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The brat had wonderful yet terrible timing.
Wonderful because, when he actually visited them himself, it was always when it was most appreciated and terrible because his visits always ended in the boss being reminded that there was someone other than those in his created family that actually gave two shits about him.
And while the brat was disgustingly heartwarming and naïve, the boss didn't usually respond well to positive emotions directed towards him – never had and probably never would.
So, every time after the brat visited, he and the boss would stay in his office until he came back to himself.
Sometimes they fought sometimes, sometimes the boss would lose control of his flames, and sometimes they just sat there while he seethed.
At his point, the floor was littered with glass.
"Who the fuck does he think he is coming in here with all his kumbaya bullshit?
"He didn't even fucking knock. Just strode in here like it's his own goddamn office."
The doors burst open and the remaining tumbler was hurled through the room crashing into the godfather's shoulder.
"Get the fuck out of here."
"What's wrong with him?" asked the werewolf ignoring the boss.
"None of your damn business, trash."
The werewolf, stayed put but the godfather hesitantly crossed the room.
"You said you wouldn't barge in and yet… here you are," the boss glared his hand resting on the butt of his gun.
"Sirius get back here," the werewolf hissed and when the man complied backtracking whilst keeping his eyes on the boss.
"We came for answers. We need to know what happened to Hermione."
"That's Varia business, need to know," the boss barked.
Squalo rose from his place on the couch, "And until you learn to act like civilized people and use the fucking door, you are not welcome in the manor."
"Says who?" hissed the godfather.
"The boss' Second in Command, trash."
"Second in Command of what?" the man snarled.
….
Xanxus' rage faded in colors.
The black of his flames to the red of his eyelids at each blink.
He could feel the shark's flames licking at his heels, enough for him to notice but not enough to sedate. The shark only made that mistake once.
As his breath slowed he could clearly see the two intruders.
That godfather trash and the werewolf were standing in his office looking frightened yet defiant.
"Second in Command of what?" the godfather trash challenged.
He was standing. Right. There. And only he could talk to his men like that, the godfather trash had no right.
"Squadra Killer Autonoma Vongola Famiglia, trash."
The shark stepped back and he Xanxus a gun.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't shoot you where you stand."
….
The werewolf trash raised his hands in what looked like he intended to be a placating manner.
"Sirius, be quiet.
"We just want to know if Hermione is safe, that's all."
"She's grown as woman, why would she need you trash to look after her?"
They didn't seem to know what to do with that piece of information.
Xanxus couldn't understand where they got off. The woman was 25 years old for christ's sake.
"Why the fuck did you think she left?
"Because she wanted a change of scenery?"
The shitty shark scoffed.
"Think again, trash. You don't get to let a great thing free than come running after her."
He smirked at her Hermione as she stepped into view behind the intruders.
"I'm flattered, boss. I wasn't aware you thought so highly of me." Her grin was crooked and roguish and he was proud.
Proud of her strength.
Proud that she was his.
Besides, there was something particularly satisfying about her calling him boss.
….
Hermione was not exactly having the best of days. It started off fine. She beat the snot out of a couple Cloud underlings with only her body – it was a truly liberating experience.
And then Mammon keyed her into the wards and the manner became irrevocably hers, irrevocably home.
And then he had appeared. The boy who breathed hurricanes and a boy who smelled of the honeysuckle that once grew over her parent's balcony.
Hurricane boy – Yamamoto Takeshi, she remembered – if someone that strong would follow Sawada Tsunayoshi than there had to be something there, some pull, and she didn't believe a mystical Flame compatibility was enough to draw contain someone like that.
She fought to stay alert, fought to find the answer and then Sawada Tsunayoshi gave Xanxus those words and her world shattered.
So, she chased him down.
Maybe to fight.
Maybe to scream, to accuse.
Maybe she just needed to sure.
"But know that just like Xanxus and just like your fellow Guardians, if it comes down to it, I will protect you as my own."
And she understood.
Not fully, no.
Because Xanxus was glass shards and swift retribution and fighting from first to last breath.
And Sawada Tsunayoshi was home cooking and shared secrets and violent conflict as a last resort.
She understood Xanxus, he was a protector because they were loyal so he was in return but Sawada Tsunayoshi just was and people would lay down their lives for him.
She could feel it.
She did find them similar, a great deal similar.
Family was their heart and soul and Flames their life blood.
One wasn't stronger than the other, they possessed different brands of strength.
….
She left her guard down.
Hermione had let her guard down and now Xanxus had to deal with two imbeciles – just because she considered them friends doesn't mean she wasn't aware of their faults.
Faults like breaking into the compound, again.
But the boss didn't seem too angry and he called her a great thing.
She could remember exactly the last time anyone genuinely complimented her on anything.
It was Ron's blood coated palm cupping her cheek and his ragged breath on her ear.
There was no need to remember that now.
"Why are you here?"
She craned her neck to need Remus' eyes.
If he was surprised by her attire he kept that to himself.
"Squadra Killer Autonoma Vongola Famiglia," Sirius muttered under his breath.
"Why are you here? This people are – "
"What Sirius? They're what?" She challenged.
"You – you know what they are!" He protested.
Remus once told her that Sirius had been different before Azkaban. That he had been carefree and open minded. That he had been rational and questioning.
She sometimes wished, for his sake, that he was the Sirius that stood before her.
But then she remembers early mornings in the Grimmuald kitchen with pancake batter in her hair and Sirius laughing wildly. Remus would stumble in at some point just to blink blearily and them before turning back the way he came.
There were moments like that, and then there were moments like this.
Moments where Sirius accused and demanded and stood firm on assumption.
"Say it, Sirius, what are they?!" she goaded.
"Damn it, Hermione! They're murderers! What are you here?"
Squalo barked that odd laugh of his, "I resent that.
"You know what they say, Hermione?"
She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah. It's not murder if you're paid."
Sirius and Remus both looked utterly appalled.
"Hermione…" Sirius' voice was small and strained.
"Sirius, it's simple. I'm here because I want to be and that's all you need to know right now."
She knew he wanted to say more, but Remus – ever the levelheaded Remus – put his hand on Sirius' shoulder.
"We need to leave now, Sirius."
"But Her-"
"Now."
The two men shared a looked and Remus nodded apologetically to Xanxus before disappearing with a great crack.
"I'm sorry, boss. They should know better."
Xanxus holstered his gun, "Only trash can apologize for trash."
…
"I don't know if I should be offended or flattered, Superbi."
"It's just a question, raggazza."
"Yes, I have killed before.
" Good, then you won't have any trouble with this assignment."
He lazily lifted sheet of paper forcing her to stand to reach it.
"Rumor has it, a low-level Famiglia is participating in Estrano level human experimentation.
"It's only a rumor but the brat is pretty sensitive about this kind of thing. Says, it's worth checking out."
"Sawada Tsunayoshi?"
He nodded.
"What's Estrano?"
Squalo's face twisted into an ugly scowl.
He knew he'd done some heinous things but what the Estrano did took everything way too many steps too far.
"About ten years ago, the Estrano Famiglia was known for their advancements in Flame tech. But then they started snatching Flame strong kids and using them as test subjects."
There was more, but that was all he was going to say on it and if she really wanted to know she could ask somebody else.
"That's – That's – Repulsive!" She sputtered.
"They're long since taken care of but now you can see why we gotta check it out."
"When do I leave?"
"The jet's ready now."
….
As she winded through the streets of Manarola she made a note to take more trips out into the real world.
She was a ball of tension.
At every brush pass of a tourist to every honk of a car horn she had to physically restrain herself from pulling her wand and now, her gun.
She hadn't expected the traveling to be the most strenuous part of the mission. But, honestly, she should have known. Living how she had been forced to had consequences and she should have known.
Manarola was a beautiful port city. It was somewhere that her parent's might have taken her when she was child.
She would never be able to see the city in the same light as the tourists.
Hermione slipped into an alleyway and cast a disillusion charm on herself.
Her target was just across the street disguised as a two story home.
She just had to cross the street.
Half way to the house she was hit with a wave of magic on par with that of Grimmuald place emanating from within.
The taste of it was familiar.
She kicked down the door and her hair was blown back from the force of the magic.
Hermione followed the trail as it beckoned her up the stair of the empty house.
Empty until she reached the room at the end of the hall.
Empty until she saw two men sprawled bleeding from their noses.
Empty until she saw someone strapped to a gurney.
Empty until she saw who was connected to the equipment.
"Luna?"