" I'm going to be alone."

The pale small hand caressing through his silky black locks didn't pause.

" You will all be gone halfway around the world ..."

The black-haired pre-teen burrowed his face deeper into her familiar bosom, lanky arms that were encircling her tightening nearly desperately – but never enough to be painful … never.

" I … I am afraid that you will forget me. That you will continue on and I will never find my place with you. It is already bad being the youngest, but ..."

The unspoken words echoed loudly between them.

… but what if you find someone more likeable, more suitable, more … just more capable to fulfil the responsibilities I can't … that I am too young to adequately accomplish.

Will you discard me, too?

Will I lose my second family like I lost my first?

A small sad smile crossed her glossy red lips as she bowed down and gently kissed his forehead. For all her blustering, hesitating and shrieking as an overwhelmed teenager, nowadays she didn't needed many or – really - any words to deliver her feelings when it really mattered. And this mattered.

He mattered.

A hesitant small smile bloomed on the young teens face as he looked up at her, at the one who was always there, who accepted him despite his flaws and annoying habits. He didn't need more than the sincere promise written within her orange-glowing eyes, even as she continued to gently brush through his hair. She was here. With him.

It was the best promise she could have made him.

He just needed to trust, despite his fears. Despite the disappointment that inevitably seemed to follow whenever he did allow himself to believe in someone … but … this wasn't just anyone.

If there was one person worth this trouble, it was her.

" Nee-chan -"

He was silenced by the tip of a red-painted finger nail on his lips.

" No matter where, no matter why or how, never forget, Lambo-kun. Never ever forget", she whispered intensely, her gentle voice for once rough.

He choked. She sounded as if she was on the verge of tears.

He – he didn't want to make his Nee-chan cry ...

" You will always be loved."

He felt his eyes fog over.

The truth in her voice and words was unshakeable.

She gently tucked his face against her chest as the first tears started to escape.

" Always and forever, you are mine."

Lambo groaned as slouched in his seat, the over-heated classroom was damn-near suffocating. It was just before the summer holidays, and he was so not looking forwards to showing mama and Nee-chan his grades. Most of them were pretty good, and he was kind of a whiz with English and Science. But there was that one subject he hated passionately …

… Math …

And that was exactly the subject he was forced to suffer just now.

Here he was, sitting bored as hell and staring out the window while Nezu-sensei droned on about functions, shit Lambo already knew, but no matter how well he knew the material, his test always came back with twenty percent or worse – he had never gotten a passing grade. He was pretty sure the old codger had it out for him.

This actually sounded more to the point, because he didn't actually hate math. Just the old codger.

Lambo sincerely hated and was hated by his teacher.

Meh … same thing, really.

The last few weeks, Nezu-sensei had tried to contact his legal guardian, which had turned out to be a bit difficult. Mama was his caregiver, yep, but since she had turned into a legal adult, Nee-chan had taken over his guardianship, and she was out of town – well, more like, she was halfway around the world at college.

Lambo really didn't want her to know of his problems with the old man. Not that she would be uninterested or angry, no. The exact opposite held true. Nee-chan was always so ready to worry about him and to try everything in her power to help him that she often neglected herself. It made him feel guilty. Lambo wasn't five anymore, he wasn't that snot-nosed brat that cried whenever something didn't go the way he wanted it to go. He was fifteen, a teenager, and he needed to deal with his problems by himself. Something like a biased teacher was nothing that Nee-chan needed to worry about.

Especially now.

Lately she had been stretched to her limits. Whatever free time she had, she spent it studying for her mastery in not only English Literature but also in preparation for finally finishing her bachelor degree in business on the side; it would be helpful in actually understanding Vongola affairs, which had sadly been creeping into her life progressively more over the years. She wanted to be ready to take on everything that dark world could and would throw at her – no, at them, no matter the fact that she was still against being involved in criminal affairs at all.

Lambo suppressed a sigh.

Not that she had been the one to actually give voice to the obvious. As if.

He was still her little brother, and if there was one thing Nee-chan was beyond protective of, then it was her chosen family; there was a reason that even the old codgers in Italy tip-toed around her when it concerned her guardians.

But Lambo hadn't needed verbal confirmations of his observations.

Nee-chan had been even thinner and paler the last time he had seen her in person, the final presentation of her mastery thesis devouring her time and energy at an alarming rate, and the Ninths rapidly increasing demands on her time and conscience didn't help. He had been too young to see it at the time he had come into her life and care, but now as a teenager approaching adulthood himself, he had no more room left to simply ignore the truth screaming at his face. Vongola was tearing her down, shredding her defences, and there was little if anything he or her other guardians could do. Looking back now, remembering all the times the other guardians had been furious with Vongola, he would also remember other things about those instances; how whenever something happened, Nee-chan would lock herself in her room, how her eyes would be red and puffy when she emerged, how she would lose weight and have a really hard time regaining it – it always seemed to coincident with the older guardians bouts of shortness, snappiness or violence. He had been too young, then, but they – Hayato-nii-san, Takashi-nii-san, Kyouya-nii-san, Onii-san, Mukuro-nii-san, Chrome-nee-san …. they had witnessed all those things that slowly, little by little, broke his Nee-chan. And … and even now, they were just as powerless as they had been then.

It was freaking maddening.

And one of the foremost reasons why she could never learn of his school troubles.

He couldn't bear disappointing her. To be the reason she would -

He jerked back, blinking.

Something had hit him in the forehead.

Still blinking confused, he looked down at his desk, seeing a small piece of white chalk, and looked up, right at the darkly glowering face and furiously seething eyes of Nezu-Sensei.

Merde.

This would be ugly.

" Bovino, attention!", his teacher growled.

Lambo couldn't help it; he snorted amused.

This only served to enrage his teacher even more.

" You find something funny? Let's see how funny you find it when you fail this class!"

Honestly, Lambo didn't find Nezu-sensei's threats funny, that wasn't it. In fact, he dreaded them, but – damn, it was just too funny to see the old man try and act imitating; he had been living with Reborn, the Greatest Hitman in the world, for five years, and even in his cursed Arcobaleno form, the hitman had been more threatening while trying to look cute and innocent.

It just … really didn't carry the same vibe when Nezu-sensei tried to act threatening.

It really really didn't.

At least to him; he did notice that his school mates leaned back as far as they could – though that could have maybe more to do with the spittle flying out of the teachers mouth while he continue to rant like a madman.

Lambo blinked.

Wow, he had successfully blended to old man out.

" - detention for the rest of the week!", the teacher snarled.

Lambo groaned and sunk in his seat. There went his free-time.

The man grew even redder and pushed himself up, opening his mouth -

A knock sounded on the door.

And Nezu-sensei deflated. The teacher took a deep breath and straightened his tie.

" Please come in", he called out, forcibly calm.

The door opened, and Namikaya-san, the school secretary, smiled at them.

" I'm so sorry, Nezu-sensei, but there seems to have been a mix-up. There was a mistake in the teacher schedule, and we gave Bovino-kun's guardian the wrong meeting time. Could she have a few minutes of your time now?"

Lambo could feel the ground opening up beneath him as a familiar figure appeared in the door frame next to Namikaya-san.

What he ...

… Nee-chan …

It was her.

It was actually her.

His sister stood in the door frame.

He felt as if all air had been sucked out of the room, paling quickly.

No, no, no! That old codger had actually managed to contact her?!

Lambo couldn't even swallow, his throat dry and eyes filled with trepidation. And it wasn't just dread at her disappointment that struck him silent, he also couldn't help but to notice his class mates very unwelcome reactions.

Every one of his male schoolmates – and quite a few female ones, really, Nee-chan, really?! - stared at her like she was a real-life epiphany.

Lambo swallowed the instinctive urge to threaten those immature assholes who were staring at his big sister like she was a piece of rare meat solely on display for them to devour. He fucking knew that she was a beautiful woman, damn, anyone with eyes could see that – hell, even a blind man would know that simply by being in her presence (and yes, maybe that was the worshipping little brother in him speaking, sue him!), but that didn't give them the right to act like ingrates and to practically undress her with their eyes.

Not that this reaction wasn't exactly what Nee-chan had intended.

Lambo knew that his sister had learned, over the years, how to use her appearance to her advantage. And damn, if that wasn't what was happening right now.

She was wearing nothing but a long-sleeved, black dress that snugly hugged her curves and ended at mid-thigh, showing the barest hint of white skin between the black hemline and the top of her dark-grey stockings that ended in high-heeled black ankle boots – for just one moment, a single moment, Lambo was horrified that he could actually accurately identify and describe female clothing like that, but then again … he was raised by strong and determined women who were his foremost role models for the majority of his life, and he tended to enjoy spending time with them; even if that time included shopping and having to sit in dressing rooms, commenting on clothing for three hours without a pause. It sure beat being called a cry-baby and being ignored by the male parts of his family (he still loved them, but – really, he didn't need to be reminded that he was still a baby compared to them literally every five seconds).

Yep, he was a sister's boy – but, as even Reborn had once begrudgingly admitted, that was only to be expected; Nee-chan was the centre of their family and the one who most helped him come into his own. There was zero shame in admitting to loving and admiring one's sister.

Besides – she was damn well badass. The kind of badass that looked subtle, but actually screamed at you to just dare and fuck with her and hers … you were just too much of a damn fool to recognize the warning signs until she had already emasculated you.

… he worshipped the very ground she walked on.

And that would all be well, if he and his fellow guardians were the only ones to look at his sister as if she hung the sun, the moon and the stars.

They weren't.

His sister was breath-taking, and others had taken a long time to realize this, but realizing it in the end they did – it was one of the more pressing reasons that he desperately desired nothing more than to wrap her up and hid her away from those indecent adolescent gazes devouring her so shamelessly right now …

A small bell-like giggle brought him back from the brink of murderous rage. Her burning golden eyes were completely focused on him, and her red lips were tugged up in a small sincere smile. She brushed a wilful strand of short brown hair out of her face and tugged it behind her ear.

Too cute!

Damn!

He would need to make his brotherly claim soon.

Very soon.

" Pleased to meet you, Nezu-sensei", his sister greeted the teacher.

Who was practically eye-fucking her. In a room full students.

Lambo saw red. He was half-way out of his chair as a commanding but soothing brush of familiar – trusted, treasured, beloved, mine, mine, mine! - sky flames brushed against him, surrounding him and settling around his furious frame like a loving embrace.

He sank back down and took a deep breath.

… it didn't really help.

" The pleasure is all mine, Bovino-san", the slimy old pervert simpered – wait, Bovino-san?! Oh, hell, he didn't even know Nee-chan's name, and – oh oh oh, Lambo knew that glint in his sister's eyes, the one that meant danger; he barely supressed a malicious grin. " Namikaya-san, I'm going to take over from here, thank you from bringing Bovino-san to me."

Namikaya-san shot a short uneasy glance to Nee-chan, who only smiled placidly; clearly, the other woman knew exactly who Nee-chan was.

" As you wish. It was a pleasure", Namikaya-san directed at Nee-chan, and bowed out of the door.

" Class, open your books to page 79. I want the questions A to F answered and written on the board when I am back", Nezu-sensei instructed them, and then turned to Nee-chan with a grin. " Bovino-san, after you."

" Thank you, Nezu-sensei", Nee-chan smiled and stepped out.

Lambo, honestly, felt just a little bad.

That was Nee-chan's 'I-will-kill-you-with-great-pleasure'-smile.

Yeah, he felt just a little bad for Nezu-sensei.

… Nezu-sensei, who looked at his beloved sister as if she was a piece of meat …

Uh, yep, nope.

Everyone gets what they deserve.

The click of the door sounded ominous in the empty classroom.

She looked at the old man watching her as if she was his prey. Oh, if only he knew exactly what was going on here he wouldn't be looking at her like that – he would be trying to flee.

As prey should do.

Oh well.

Not that she would allow that.

A small secretive smile played around her lips.

She liked a good game of prey-and-hunter.

And she always – always – got her pound of flesh.

Mhm.

Nezu Dohachiro couldn't believe how lucky he was.

There, before him, was a dream of a young woman, and she was, incidentally, at his mercy.

He could barely suppress his gleeful laughter. Oh, if only that Bovino brat knew in what kind of situation his bratty behaviour had manoeuvred his innocent beautiful relative in, he could only imagine the boy's distraught face. This was just perfect.

He would get to taste a beautiful little thing and make that brat miserable all at once.

After all this time, he would get that little shit back. The boy reminded him to much of that punk kid that had always hung around his most hated Dame-student back at Namimori. Those two ungrateful idiotic fools had gotten him – him! - fired, and it had been so damn difficult to get a new position. He had to bribe so many people, had to use all his monetary reserves to get new diplomas, everything just so he could teach again without any stigma.

Those brats had destroyed him!

And that Bovino brat was just like them. Never listening, always back-talking – and still he aced his tests. But Nezu had … graded them differently. Well, and since no one had said anything, he continued with it, and it was oh-so satisfying to watch when that moment arrived, when the boy's arrogance melted into disappointment and regret in face of his reoccurring failure.

It was such a sweet victory.

But his biggest victory-to-be stood before him, all wrapped up in a stunning package.

He wasn't annoyed at all that Bovino-san had gotten the wrong meeting time, oh no, it was actually wonderful. To see the brat's face first light up and then fall in itself as he seemed to realise why his relative had to be there, was the cherry on top.

But he would enjoy this dessert very very much.

After all, what sister – or cousin – wouldn't do everything to save her little brother's grade.

" Bovino-san", he started, deepening his voice to sound graver. " I'm grateful that you agreed to a meeting. I'm deeply concerned about Lambo-kun's performance in mathematic. It has steadily decreased over the last few months, and honestly, I'm at my wits end."

He injected just the right amount of concern and familiarity into his voice, stepping closer to the young woman who looked so concerned.

She shouldn't be … after all, Nezu was just about to make her such a nice proposition.

" What can we do, Nezu-sensei? I know Lambo really tries, and I just want to see him succeed", she asked him, her sweet voice like honey in his ears.

He stepped even closer.

This close, he could see the hollow of her collarbone, the sharp elegant shape of her neck … begging to be marked, to be tasted …

" It really is a difficult situation, but I think that there actually is a … solution that could help Lambo-kun", he mentioned, righting his glasses.

Her beautiful eyes looked so big, so painfully begging as she gazed up at him, her sweet mouth opening in a perfect bow as she asked: " How?"

He just couldn't help himself.

He closed the distance between them, one hand gripping her chin and tilting it up while the other encircled her wrist and tugged her snuck against his chest.

" An … exchange", he all-but groaned.

Those breasts, those perfect round breasts pressing against him, the friction, the way her body leaned into his, fitting so perfectly …

" Oh, Nezu-sensei ...", she whispered, her hot breath ghosting over his ear, calling to his baser instincts as his member sprung to life, pressing against her.

Score! Yes!

" Oh Nezu-sensei ..."

Oh kami, kami, kami! Thank you!

" Last time was an accident. This time I'm going to get you fired on purpose."

… what …?!

She laughed lightly as his body went stiff … well, stiffer. Something had been very stiff before-hand.

Which, ewe.

Giggling softly, she stepped away from the old man, a darling smile playing on her lips as she winked at him.

" Really? Ten years, and you don't even recognize your least favourite student at all?"

His eyes were confused, incomprehension filling them as he stared at her, his hands still outstretched, mouth opening and closing.

The old man hadn't changed at all. And, according to her research, he was up to his old tricks once more. Not that those would be allowed this time. She had suffered under his tender mercies once, and while she, arguably, hadn't been the best student, she certainly hadn't deserved the kind of humiliation and ridicule he had made her suffer. To be informed that the old imposer had been able to get another position at Namimori High, that he actually made her baby brother suffer undeservingly – and it was undeserving, she had gotten her Kaa-chan to get her Lambo's tests and Reborn had attested her that they were at least between eighty to ninety percent each – made her blood boil.

And when her blood boiled?

Than the blood of the guilty flowed.

Sometimes figuratively. Mostly literally.

The old pervert seemed to gather himself, his skin paling even further just as red spots appeared on his face – oh, that was a familiar look.

Nezu-sensei in righteous fury mode.

" Fired? Me? I'm the best damn thing this school has ever been gifted, and you will be very sorry that you threatened me! I'm Nezu Dohachiro, and you will see exactly what that means!", he blustered.

… oookay …

She raised an eyebrow.

" Nezu-sensei, I know exactly who you are."

It seemed to throw him for a second, as he blinked. He really hadn't listened. She had already told him twice, indirectly, who she was, and he still seemed to just. Not. Get. It.

" I'm making this easy, Nezu-san. You don't even have to say anything, because honestly? The shit that comes out of your mouth isn't worth the air you use to spread it. And yes, I'm disrespecting you. I lost all respect for you when I was a thirteen year old girl, and what you have done to Lambo-kun, to my baby brother? Was the last straw. As of this moment, the principal of this school is reading the official documentation proving your former fraud, and the proof of your new document falsification. You will be fired within the hour. And this time, you will go gracefully. You will pack your bags, you will leave this town, and you won't try for a teaching position, ever again."

With each word she had spoken, he had paled a bit more, his mouth opening and closing as a cold sweat broke out.

" I will know if you break these stipulations. And if you do?"

She smiled, and leaned in again, her eyes never breaking contact with his as her right hand shot forwards.

His eyes shot wide open as a terrified pained whimper escaped his lips.

" I will find you."

She closed her fists.

He cried.

Smiling gently as she released her fingers and sharp nails from his precious jewels, she allowed the pathetic excuse of a man to fall down and curl up into himself; stepping over him, she wrinkled her nose.

" You really should beg, Nezu-san, that no one ever finds out what you just tried to do", she remarked. " I mean, Lambo would go ballistic. But just imagine what Hayato-kun or Takeshi-kun would do to you? Or Kyouya-kun? Honestly, you should really pray to every god you believe in."

Them knowing?

Would be a massacre.

" … Sa-Sawada ..."

The pained groan was barely audible – and wow, was that man a drama queen, she hadn't totally crushed his jewels, just bruised them a bit, really, men! - but she heard him.

Seemed his brain did in fact sometimes work.

" I would say it was a pleasure, Nezu-sensei, but we both know that would be a lie."

She nearly laughed as his hate-filled gaze landed on her. Really, there was so much more fear than hate in those eyes.

She had stared Xanxus in the eyes and said 'No'.

Nezu – was nothing.

" Don't forget my promise. I always keep them."

Still smiling, she stepped out of the room, her muttered words echoing in the room as the door closed behind her.

" I need to sterilize my hand."

That – that little bitch!

That ungrateful wrench! He hadn't even recognized his no-good student, and the bitch hadn't corrected him. She had fucking played him, she had – fuck, the principal knew!

He needed to do damage control, he needed to – oh kami! His balls, his balls hurt! He couldn't move. This agony …

Nezu Dohachiro could do nothing but curl even more into himself, cursing his former student - who, for a second time, had destroyed his life - with all he had.

But …

He couldn't move.

And it wasn't just the pain immobilizing him.

Somehow, her threat kept echoing in his mind.

His heart raced, and he couldn't calm it. His body shook in fear.

Why? Why? Why? Why did that wrenched girl install so much fear in him? She was just a failure! Why?!

He trembled.

Nezu Dohachiro didn't leave the classroom until the principal called for him.

And then? He left the school.

(He left everything.

Sawada's words had shaken his whole world, manifesting like a disease in his mind, controlling his every decision.

" I will find you."

He hated her with a passion.

… but his fear won out ...)

The moment the door opened, Lambo was ready to jump out of his seat.

He had been sitting on hot coals since his sister had left with Nezu-sensei, dreading what was happening, and his classmates had needed to restrain him more than once.

At least he had used the time to stake his brotherly claim thoroughly, and he was more than assured that none of his classmates would try anything with his beloved sister, or make any inappropriate comments. Some of them still looked kind of pale.

Meh. He needed to tell Mukuro-nii-chan that those creative threats the older man had taught him worked like a spell.

But none of that mattered as soon as he saw his big sister standing in the door, looking at him with that dangerously satisfied glint in her eye, a nearly gleefully predatory edge to her smile.

Ouchy.

" Lambo-kun, I'm about to leave. Don't worry, I cleared things with Nezu-sensei", she remarked casually, but Lambo could clearly hear the 'permanently' that remained silent at the end of the sentence. " I'm going to wait for you at Takesushi's, Otouto. Enjoy the rest of your school day. Tada!"

She winked cheekily and slipped out of the doorway, not leaving Lambo any chance to say anything.

Okay, what, exactly, had his beloved older sister done now?

He felt really nervous, and the curious looks his classmates shot him didn't help.

Nee-chan!

Nezu-sensei didn't return.

He got his answer two hours later.

The teacher had been called by the principle.

The rumour mile worked supernaturally fast that day. It seemed old Nezu had been a fake since the beginning, had even been fired once in Namimori Middle for it. He had only been hired through skilful forgery and bribery. The pipeline said a concerned parent had discovered the terrible affair after the old codger had fucked with a student's grades.

Needless to say, the slimy pervert had been shown the door.

Permanently.

… no more Nezu-sensei … Yes!

Lambo grinned happily.

His sister was so damn awesome!

Sadly, that wasn't the only thing the grape line gossiped about that day.

The fact that Bovino Lambo had a damn hella sexy older sister that was model-like drop-dead gorgeous was even more interesting.

With each comment he was forced to listen to, Lambo could only wonder how the other guardian's had survived until now without being charged with murder.

(Though, knowing Reborn's protective streak when it came to his former student/unofficial daughter, Lambo wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't so much a matter of his somewhat older brother's self-restraint, and more a matter of the hitman's assistance and guidance in getting rid of any kind of proof – including the bodies.

… he was kind of jealous …

That would be a useful skill to have.

" Sexy! Lambo-kun, is she still single?!"

Really useful.

Maybe he should ask for lessons?)

" Oi, Bovino, sexy sister you got there! She would look really good under me – get me her number, would you, man?"

Lambo stopped. Slowly, he turned around.

The older boy blanched.

" Ah – ha ha – s-sorry, man, n-no hard feelings, ri-"

Lambo had no idea what his face looked like, but …

The third year student fainted.

A stench filled the air.

" Tsuna-nee-chan ..."

He stopped. She continued to caress his cheek, not bothered.

But he couldn't continue, he couldn't even look at her. She still smiled at him, even after he had been such a bother to her … why?

He didn't understand why she still smiled at him.

She should be spitting mad, not … not sad.

" Lambo-kun … Otouto-chan …"

Why couldn't she be like everyone else for once and be mad at him for being so annoying and bothering her with his teenage problems? Even mama reacted that way, telling him to stop being silly and get over it. He hadn't wanted to be a bother to Nee-chan, he really didn't.

But he had failed her.

" Look at me."

Swallowing thickly, he did. Or tried to.

" Lambo-kun", she chastised, and he lifted his eyes, finally looking into hers.

There was nothing but warmth in their depths.

" You will never be a bother."

He blinked.

" You will always be important to me. You are, first and foremost, my little brother, and come hell or high water, you will never be alone. I will always be there for you, even if you have got it into that thick skull of you that you don't need me."

" No, that's not it!", he protested immediately, that wasn't it at all! " I just – it was just a stupid school thing, and I didn't want to stress you even more. You are already so stressed, everyone is always demanding things from you … I just don't want to make you sad ..."

Shaking her head, Nee-chan let out a light laugh and gently took his face into her hands.

" Lambo-kun, no matter how stressed, annoyed or pissed off I am, no matter how fucked up our life gets, I am always here. You won't get rid of me. I am your older sister, and that's my prerogative. Or have you already forgotten my promise, little one?"

He blushed to the tips of his ears, an embarrassed scowl forming on his face: " I'm taller than you!"

Rolling her eyes, Nee-chan simply tapped his cheek and he subsided.

There was just something about his Nee-chan … he couldn't ever be mad at her, not even in jest.

She was just – she was his older sister, and he loved her deeply.

" Never forget, Lambo-otouto, no matter where, no matter why or how, never ever forget, that you will always be loved."

A small smile played around her lips, and he couldn't help but smile back, even as she leaned forwards, letting her forehead touch his in a gesture so familiar, from so long ago, that it made his breath hitch thickly.

There was no woman he loved more, no sky he could belong to other than Sawada Tsunayuki.

" Always and forever, you are mine."

~ The End. ~