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

Fratellanza

I would shoot people here and there, but other than that Lancia was taking good care of our enemies, even if I knew they were all busy with my brother already.

I turned toward the wall when there was a scream and Lancia broke it easily.

I saw red when I saw two children, hugging each other and sobbing in a corner of the room, another one being held at gun point while a small body was laying in a pool of blood.

I shot the man without thinking twice about it, killing him immediately. The kid fell on the floor and looked up at me with wide eyes. Slowly, tears started to appear in them, his left eye being entirely blue, and he started to sob uncontrollably.

However, blue flames started to pour out of him as well.

"Lancia, take the other two," I ordered him.

"And you?" I lit up my Mist Ring.

"I'm calming down that time bomb." The room was soon burning in blue flames, that kid sobbing and yelling in anguish at the same time. In a way, maybe it was similar to what happened to me with the Flame of Wrath.

Too emotional situations and...that…

With Hugin's help, I covered my body with Mist Flames to make a barrier between the waves of Rain Flames pouring out of him and my body. From the intensity of the flames...my heart would stop beating in a heartbeat.

Haha, I'm just so funny.

I dropped on one knee once I was in front of him and grabbed his face. His wide, watery eyes looked at me.

"It's over kid, they won't touch you anymore. They won't hurt you anymore. Sorry you had to wait so long for us to come." He bit his lower lip.

"It...it's you..." I raised a brow. "Pre...pretty orange..." A trembling finger reached out to my neck and touched my Mare Ring over my clothes. He sobbed some more and I hugged him instinctively.

'Pretty orange'? He knew about my ring?

Who was that kid?

I grabbed my ring and managed to slip it around my finger before lighting it. The kid moved back a little and looked at it. He sniffed and approached a finger. I almost wanted to bang my head against the wall when his flame curled around mine.

Seriously?

It seemed to have a soothing effect on him and the flames around us disappeared. I took a deep breath immediately.

He had been slowly but surely decreasing the level of oxygen in the air and I noticed nothing.

"What's your name kid? Because we have to leave that place and calling you 'kid' is..."

"Walton," he interrupted me. He sniffed and wiped his eyes. "My name is Walton."

"Alright Walton, I know you've been in a stressful situation but can you walk?" He nodded sharply and I got up. Hugin went back in my ring as the orange flame on my Mare Ring disappeared. I checked the body of the other kid, which was still warm but not an ounce of life inhabited it. I sighed softly and left the room, Walton's hand in mine.

I found Lancia quickly, who was panicking because of the two kids crying. Walton ran to them and calmed them down.

"Dino said four kids vanished. One of them died but the other three are here," I told him.

We waited for them to come back and I shrugged once I saw them, or more like when Dino saw me. They didn't even question Lancia being with me.

"We were too late for the last one," I whispered to my brother. He pursed his lips grimly and crouched in front of the kids.

"Mister Dino!" they all yelled in glee and relief. I looked up at the sky.

Of course Dino would visit them often.

"Come on, I'm bringing you all home!"

"Dino, Arro and I will go home ourselves."

"Alright, be careful," he said in response without looking at us.

Well, he had to prioritize the kids for now.

We watched them leave.

"So, still 'no'?" I asked Lancia. He kept staring at the vanishing car.

"If you really need my help then I'm sure you'll know where to find me." He turned around the started leaving.

"Lulu, we should bring him back with us." I raised a brow and looked at Helios, who had a bruise around his eye. "I explained already."

"Interested?"

"If you keep hunting down those people, then yes." I grinned at him and stretched out my hand. He shook it.

"Welcome to the Suicide Squad!"

"And it's still taken!" Arro reminded me.

"I know but it's fitting! By the way Arro."

"Yeah, what?"

"I'm afraid you might say goodbye to the Rain Ring soon." He put his hand over it protectively.

"Why!?"

"I think the kid I was with synchronized with me, or has a good start already."

"A kid!?"

"As loud as the other one," Helios muttered.

I was not surprised when, when we came back, Helios already knew a few people.

I made him into a strategist and instructor. He had experience and we would need it.

I kind of left home for good. Of course, my room at Dino's was still there and I still had a lot of stuff in it, but when Arro moved back in Italy, it didn't take long for us to get an apartment together in Enna. Cris didn't tell me where he lived but assured me he wasn't in the street and the others had rooms in the CEDEF HQ, Katryna included even if she still had to spend time at Dino's because of her parents.

I really hoped this situation would be solved quickly but technically, the moment we were fully synchronized, she could get out of this obligation. Dino still paid for her schooling and medical studies and because of that, she was doing a great job at doing all of that and training but I hoped she wasn't overdoing it.

"It's okay with you?" I asked Ahmed. He smirked a little.

"You are the Boss Captain, I don't have a say in your orders." I rolled my eyes.

"Sure, but having the two parties invested will be more productive." I knocked on Katryna's door. She opened it after a few seconds, a pencil behind her ear. "Can we borrow a few minutes of your time?"

"Huh...ha, of course!" she said. It seemed it took her a few seconds to comprehend what I was asking.

I sat down on her bed and crossed my legs, Ahmed opting for leaning against the wall. I shot her desk a look. It was covered in pens, books, notebooks and her laptop was opened. I looked at her once again. Her blond hair was tied in a messy bun on her head, but it was almost undone, and she had dark circles under her eyes.

"How would you feel to learn about poisons?" She blinked in surprise.

"I...I would really like to be a doctor." I smiled at her.

"I am aware, but it will be useful knowledge if one of us gets poisoned. Everything depends on how you use them as well. Ahmed is pretty knowledgeable in that field." She shot him a curious look. "And anyway, even if you want to heal people, which is perfectly fine, you also must be able to fight back if the fight reaches you. If you're down, we all follow soon after. You are a key element, people will try to kill you first." She gulped, trying to hide her fear. "You understand what I'm saying?" She nodded weakly. "Anyway, a doctor is supposed to fix people so you kind of have to know how to break them first."

"It's true," she whispered thoughtfully before looking up at the silent man in the room. "I am nowhere near your level though..."

"It doesn't matter, what I would teach you doesn't require fighting skills."

"Your Sun Attribute might be useful as well later to activate the propagation of a poison." She held her hands in front of her.

"I...yes, I'd like that. I don't want to be protected all the time either so..." I jumped on my feet.

"It's settled then. I'll make a few arrangement in your schedule, starting by clearing off your Sunday from any work." I put my hand on her mouth when she opened it to protest. "If you don't allow yourself a break, all of your hard work will go to waste Katryna. The most important thing when you're training is disciplining yourself, and it includes allowing yourself to rest and relax." She sighed, defeated.

"I know but...I feel so...late compared to everyone else."

"Min-Jae is no better than you in fighting."

"I know, but he's a specialist in his own field unlike me!" I sighed and grabbed her shoulders.

"Hey, we all start somewhere. You want to catch up to us?" She nodded fervently. "Good, because if you have a clear goal and determination, you'll succeed." I showed her the Sun Ring. "And I'll give you this." She raised her brows.

"It reminds me, Dino wanted you to come along this weekend." I raised a brow.

"I can't say 'no' to old people..."

I went home, tired of my day.

Xanxus was in my couch and glared at me when I set a foot in my apartment.

"What are you doing here?"

"Breaking in because I'm not making an appointment to see my own sister."

"Yeah I know, I'm not the best at staying in touch," I muttered, removing my coat and shoes. "I saw you on New Years Eve."

"A month ago." I sighed. I had the same speech from Dino.

"I know, I know Fratello..." I returned his embrace.

"How are you eyes?"

"...I might accept the idea of getting a laser in my eyes..." I admitted, defeated. I knew he wanted to say 'I told you so', because like me and many people he loved to be right, but it meant I was slowly going blind so…

I broke our embrace.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"Coffee. Black, no sugar."

"I know, you made me bring your coffee everyday when I was at the VARIA," I reminded him, going to the kitchen.

It was funny. I knew Xanxus had an alcohol issue, you'd have to be blind not to see it.

He never drank in front of me during the day though, except during meals but it was quite mild.

"So you just came to see me?"

"Is there something wrong with that?" he replied with a frown.

"No, it's just that I've been busy with my squad for a couple of months now so...it changes, for once."

I parked my car and Bono was already there, ready to take our bags.

"Princess, Miss Katryna, I hope you had a nice trip."

"Yep," I replied while Katryna just smiled. I grabbed my laptop on the back seat and we headed to my brother's office.

At my surprise, he was not alone. There was a man with him, probably around his age. They both stood up when they saw us. The man, who seemed oddly familiar, had short, straight light brown hair and hazel eyes. He smiled at us and his eyes lingered on me.

"Cristiano, do you remember my sister Luciana?"

"Yes, my brother didn't forget to mention her when he came back from university." Realization dawned on me and I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"It's nice to see you again Don Rossi..."

Do you remember that annoying guy that Nadja threw in a wall? The younger brother to the Boss of the second Family of the Alliance?

That was him. Cristiano Rossi.

He chuckled under Dino's and Katryna's confusion.

"There is no need to be like that, my brother needs to be pulled back into line sometimes and I have never done a good job with that." I internally sighed in relief.

"Did I miss something?" my brother asked us.

"I had a slight...altercation with his brother at university."

"And knowing she was the one who took the lead when it was attacked, there is no reason for her to feel bad about it."

"Not bad, awkward. I think every single thing I told him." He smiled apologetically at my brother, and me.

"He said things about your sister being adopted and what it means, so I apologize to you two for that." Dino frowned.

"Thanks."

"Anyway, I will leave for today and will contact you for the details later. Ladies." He kissed Katryna's hand, who blushed. Then he kissed mine, his eyes not leaving mine.

He left with a dashing smile and I released a breath I didn't even know I was holding back.

"Are you okay Ana?"

"Yes, don't worry." Katryna shot me a knowing look though and I averted my eyes.

Cristiano was quite...charming.

He was quite...attractive.

He was quite…

"Luciana!" I jumped at my brother's voice. "Seriously, do you want some water or something?"

"No, I was just...thinking!" He gave me a pointed look.

"Well if I asked Katryna to bring you here it was for you to take a weekend off home for once. You do know what's happening on Sunday, right?" I raised a brow and put my hand on my mouth. My brother sighed. "I'm not wounded at all."

"It's your birthday! You're having a party?" He shook his head.

"No, the next one will be when I'm thirty." Good. "I wanted to talk to you about Walton as well."

"Ha?"

"He keeps asking for you, so he's spending the weekend here as well. You said he was your potential Rain, right?"

"Oh, the child Arro keeps muttering about?" I nodded.

Katryna spent the night in my room, on a mattress and she had that smile on her lips that made me try to ignore her.

"Don Rossi didn't leave you indifferent, did he?"

"You're imagining things."

"I think I've watched enough rom com to notice one or two things!" I threw her a pillow. "Hey!"

"Life is not a fiction you know." I'd probably still be with Kyoya otherwise…

Wow, I had not thought about him since Namimori when we…

Blood rushed to my face.

When we had that more than an enjoyable night…

"Luciana?" Katryna called me, confused at to why I was screaming in my pillow.

"...nothing..." I replied, my voice muffled by the pillow.

Walton could see flames. As in: constantly. Much like how the Estraneos implanted a weird eye to Mukuro, they removed Walton's right one and turned it into a flame-seeing tool. He could see them all of time and see the color as well, thus telling him the type of flame in particular.

He had like...the ultimate tool against illusions.

I tried to see him as much as I could. The squad's training was going smoothly, the most experienced ones going on missions to hunt down anyone still doing human experimentation.

Just like that, April arrived. I stared at my phone, still in PJs in my bed. It was a text from Iemitsu, telling me Tsunayoshi and his crew had arrived in Sicily and would visit the CEDEF HQ.

There was no way Mukuro was there. There was also no obligation for me to stick around them. I just would have a meeting with Iemitsu soon enough.

I went to work as usual and was on fighting training with Min-Jae today. He had managed to light up a ring, a Mist one. Yet when I was just at the entrance of the building, Arro exited it, basically pushed by Oregano. She threw a suit and heels at me.

"What the…"

"You are going to the Main Family HQ today to greet the Decimo and his Family on behalf of the CEDEF." I looked down at the clothes in my hands.

"Iemitsu?"

"Ordered you two to go there. You are supposed to bring back Alaric as well." I perked up at that.

"Okay!" I grabbed Arro by the hand and ran toward my car.

"Shouldn't you change first?"

"I'll do that later!"

The drive was a couple hours long and I almost didn't stop at the gate. I parked my car hastily and jumped in the backseat.

"I'm going to change, watch out for any guy who may look."

"Yeah yeah, just do it." He seemed off today.

I changed quickly, struggling with my tie once I was out of the car. The heels were...not too high, not too low. I had taken the habit to wear heels more and more anyway, Arro being taller than me was starting to get on my nerves and I...you know, started to like them?

"Hey there!" We looked at Ganauche, who was waving at us. "Follow me!" From the corner of my eyes, I shot Arro a look.

He sighed and smiled faintly at me.

"I'm fine Lulu, it's just one of those days where the moral is low." I poked his ribs.

"You know you...you can talk to me if you need it...I don't say it often bu..." His arm was around my shoulders.

"I know, I know."

We followed Ganauche, my pencil skirt making it hard for me to walk fast.

I was surprised to see Dino and Cristiano already in the room Ganauche led us.

"Damn Ana, you're comfortable like that?" I shrugged.

"I walk as fast as a snail." Cristiano shook Arro's hand.

"My name is Cristiano Rossi." My best friend straightened up.

"It is an honor Don Rossi." The Don's eyes fell on Arro's Mare Ring.

"It's...an unusual ring."

"Ha, yeah, I like standing out." Cristina nodded and took my hand to kiss it.

"Should I call you Luciana or Miss Cavallone?"

"Luciana is fine," I replied quietly, slightly embarrassed. He smiled at me.

"Luciana then." Dino was slightly confused at the exchange. Arro stared quietly. "Anyway, it seems like I'm the only one who have never met the Decimo." I noticed neither him or my brother had men with them.

"They're waiting outside," Dino informed me, knowing what I was thinking. "I'm surprised to see you two and not Iemitsu to be honest." I shrugged.

"We did spend a lot of time with them when everything was going down," Arro said idly.

"Is it true then that the Decimo and his Family went through a lot in a short amount of time?"

"Yes," the three of us responded in sync.

"And if you'll excuse us for a second, I forgot to tell her something." I raised my brows at Arro who dragged me out of the room.

We stopped in the hallway and he turned toward me with wide eyes.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"With Don Rossi, what was that?" I blushed slightly and averted my eyes. "I can't believe it, you're attracted to him, aren't you!?"

"It's none of your business!"

"What about Kyoya?" he asked me in a hush voice. "You guys slept together a few months ago, didn't you?"

"How do you know that?" I replied with wide eyes. "Did Kyoya tell you that?" Arro paled.

"Well...he texted me to ask me if you got home and I told him I didn't even know you were with him and he said..." I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"No." He blinked. "I'm...I'm still in love with him, I know that but it's...you know, dormant? I mean, I haven't seen him in a while and have been busy and..."

"You might want to reconsider not having seen him in a while." I raised a brow when he raised his hand. "Hey, how have you have been?" I turned around and saw Tsunayoshi and his gang walking toward us, Reborn leading the way.

"Having a seemingly private conversation in the middle of the hallway was your idea I guess Arro." I grinned at Alaric, who appeared out of nowhere behind Arro. He jumped, a hand on his heart and I heard the group coming our way laughing.

"Not too jet lagged?" I asked the Japaneses. They were all in suits, looking extremely professional.

If you overlook the dark circles.

Kyoya was at the back, looking bored.

"We're...fine," Tsunayoshi finally said. I frowned at him and walked up to him. He stepped back a little and I grabbed his shoulders.

"Hey, what are you doing to the Tenth!?"

"I didn't miss that," I commented, shooting him a quick look before shifting my attention back to Tsunayoshi. "You..." He gulped.

"Me?"

"You grew taller that me, didn't you?" It clearly was not what he was expecting. He looked down at my feet and noticed the heels.

"Ha...I guess?" My shoulders dropped.

"It's not the moment Luciana." I looked at Reborn and nodded.

Three years and a half since the Curse was broken...He was nine I think? He definitely was too tall to jump on people's head or shoulder in any case.

"Well congratulations guys, now you're entering the big league," I told them before looking at Tsunayoshi deep in the eyes. "I hope you're ready for it and everything that comes with it."

"You walked willingly in the heart of the problem," Arro added, his hands in his pockets in fake casualty.

"Don't worry guys!" Takeshi exclaimed, slouching over Tsunayoshi. His eyes turned dead serious. "We're all here." I closed my eyes with a faint smile.

"Yes, you are." I opened my eyes. "Then please follow me. Dino is waiting and you'll meet Don Rossi."

"Don Rossi? Heh...second Family in the Alliance, right?" I was surprised Tsunayoshi knew that. I looked at Reborn.

"You managed to make him learn that?" He just smirked in response.

Dino greeted them warmly, promising them to make them visit Sicily when they would be available.

"Decimo, it is an honor to meet you." Tsunayoshi stood straight and nodded, shaking Cristiano's hand.

I exchanged a look with Arro. Little Tsunayoshi grew up in the end.

"I have heard many good things about you from Dino, I hope I will be able to witness them in the future." Tsunayoshi smiled at him.

"I hope so too Don Rossi." His Italian had a thick Japanese accent to it, but it was not bad.

We stayed by their side throughout all of the meetings and once it was over, we were told we could leave. Arro wanted to have a word with Kyoya first, but Kyoya wanted to have a fight with Arro.

"Come on, here I am, wanting to tell you I missed your angry face and you want to fight me?" Kyoya still got in a fighting stance.

He...knew how to wear a suit. His hair was pretty much like his Future Self's as well.

"Shut up and get your weapon out."

"But I don't wanna right now! Unlike you fighting in a suit is not my thing!" It didn't bother Future Arro though.

It was...nostalgic though, it reminded me of my teenage years. While these two were bickering, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

Cristiano was there, watching the scene unfold.

"I heard a few things about the Cloud Guardian that seem to be right. Your brother's student?"

"...yeah..." And my first love.

"In any case, I am leaving so I wanted to say goodbye." He kissed my hand once again and left with a smile for me.

I was not imagining anything, he was flirting with me and had been right under my brother's nose, right?

I looked back at Arro and Kyoya, the others from the Tenth Generation off visiting the place. Kyoya stared at Cristiano's retreating back with a frown.

"I don't feel like fighting anymore," he said suddenly, putting his tonfa away. Arro sighed.

"You're all going to visit CEDEF soon, just wait and then I'll fight you. I...will wear appropriate clothes then." Kyoya scoffed and walked away.

I looked down in thoughts. Apart from Cristiano kissing my hand, nothing could have made him not want to fight.

"Your guess is the right one," Arro told me, walking past.

"What do you..."

"Your face says it all Lulu, and I'm driving back.

"I want you to keep a close eye on Tsuna and his Family." I nodded. "From what happened to the previous heirs, there should be an assassination attempt before the Inheritance Ceremony in October."

"How am I supposed to do that with the experiments still going on?"

"By dividing your time." I raised a brow. "You're the squad leader, however there is a difference between the members."

"The Mare Rings." Iemitsu nodded.

"Yes."

"Some of them still need training but Alaric and Arro could do the job perfectly while we still hunt them down in parallel," I confirmed, holding my chin.

"They're coming tomorrow, I'd like you to tell them about what happened at university."

"Mukuro's already aware I'm sure, I did imply it last year." I sighed. "It makes sense after all, and they'll know at some point. We're still paying the damages that were done in the whole Mafia world, might as well tell them myself."

It would almost be a year since the events at Mafia University. There were talks about trying to reopen it, but many alliances had been broken because of the events. Many Families lost young elements, some heirs perished in the attack.

These Families wanted retribution and it was normal.

One more reason to cover up the fact the Vongolas, through Lentini, were involved.

I hated that. Years ago, I would have done everything I could to tell the world what the Vongolas had done and let them deal with the damages. Now I would cover their shit up because the Ninth couldn't control some of his 'old friends'.

Everything was simpler when the only reason I wanted to properly learn how to fight was to defend myself and not be a burden to my brother.

"I should pick up Walton," I muttered, getting up. "I mean...might as well get someone to occupy Lambo while they're here."

Fratellanza

Thanks for reading this chapter! Leave a review to tell me what you thought about it! Thanks to KEZZ 1 for the review!

Bye!