A/N: Hi minna! *waves*

Ya, I know. I took a while to update this because it's so hard to think! I do appreciate reviews and suggestions on what to do with this whole dragging thing...

Anyway, thanks again, Past Story, for suggesting. I hope I did a good job on this...

Disclaimer: I don't own KHR, if I do, I'll do a lot worse job than Amano ( sorry, no offence... )

Xanxus was doing his paper work for the next few hours after Meridionale left with the Vongola Guardians.

It's quiet in the room. Very quiet. A little... too quiet.

Usually, no one will ever make any noise when they're around Xanxus's office. Unless they want get shoot to death by the bullet of the X-guns. So that leaves Squalo, who is in charge of reporting the missions, to be the only one that can actually... make 'noise' in his office. Sometimes it's really noise. With Xanxus being mad at either Squalo or random things and started throwing wine glasses at Squalo, causing the Second-in-command of Varia to shout his signature "VOIIIIIIIII!" at the top of his lungs. And sometimes, fight occurs. With the office ended up being badly damaged, and a moody Mammon who is in charge of the bills. Other times there are insults exchanged. And some hair-pulling and wine glass-throwing for Xanxus's case.

But now, ever since there's a new Cloud in Varia, one that cannot even be considered as a Guardian to the leader, things changed.

Sure, Squalo still came to report on the missions. But he never stayed as long as he did before. There's still throwing of wine glasses, but now, Squalo never made an attempt to fight back. Not in the room with the presence of a certain 'outsider'. Not wanting to stay any longer in the same room as her. Not wanting to show the basic everyday routine, which the whole Varia knew, to her.

With Squalo's presence in the room decreasing, the time spent alone with Meridionale increased.

She always bother him with random questions that involved the Vongola Famiglia. Like about his boss, his supposed-to-be father, his Guardians... and lots of other things that Xanxus don't bother to remember.

She talked a lot. Like Squalo. But she spoke softly, while Squalo shouts. But still, she's annoying, like that piece of trash shark.

Now the other source of noise is gone from the room, there's only silence remained.

It's not that Xanxus couldn't stand the silence in the room. Hey, he's the one that asked, or demanded, for it every time his inferiors made noise in the room. It's just that it's way too quiet. He can't even hear anything from outside the room.

Where did all the trashes go? Xanxus thought to himself. Oh, that's right. Lussuria went out shopping. Levi went on mission. Bel, Fran and Squalo went on another mission. Mammon don't usually make noise anyway

Xanxus boredly tapped his fingers on his desk rhythmically. Wondering which is worse: having the nagy Fiancata Cloud around or having dead silence in the room.

It's really foreign to Xanxus. Especially these days. With Squalo not by his side like how he used to. And the other Varias took their time during mission just because they don't want to come back and being in the same place with the young Fiancata. And having the one responsible to all these stay by his side in Squalo's place.

Now that he thinks about it, he doesn't even know how long this will last. No one ever told him when the wedding will be. Even if anyone did told him, he still has to go along with her for who knows how long.

He really missed the times when Squalo was by his side.

The truth is, he actually loves having Squalo by his side.

Unlike all the others, the shark seemed to always be at his side when problems arises. When he's in a bad mood, which is like forever, all the others leave to take shelter, but only he stayed to take all the shit that his boss gave.

Xanxus really don't understand his Rain Guardian. He's his Second-in-command. He's not a stupid useless trash like Levi who only stayed because he's too stupid to notice his anger. Why did he choose to stay and get abused by his boss' wine glass-throwing and ended up needing to take an extra shower when he could leave and save some shower time?

Actually, a lot about his shark doesn't make sense to Xanxus.

Like why did he vowed to follow him just because of his anger? Sure, he also follows him because of his strength, but it's more of the first option. Which trash is stupid enough to vow for something so strange like that? And what is more ridiculous is that he vowed to never cut his hair until his ungrateful boss becomes the official leader of Vongola. Another thing that no trash in the right mind will do.

And during the Cradle Affair... what an unpleasant memory. He did heard the conversation between his boss and the Ninth. But he still choose to continue following him on knowing that he could never be the Vongola Boss. And he didn't even want to take the seat to being the boss of Varia when his boss is frozen for... who knows how long.

What even more surprised Xanxus is that he still kept his hair long after eight years.

When he heard that his supposingly-dead shark had known that he cannot be the boss of Vongola this whole time during the Ring Conflict, he really felt shocked. And confused.

When he first heard that Squalo is going to make that vow, he thought it was just a stupid joke that the stupid trash come up with. So it really surprised him when Squalo still chose to keep it long and still followed him when he knew about all the truth.

He don't understand why didn't his shark just kill him when he finally got out from the freezing ice after eight years. Especially when it's his weakest time of all. Someone of Squalo's strength sure has the ability to kill him and get the Varia Boss' seat, right? After all, he's the one that killed Tyr, the previous Varia Boss. So why didn't he kill him like the way he killed Tyr?

Xanxus knew that Squalo is with him when they attacked the Ninth. But he never thought that he's still conscious during their conversation. And since he still acted like nothing happened after he was released, he just thought that the shark didn't hear him.

Probably no one ever expected Squalo to actually know what happened since the way he act didn't change at all.

So, why?

Why didn't he do all those things that can gain him strength?

Why didn't he just kill him?

Why did he chose to continue following him?

Why?

Xanxus's wasn't so sure of the answer himself. And there's no way he's going to ask Squalo himself. And he doubt the proud shark will answer him properly even if he did ask anyway.

But somewhere deep, deep, inside him, he actually wished someday the shark will come and tell him the answer himself.

But that probably will never happen.

"I'm back, dear." a voice pulled Xanxus back from his train of thoughts.

Without looking up, Xanxus can know who the voice belongs to.

"Do you miss me?" Meridionale asked.

"No."

"Aww, you're so cold. You should treat your wife better, you know?"

"Shut up. You're not my wife."

"Well, I'm going to be."

"That doesn't mean that you are now."

"Fufu. Whatever you say, my dear."

Xanxus rested his cheek on his palm and closed his eyes.

Okay, the dead silence wins.

"By the way, dear." Meridionale beginned, "Shouldn't it be time that you assign me on a mission?"

Seeing Xanxus opened his eyes to give her his attention, Meridionale continued her speech. "After we got married, I'll officially be part of the Varia. And that will mean carry out missions assigned to me. So, shouldn't you be starting to assign me some so that I could get used to it by the time we got married?"

Xanxus stared at his fiancee for a while, thinking about her request.

True, she does need to be assigned with missions. She's not going to just join the Varia without contributions. Besides, none of the Varia members have ever seen her fight before. This is an important chance to see how her combat ability is.

"Fine." Xanxus finally answered. "You'll be assigned to tomorrow's mission."

"Fufu. Thank you, my dear." Meridionale thanked as she walked behind Xanxus and attempted to give him a hug.

"Don't even think about it." Xanxus groaned as he push Meridionale's arms away.

*Sigh* "You should act more friendly and socializing, you know." Meridionale said as she shook her head in disagreement.

"How I act is none of your business." Xanxus groaned again. "And if you got nothing else better to do here, then get out of my office."

"Fufu. Fine then, my dear. Whatever you say." Meridionale said as she turned and made her way towards the door.

Xanxus closed his eyes again as he continued with his thoughts.

This is pretty risky. When they get to know her strength, she'll also be able to know theirs at the same time. And it'll just ruin Squalo's effort in preventing that from happening when they first met.

But this can't really be prevented forever. They'll get to see one anothers' strength and techniques sooner or later.

Besides, who knows? Maybe there's a chance of her being killed by the enemy. Or if she turned out to not have enough strength, he could just order the Varias to kill her himself. Sure, that possibility isn't high since her family killed quite a number of people from Vongola.

Anyway, since she had already been assigned on tomorrow's mission. There's no other way other than to let her go. They'll see the result after the mission.

A/N: This took me some time to write, and think.

I had no idea what to write to the point that I have to go get some inspirations ( or just normal brain-cells-relaxing ) from other XS fics.

And I turned out to have more Alerted Stories and Favourited Stories! YAY!

About this, I'm sorry to people who might think that this sucks. But I'm really trying my best to do it.

To those who like it, thank you!

As always, reviews are always welcomed!