm, I don't know about that. It wasn't so much my willing joining the mafia, as my devotion to following Tsuna and the others. Regardless of what path they choose, I will be with them. The path they're on just happens to be mafia." Roksana replied.
"Roksana-dono!"
Hearing her name being called, Roksana turned, her eyes finding the quickly approaching Basil, a smile bright on his face as Iemitsu followed behind him, both looking sharp in suits.
"Basil! Iemitsu-sensei!" Roksana greeted.
"Roksana!"
Roksana blinked in surprise as Dino popped up from behind Iemitsu and rushed to Roksana, scooping her up in a hug. Roksana was a little surprised because she wasn't really an affectionate person with the older members of her group of friends, which lead her to awkwardly pat Dino's back.
"Uh...any reason why you're trying to publicly squeeze the air from my lungs, Dino?" she asked.
"Sorry! It's just...I'm so happy to see you!" Dino told her, releasing her.
"You saw me not too long ago. What's gotten into you?" Roksana asked, smoothing out her dress.
The look on Dino's face was one of concern and Roksana had a pretty good idea on what was about to come out of his mouth. Dino grabbed her by her shoulder, bending forward to put his eyes on level with hers.
"The memories from the fight with Byakuran. Roksana...you were dead!" Dino told her.
"And your point is?" Roksana asked, her tone of voice and expression saying clearly that she wasn't concerned in the least.
"Roksana!" Dino scolded.
"Dino!" Roksana retorted, mocking his tone. "It's not a big deal, Dino. I have a warning now. It's not going to happen, so pull it together. You're a boss, for crying out loud."
Dino pouted at her, looking like he wanted to say more. Roksana looked up at that puppy dog look and heaved a sigh.
"Would it make you feel better if I told you that Hibari's been watching me like a hawk since?" she asked.
"He has? I bet he wasn't too happy when you ended up here." Dino remarked.
"You mean especially since I've been refusing to answer his calls and messages for the last two weeks? Oh, you have no idea." Roksana replied, her lips curling into a smirk.
"You sound far too happy about that." Dino remarked.
"Oh, I'm thrilled! This whole situation has been a nice break from him." Roksana told him.
"Yet, now you have to deal with Xanxus." Iemitsu remarked.
Roksana looked over her shoulder towards where Xanxus was sitting at a corner table, feet propped up on the table as he knocked back a glass of what she was sure was whiskey.
"Eh, he's not so bad if you know how to talk to him and challenge him. With Xanxus, my biggest concern is that, at the end of the day, my clothes smell like alcohol because he likes to throw glasses at me with alcohol still in them." Roksana said before a waiter walked past, a tray of finger foods in hand. On the tray was even some cake pops. Roksana's face lit up as she took one. "Cake pops! He kept his end of the deal."
"Are you the reason my son suddenly demanded we have cake pops here tonight?" Timoteo asked.
"Yes, sir. I love cake pops, so it was his way of bribing me." Roksana replied, popping the little ball into her mouth. "No offense to you, Ninth, but I've had enough of these kinds of functions growing up. When I was first told about it, I flat out refused to come. Xanxus insisted that if he had to come, so did I. I thought he was going to pop my head like a pimple, he got so annoyed. His idea of a compromise, though, was cake pops. He told me if I just shut up and came, he'd make sure there were cake pops here."
"You mean...you actually got Xanxus to compromise on something?!" Ganauche said, all of them staring at Roksana in shock.
The girl turned her eyes back to them, raising an eyebrow at the looks on their face.
"What? Like it's that hard?" Roksana asked. "Xanxus, by this point, would rather compromise with me then have to deal with the down right annoyance I can become. As for Hibari...he's just utterly unreasonable at times."
"Hibari...he's Vongola Decimo's Cloud Guardian, correct?" Coyote asked.
"He's also Roksana's partner." Dino added.
"Sparring partner." Roksana added quickly.
"The way the two of you act and with how protective of you he is, there's more to it than that." Dino insisted, grinning.
Roksana looked up at him with an unamused look on her face.
"It's because you insist on making asinine comments like that, that Hibari continues to smack you all the time." Roksana retorted.
"He wouldn't do it as much if you would stop him." Dino pouted.
"Even if I did hold such a sway over that boy, why in the world would I? When you make those comment, I want to smack you, too. There is nothing going on between us aside from me using him as a punching bag and him pushing all his paperwork off on me." Roksana insisted.
"If you insist." Dino replied, holding his up in front of him in a gesture of surrender. "But...I think he would enjoy this dress on you."
Roksana looked up at Dino, her expression neutral as her hands went to her hips. Dino chuckled nervously as he recognized the look in her eyes.
"Dino." she said softly.
"Yes?"
"Run."
"Already on it."
Dino turned on his heel then and beat a hasty retreat away from the girl. Roksana shook her head as the others chuckled.
"He acts more and more like he thinks he's my brother, every day. I fully expect to wake up one morning to find him at my breakfast table." Roksana remarked, another passing waiter catching her attention. Locking in on the cake pops on the tray, Roksana snagged all of them, quickly devouring three of the four. "These are so much better than the ones back home."
Iemitsu chuckled, stepping up beside Roksana to take the last cake pop out of her hand after she had practically inhaled the other three. Roksana looked up at him, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Between these and all those lollipops you're constantly crunching through, it's a wonder you manage to stay so small." he told her.
"It's called dancing, Iemitsu-sensei." Roksana replied. "The desserts and dancing is about the only thing I look forward to with events like this. That is, unless there's good company."
"You like dancing?" Ganauche asked.
"I do. I'm a six time, competitive dancing champion in Russia. Ballroom dancing is a passion of mine. When I can find a decent partner, that is." Roksana replied.
"Well, then I simply must rise to the challenge. That is, if you'll excuse me, Ninth." Ganauche said.
"Of course." Timoteo replied.
"Careful that she doesn't wear you out. Take it from someone who served as a sparring partner for her...she's got a lot of energy in that little body." Iemitsu joked.
"I think I can manage." Ganauche said, offering his hand to Roksana.
A grin curled Roksana's lips as she held her clutch out to Basil. Basil took it from her as she place her hand in Ganauche's.
"I'll take that challenge." Roksana remarked before bowing her head to Timoteo. "If you'll excuse me."
Roksana let Ganauche lead her to the dance floor. Couple cleared the way for them as Ganauche lead her to the very center of the dance floor. Roksana ignored the looks, focusing on her dance partner. To her surprise, and joy, the man wasn't a bad dancer. If she was being honest, she kind of expected him to be as clumsy as her group's Lightning Guardian.
Not really a fair comparison since Ganauche as a grown man and Lambo was a child.
Iemitsu and the others watched from the sidelines as Roksana managed to lead Ganauche through his paces, a grin on her face the whole time she challenged him for the lead. It actually made the men laugh as they watched Roksana continue to take the lead away from Ganauche, the girl's grin growing when Ganauche caught on and took the lead back.
"She seems to be doing well in the Varia's care." Timoteo remarked.
"That's the thing about Roksana. What she seems like, isn't always the truth. She's very good at hiding what concerns her." Iemitsu replied. "Reborn says she's very good at keeping her secrets, but she doesn't let those secrets get in the way of doing what's best for the family."
"She's a good girl, though." Dino said, rejoining them now that Roksana was on the dance floor. "She's good to Tsuna. She's good for him. Kyoya, too, though they both deny it."
"Are you really afraid of her though, young Cavallone?" Coyote asked.
"You haven't seen Roksana when she's truly angry or felt her hits when she smacks you. She doesn't take it easy on anyone, not even a boss. Though, Kyoya gets it worse. She actually smack him with a shoe." Dino replied sheepishly.
The other men hissed in sympathy, especially when their eyes dropped down to the shoes that Roksana was currently wearing. They just hoped that she slapped with the toe end, not the heel.
All of the turned as Roksana came towards them once more, grin on her face and a bounce to her step. Ganauche was behind her, hand braced on the wall, trying to catch his breath. While he looked like he had just ran a marathon, Roksana had a refreshed glow to her.
"Who's next?" Roksana asked as she came to a stop in front of them. "Ninth?"
"I believe this old man will have to decline." Timoteo told her.
"On, come now. You're no where near old. Please? I'll be easy with you, promise." Roksana said, offering her hand to him.
At the use of the phrase, "be easy", Timoteo glanced towards Dino who had just gotten done telling them that Roksana didn't take it easy on anyone, not even bosses. Looking back down at Roksana and her smiling face, though, he couldn't image her being a little hellion.
Boy, was he wrong.
Roksana smiled brightly as Timoteo took her hand.
"Perhaps you'll have better luck keeping up with her, Ninth." Ganauche said, finally rejoining them.
"He'll be fine...I as purposely making it difficult for you." Roksana admitted. When Ganauche turned a shocked look on her, Roksana gave him a wink. "Never challenge a Moon Guardian."
Roksana turned, heading back for the dance floor, Timoteo with her. The other men chuckled at Ganauche as the man ran a hand through his hair.
"We'll have to borrow her while she's in Italy. See if we can't teach her a thing or two, too." Visconti remarked.
"She might take that as a challenge, though." Iemitsu warned them.
On the dance floor, Timoteo and Roksana fell into an easy waltz, the girl keeping her pace even with his. It just made Timoteo realize that she really had been purposely trying to wear Ganauche out. The girl seemed perfectly at home on the dance floor, humming lowly along with the music as she moved through the steps like it was second nature.
"Tell me something, Roksana." Timoteo started.
"Yes?"
Roksana stopped her humming to look up, fixing her eyes on the old man's face.
"Why did you choose to follow Tsunayoshi?" Timoteo asked.
"Why? Well, the answer is actually quite simple. Tsuna, Hayato and Takeshi were the first ones that could look into my eyes and not shun me for being "unnatural" or call me "demon possessed". They didn't ask anything of me, didn't expect anything of me. I'm not always the most cheerful or most agreeable of people, but they love me just for being myself. They've seen the best of me and the worst of me, and yet...they still call me part of their family. Even when I hold things back from them, they accept me as I am. If I'm being honest...that's all I've ever wanted. Not to constantly be judged for my name and for my father's status. With them...I make my own path and my own name." Roksana answered. "Tsuna is the one that's brought our group together. He's the one that has given me my family. Do I need any other reason?"
Timoteo smiled to himself as he listened to her answer. It was clear, just listening to her, that Roksana really did care about Tsuna and the others like they were blood related family. Because of that, her loyalty and devotion to them, to their "family" would know no bounds.
"No, you don't." he agreed.
Roksana smiled up at him before something out of the corner of her eyes drew her attention away from him. Timoteo tried to follow her eyes, to see what had caught her attention so intensely, but Roksana force them to spin, making him loose track before he could see.
"Roksana, is something wrong?" he asked, looking down at her as she shifted into a better position to see.
"..."
"Roksana?" he asked again, the girl fixated on something.
Then her grip on his hand and shoulder tightened and her gaze sharpened. He knew, just seeing the way her whole demeanor shifted, that there was danger, even before Roksana sudden yanked on him, toppling him as she shifted her own body in front of him.
"Take cover!" Roksana shouted, her voice carrying over the dance floor just before a canister came bouncing in among the dancing couples.
With a pinging pop, the canister exploded in a small, controlled explosion, sending people scrambling in every direction as screams and yells filled the air. Yelled calls for Timoteo and Roksana reached the girl over the chaos of conflicting voices, but the girl tuned them out, pushing the screams and yells to the background to let them wash over her like white noise.
With smoke lingering in the air, darkening everything around them, Roksana needed every sense she possessed on high alert. She kept one hand on Timoteo's shoulder, keeping track of him as she strained her ears and eyes. Several questions ran through her head, but only two really mattered.
Who was attacking them?
And who were they after?
Roksana tensed just moments before an assailant broke free of the smokescreen. Dressed in black, their face hidden from her, the would-be killer fixed their eyes on Roksana and Timoteo...and promptly attacked Roksana.
Well, that answered that question.
END
Kyandi: Poor, poor Dino. When will you learn?
Roksana: I think he's fallen on his head one too many times and no longer has the ability to learn from his mistakes.
Kyandi: I don't know. He ran when you told him too.
Roksana: True. But we could really chalk that up to instincts. He is, after all, a mafia boss.
Kyandi: You have a point. Well, I'm cutting this short because my neck still aches.
Roksana: Time for heating pads and sleep.
Kyandi: Yep. So, everyone, please enjoy and review.
Roksana: We'll hopefully be back tomorrow.
Kyandi: Bye-bye!