Disclaimer: I own the OCs, the rest is Akira Amano's work.

Fratellanza

I was on edge. Hell, Kyoya was on edge and the Committee was everywhere in town. The nice thing though, was that now Takeshi was hanging out with Tsunayoshi. From what he told me when he was at my place for his English lesson last Sunday, they both sucked at school so they worked together.

It was still new, but I was pretty sure they would form a great friendship. After all, Takeshi did tell me he noticed how bullies seemed to be more on guards when he was seen with Tsunayoshi.

"We're here!" Takeshi cried out, lunch in hands and Tsunayoshi trailing behind him as they arrived on the roof. I had already started my sandwich and nodded at them. "Come on Tsuna!" As he plopped down next to me, Tsunayoshi shyly took place in front of us.

"Hi," I greeted them, taking another bite of my sandwich.

"H...Hi, Sini-senpai..." he replied shyly and I made a face. He tensed immediately.

"Haha, don't worry Tsuna, Senpai just doesn't like it when she's called by her last name!" Takeshi explained cheerfully. "Call her Ana-senpai, like I do!"

"But...but that's...I mean..."

"Please do," I cut him off flatly, "otherwise I feel like I'm being bossed around." And it was not my real last name.

"Oh...okay then A...Ana-senpai..." I smiled a little as Takeshi started talking. Tsunayoshi was smiling, but still slightly tensed by my presence. I was listening quietly. This would make it obvious I had a relationship with them, but also that I would not let them get hurt under my watch.

Only God knew how Iemitsu had screamed at me when I told him I made contact with his family. He thanked me for helping his son between two screams, but still.

We had just gotten up when Kyoko opened the door leading to the rooftop, out of breath. Tsunayoshi flushed a beautiful scarlet red.

I felt my blood freezing in my veins at the sight of Kyoya behind her.

"Senpai...onii..." I didn't let her finish her sentence that I had grabbed her shoulders to stop her from shaking. I shot Kyoya a quick look, who nodded and turned around to leave.

"Boys, go back to class, now." They did, although they both gave me a weird look before they were out of my sight.

"Where's Ryohei?"

"In..." she sniffed and wiped a tear away. "In the hospital, he was attacked this morning and..." She sobbed, her hand pressed against her mouth. I took a deep breath.

"Let's go Kyoko."

She was shaking like a leaf until we reached the hospital, where a man called her. His hair was the same color as hers, but his eyes were a deep brown, but overall I could spot the similitude between him, Kyoko and Ryohei.

"Dad!" she screamed, running in his arms. "Onii-chan..." The man ran a hand through her hair and raised his eyes to me.

"I'm one of Ryohei's classmate." He nodded.

"My wife is with him right now, but he regained consciousness." I refrained myself from sighing in relief and walked past him. Kyoko was with her dad, she'd be fine.

"Thank you, if you had not found him..." I raised a brow.

"It was nothing Sasagawa-san," a male voice responded in Japanese. I frowned, the voice sounding strangely familiar, but not the words.

Maybe…

I knocked on the door, opening it when the woman's voice told me to. Frankly, the Sasagawa mother did not look like her children. She had short brown hair framing a feminine face, with two slender brown eyes.

"Oh Sini, you came!" Ryohei greeted me from his bed. He had a neck brace, a broken arm and I was pretty sure other injuries I couldn't see.

"Well, Kyoko came on the roof with Kyoya, so it was hard to ignore." He laughed, and winced in pain. I turned my eyes to the woman and introduced myself quickly, before looking at the other one.

I almost choke on thin air at the plain brown eyes staring straight at me. Brown eyes, but purple hair and fuck I could feel the Mist Flames surrounding his eyes.

Fuck, what was Alaric doing here!?

"That Alaric guy found me, I was attacked by extreme dudes! They would totally fit in the Box..."

"Ryohei!" He winced at his mother's voice. "I swear to God, you're not boxing until the doctor says so!" He pursed his lips, ready to reply something, but I spoke before.

"I'll make sure someone takes over the Boxing Club until you're allowed back on the ring, until then the Disciplinary Committee won't even let you in the room." He looked offended, if not more, but his mother told him it was good and thanked me.

I shot Alaric a look and spun around to leave. Once I was on the roof of the hospital, Alaric quickly appeared in indigo mist. I grabbed him by the front of his shirt, purple hair falling in his eyes when I brought him down to my level, an angry scowl on my face.

"The fuck..." I snarled in Italian, "does that mean?" He blinked blankly at me.

"I found that boy and helped him Miss." I snickered dryly.

"Because you're in fucking Namimori for a vacation maybe? Tell me the truth." Oh, his eyes were back to their golden color now. To my annoyance, his face didn't move an inch and he smirked at me.

"Don't you trust me?" I sneered at him.

"As if I would ever trust an illusionist, especially one your caliber." He smirked smugly at that, but pulled my hand away from his shirt.

"I can't argue with that," he admitted, readjusting his shirt. "However, you should be more careful. The Nishimuras are dangerous, and Hide does not forgive and loves collecting debts from others." I widened my eyes before baring my teeth at him. "You should consider yourself lucky I haven't taken you back to Hide yet Miss." I took a step back, but he grabbed my wrist, his nails digging in my flesh. So, I stopped the illusion covering the gun attached to my thigh and took it, aiming it at his head.

"You're with these trash!?" I growled at him, fury almost pouring from me. "Wha..."

"Now Miss, you should know an illusionist does not blindly follow." I glared. Fuck...Alaric left me at the Cavallones yet he…

"Who the fuck are you working for? Hide? The Estraneos?" He pursed his lips.

"I am afraid I cannot tell you too much information for now." I removed the security of the gun in a soft 'clic'. "However, you have been wanted ever since you escaped." I blinked and gulped. If he worked for them, yet dropped me at the Cavallones years ago…

"What's your fucking deal?" He smiled gently at me.

"Your safety, of course Miss." I widened my eyes. "I used to work for the man who wants you, but I am now working with someone who wants you to be able to live your life without that danger above your head."

"What are you talking about!? Who are these people!?" His smile turned sad.

"Let's just say...family is not always a nice place." I froze.

Family?

My family was Dino. And Xanxus to an extent, so…

My blood family.

"I don't need them in my life."

"I agree with you on that." I bit the inside of my cheek, lowering my gun.

"How much do you know about me?"

"More than you or anyone else." I felt a lump in my throat.

It was personal. I never really gave any thoughts on my family until I saw Xanxus, and then Reborn told me about my mother. But except for that, it never crossed my mind because they didn't exist. However, they did.

I looked down at my hand. If Hide's tactic changed it might be because I showed my flame. My 'family's' interest in me might have changed because of it.

And now innocent people were targeted.

"I don't give a shit about them," I started in a growl, "but if they want me but try to reach me through innocent people, I will burn them until there's nothing but ash." Alaric stared down at me.

"You should know they will proceed that way though." I smirked. Growing up with Dino gave me principles. Yet, I was still quite manipulative and I was fully aware of it.

"You said you wanted my safety, didn't you?" He nodded slowly. "If someone dies because of family business, I will dive head first in it, even if I die in the process." He glared slightly and I crossed my arms smugly. "So, you better to stick around and obey me." He blinked, and at my surprise, smiled sincerely.

"Well, of course Miss, this was always my intention." I raised my brow and facepalmed.

"Don't tell me we synchronized our flames as well..."

"I won't tell you then." Fuck. Well, Alaric was powerful, but still…

It meant that I had a Mist and a Rain. Or Storm. Arro had these two flames.

If it wasn't an interesting twist, I didn't know what was.

"Do you officially..."

"I don't mind being a spy." I scoffed.

"You really don't want me to meet my 'family', do you?" He looked down.

"Miss...I wouldn't want you to meet them even if Xanxus was with you. I don't want any of you to meet them. Your mother..." I raised my hand.

"Now...you've convinced me. They fucked her up." He nodded. "Damn...did she play crazy in front of the Ninth so that he would take Xanxus with him and protect him?"

He nodded once again.

Fuck.

Fucking hell.

Why couldn't I just be an orphan?

"I shall stay around, but be aware the Nishimuras will attack again. That boy was just the beginning."

"Kyoya will be overjoyed."

However, I was sure of one thing.

I would need to call for help at some point, or we would lose more than we could afford to lose.

I would not lie.

After that little chat with Alaric, the first thing I did when I got home was puking in the toilets. This whole situation made me sick. Even if it meant my family and Kyoya's were acquaintances, this…

It made me sick. Knowing it would only get worse made me sicker.

Blatantly lying to Dino on the phone, who was convinced Japan was healing me from the wounds I got in Italy because of Federico's death, was almost traumatizing to me. He was my older brother, he told me it was his job to protect me but I couldn't tell him about that mess, the words were stuck in my throat. Dad told me to have Dino's back, this would put him and the Cavallones in danger and...although I knew Dad would want to me ask Dino for help now he was the 'Bucking Bronco', I couldn't.

I had to protect him, even if it was from my own past which kept coming back to haunt me.

"Carnivore," I looked up from a file to see Kyoya, tonfas in hands and a frown marring his face, "if you don't sleep right now I'll put you to sleep." I snorted and fell in the couch, the file forgotten on the coffee table.

I told Kyoya. It was his father after all, I couldn't hide stuff from him. Even if it meant disclosing information about me.

He had listened without saying a word before stating the said 'family' that wanted me back were herbivores I should bite to death one day. I had chuckled at that and vaguely wondered if Xanxus would back me up one day.

I fell asleep quickly, knowing I would wake up soon because of a nightmare. I had never really thought back on the Estraneos years, what happened in that hell, but it kept coming back in flash now.

"Stop making noise," Kyoya hissed at me. I whined.

"Sorry, I keep having nightmares." I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and yawned loudly. I could feel Kyoya glaring at me. "I know, I'll leave you to your work and quiet."

I stretched out my hands above my head once in the empty hallway. I was covering my dark circles and awful face with my illusions, but it...was making me even more tired.

"Senpai?" I raised my head, stopping in my tracks, at Tsunayoshi's voice. He had a broom in his hands. Right, classes were over, it must have been his turn to clean up.

"Hey."

"Are you okay? You look tired." I blinked, taken back. He saw through it right away?

Hyper Intuition? Only God knew how much I hated it when Federico used that on me.

"I'm...not at my best," I admitted quietly, "but it's nothing you should concerned yourself with."

"Oh...okay then," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "It's just...I think Yamamoto is worried too and as you're friends I..." I raised a brow. Takeshi noticed something was wrong too? Damn, he was observant.

"Ana-senpai?" I looked behind me at Kyoko. "Oh, Sawada-kun."

"Kyoko-chan!" he replied, blushing and somehow tripping over his broom. I sighed and pulled him on his feet before walking away with Kyoko.

"Is Ryohei better?"

"Yes, the doctor says he can leave the hospital in two weeks but he can't box or overdo it for a while." I nodded. At least, it was no permanent injuries. "I needed to ask you something."

"Sure, what?"

"Please teach me how to fight." I stopped walking and stared at her with raised brows. From the look on her face, she was nothing but determined. I cleared my throat running a nail up and down my throat.

"Fighting or defending?" She blinked in confusion. "They're two different things. Defending implies you do not seek a fight. Fighting is giving the first blow. I just don't want to deal with Ryohei if he doesn't approve." She took a deep breath.

"I...onii-chan always says he will protect me forever, but he's not invincible. I...I want to be able to protect him too. I don't...I can't have him in the state we found him in again. I want to be able to defend, myself and the people I love. The...this world is not gentle." I couldn't help but agree with this.

I couldn't help but remember a younger, more naive version of me wanting to do the same.

"I'll keep in touch about this Kyoko, so don't worry it will happen. Before the summer vacations." She smiled brightly at me, contrasting with her request.

"Thanks!" Before she left, she turned to me. "And happy birthday, even if I'm a little late." She left and I tilted my head on the side.

Right, Kyoya and I both turned fifteen last week.

Huh…

Where did time go?

I frowned, looking at the gray clouds in the sky once I was outside.

It would be a year since they died in a few months, just a year, yet so much had changed.

I felt like that bloody day had happened an eternity ago when it had only been…

Damn.

How long until Reborn got here and used this frightening reputation of his to bring some peace and quiet in this town?

"May I know why you are following me?" I asked tiredly at the grinning boy next to me. Takeshi crossed his hands behind his head.

"Isn't it nice to walk with a friend though?" I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Right, I was supposed to meet up with Alaric. "Tsuna said you seemed to have your head in the clouds recently." For fuck sake…

"Well, aren't you two just adorable being BFFs now," I droned sarcastically. He laughed.

"Yeah, Tsuna is a great guy! I kinda feel bad for not seeing it before, but he told me he didn't care and was happy to be my friend, it's..." I looked at him from the corner of my eyes when his smile fell and his eyes became almost painful. "It's nice to have someone who really sees you." I smiled faintly, thinking of the moron in America, or even Kyoya.

"Yes, it is." I entered the weapon shop. The walls were covered in blades of various shape. Damn, the two sharks I knew would be in heaven, even if Arro did have his father's life work at his disposal.

Now, why was I in that kind of shop? No reason, I just thought Takeshi would leave, but he just kept following me.

"Are you going to follow me until I open up about what's on my mind?" I drawled, sarcasm dripping from my voice. Although his grin was back on his lips, Takeshi's eyes had a glint of seriousness in them.

"That's pretty much the plan yeah." There was a growl at the back of my throat, begging to be let out but I just covered it by my fakest smile, letting him know he was annoying. He replied by the same kind of smile, silently telling me he knew about it and didn't give a shit.

Damned Takeshi.

"So, what are you looking for?"

"Probably something sharp enough to cut your tongue off." He laughed off my threat.

"I'll have you know I have good reflex!" I scoffed.

"So do I..." I frowned and jumped above the counter, dragging Takeshi with me and tackling him to the ground. He was shocked and about to ask explanations when a bullet whistled above our heads. "Cazzo!" I cursed, my mother tongue leaving my lips.

"S...senpai?" I would ignore how Takeshi was shocked, slightly scared, but not terrified that his life was threatened. I tried a reassuring smile.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay, don't worry," I told him. I raised my head enough for my eyes to look around. Huh, the shop owner was gone.

You bet he had been paid to leave this place. Damn, the Nishimuras had followed me? Was it actually a nice thing Takeshi tagged along so Alaric was not discovered as a traitor?

I was back on the ground, next to Takeshi, when men in black came in the shop, yakuza tattoos on their exposed skin, guns and sword in their hands. I sighed and took Takeshi's chin between two fingers, making sure his eyes were looking straight into my serious, dangerous ruby ones.

"You are going to see me do things to get rid of them and won't question it. I am going to get us out of here and you will not question what, how what's going to happen happened. Got it?" He gulped and nodded. I nodded back and covered myself in illusion, crawling in the open.

I jumped on my feet and started, not knocking them out, but killing them by imploding their organs. It was easy, my control on my flame kept getting better. I remained better in hand-to-hand fight than with a gun anyway. I was good with a gun, but Reborn better give me bullets with the Cloud attribute when he came in Namimori.

I quickly dispelled my illusions once enough of them were down. I easily dodged the bullet, almost sliding between them, my feet moving swiftly on the floor, sometimes kicking, sometimes pushing on shoulders to get me in the air.

I was about to turn around when I heard the safety of a gun being removed when I felt someone in my back.

The shot was fired and I widened my eyes at Takeshi in front of him.

But nothing.

I looked down, at the bullet neatly sliced in half by the katana Takeshi grabbed from somewhere in the shop, and then at Takeshi, who was radiating anger. I shook my head to clear my thoughts, and as the man was still in awe at a thirteen-year-old boy slicing his bullet in half as if it was butter, I ran to him and hit the palm of my hand, covered in a thin coat of my flame, in his solar plexus. He spat blood, drops of the red liquid splashing across my face, before falling on the floor.

I pulled my inhalator from my pocket. As I took deep breaths of the medicine, I looked outside. Civilians kept minding their own business. I raised a brow and finally sensed the heavy coat of Mist Flames around the shop.

Fuck, I was way too relieved Alaric came in time.

I took my phone and called Kyoya.

"What?" he greeted me and I frowned. He was out of breath.

"Weapon shop in the shopping district. I was attacked, I need clean up."

"Call Kusakabe." I cursed under my breath. He must have been attacked too. "Come to my place after." From the corner of my eyes, I saw Alaric coming in, zigzagging between the bodies as if nothing had happened.

"I don't think I'll need a team after all. See you in a moment Kyoya." I hung up and gestured at the bodies with my head. Alaric nodded, before shooting Takeshi a look, who was completely confused, staring at the bodies.

"I suoi ricordi*?" he asked me in Italian.I crossed my arms on my chest, my eyes finding the Japanese's ones. He was a civilian, but his father had been a hitman who asked for Iemitsu's help. I had asked him to keep an eye on Tsunayoshi for me and now they were friends, that was one thing Reborn would not not see once he was in town. Plus, the way he used a sword as if it was just natural to him would put a Superbi Takeshi's age to shame.

"No, I'm taking him with me."

It would be unfair of me to decide to lock his memories when I knew in a few months, he would be involved again. Might as well make him understand the world is not as white as it was presented in the ad.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him on his feet. I was about to leave the place when he stopped me. With a shaking grin, he wiped the blood from my face with his sleeve.

"It...it can't be good if you have blood on your face, right?" I murmured a 'thanks' and left Alaric to his work.

When we reached Kyoya's house, in utter and complete silence, Kyoya was here, nursing a purple and swollen wrist. I snorted, let go of Takeshi's wrist and walked up to the silent Prefect, taking his bruised limb in my hands. I ran a finger along it, feeling the bump that shouldn't be here.

"Broken wrist, you need a real doctor. Did they respond to your tonfa with something stronger?"

"What is he doing here?" Kyoya hissed at me, glaring daggers at Takeshi, who clearly didn't know what was happening and was uncomfortable.

"He was with me when I was attacked." Kyoya glared at me as I let go of his wrist. "I...I'm going to explain a few things to him."

"Don't you dare." I sighed.

"Nothing about you dummy," I whispered. He averted his cold gaze back to Takeshi. Tetsuya then appeared from God knows where, stared at Takeshi in shock before seeing us. I pointed at Kyoya's wrist. "Broken, it needs a professional."

"Understood." I went to the fridge, grabbed a water bottle, ignoring Kyoya's heated glare as I was basically acting as if this was my place. I turned around and leaned against the fridge, my hands crossed behind my back. "Takeshi, please take a sit." He did, although wary of Kyoya. In the end, they were at the two extremities of the kitchen table. "Okay. I'm sorry, because you were with me you were caught in a fight between the Committee and yakuzas. Powerful, dangerous yakuzas."

"You killed them." I almost winced at the accusation. "In...in cold blood."

"Yeah. That's what the Mafia does Takeshi." He widened his eyes.

"Like in movies?" I chuckled humorlessly.

"Just a lot more real. But it doesn't matter. What matters is that we are taking care of it. Just try to keep living normally, keep being friends with Tsunayoshi and come to my place the next time I call you." I smirked. "Kyoko asked me to teach her how to defend herself, might as well teach a few more people."

I seriously hoped I knew what I was doing. Nevertheless, once I had walked Takeshi back to his place, him emptily telling me he wouldn't tell anyone, I went back to Kyoya's. I sat in front of him on the tatamis in his dining-room. He now had a cast around his wrist.

"We can't wait, I'm calling my Boss. You are calling Fon." He looked on the side. "Kyoya!"

"I know," he growled back at me, steel-colored eyes glaring down at me.

"Good. It means I can ask for someone in particular."

I went to the first floor and called Iemitsu.

"I hope you're not calling me to tell me bad news."

"Heh...sorry?" He sighed. "I need help. In Namimori, I need Lal." I could feel my Boss frowning.

"Why?" I sighed.

"The Nishimuras are in Namimori because Hide's son lives there?" He gasped slightly.

"And you're telling me this now?"

"Well, I didn't think they would target the people I talk to to get to me."

"Wha...Luciana, what did you do to become their target!?" I sighed and slid against the wall until I was sitting on the floor.

"Well...remember Russia?"

I just had to keep the part about my family to myself.

Fratellanza

*His memories?

Thanks for reading this chapter! Thanks to NotRobfor the review!