MERRY CHRISTMAS ~ ! :D

I WANTED TO WRITE A FIC AS A GIFT TO THE KHR FANDOM FOR ALL THE FEELS AND SQUEALS IT GAVE ME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND I HAD TWO OF THEM PLANNED BUT THIS ONE GOT WAAAAY LONGER THAN I EXPECTED.

I hope you enjoy ~ :)

Ieyasu Gitto Sawada's practically perfect. He had great friends, loving parents, a kind grandfather who was always there for him when he needed him, and his future was pretty much set. Once his grandfather deems him to be ready, he will inherit the family's multibillion dollar business as well as become the Don of the world's most powerful mafia famiglia.

Now admittedly, the last part didn't seem so endearing. But Giotto had plans for Vongola, plans which he looked forward to. He swore he was going to change Vongola for the better, and he knew he'd be able to do it with all his friends by his side.

By all means, Giotto's life should have been perfect. It would have been, if it weren't for one little thing. One little issue, the one and only thing that Giotto would ever wish for if asked.

It took in the form of a clumsy, petite young brunette; his sister, Tsuna.

They did not have the best relationship, or at all for that matter. And it always bugged the blond. Granted, they were as different as night and day, wherein Giotto was sociable and outgoing, Tsuna was shy and timid.

She wasn't much of a talker, which worried him a lot because she wasn't like the Hibaris who were naturally just men of a few words. It seems like she generally just has trouble expressing herself. She has trouble with schoolwork and didn't really have any friends she hung out with, despite the numerous efforts of Chrome and Kyoko to spend time with her. She was the exact opposite of him, so it should be expected that they wouldn't be so close.

But Giotto didn't think that, because every day he would watch the inseperable twins, Mukuro and Chrome who were nothing like each other yet Chrome always stuck by Mukuro's side. He would watch Knuckle and Ryohei's antics while Kyoko would run after them, concerned for their well-being but still unable to fight down the amused smile or hide the fond exasperation in her eyes. He would watch G bicker with his sister, Bianchi but at the end of the day they would always look out for each other.

He would watch his friends, and every now and then he just can't help the twinge of envy in his heart and how he just yearns to have a relationship like theirs with his sister.

But you can't have everything, I suppose.

Eventually, Giotto just accepted the fact that he and his sister just can't get along. At the very least, they don't hate each other. It became easier to ignore their nonexistent relationship as they grew up, since he became busier and busier. Reborn would sometimes scold him for not even trying, but he generally did have too much in his hands. And in any case, he had no idea how to go about spending time with her. She was just so reserved, unlike all his friends who were outspoken that he found it easier to leave her alone.

He didn't even realize when he stopped talking to her.

Despite how distant she was though, Giotto loved his sister. That much is certain.

So when his grandfather, of all people, called him to his study and told him of how he planned to arrange a marriage between his adorable little sister and Xanxus, he was more than a little reluctant.

Xanxus was known for his drinking problem and his anger along with his violent tendencies. Timid little Tsuna could never match up, Giotto could already see the beginning of an abusive relationship and he was not happy with it.

"Tsuna's sixteen!" he argued, pissed at how it was actually an option. Xanxus was twenty-six, a full ten years older. Although it was normal in the mafia for couples to have a rather large age gap, it didn't make Giotto feel any better about it.

"We don't plan to hold the wedding anytime soon, of course." Timoteo reassured him. "But it would be better to give them plenty of time to get to know each other before then, don't you think?"

"Get to know each other…?"

"We plan on scheduling for Tsuna-chan to have periodic stays in the Varia mansion." He explained. "That way, she'll get a chance to be more familiar with the men there since that's where she'll be living after the wedding. It would also give them plenty of opportunities to bond."

"You want her to stay at a mansion where dozens of professional assassins live?!" Giotto snapped. He wasn't one to raise his voice at his grandfather, but this was just absurd.

"Despite your sister's lack of presence in many social gatherings, I assure you, Giotto-kun that they are well aware of who she is. No harm will come to her."

Giotto sighed in frustration. "What brought this on, anyway?"

"Well, your parents are getting worried about your sister since she's quite a… wallflower."

He snorted. That's one way of putting it.

"And on the other hand, Xanxus' personality can be a bit… problematic at times."

The guy's an asshole. Giotto doesn't normally curse but the truth needs to be known.

"But he's an honorable man, you know." He said. "He wouldn't hurt a civilian, so we can trust that your sister will be safe."

"He wouldn't hurt a civilian unless he thinks it's necessary." Giotto corrected.

"Giotto-kun, I need you to trust me on this." The elderly man's eyes were soft but not pleading. Only reassuring, and in any other circumstance, Giotto would cave immediately. But not this time. "I may not have the closest relationship with Xanxus, but I know him well enough to know that he would never hurt Tsuna-chan nor will he let any harm come to her, his pride will never allow it. I never would've considered this if I wasn't completely sure."

When Giotto remained silent, Timoteo continued on. "I'll have Squalo look after her, if it'll make you feel better. He may be loyal to Xanxus but he knows to intervene when needed."

"That's not really the issue here." Giotto grumbled.

"With your sister around, Xanxus will be forced to show some restraint. Your father and I are hoping that this would teach him to be less rash and that she would be a positive influence on him."

"Wait, dad knows about this?" he asked incredulously, to which Timoteo nodded. "And he agreed?"

Another nod and Giotto had the sudden urge to punch that bumbling idiot in the face. The man was perfectly aware of what Xanxus was like, and yet willingly arranged him to marry his daughter? Stupidity should have its limits!

"So, what? You're using her as a rehab for him?" he asked through gritted teeth, to which Timoteo frowned.

"We're not doing this just for Xanxus. You know how he is; hopefully he would rub off on her. And his men are very… outgoing. It would be an opportunity for us to force Tsuna-chan out of her shell. She can't stay the way she is forever."

"I don't really think this is the best way to do it, though…" Giotto grumbled but slowly resigned.

"We also made this decision with the future in mind, Giotto-kun." Timoteo explained. "From what I've heard, she isn't doing very well in her studies, which, as you can guess, is not good. She may be your sister, but she can't be dependent forever, she'll have to move out eventually. Xanxus, despite how he is, is very much a responsible man and he is well capable of protecting her if the need arises."

"And so marrying her off is the best choice for her right now?" he guessed, to which Timoteo nodded. And he's reluctantly coming to terms with it because Tsuna, despite her lack of involvement, is still tied to the mafia by blood and Giotto knew that he'd be too busy running the Vongola to look after her when the time comes. "What about Xanxus, does he know about this yet?"

"I informed him of our plans yesterday through the phone." He said and Giotto didn't miss the slight pause. "He was… surprisingly compliant."

Giotto raised an eyebrow at that but decided against asking any further.

"Why are you telling me this? It looks like you and dad have already made up your minds and you don't really need my approval to go through with it."

"We were hoping for you to be the one to tell her about it."

Aw, fuck no.

"Why can't dad do it?" he argued. "Or even mom?"

"Your father and I agreed that you would be the best person to tell her about it."

Why?! He couldn't help but think incredulously. I don't even remember the last proper conversation we had!

"What if she doesn't want to?"

"Of course, we'll never force her into doing something she doesn't want, but we'd at least like for her to meet Xanxus before she makes any type of decision."

And at that moment, Giotto was reminded that the two never really got to meet, despite being in the same famiglia. He was pretty sure the two were aware of each other's existence but Tsuna, for the most part, lead a civilian life and rarely went out of the house. She never attended any of Vongola's formal balls and their parents never forced her to. On the other hand, Xanxus was a pure-blooded Mafioso who was too busy leading the Varia. Even Giotto rarely saw him but that may be because he was pretty sure the man hated his guts.

Giotto didn't like this at all; it just looked like a recipe for disaster for him. But on the other hand, he had great respect and trust for his grandfather. Timoteo's ways had always been known to be rather unconventional, but his choices were always made for the best. The Ninth was much more experienced than Giotto so he couldn't help but give in and rely on the elderly man's instinct. He may not trust Xanxus, but if Timoteo was giving his word, then Giotto could never bring himself to question it.

So he ignored the nagging of his intuition that told him this was a bad idea and agreed.

Giotto didn't really know how to break the news, nor how his sister would react. Asking G and Asari to accompany him to the library, where his sister usually spends her days at, was basically asking for moral support. And if he finds himself at loss for words, he knew that they'd have his back.

He expected her to be shocked, angry confused or scared. Giotto anticipated a lot of possible responses, but the one she gave him was not one of them.

"… Okay." She said in her quiet tone, expression remaining unreadable.

"… Okay?" he asked incredulously. Giotto could imagine his two best friends mirroring his shocked expression.

"Okay." She repeated, nodding.

"You're… really fine with this?" he asked, still disbelieving but received a nod in reply.

"… Oh." He said stupidly, and couldn't help but think of how Reborn would've scolded him for such an unsure behavior unfitting for a mafia boss. "O-okay then… if you're sure."

Tsuna only nodded before returning her attention to her laptop, the screen faced away from them so they couldn't tell what she was doing.

And that was the end of that.

The first meeting between the two was held a week after. Tsuna will be spending a few days in the Varia mansion and their entire family was there to bid her farewell.

At this point, the entire mansion was aware of this new development and Giotto had no doubt that rumors will start to spread to the outside. His friends, already knowing what both parties were like, were as skeptical as he had been (and currently was). But there's not much to do when Tsuna's things were packed and she was hugging her parents goodbye.

"Try not to cause too much trouble, okay?" Nana said, not bothering to hide her worry.

"If he's mean to you tell Papa immediately, okay?!" Iemitsu added, cracking his knuckles.

Tsuna only nodded silently and, for a moment, he thought that he gaze wandered off to him. But she immediately turned around and got inside the slick black limousine.

Giotto hadn't really known what to say to her, so he decided not to say anything. There was only a wave of goodbye alongside his parents as they watched the limo disappear from their sight.

The worry was eating him up inside, but it was easy to push that aside in favor of his studies and responsibilities. During dinner, where the entire family along with the Ninth and Giotto's guardians would gather in a rare time of peace and relaxation surrounded by family, Nana would tell them about the texts sent between her and Tsuna. But they were all pretty much the same and were quickly shoved aside to make way for a different topic.

Tsuna was fine. Xanxus wasn't mean to her. They don't need to worry.

But knowing Tsuna, and also knowing everyone else in that table, Giotto knew that no one found the girl's messages in any way reassuring.

It wasn't until a few days later, when Tsuna finally returned and they were all joined together in the table, with all attention on her that Giotto could finally bring himself to relax, albeit after a lot of worrying and a rather pleasant surprise.

"He's not that bad, I guess." She said meekly with a shrug. "The people there were a bit… strange, but they were pretty nice too."

"Really?" Nana asked, looking relieved. "What's he like?"

Considering the fact that Nana, although having already met Xanxus, hasn't had many conversations with the man and so doesn't really know much about him other than the general knowledge about the Varia boss made the curiosity in her voice understandable.

"Well… he looked pretty scary at first but…" she trailed off, seemingly trying to look for the right words. "He's just… not that bad? I mean, he doesn't talk much so…"

"Ah, well, Xanxus has always been a man of a few words." Timoteo said, although his words were debatable. Everyone knew that Xanxus could be very vocal when it comes to insulting other people. "Give him time, I'm sure he'll warm up to you soon."

Tsuna only nodded and the topic was changed from there.

Giotto's never felt so relieved in her life. Although he may not know what had conspired between those 4 days of Tsuna's stay in the Varia mansion, he did know (through his Intuition) that she wasn't lying when she said that the experience wasn't all that bad, which translated to 'it went well'.

Giotto wasn't sure what the future held, but they were off to a good start. It seems he was right in trusting his grandfather's decision, things may actually work out. Although he made a mental reminder to keep an eye on Tsuna after these visits just in case she starts showing any signs of distress.

He mostly did it to ease his Intuition which still kept on nagging on the back of his mind.

But as days, months, years passed and this whole thing continued on, Giotto found it easier to chalk that up to his paranoia and over protectiveness. Tsuna started visiting the Varia regularly until it came to a point that she was basically living there and just visited their parents at the main house occasionally. Giotto never saw how the two interacted, but from Squalo's reports to the Ninth and how at ease Tsuna's posture and body language grew through time, it was safe to assume that they were getting along well.

Apparently, Tsuna has become something akin to an assistant in the Varia mansion. Nothing major, her role there is to basically just bring Xanxus his meals and any other reports that needed to be delivered to him because she was the only one who could stay in the same room as him for an extended period of time without having something thrown at her or being shot at. She was also the only one who could cook anything that wasn't meat and have Xanxus enjoy it. It looks like she had inherited her mother's skill in the kitchen.

Giotto was happy knowing that his sister fit in the Varia well, despite the fact that being in an elite assassination squad obviously doesn't suit her. This is as close to happy as he's ever seen her in years.

Giotto was filling out paperwork when he thought of this and it made him pause. Come to think of it, he hasn't really seen his sister smile since they were kids. Back when they were still close and played with each other.

When she would run to him and ask him to play with her with eyes full of admiration. When did she stop?

He couldn't help but wonder if she's ever given Xanxus that look.

Admittedly, he was curious at how their little relationship works. He doesn't know if his sister and Xanxus had fallen in love with each other- which was a strange thought no matter how much time has passed- but they do have a relationship to speak of, which is saying a lot since Tsuna still hasn't open up to anyone in the main house.

Most of the conversations anyone's had with Tsuna occurred in the dining table, and it was always the same messages with different words.

"I'm doing fine."

"Xanxus has been doing fine."

"We're… getting along, I guess?"

"The people there are nice."

Not much useful information coming out of her. But Giotto wasn't one to pry, his sister seemed content and he wasn't going to get in the way of her potential happiness.

Doesn't mean he doesn't gossip about it though.

Takeshi is something that's less than an apprentice but more than just a sparring partner to the Varia Squad's captain, Squalo. So he occasionally visits the man at their mansion.

"Ha ha, I don't really understand it but the two of them don't really talk much?" he said at one point. "But it looks like she spends a lot of time in his office and Xanxus apparently doesn't mind. Not sure if they ever try to get to know each other though. Even Squalo doesn't know."

Ryohei got along well with the Varia Sun guardian, Lussuria.

"Luss has EXTREMELY told me that Xanxus is EXTREMELY calmer when little Sawada is around!"

"Oh? Squalo doesn't think so, though?" Takeshi said.

"Apparently, Squalo is just EXTREMELY dense! Or that's what Luss thinks, at least!"

"Hahaha, is that so?"

And Reborn, Giotto's tutor, is acquainted with Mammon.

"Mammon's been ranting about how even they don't know what's going on with those two." He said. "If they did, they think they would've been able to sell whatever they know for a hefty price."

Giotto couldn't argue against that, he'll probably be one of the first ones to throw his money out just for a chance to figure out just what the two had.

The Varia's been saying that they've been getting along well, but there's no noticeable difference in how they've acted through the years. Xanxus was still short-tempered and Tsuna was still reserved. Sure, Tsuna seemed more relaxed as time passed on but that wasn't really saying much. To be honest, the only real evidence that their relationship is going well is the fact that two years after the first visit, Tsuna basically decided to move into the Varia mansion.

"What do you think is going on with those two?" Giotto asked his tutor, who actually had to ponder on it for a bit.

"Well, it's working out… Ninth definitely made the right call."

Giotto had to agree with that despite the fact that he had been ignoring his Intuition the entire time.

He really should've known better than to ignore his Intuition.

Giotto was twenty-six and his sister had been twenty-one when the Varia arranged a coup, only a few weeks from when Giotto was scheduled to inherit the Vongola.

Iemitsu took Nana and the twelve year old Lambo to one of their hideouts overseas to keep them safe while Giotto and his guardians were in the frontlines, fighting off the Varia.

They had managed to get one half of the rings, how, Giotto would never know. But they've basically challenged Giotto and his guardians for the right to inherit the Vongola. It was absurd, since it was an open secret that Xanxus was adopted, and the Vongola rings will only accept those who have Vongola's blood running through their veins.

At first, they thought that Xanxus just planned to take over Vongola and destroy the rings until realization hit them.

Tsunayoshi Sawada was a direct descendant of Vongola Primo and, therefore, an eligible candidate for the title. But if she were to marry Xanxus, then she would have the option of passing control to him.

She may hold the title and fulfill the blood requirements to be a Vongola Don, but Xanxus would be ruling in her stead.

Their engagement had already been announced during her eighteenth birthday, the only thing left is a quick ceremony to make things official and Tsuna could lay claim to the title of Decimo. And it would only be so easy for Xanxus to force her to surrender all rights of power to him.

Giotto's blood boiled at the thought of his sister being used as a puppet, but he couldn't help but blame himself for everything. He should've known something was wrong when Xanxus easily complied with the entire engagement and the way everything seemed to be going well. He should've listened to his Intuition!

And now, 8 hours after Iemitsu whisked Nana and Lambo off to a safer place, 14 hours after they found out about the Varia attacking the main house and declaring their challenge against Giotto, and 17 hours since Tsuna has left the main house to return to the Varia mansion, Giotto was at his witt's end.

Giotto had his and the Ninth's guardians stay at the mansion, fighting the Varia while he, Reborn and his guardians' siblings took Ninth to a safe location which so happened to be the home of his tutor's acquaintance; the Giglio Nero estate.

"Vongola will forever be indebted to you for your kindness, Luce-san." Giotto bowed.

"Oh, please. Vongola has helped us countless times in the past, this is the least we could do." Luce said with a smile. But it faltered before she continued speaking, tone more serious. "To be honest, I've had a vision recently."

"Oh?" Timoteo asked. "What about?"

"Xanxus." She said. "He… plans to kill you, Ninth."

Their expressions grew grim as Luce continued.

"At first, I wasn't sure about a vision I had a couple of weeks ago. It was strange; I was seeing things from someone else's perspective, someone who Xanxus was talking to. And it sounded like he was ordering them to kill someone." She explained. "I brushed it off at first, since it should be normal for him to give out orders like that, but I don't usually have visions of senseless things."

"And then this happened and… I know it may look like I'm jumping to conclusions but…"

"It's fine, Luce." Reborn said in his usual firm tone, voicing everyone's thoughts. "We believe you."

And with that said, he walked out with the others in tow, ordering Hayato and the others to spread out and patrol the area.

"Can you tell me more of what you saw, Luce?" Timoteo asked, expression serious. But it was no doubt hard for him to accept that the man he took in as his son would plan for his demise.

"Well, he said he wanted to wrap things up quick and tie up all loose ends." She said.

"With you dead, Vongola will be in immediate need of an heir. And by all means it should be me…" Giotto muttered. "Until he's married to Tsuna, he's not considered a candidate for Don. But after finding out about the inheritance ceremony, he must've thought that he had no time to lose."

"But still, it doesn't make any sense." Timoteo said. "If he were to challenge you now, then it would be meaningless since he doesn't have the blood of Vongola. And he with this entire coup, he doesn't have the time to be making wedding plans. And he definitely won't have the time for that once I'm killed. If that happens, then there needs to be someone who takes over Vongola immediately, and the only person who could do that is you."

"Unless he plans on killing me too." Giotto said. "With me out of the way, Tsuna's the only heir left, all that's left would be the wedding ceremony."

"But then, why bother with challenging you?" he asked, a hand cupping his chin.

"He plans on killing me in the fight, then no one in the famiglia will be able to complain since he's earned it fair and square." Giotto spat out. There's no way he'll let that happen.

Timoteo looked unconvinced though. "I feel like we're missing something."

Giotto frowned at that but said nothing as Timoteo turned to Luce. "Is there anything else?"

"Not really. It was just… strange." She said. "It's not like any of my other visions. They're usually clear, and I get a sense of the bigger picture. But… seeing it through someone else's eyes… that was certainly new."

"What could it mean?"

"I… I don't know." She said. "I remember Xanxus handing over a box to me- or that person, rather. But the vision ended before I could find out what was inside."

"Is that so…?" he sighed.

"No…" she said, sternly. "I know what was in that box. But… I just can't remember. I don't usually forget, but something's…"

Seeing the clear frustration in her expression, Giotto placed a hand in her shoulder in an act of comfort, smiling as her gaze landed on him.

"It's alright, thank you for telling us this, Luce-san."

She smiled sadly. "No, it's quite alright. I'm sorry I can't be more of a help."

"You've helped enough." He said before turning to his grandfather. "Nono…"

Before they could decide on their next course of action, Reborn burst back into the room.

"Lal contacted me." He informed them. "They found Tsuna."

Giotto's eyes widened and he heard his grandfather abruptly stand up. "Where is she?"

"She was in town, apparently she wanted to go shopping before heading to the Varia but got separated with her escorts and got lost." Reborn snorted. "They found her wandering the shopping district, she should be here in a few minutes."

Giotto couldn't help himself from chuckling in fond exasperation. "That idiot…"

Thank God.

Thank God…!

Giotto would never forgive himself if something had happened to Tsuna. If Tsuna was taken by the Varia…

Tsuna had always been reserved and a bit of a scaredy-cat to be honest. As a child, she was practically afraid of her own shadow. But despite her fear for pretty much everything, she was also naïve and a bit too trusting. She never learned not to talk to strangers no matter how many times they lectured her and she was always so gullible that Reborn sometimes found himself messing with her every now and then.

It would've been so easy for Xanxus to manipulate her, hell Giotto doesn't even know what kind of things Xanxus has already told her.

She must be sp scared right now, Lal wasn't really the most comforting person and Colonello was nice but he can come off as a bit too aggressive, not to mention a bit touchy for her tastes. Giotto needed to talk to her as soon as possible; luckily the Ninth excused him so that he could greet his sister when he arrives. Reborn reassured him that he would keep the Ninth safe, so he was out of the room before they could take it all back.

When Tsuna arrived, Giotto immediately inquired about her well-being.

"I'm fine…" she said hesitantly, looking around at the unfamiliar territory. "… What's going on?"

Giotto sighed in relief before leading her into the mansion, waving goodbye at Lal and Colonello who, now that they've assured Tsuna's safety, said that they were going back to the main house to offer back up.

As they walked through the halls, Giotto took the time to explain everything to Tsuna.

"K-kill the Ninth?" her eyes widened, horror evident in her face.

"Yeah… although we're not sure how or who will come after him." Giotto said. But I heard that the entire Varia squad is at the main house, so I'm hoping he's safe for now. He wouldn't trust a job like that with just anybody."

Tsuna was silent for a moment, Giotto gave her a moment to take it all in. It must be tough for her, since she must've gotten really close to Xanxus. But after a while of silence, he began to worry.

"Tsuna… did Xanxus say anything to you?" he asked, startling her.

"About this…? Of course not." She looked away from him. "I mean… we don't talk all that much but… I didn't think he would…"

Giotto nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder, halting her steps and making her face him. "Are you alright?"

Tsuna stared back at his sincere eyes filled with worry and nodded reluctantly. "I just… it's a lot to take in I guess but… I guess a part of me should've expected it."

"It's obvious that Xanxus hates the Ninth… but I didn't think that he would go this far. And what's more, I'm …" Tsuna's frowned deepened and Giotto felt sympathetic. She was going through a feeling that was common in their line of work, especially in their status.

Used. To know that you were just a tool that people only saw as convenient to get what they want. Giotto's been through this a hundred times with many coming to him, trying to get on his good side or attempting to manipulate him to do their bidding. It was exhausting to be surrounded by those kinds of people. But it hurt a lot more when you find out that someone you care about was just using you.

Tsuna, sheltered and shy, had always been alone but it was thanks to that that she's never had to experience this before. Until now.

"… I'm sorry." He really was. Giotto couldn't help but think that the hurt expression and the feeling of betrayal Tsuna was no doubt feeling at that moment was caused by him. It was his fault.

But Tsuna looked up to him in surprise and asked "What for?"

"I knew this whole engagement was a bad idea, I should've convinced Gramps not to go through with it."

"No!" she snapped, and they both flinched at her tone. Giotto looked at her, startled while she blushed in embarrassment, clearly embarrassed at her (probably unintentional) outburst.

"I mean…" she muttered. "I don't regret it."

"Huh?" he frowned.

"I'm not gonna lie… it hurts. But… I'm glad that I got to meet him, and that wouldn't have happened if Gramps didn't arrange for the whole engagement thing. I don't know what he was thinking, but I'm glad it turned out the way it did."

For the first time in a very long time, Giotto saw his sister smile again. It was small and sad, but it was beautiful nonetheless. It was the kind that let him know that even though nothing much had changed these past few years, she had been happy.

"You know… everyone in the Varia was really weird, and I thought they were all scary at first. But… they're all really nice. Lussuria is like a big sister and she taught me a lot of recipes, Bel is scary but he can be really funny at times, Mammon's taught me a lot about business and they make sure Bel doesn't go too far with his pranks, Levi looks really intimidating but he's a good guy when it comes down to it, Squalo is practically like a mother, he makes sure that I'm always doing alright and that Xanxus isn't treating me badly." She chuckled fondly. "And Xanxus… I know that most people think he's a jerk, but… he's a great guy."

"He comes off as lazy, but he holds himself at a high standard, you wouldn't expect him to be a perfectionist but he is. He's passionate about his job and makes it his utmost priority to do it well, probably because of pride… He always looks out for the others too. He may be violent at times but he's really protective of them, you know? You wouldn't expect him to be the possessive type either, but he just has a way of defying your expectations." She chuckled. "He can be really awkward sometimes since he doesn't know how to express himself that well, and he comes off as short-tempered but he just hates being confused and it apparently happens a lot, hence the reputation. He's in no way perfect but…"

Tsuna paused and Giotto could see the beginning of tears form in the corners of her eyes.

"He's amazing…" her voice cracked but the smile never faltered.

Giotto stared at his little sister for what seemed like an eternity, just staring at the fondness in her eyes mixed in with the despair. It was beautifully heart-wrenching.

"Do you love him?" he couldn't help but ask, and the surprise was almost enough to dry up her eyes.

His only response was a smile and a single nod.

"What will happen to him, after this?"

"I don't know." Giotto said.

Tsuna didn't say anything after that, and Giotto wished he could comfort her, tell her that everything was going to be alright. But he doesn't think he could lie to her. Xanxus had committed mutiny, which was one of the worst crimes one could commit in the mafia. Even the Ninth wouldn't be so forgiving for this.

They arrived at the room where the Ninth, Luce and Reborn was at and upon entering, Giotto was met with worrisome news.

"Xanxus is planning something." Reborn said, and his dark tone did nothing to ease Giotto.

"Tell me something I don't know." He muttered.

"Rumors are spreading that you've kidnapped the Ninth." He said, startling him.

"What?"

"This is what we were missing." Timoteo muttered. "He plans on killing me and framing you."

"Wha- who would believe that?!" he snapped. "He was the one who challenged me first!"

"No one outside of our close circle knows about that." He said. It had been a smart move at the time, not letting outsiders know about their inner conflict but Xanxus had anticipated this. "He'll kill me, frame you, and then challenge you for the title of Decimo, pretending that he's doing it to avenge my death."

Giotto's eyes widened as the reality of the situation hit him. That man… he planned all this?

"That's right."

The first thing that registered in Giotto's mind was his grandfather's face, contorting in shock and pain.

The second was the loud bang quickly followed by the Ninth, collapsing.

"GRAMPS!"

Luce was by Timoteo's side in an instant while Reborn had his gun out. Giotto was frozen in place. Heads turned, minds raced, trying to figure out what just happened.

In the next second, Giotto had paid no heed to the world.

He didn't notice the blood that was starting to pool beneath the Ninth as he pressed a hand to his abdomen, trying to stop the bleeding.

He didn't notice the loud noises outside, most likely by the guards or Hayato and his group, having heard of the shot and rushing to them.

He didn't notice Reborn squeezing the gun in his hand but refraining to pool the trigger despite the obvious burning fury that could be seen in his eyes.

He didn't notice the realization that struck Luce as her memories of her vision cleared up upon the sight of the familiar object.

No, his eyes were trained on two familiar chocolate brown eyes and the smoking gun between two delicate hands.

"Sorry, Onii-chan." Her voice, although meek, held not a single trace of remorse.

She was smiling again, but instead of fondness or adoration, her eyes were filled with satisfaction.

Giotto prayed that he only imagined the bloodlust.

"But love makes you do stupid things, you know."

This is 6,110 words... twice as long as I planned but I had fun... ^^" I'll see if I can post the other one tomorrow...

Hope the khr fandom likes my Christmas gift! I actually enjoyed this so much that I might post a sequel where it's in Tsuna's POV, but I don't know when I'll have the time :/ I considered making this a series but I'm already planning on another one, so I don't think I'll have the time.

This is gonna be my dumping ground for one/two shots centering around Xanxus, Giotto or Tsuna. If you have suggestion for prompts, leave it in the reviews!

Hope you liked it ~ ! And hope you have a happy holidays!

Please review ~ !

~ RnR ~ !

~ RnR ~ !