Who: Rachel, Vongola Ninth
When: A week or so after Chrome gets organs.
What: A brief moment of peace.

To say it had been a long day was an understatement. There had been power assessments of a new slew of students at the mansion and on those days Xavier paid very close attention. Poking, poking, poking, prying...making sure she was noting students and keeping damages to a minimum without 'unduly influencing their minds'. He didn't even make the various shields she held over others away from campus flicker, she'd long outgrown when he could actually force such, though she let bait shields drop at times to reassure him.

That didn't mean the prying didn't get to her. It itched, like a gaze on her shoulders constantly, or the pulling burn of the Shi'ar mark being refreshed. Assessment days were...stressful. Some days were easier to shake than others, and some made her burn and not stop for at least a few days. Sadly, not an option, but that didn't mean her smiles to those who knew her won't hollow and shadow tinged as she slid off to the faculty showers.

Worst, really, was the fact she couldn't really talk about it. Not here. Not to those Xavier monitored, and some days it was almost enough to say to hell with the whole planet.

Almost.

She left the school at five, almost like a normal working person, and just...drifted. She had no destination, no pull today, so she really had no idea why she ended up in Italy except that the Vongola family head had...said she could. Granted, end of a standard work day in New York was an hour to midnight in Italy, but the windows were swimming with light and...music?

Ah, a party.

She landed lightly on a balcony and just looked, drinking in the atmosphere. Spinning color, insane energy spiking here and there...granted, imperfect, but humanity was after all. There was politics, vice, and greed there as well as just people having fun. It was what one expected at larger parties these days.

She wasn't surprised when the glass door of the balcony slid open, a man in a suit looking her up and down, and being unimpressed by spandex. Well then. She stared at him for a long moment, the molecules swimming into a draping evening gown made of flame and smoke. Apparently that was the right move because the man nodded, "he'll see you."

Honestly she'd just kinda hoped to hang out on the balcony decompressing but striding across the ballroom floor worked too. She was bad at embarrassment, so she just ignored the looks and the sifting of general awe or surprise through the party as she wandered up to the old ma, "Timoteo," she nodded.

"And unexpected pleasure," the man smiled, holding his hand out to her easily. "You're well?" She wasn't, he could tell but forms were forms were forms.

"Not at all," she smiled. "But I survive."

"Sadly common!" he chuckled sweeping her out onto the floor. At least the music and general babble would give their conversation a bit of privacy? "I've an entire branch that would answer much the same." Sadly.

She blinked, following his lead more than knowing the steps, bemused. People rarely...touched her deliberately unless they knew her. "A branch?" Sue her, distractions were nice?

"Mmmm, our life can be hard on people, and some like those you know I'm sure, have powers that are unkind to their minds but I digress."

She tilted her head, absorbing that, "I bled protections through you. It is likely Xavier knew of your people but did not deem them stable enough to approach for teams," she admitted tightly. She hadn't known to shield sooner really?

He laughed at that, hand easy at her hip as they twirled a moment, "they would not have taken kindly to him, it's not a concern," he assured.

"Ah?"

"Yes, they are fragile, yet violent my Varia."

She tilted her head, feeling through that, "your...variants?"

"Variation from our strange standards yes," he chuckled. "But again, not the topic tonight I'm sorry. I worry is all. What brought you here dear? Not aspiring to marry into a Family are you?"

What?

Uh?

"No, is that what the party is about?" she scanned the room, actually paying attention now.

"Oh, there's always hopefuls since my own wife passed," he admitted. "But please, why the tension in your shoulders la mia dolce fiamma?"

"Your?" she mused, arching an eyebrow.

"You came to me dear, we look after our own," he smiled, unrepentant. "How are the dear children?"

"Chrome has organs now."

"Really? Ah, bella!" It made him beam into the dancing, smiling at anyone who bothered to look. Granted, that led to several long conclusions but was having to smooth things over later in light of one of the new generation being properly healed?!

His happiness, true and bubbly, helped Rachel relax a touch, slinking into the dancing more rather than being led around. "I'll be teaching her and her partner telepath."

Oh, even better! He smiled, dipping her in order to kiss her cheek, "you bring the best news!" Utterly! Sure, his info lines had reported the organs but that didn't mean he couldn't be grateful! And the tutoring, well, he felt it was a good pairing, this woman and the Mist guardians!

"...you already knew half of it!" she accused, laughing despite herself.

"That does not change the fact!" he grinned. "And you are lovely and will teach them well."

Oh. That was...actually really nice to hear. "You must not know much about me," she admitted wryly.

The Ninth smiled, ignoring the less than subtle hint from the sideline to switch partners, "I know you are honest to a fault and brave to face the pain I see in your face. You would do well in our family." He's adopt her in a heartbeat, his intuition about her was that strong! "If you are not treasured where you are why stay?"

Ah, he wrapped painful questions in warm regard and it was actually really disorienting. She had to stare and dance for a while longer before she sighed, "when last I tried independence the Shi'ar slaughtered everyone around me and branded me for hunting later. On Xavier's approval." Why not be honest?

Most would falter at an admission like that, but somehow the Vongola man took in stride, steps never pausing, "I see," he mused softly. "You are hounded."

"I am a hound. Or was."

"Never here," he promised gently. "Never here. You a teacher, and a hunter perhaps, but no one holds your leash here. No one should."

Oh. Maybe that was why she was here. "There are people I care about," she admitted quietly.

"And so you stay," he mused. "A poisonous puzzle that."

Yes, that was a good term for it wasn't it? "Some powers are feared, I am more powerful than that even."

"Fear is never a good response to ability," he noted, pulling her into a third song. "It causes strife. And it shatters many."

"Your Varia."

He chuckled ruefully, "I was not always wise in my youth, though I did not cause them all." The deep, underlying sadness was enough to make tears slide along her cheek though.

"Your son."

"Yes," he agreed quietly. "Strong, my boy. Very strong, and magnetic as leaders can be, but not..."

She kissed his cheek this time, sighing, "not all are meant to lead. " She knew many who should NEVER do so honestly.

"You understand," he smiled sadly. "I wish you didn't."

"Life isn't kind," she shrugged. "I could check in on them, your Varia. I cannot fix everything, not by far, but I can speak to parts most can't reach." Because he was...so very sad.

"Are you bargaining with me child?" he mused. It was the party for such after all...

...and that just made her blink? "No. It needs to be done. I can do it." Why would that be a bargain?

"Oh cara bambina," he smiled. "I can see I will have to consider this. After you rest. You seem weary, and this party is not best for such souls. Brabanter will take you a guest room," he passed her hand to that of his Rain guardian, smiling. "He'll see you rest peacefully." That was one of many talents Rain had, slowing the body so the mind realized how tired it was; dropping the waking self through dreaming like a stone to the deeper depths needed for peace.

She measured the guardian quietly for a long moment, dress swaying and moving despite her standing still now, then nodded, "I'll see you on the patio for breakfast then?"

"Count on it," he smiled.