Suspicious

"Hey, Karen?" Takeshi's voice was distant, and almost childlike,

"What?" I glanced at him,

"The mafia…it's…not just a game is it?"

Crap, I shook my head, "No. No one could really find a way to actually show it to you the way things just fly over your head and you go with the flow," I reached up and messed his hair, making it spikier, "the Vongola was supposed to be different. In the second generation things went down the toilet." and that is not too far off the bull's eye.

*Sigh* some things were harder to talk about than others, and that was actually one of the easier things to talk about. Now that I stop and think about, Takeshi has been acting a little weird since we came home, or more accurately since our training with the future version of my brother. I remember Superbi saying to Takeshi "my sister may know more about psychology than any other psychologist but she doesn't know squat about her own feelings" or something along those lines. Since then Takeshi has been acting awkwardly and shy. "Maybe I should call Superbi and try again,"

"Excuse me?" the voice with its barely perceptible hostility that was at boiling point, I spun around,

"Suzuki Adelheid," I tried to relax my muscles but failed. There was something about her that set me completely on edge. Her eyes were hard, wary but her face was impassive. She was more tightly coiled than any thread I know of.

"Karen. What were you talking about?"

"Just thinking of calling my brother. It's been awhile since I last talked to him," I replied coolly with the tone of 'I'm not doing anything, back off, and none of your business'.

"I see," her voice could've chilled the Sahara Desert, "Is there a particular reason you are here?"

"No," I said slowly,

"You might want to clear out. I heard there are some ruffians here,"

I just raised an eyebrow,

"Never mind, you're Varia"

"Former," I answered shortly,

"Hm," she walked away. There should be a law against wearing stockings with short skirts, I grumbled to myself. No wonder some guys were going nutty, but her attitude was enough to cool almost anyone, but what was up with that? Saying ruffians were about in this area and suggesting I clear out. Is she hiding something?

What was that?

Took you long enough Mukuro. It's been too silent in here, and freakishly enough it was without him chattering at me, So what's up?

I caught some irritation and face: Julie Katou. What the friggin' hell?

He is, Mukuro was so steamy he wasn't even bothering with concealing it and I was steaming furious as well. If that bastard pulled one thing with Chrome, Enma will have to find a new guardian. Mukuro will have fun with the mental torture while I implement some of the Varia's favorite techniques for physical torture.

Unfortunately, we can't move unless he pulls something, so let's save for when he does his thing. Wouldn't matter if this guy was Tsuna himself, stalking Chrome is a no-no. Stalking was warning beam with anyone anyways. Any intel on the Shimon?

Even if I did have some, I wouldn't tell.

Liar, liar pants on fire, I chanted. By now I know when Mukuro pulls his word games so I shrugged, you'll tip your hand then when it's the right time

If ever.

No, you will. You want and need to protect Chrome, and to protect her you have to protect the rest of us,

…I know… was Mukuro's curt reply.I am not on Mukuro's 'Liked People' list today.

"Ah Karen-chan, how are you?" Nana Sawada chimed when I stepped into the Sawada residence,

"Hi," do I have to call her Aunt Nana now? Man, this is wacked up because I have family that Superbi doesn't have. Ah geeze!

"Your room's ready,"

"Ah, oh thanks," I've finally moved in with Tsuna. It's legitimate because we're cousins but no one but me and the Ninth know that. I'm used to sharing almost everything with Superbi; I've always known Superbi and I were half siblings but I was never told who my mother was and I didn't have the opportunity or inclination to find out.

Currently I'm bunking with Bianchi. So long as she doesn't try to give me Poison Cooking we'll get along fine. We already do since I spent a lot of time with Kyoko and Haru in the kitchen during our tenure in the future. I've never cared for some of the big, fluffy feather beds some people favor but I love

I know this shouldn't be a hard concept to wrap my mind around, but being the one and only candidate for the Eleventh Vongola is more than a little weird. Being a Guardian is weird as well but a lot easier to deal with, I thought to myself as I twisted the ring around my finger. I don't want to be a boss or guardian; it feels imprisoning. But I don't think I will be Vongola Undicesimo because Tsuna is not going to become Vongola Decimo and so I'll be staying in Japan. If I return to Italy, I'll never see the group again but if I stay here, the Ninth has promised me that Superbi and I can still visit. Besides, where Superbi vacations is his own decision. Take that Xanxus!