DISCLAIMER: I don't own KHR or any of the associated characters aside from my OCs.

Dino had just let me know that per Xanxus' wishes, he had gathered some candidates for my not-yet-formed team. Sawada had also brought someone for my use. Breaking up the fight between Kyoya and my boss, Dino led us out to the gardens where my to-be team was awaiting me.

"This is stupid." I huffed, glaring at the boss when he glanced down, "The Varia is the only team I need! I don't understand what you're trying to pull here!"

"You needed a team before didn't you?" Boss was making his point known again, "If you had a team during the Cavallone incident, you wouldn't have had to call the garbage squad."

Ahh… Man. He's talking about when my parents attacked Dino for revenge. I called Sawada and his Guardians to join me when we were short-staffed. If I had a team of my own, I might not have needed them. Or I would've still called Sawada because these guys are some no-name random mafiosos.

He didn't let me get another word in, "And didn't you need a team during the Vongola Tournament? Next year, I'll be in the tournament. The Varia is my team. You pick your own."

"Huh?! I'm on my own?! You're not going to use me in your team?!" I've never experienced this. I'm one of these guys. Why the hell am I the only being asked to make my own team?

"We have higher chances of winning if you and I both lead powerful teams. The goal is to show why the Vongola is the strongest and prevent risky team's from having their wishes granted. We can eliminate teams more quickly if you and I are on opposite brackets."

"What if we end up in the same bracket?!"

Xanxus isn't stupid. This is the factual reason but it's not his reason. This is an excuse for something he's hiding but...

I guess I should just take a look at the candidates and decide later. In the end, our Varia code doesn't accept failure so just one failure will have these guys executed with the rest of the people who failed to show off Varia Quality talents.

Reaching the gardens, I saw them. The men chosen as candidates for my squad were all unfamiliar faces. Note that I specifically said men. There was only one woman standing among them and I recognized her immediately—Sofia Nougat.

I stiffened. What the hell was she doing here? I immediately turned on the boss, glaring at him, "Bullshit."

He didn't look surprised to see her and he didn't look surprised that I was pissed.

"If this is one of those mean break up cliches, I don't appreciate it." I hissed, "What the fuck, boss?"

He pretended to think about it for a good minute like the asshole he is and then he said, "She kept fucking bugging me so I told her to join. If she shows you up on the field, then I'll give her a shot."

Now I'm definitely offended. What do you mean by show me up?! She doesn't even have a shot! What kind of bullshit is this?!

As if he already knew I was a loose cannon, Squalo grabbed me by the scruff of my neck, yanked me back, and just held me like he was holding a dog by a leash, "If you're going to lead this group, you can't just kill them cause they piss you off."

I was internally screaming but my voice was a low growl, "Ruling with an iron fist. I'm okay with being a dictator!"

"We've already got the boss! No need for another crazy dick—dictator in the world!"

He just called me a dick!

Snorting, our boss got straight to business, "Where's Volore?"

"Oh. The unit Reborn promised you?" Sawada waited for said soldier to step up. Gesturing to Reborn and our newcomer who was coming up behind us, Sawada handed me a file on his offered soldier, "He's good."

Volore was your average looking mafioso. He had blonde hair, hazel colored eyes, a decently lean build standing at five foot seven inches. I glanced down, opening his private info. Thirty years old? He's on the short side. He was wearing three box weapons at his hip but they all looked unopened and brand new. So that would mean those lightning stoned rings on his hand are just for show.

"You can't light up a flame." I said it as a fact more than a question, labelling him an herbivore, "I don't want him."

"That's the part you've got to teach him. I can't give you a perfect soldier for free, Kira." Reborn was giving me a shady kind of look, eyebrows arching in a challenging way, "Unless you're not good enough to teach him. Then I'll give him to someone who can make the most of his potential."

Sighing grumpily, I put my hand out, "Hibari Kira, I'll teach you if you can keep up."

Volore had an attitude problem. He sneered down at me as if he was my superior and squeezed my hand savagely, "You're on the short end, don't you think?"

Insubordination already? I took a vicious hold of his hand and flipped him over my shoulder without warning. The hollow sound of his brainless head smashing into the floor was a warning to all those around me as I towered over his crumpled form.

"Now, who happens to be on the short end, herbivore?" I didn't miss the momentary fear flashing in his eyes before anger took hold of him.

"Fucking bitch." He snarled, leaping onto his feet in a split second. His fist whistled through the air harmlessly as I stepped aside.

I threw him to the ground again using his own momentum as my strength. This time, I stomped on his face brutally, "Last warning, herbivore. Flames or no flames, I repay insults with injury. One more time and I'll bite you to death."

Dino was laughing at me, shaking his head in that condescending manner, "You should be kind to your subordinates, Kira. If you take care of them, they'll take care of you."

"I need soldiers, Don Cavallone. Not a flock of sheep." I huffed, eying the rather large sum of soldiers he had brought, "Now, what's with these guys?"

"Ahhh… well they're my subordinates but you can take some."

"You're giving me your precious family members?" Now, there's a real surprise there, "The world must be ending. Who are you and what have you done with Dino?"

He laughed again, gesturing to the young mafiosos behind him, "They're my precious family members, sure, but it's time for them to do bigger things than guard my boring estate. They chose to come here. Of course, I should warn you. None of them can light up flames."

"I said soldiers not herbivores." I hissed through gritted teeth, "You people are doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"Give them a chance. Some of them are pretty good at what they do." He explained, motioning to the felt and right casually, "But I'm a mafia boss too so of course, I can't give you anyone too good."

First sweep, no one caught my eye. They were all extremely average. All of them possess rings that were the color of their supposed flames but none of them could light it up so it didn't make a difference. It was just to show me their potential.

Second sweep, my eyes stalled on someone who I had missed the first time. I blinked at him a moment longer than I should have and so I missed the opportunity to move on. I realized immediately that this herbivore had less presence than the rest of them. It could be a good thing or a bad thing.

I glanced down, noting the blue stone on his rings. A Rain Flame. I turned, confirming Volore's Lightning Flame. I grabbed the young man from the crowd and waved at the rest of them, "I'll take this one. Keep the rest."

"Just one?" Dino was bummed out, hanging his head, "Man, you're hard to please. I stayed up all night gathering these guys from my combat trained mafiosos and you only want Koge?"

I assumed Koge was his name. Or perhaps, a code name. Observing him, I realized he was dull in appearance. Maybe that's what caused his lack of presence.

He was average height. Taller than Volore but shorter than Squalo. He was average build. Not particularly attractive and not particularly unattractive. He was one of those faces that could easily blend into the crowd. His deep brown hair and brown eyes made his skin look pale in comparison.

Even his aura seemed to be dull and nonexistent. He was the complete opposite of Volore who radiated anger and passion. Koge was almost an empty shell.

I sent them both away, urging them to talk with each other until I could contact them again. When they were long gone, I had to face the facts. Sofia Nougat is now one of us. We took a moment to glare each other down and I spotted the red ring on her finger. Just like her father, she possesses the storm attribute but there's no point if she can't light it up.

She put out her hand with a coy smile, "Well, you're into competition, right? Let's fight fair and square."

"You don't stand a chance." I grumbled but for the sake of shaking on a deal, I went to shake her hand, "Fair and—?!"

Boss grasped my arm and yanked me back as the ring on her hand surged to life with enough vigor to set her whole hand ablaze. He looked away when I looked up at him in stunned stupor. Did she just try to melt my hand off?

"So you're not an herbivore?" I felt my heart pounding in my ears, vision growing red, "Come with us to HQ. I'll give you your fight. Fair and square."

She only smiled at me. It was a genuine, evil-looking smile. She thought she was going to beat me. I was wrong about her. She's no demure, stereotypical, mafia lady. She's a big phony.

What does the boss even like about her?! … Okay, other than her big ass and her big ass breasts what does he like?

I turned around and stormed away cause I couldn't stand that look on her face, "I'm leaving first. You bring her."

They didn't respond and only Squalo had the generosity to follow me. No one else cared. They were just super into our newest female companion… boss included. Fuck that guy.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O

"Kira-chan, you're going to be humiliated." Lussuria told me as we were suiting up. We as in me and Sofia.

I left the feast first, saying a short and grumpy goodbye to Kyoya before heading home first. These guys came home with my new to-be team in tow. Honestly, I don't need a team.

Even if all these guys came at me at once, I wouldn't need help. Save for Sofia, none of them can light a flame. No matter how many herbivores you have, it doesn't change the result. Carnivores are at the top of the food chain for a reason.

So what makes Lussuria say that I'm going to be humiliated?

"You know something I don't." I said, not asking any questions. I'm not interested in knowing her secrets. I'm sure I'll find out through my fists.

"... She was the boss' first choice for Storm."

I didn't want to know but it was a shock revelation. If things had played out a little differently, maybe she would have been in Bel's place. I can't stand the thought of it.

Our current team is the strongest team that could have ever been chosen. We proved it in the Sky Ring Battle. If it weren't for the boss' bloodline, we would have won that fight hands down. Thinking we could replace people or thinking that the generation that follows us will be as strong as us, that's herbivore talk. I have no need for the future. I don't live for anyone but me.

I had forgotten it in the time that I spent at the boss' side but I didn't come to Italy and join the mafia to play gatekeeper to the next generation. I came here to prove I'm the strongest. If the boss is setting up for a future team meant to be stronger than us, I want no part in it. If we're not the strongest, it's meaningless and if he forgot, then fuck him too. I kill him with the rest of these herbivores.

"I bet against you here, Kira." Mammon called as I took my first step out to the center of the room.

Sofia was already waiting for me, the boss behind her. He had probably just told her all my weaknesses. I think he wants her to win.

Too bad though. I turned, smiling coyly at Mammon, "Then I guess you don't value your money very much."

He stiffened, almost uncertain about his bet. I wonder who he bet with. I turned as Squalo's hand came down on my shoulder. My eyes followed the length of his arm up to his disgruntled expression. I waited for him to speak but he just removed his hand and took a step back. I laughed quietly, taking my place with the knowledge that Squalo had bet on me. He's always on my side. Good old Squalo-senpai.

Fighting with Sofia was strange. Not in a good way. There was no warning. She came at me with her flames blazing. She was one hundred percent aware of herself.

The active factor of Storm Flames is disintegration. One touch could be fatal but there's no way she doesn't know that my speed surpasses even the boss'. She was provoking me by stumbling into me.

I took note of her clothes. A skin tight bodysuit, no hidden weapons, no openly carried weapons, and nothing special but the ring on her finger. I recognized it as Coyote Nougat's main ring. I guess he passed it onto her.

Nothing's going to happen if I keep letting her flail about so I have no choice but to take her up on her provocation. I slammed my armored fist into her gut and found myself actually shocked by the clang of my armor against a thin layer of metal underneath the skin tight suit. I can only assume it's stretched tight over a form-fitting layer of armor. Well, I'm not surprised by the armor but the suit itself.

I instantly tried to put distance between us as her suit lit up with the Storm Flames from her ring. I was wrong to assume she didn't have a weapon. Her weapon is her outfit-creative. It turns her lack of close combat skills into her greatest weapon.

I glared down at the armor on my hand to find that it had melted away and turned to ash, crumbling to the floor in a mess that looked much like the contents of an ashtray. I was furious.

This was a gift from Squalo-senpai!

I ripped off both gloves, flung them to the floor, and proceeded to end the move in one blow. Too bad for Sofia, she doesn't wear clothes on her face and she's the slowest thing ever.

My foot made solid contact with her jaw in a brain rattling roundhouse kick and she went flying, narrowly missing the boss before slamming into the wall. Her body came crumbling down in a heap.

Those clothes are a good idea. She's very smart to have decided to make her weakness into her best asset but it doesn't work on opponents with a brain. Either that or she was caught off guard because she didn't think melting my gauntlets would make me so pissed.

I turned and went straight to Squalo, clinging to his flustered forearms, "The best gift you ever gave me… I'm sorry. But I won."

Squalo went red in the face and stammered in at a very Squalo-like volume, "A-A-Are you an idiot?! Don't touch me!"

I grinned and stormed right up to Mammon, putting my hand out, "I think you owe Squalo-senpai some money."

The Arcobaleno began to sweat profusely, coughed, lit up his ring and illusion-cloaked his exit path before I decided to stop him and ran. I laughed after him, knowing he'd be back sooner or later. I don't really care about the money. I don't understand why Mammon bets against me. I think it's because he doesn't like Fon. Petty Mammon.

I turned my eyes onto Lussuria and stuck my tongue out at him like a child, "Me? Humiliated? You're an idiot."

"I was warning you out of love, dear!" He pretended to be offended for a moment before shrugging, "You pick fights with everyone that moves! For heaven's sake, just calm yourself next time."

"Oh no. I'm not done yet." I spun, calling out the boss, "Come fight me, you loser."

A collective groan erupted from my fellow officers. They saw it coming. They were all in motion, some trying to hold me back and others trying to persuade me with words. I wasn't having it and apparently, the boss was ready to take me on.

He held up his hand, gesturing to the rest of "my" team, "Clean up the trash and leave us be. I'll put her in her place in five minutes so have the chef prepare a meal for me."

"You mean me because losers don't deserve to eat." I declared, making Squalo sigh, "But if I lose, I'll starve tonight. Your call, boss."

"... Whatever." Boss barely waited for the idiots to file out. He was on me in a split second, the bullet narrowly missing my face, "Don't regret anything."

"I won't." I snarled, lighting up my ring immediately, "Aquilos, Cambio Forma!"

Boss was right behind me, "Bester, come!"

Our fight did not end as I expected it to. Oh no, don't get me wrong. I wanted to win. I just… didn't think I would win.

It all happened too fast so I don't really know what happened but I saw an opening between flame-coated bullets, closed in, swung and missed, saw the boss wince for some reason or another, took the opening, and proceeded to slam my fist straight into his belly button.

I hadn't expected to actually connect so I had used my full strength and watched in almost-horror as he went flying into the same wall Sofia Nougat had hit just moments earlier.

The high of the fight breaking, my Cambio Forma came undone as I rushed to his side. I hovered worriedly, hands not daring to touch him, "I-I-I… What the hell?!"

He sat up, gave me the wimpiest glare I had ever seen on his face, opened his mouth to cuss me out and ended up doubling over to spit up a mouthful of blood.

I was left gawking for a long moment, until he recovered enough to lean back against the wall with a vicious snarl forming on his lips, "Wh-What? What happened?"

"You're a fucking piece of trash!" He spat, absolutely refusing to make eye contact with me. Secrets deep in his chest were now starting to need more attention but he didn't want to share and I didn't have the maturity to probe.

I did the only thing I know how to do in this kind of situation-I got angry, "If you don't tell me, I won't understand! Do you think I'm your mindreader or something?! I'm not like you! I don't get what bugs you if you don't tell it to me straight!"

Fury was met with fury. This is how it always goes with us.

"It's none of your damn business! Trash should just shut up and obey!"

There was no hope for us to have a decent conversation here. I was absolutely furious. I brought a stinging slap across his face and turned, leaving him right where he was with surprise and hurt flashing in those crimson eyes as I stormed out. If he won't tell me, then fuck him.

When I stormed by the main hall where "my team" was having a meal with my actual team. Squalo looked up, saw me in good condition, realized something was off since I had just fought the boss and proceeded to leave the newbies with the other officers to come talk to me.

I held up a silencing hand and continued on my way with a finalized, "I'm leaving."

"Leaving?!" He stomped right up to me, grabbed my wrist and pulled me to a stop, "Why? Where are you going?!"

When I looked up, the look on his face told me he knew what I was thinking, "I quit, Squalo-senpai. I have no reason to be here anymore."

"I swear to god, if you kicked him in the nuts and you're saying you're-"

"Don't you know me better than that." I spat accusingly. I would never kick the boss in the nuts and say I'm stronger so I'm leaving.

"... I do." He released me to draw his sword, faux-hand snapping to release his weapon, "So fight me. If I win, you're not going anywhere."

I don't turn down fights, period. That's not me so… I picked up my shit and fought Squalo too. I hate losing more than anything so I went at it with my full strength, Cambio Forma making its second appearance in a short period of time but it was just as effective.

Long details aside, the match's ending came quick. Poor Squalo was knocked aside by my armor plated wings and I planted a rolling drop kick to the top of his head to end it.

I was so high off my win, I was celebrating. Squalo had dangled my freedom in my face and now, it was in my hands. I'm free to leave! I can go!

Hands up like a little kid, I turned to find Squalo rubbing his head and my victory pleasure shattered like a mirror. I approached him cautiously and felt the squeeze of my heart telling me this wasn't the way to go when I saw the miserable expression on his face.

We made awkward eye contact. Neither of us could find the words to speak for a moment. I don't actually want to leave… Everything I built up in my life is here. I have no place I'd rather be… I was just really mad.

Surprisingly, he was the first to speak, "Congratulations. You're free."

The ache in my chest doubled at the words barely audible through his gritted teeth. We bet on it and I won. His pride won't allow him to say anything else.

With Squalo in front of me, I'm not even sure how I felt the boss coming but I knew he was on the way. I paused, counting until I could hear his footsteps down the hall. I knew it. He's not alone. There's someone at his side and it made me burn with jealousy.

I waited an extra second before reaching up to pull Squalo down by the collar, bringing him to a screeching stop just an inch before our lips met. He was staring at me with wide eyes, nearly becoming cross-eyed as he tried to maintain eye contact.

I whispered, "Am I the only one who can feel the boss coming?"

Squalo's deep gray eyes flashed and in a surprising move, he spun my back to the wall and slammed his hand flat against the wall beside my ear, "Even if I kissed you, he's not going to be jealous."

"You'd be surprised." I murmured, flustered by the bold move from someone who usually just turns red and goes along with the flow, "He might shoot you."

"Want to bet on it?"

I gulped, heart thumping so loud I almost couldn't hear my thoughts. This was dangerous. Memories of the past we shared came flooding into my mind. I can't imagine a tomorrow where I wake up and Squalo-senpai isn't my coworker.

Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I realized that the boss was with a now-familiar extra.

"Bastard." I hissed, "You're stalling me, huh?"

"... No clue." He couldn't say it to me straight. He didn't want me running off, "What if I'm not?"

I rolled my eyes at him, a moment of heart thumping excitement lost by the realization that he was taking advantage of the fact that I could smell the boss coming, "Feh. Then you can go right ahead and kiss me."

I didn't see it coming. A gasp slipped by as his fingers curled around my head, weaving into my hair and cupping my neck. He pulled hard and our lips came slamming together just like that.

Oh my god.

I felt so many feelings in that split second that I would have been overwhelmed by the swell in my chest if I didn't feel the pure fury exploding toward us from the end of the hall.

My hands slammed against Squalo's chest and gave him a sharp push. His victorious smirk only lasted a second as the boss' fist made full on contact with his nose.

"Fucking piece of shit!" Xanxus looked like the incarnation of the devil himself. All the scars were showing on his skin, hands blazing. He went for a second swing.

Squalo narrowly dodged out of the way, each swing getting closer and closer to touching him as Squalo continuously dodged to the right. Eventually, Squalo's back was to me and I was in the boss' range of vision. The anger on his face only doubled when he realized what kind of expression I was making.

"Oh." I dropped my head, ashamed of what had just gone down. When my gaze was on the floor, I gasped at the liquid plopping down below me. I looked up again, meeting the boss' enraged glare but I knew the anger wasn't directed at me. I reached up with a shaking hand, touching the wet streaks coming down my cheeks, "Oh…"

It dawned on me really slowly. I was… crying like an herbivore. I was the one who prompted him, I brought this on myself so why am I crying? I have no right. I just… I just cheated on him, didn't I?

I swallowed a dry lump in my throat and barely choked out, "I'm so sorry…"

He was in motion again. He was still enraged but the flames died out. He shoved Squalo out of the way so easily and came to me. Just as Squalo had done moments ago, his hand came up to the back of my neck, fingers gripping a handful of my hair as he tilted my head back. He brought our lips together so quickly and so roughly that our teeth clacked together painfully but he didn't stop.

He kissed me over and over until I couldn't see straight and even then it wasn't enough for him. When my legs had turned to jelly, he lifted me up and pulled my legs around his waist himself. He didn't look back as he moved towards my room since it was closer, our lips mashed together again.

We're almost at the end of the story. There will probably be only one or two more updates! Thank you for sticking with me!