Disclaimer: Katekyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to the wonderful Amano Akira-sensei. The author does not gain anything in writing this fanfiction, well, except having fun screwing with the characters. (^Δ^)v

Ghosts of Future Past

Summary: Something was off in the Vongola mansion. Rumors spread among the servants, the guardians are confused, G is curious and Giotto is aghast that someone's been impersonating him. Canon-ish AU. Drabble series.

Team

"Urghh… Why are we here exactly? I still have a lot of things to do."

"Hush now. Primo asked us to be here and as his guardians, it's our duty to do so. Patience is a virtue."

"I agree. And for Primo to summon us all so suddenly, it must be a matter of great importance."

"Nufufufufu… To be called right after we've just arrived from the negotiations, I say there is something wrong."

A series of murmurs filled the air.

"Enough with the speculations… You know something, don't you?"

G felt the focused gazes of his fellow guardians; each of them anticipating him to share what he knew. Alaude was right – as expected of a man who leads a private investigation organization apart from being the Cloud guardian – he had an idea of what the meeting was all about.

But to hell with it, he won't be the one to tell them.

G only shrugged. "Not really. I am as surprised as you are about this meeting."

Technically, that was true. G thought Giotto and he will be the only ones to investigate the rumors. If he plans on involving the others… ah yes, let Giotto handle telling his ridiculous plan.

He's going to continue feigning his ignorance.

G's answer earned him a mix of bewildered and suspicious looks but he only sat in his chair; his face remaining blank.

It was at that moment when the doors of the conference room finally opened. All of the attention that was previously on G shifted to the person whom the guardians had been waiting for.

Giotto nodded at them and gracefully walked to his place at the head of the table. When he had settled himself on his seat comfortably, he smiled, easing the tense atmosphere a bit.

"It's been a while since all of us gathered like this." He started. "Thank you for coming even though it was a short notice." Giotto especially gave a grateful nod towards his Mist and Cloud guardians – the ones who he knew were most busy these past weeks. The two acknowledged it in their own ways.

"No need to thank us Primo. You know we'll always be here when you need anything." Knuckle assured him which was collectively agreed upon by the others.

"Still… thank you." Giotto said.

"Hmmm… Now that we're done with the pleasantries Primo, do you mind telling us already the reason why you had assembled us here?" Daemon interjected, clearly much too interested now that he noticed how Giotto was prolonging his real purpose.

Ugetsu frowned, also catching Giotto's uncertainty. "Is there a problem with the Family?" he hesitated then asked worriedly. "Is it another enemy perhaps?"

"No way…" Lampo whined.

Seeing the concern in his guardians' faces, Giotto shook his head, denying any grave conclusion they were thinking about.

"Uhm… No. This is more like… a personal favor actually."

Ugetsu, Knuckle, Lampo were speechless; Daemon was taken aback while Alaude watched Giotto carefully.

Giotto rarely asked them anything, much less a personal favor.

G, meanwhile, just rolled his eyes.

Giotto started to tell his account.

G should have expected it. It was actually why he was always agreeing with him no matter how outrageous his ideas were.

From now on, he'll never ever doubt Giotto's way with words. If he, who had been friends with him ever since they were young, wasn't immune to his... convincing prowess, why else did he think the others could otherwise?

"So… Primo really didn't confiscate my… sweets?" Lampo confirmed.

"Lampo, that isn't the real case here." Knuckle chided the little lord. "Someone is impersonating Primo and he's been roaming around freely; not only inside the mansion but to the town as well."

"And he could even access the rooms; no wonder our maids have been in unrest lately." Ugetsu turned to G. "Why aren't you saying anything about this G?"

G was about to defend himself when Giotto spoke. "Ah… I asked G keep it quiet actually. Besides, it's not until lately that we had pieced together this information. The details were all too… fuzzy."

So tell them the most important bit now, you sneaky little… G glared at Giotto who averted his eyes guiltily.

"Hmmph… Took you long enough to notice, no? If I were here, that copy-cat would've already been apprehended." Daemon claimed. "Nufufufu.. Well, this time he's not going anywhere."

Alaude stood up suddenly. "If there's nothing else, I have work to do." He turned around and quickly marched to the exit.

G noticed the investigator's knowing look. "Alaude, you're not joining the investigation?" he inquired.

Alaude stopped as he was about to turn the knob, and turned around. He knew about the spreading rumors and he easily figured out the most important bit Giotto was deliberately not telling. Of course, he was not going to join such absurdity.

But when he saw Giotto's expectant face, he... hesitated. A bit.

"It's later tonight right? I have to do some preparations." Alaude opened the door and in seconds, he was gone.

The others followed Alaude, saying they also have to do their own preparations. One by one, the guardians vacated the conference room until the only ones left were G and Giotto.

G faced his bestfriend.

"So Gio… This is your plan huh?" G asked sarcastically.

Giotto pouted manly. "What? It's not like I lied or something… They don't need to know that the person might be a ghost. We're not even sure if he is…"

"Oho…" G snorted, amused. "Not even sure if he is, may I remind you that you're the one insisting that he is… You know that Alaude figured out in the end right?"

"He's still joining us though—" Giotto sounded smug.

G tsked. "Melon-head's going to have a fit if he finds out as well…"

Giotto hummed. "Hmmm… I think he'll understand. Probably. Maybe I should ask Elena too? She likes this kind of things."

"Ugh…" G sighed resignedly. "The things I put up with you."

Giotto beamed too brightly. "I know you love me G."

G twitched. Then, he thwacked Giotto on the head.

A/N:

Who do you wanna call? Primo busters!

I'm probably playing too much with Giotto's weird antics but meh… it's fun. Especially when G is ruffled. And the others are clueless. (Well, except Alaude who is too observant for his own good.)

I listened to the Drama CD special with Primo and company in YouTube and figured Knuckle is preachy; Lampo's bratty; Ugetsu is high-class polite; Alaude talks and doesn't mind crowding too much and Daemon is actually sane pre-Elena's death. Dunno if I wrote them like that but please tell me if I didn't.

Thanks so for the faves, alerts, and most especially to the reviews. Comments are greatly appreciated. They're like vitamins to the author's plunnies.