"A-ano, good morning," Chrome shyly greeted as she bowed to the green head before her. Her cheeks were dusted with a light pink color as she refrained herself from stuttering even more.

Leaning against his door frame, Ryota unamusedly stared at the trio. His hair was messy from waking up and clothes in disarray from his sleeping position. He mentally groaned at them but openly sighed. Closing his eyes, he rubbed the bridge of his nose, hoping that once he opened them, the teens would be gone.

They weren't. Oh, such a shame.

His languid golden eyes silently wandered from one teen to another, and he assumed without much difficulty, that they were Mukuro's people. After all, one was Chrome, his guide out of Kokuyo Land, and they all wore this Kokuyo uniform. It wasn't hard to guess.

Well, though a bit disappointed M.M. wasn't part of them, he plastered a fake yet genuine looking smile on his face. "Well, come in, come in," he ushered, turning around to lead the way to his living room.

Leaving them to sit, he went to the kitchen. He mentally patted his back. Fortunately, Claude wasn't here. Who knew what he would say upon seeing those beat up teens?

"'You want anything to drink?" He asked from the kitchen as he poured himself a cup of orange juice. His hand deftly reached for a pack of cereal and some bowls before he retrieved a clean tray.

Hearing the muffled answer of his guests, he took three cups from his cupboard, a bottle of water and a milk can. Not forgetting to retrieve the first-aid kit underneath the sink, he made his way back to the silent living room.

"Here," he said, handing the first-aid kit to Chrome as he put the tray down. "For you and your friends," he explained before slumping on his seat and pouring some milk over his cereals.

Chrome took the pack, whispering a small thanks, she awkwardly took some gauze and alcohol before turning to face Ken and Chikusa.

"Tch, leave it," Ken muttered, snatching the alcohol from her as he took some cotton from the box. She bit her lips, turning to look at Chikusa who was already tending to his wounds in silence.

Putting the bandage down, she poured herself a glass of water and silently waited for her "comrades" to finish. In the living room, only the sound of Ryota's spoon hitting the bowl and Ken and Chikusa's bandaging was heard for a while.

Chrome sat, waiting, unsure of what to do.

"So," Ryota began, breaking the silence as he put his spoon down. He took a sip of his orange juice. "What brings you here?" He asked, his golden eyes sweeping over each of them.

Chrome straightened, keeping her water glass on her lap, she carefully fiddled with it, careful not to spill anything, the cold sensation easing her nerves.

Her eye flickered to the two other boys. One was silently eating some cereals while the other was staring at them with a poker face from behind his glasses. Her eye met with the second's, and Chikusa casually looked away, grabbing a cup and filling it with orange juice.

She bit her lips, her eyesight momentarily going down before she looked up to stare into Mikaël's indifferent golden hues. She shivered, despite the friendly grin he wore, he didn't bother hiding the annoyance he felt.

Gulping, she tightened her grip on her cup before silently exhaling. "M-Mukuro-sama told us to come here," she whispered, instinctively evading the boy's gaze.

Ryota paused. "Oh?" He arched his eyebrows as he looked at the blushing girl. "Did he now?"

Chrome hurriedly nodded before pausing, she opened and closed her mouth a few times, unsure of what to say.

Mikaël narrowed his eyes, his golden hues dyed themselves in indigo, momentarily blending into a reddish-orange, his grin deepened. He hummed, urging her to go on.

"W-well, I-I mean," she stuttered, unsure of how to go on before she fell silent.

Ryota sighed, his gaze sweeping to rest on the clock wall, he stood up, ruffling his messy bangs. "Whatever, you can tell me later. I have to get ready," he muttered, going to his room to get into his uniform.

It was a good thing his morning lessons had been canceled due to their teachers' pedagogical day. Efficiently tying his tie in a loose knot, he grabbed his bag and phone. Pausing in front of the mirror he combed his hair one last time, the phone in his hand giving off a low buzzing sound.

Turning the knob to his room, he stole a glance at his phone before swiftly clicking on the green button, accepting the incoming call. "Yeah?" He asked, walking to the living room and grabbing his keys.

Humming and quickly answering his phone, he swiftly wrote down a note for his three guests on a sticky note. He waved his hand, showing them the paper from afar before exiting his apartment and locking the door.

He sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming down right now," he said, rolling his eyes with a chuckle. He stuffed the keys in his bag. "Well I'm hanging up," he said before hitting the red button.

Going down the stairs, he was met with the sight of his glasses-wearing friend waiting, phone in hand.

"Ah, Mika!" Jun greeted as he turned his phone off. He shook his head, sending the green an accusing look. "Can't you be on time, dude?" he admonished with a sly smirk.

Ryota beamed chuckling before gently tapping the raven's back, and making him totter in the process. "Sure, so you say," he drawled, taking the lead to Namimori Senior High School.

::

Sitting on his sofa, a leg over the other, Mikaël beamed at his three guests. Still in his uniform, with his schoolbag discarded a few feet away, he waited for them to explain themselves.

His golden eyes were narrowed as he silently gazed at each of them. Pausing on Chrome's figure, he switched to Chikusa instead. After all, their morning encounter had, to the male, proven the girl wasn't of much use.

He hummed, tilting his head, his expression unbearably welcoming. "So? Chikusa, was it?" He asked, directing his attention to the glasses-wearing boy.

Perhaps, had Ryota known both males were professional assassins, his behavior would have been different. But he didn't, he thought they were a bunch of nameless thugs, following Mukuro's mischief for better or for worse.

Chikusa's dull eyes met with Mikaël's golden hues, he nodded, not taking any offense in the way the green talked to them. They were, after all, uninvited guests. And, the man before him was someone Mukuro considered. For his Boss, he needed to keep some face.

He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his other hand gripped his "Hedgehog" yo-yo momentarily before releasing it.

"It is as Chrome said," he began before reiterating the girl's morning stutter. His voice was even, devoid of any ripples which could betray his emotions as his face remained a flawlessly blank canvas.

Mikaël nodded, his grin never fading as his eyes almost glinted with pity. Genuine pity, but they didn't. He instead leaned into his comfortable furniture.

"Then, where's Mukurocchi?" He asked, with a childish tilt of his head, his face painting pure wonder and confusion. A skill he acquired from modeling.

Chikusa's blank face stiffened for a second, contorting into a frown before he smoothed it. "Mukuro-sama has been taken into custody," he expressed with some hidden difficulty.

Ryota blinked, unsure of what he had heard. His eyes traveled from one teen to another, searching for a trace which could betray the joking nature of the statement. He found none.

His left-hand gently rubbed his mother's memento as his smile faltered. Letting go of his facade, he pursed his lips. "You mean?"

Chikusa sighed, "troublesome," he muttered, annoyed at the incapacity the male displayed to understand this simple phrase. Mikaël didn't take note of it.

"Mukuro-sama is in prison, we can't contact him," he developed curtly before pausing. His eyes flickered to Chrome, who seemed to shrink into her seat at the attention.

"Well, Chrome can contact him. Though it is irregular," he added, his dull voice riddled with contempt and mockery, Ryota deduced it was aimed at the girl.

Mikaël closed his eyes. "I suppose I understand," he said, not grasping a thing of what the teen had explained. The link Mukuro and Chrome supposedly shared, this independent organization Mukuro got himself tangled with.

It all seemed so far away, yet not so much.

He stood up. "You're all okay with pizza?" He asked, not really minding their answers as he took his phone out.

His fingers skidded to his contact list, settling on "Pizzaman," before he clicked. From behind, he could hear three voices. One soft, one energetic and one flat, all gave their order.

Thirty minutes, or so later, the bell rang, and Ryota retrieved the hot pizzas. Putting them on the low table, he took out some plates. The tableware and drinks already out, he took a serving.

"So," he began. "What about the others?"

Ken lightly choked on his Meetzaa, downing his water glass he scowled. "Who?"

Ryota put down his Margherita, he neatly wiped his lips, a habit he got from his beloved's scolding, before taking a sip of water. "The other, M.M. and that kid," his voice trailed off. "Fuuta, was it?"

Ken snarled, taking another big bite of his pizza, which earned him a mildly disgusted look from the raven head. "Them?" He stressed with a scoff.

"M.M., that girl, she went back to France as soon as the money wasn't coming in anymore," he ranted. "This girl was only in for the money anyway, I don't understand why Mukuro took her in—"

"Ken."

"What do you want, you Four-Eyed Kappa?" He snarled.

Chikusa sighed, "troublesome." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Don't doubt Mukuro-sama's choice, he had his reasons," he admonished, taking a small bite of his Double Cheese slice.

Ken sneered, turning to face his pizza. "Whatever, Kakipi," he mumbled.

Ryota observed their quarreling in silence, finishing another slice of his Margherita he drank some water. "What about Fuuta?" He asked, feeling oddly concerned for the boy he had only glimpsed at before.

Chikusa sighed, seeing as Ken wouldn't answer he wiped his hands with a clean napkin. "Fuuta is probably staying with the Vongola," he stated, before going back to eating, not leaving any place for other questions.

Mikaël nodded, his golden eyes half-lidded as he stared at his pizza, he hummed. The Vongola?

He shook his head, chasing the thought away. He supposed he could lodge them for a while, as one of Mukuro's "friends."

He mentally sighed, let's hope Claudecchi doesn't ask too many questions.

::

"You're not going straight home, Mika?" Jun asked as he jabbed his thumb their home's way. "'Thought you didn't have club activity today," he mumbled unsure, narrowing his dark eyes behind his blue-rimmed glasses.

Ryota shook his head, taking his phone out to check the time before putting it back in his bag. "Nah, I've got to buy some food. The fridge's almost empty," he said, omitting how he had to feed three freeloaders at the moment.

Junichiro hummed, tilting his head quizzically. "'That so," he mumbled before shaking his head. "You need some help carrying your stuff then?"

Mikaël shook his head. "Nope, I should be alright, thanks. I'll stop by another time," he bade as he turned around, waving his hand.

Jun laughed. "Sure, you'd better. Shiro's been bugging me ever since she last saw you, you homewrecker!"

"Yeah, yeah."

::

Taking his shopping list from out of his bag, Ryota squinted, trying to decipher some of the scribblings on the sheet, as all of the residents had written down their desired items.

Finally understanding its content, he walked to the shopping district. His thoughts preoccupied with the upcoming basketball Inter-High, should he go or not?

Though absentminded as he walked down the crowded streets, he didn't forget to smile to every passing fans or civilian, giving autographs and taking pictures. His body was on auto-mode, long used to this type of behavior.

Waving goodbye to some girls with a grin painted on his face, he suddenly felt his heart squeeze. Something tugged at it, attracting him in one clear direction.

He frowned, grabbing his chest to check if he had any problem as his other hand rubbed his earring mechanically.

The feeling subsided, he shook his head and went back to his shopping list. The next shop was, he paused, cocking his brows. Well, the way he felt the tugging came from.

He shrugged it off. Eyes focused on his list, he failed to notice the familiar groups of second-years which passed by him. And the pair of chestnut eyes which lingered on his figure with some indescribable longing. A strange reddish glint to them for a second.

Ryota shopped around for half an hour, finding and buying what he needed, he scraped out the articles he bought before stuffing the list back in his bag. He walked the crowded streets, careful not to bump into anybody until a loud explosion reverberated not far from him.

He stilled, unsure of what was happening, a frown adorning his confused expression. His face turned to the sound, unconsciously attracted by the unknown perturbation. He saw from the corner of his eyes two students running.

Wasn't that Takeshi?

He pursed his lips slightly, his casual-model facade fading. "W-wait for us!" A voice, slightly high-pitched cried out from behind him, soft pants breaking the phrasing.

Ryota's breathing hitched, he turned to face the voice's owner. His golden eyes widened, momentarily forgetting the cloud of smoke, which rose a few meters away from him. "Fuutacchi?" He whispered in doubt, not noticing how he added a suffix to the boy's name.

Fuuta's course stopped, as his light brown eyes directly stared into Mikaël's golden ones. He blinked, unminding of the teens he previously followed.

Another explosion brought both boys' attention back to the situation. "Wait, I'll go take a look you stay here," Ryota ordered, living his stuff to the boy who mutely nodded at the command. Seeing him so docile, Mikaël broke into a genuine smile. He ruffled the boy's brown locks. "I'll be right back Fuutacchi."

Looking at the teen's departing figure, Fuuta felt a strange sense of accomplishment. His hand unknowingly reached for the spot the green had patted, he smiled. His eyes, full of trust.

He didn't question why the two had acted so familiarly, it had felt so natural. As if it couldn't have been different. His eyes landed on the bags, and he carefully collected them, waiting for Kyoko, I-Pin, and Lambo to catch up to him.

An early chapter, as I won't be able to publish tomorrow.

Dun dun dun, introduction to the Varia arc next chapter (well, more or less).

Thank you for reading, until next time^^