What might have happened between Xanxus and the Ninth, immediately after the Ring Battles. Comment-fic for Lys to the prompt: Xanxus, got to be the best.
The old men were arguing over killing him.
Ninth
There comes a time in every young man’s life when he must seek his fortune. Sawada Iemitsu is off to seek his.
Sawada Iemitsu couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t known that he was–or could have been, if he’d wanted to be–the heir to a great mafia empire.
These are things that never happened to Xanxus, but could have done, if only things had started out just a bit differently. This fic is what happens when you say to yourself, “Gosh, I’ve been writing a lot of Xanxus angst lately. I wonder if it is possible to write Xanxus in such a way that he is, well, functionally broken instead of just psychopathically insane.” And then you get tackled by a plot bunny that is the size of a goddamn linebacker.
Xanxus stared up at the old geezer–this smiling old fool was supposed to be the Vongola Ninth? please–and lifted a hand to show him the Flame when he asked for it.
Sometimes one small mistake can lead to an entire avalanche of nasty consequences.
One of the first things Sawada Iemitsu did in his apprenticeship to the Vongola Ninth’s outside advisor was bring the Ninth news of the woman who claimed that her son belonged to Timoteo Vongola. It was an act that Iemitsu reflected on later, grimly, deciding that it was the event that colored his entire service to the Vongola.
In which the Vongola Ninth’s Mist and Rain reach an agreement, and establish a pattern that will carry them forward. This is set about ten years before “Blood Will Tell.” Timoteo has been the Ninth for a little under a decade at this point. This is a sidestory for the arc, focusing pretty much entirely on two of the original characters, and is not necessary to the main thrust of A House Divided–but it may make some character motivations make more sense later.
Gianni may have been the Vongola Ninth’s right hand, and his Mist Guardian besides, but he wasn’t too proud to admit it when he was tired. And tonight, he was tired.
It is time for Timoteo to choose his Guardians, and he’s determined to do things his way. This project owes its inspiration to ![[info - personal]](http://s.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jetsam/![[info - livejournal.com]](http://s.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
thephoenixboy, who correctly guessed which fic was mine in the first round of khr_undercover, and requested a fic featuring Timoteo and his Guardians as her reward. I don’t believe she quite expected her request to spawn an entire humongous arc, but what can I say? It was a provocative prompt! *grin*
For a character guide, see the appendix (warning: spoilers for the arc!)
“Is it already time to be thinking of that?” Timoteo asked, to make time for his mind to race ahead and turn over the possibilities. “You’re still very young, Mother.”
“How kind of you to say,” she said, eyes glinting, not without humor. “I said that we were ready to confirm you as my heir, not that I was ready to step down. Don’t get too far above yourself.”
The Ninth helps Xanxus find someone he can bear to be.
It wasn’t that Tsuna didn’t trust the Ninth, because of course he did. And it wasn’t that he didn’t think the Ninth could handle Xanxus, even, or especially, now, because he did, really. It was just… well, his dad had made him solemnly swear he’d make sure the Ninth didn’t overstrain himself.
And that was really the only reason Tsuna kept just happening to pass Xanxus’ rooms or the balcony beyond them to check on them every couple days.
