In the warm light of a fading summer sunset, Riza tucked her brother's children into bed. She'd agreed to watch them while Tsuna was vacationing with his wife and Bianchi had stolen Reborn away for the weekend. It was the one time of year both of them could be happy and care-free, so she was more than happy to spend the time with her nieces and nephew.

While she was tucking tiny Giotto into his crib, Yoko came to the door in her nightgown, having just gotten out of the shower, "Aunt Riza-san? Can I ask you something?"

"I don't see why not." She replied, turning to her oldest niece. The girl's calm orange eyes were surprisingly uncertain, since she was so level headed and hardly got excited over anything; an almost complete contrast to her father when he was that age.

Taking the girl back to her room and sitting on the edge of the bed, Riza asked, "Now, what is it you wanted to know?"
"Well, you know how you told me about how Mom and Dad fell in love? What about you and Uncle Mukuro?" Yoko said hesitating only for a moment or two. When the girl wanted something, she had very few doubts about it. Riza herself faltered, then smiled warmly, the same open smile that seem to run in the Sawada family. "I first met him when he became the Mist Guardian for the family. We had a wild love affair for a while, but I'm not sure when he really started loving me."

Yoko shook her head, sitting up to face her aunt at the foot of the bed. "That's not what I meant," She pleaded, "When did you first fall in love? Both of you?" Riza nodded, her eyes going glassy as she remembered the occasion. "I suppose," She started, "It was when he came to get me."

Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter

The adrenaline coursing through my veins was almost as addicting as his kiss. Singing like this, loud and free, gave me the rush I had come to crave with Mukuro. But it always paled in comparison to the feel of his indigo flames on my skin during those moments of passion we'd shared. He'd always refused to go the whole way with me, and that might have been one of the main reasons I'd left.

Back then he'd inhabited a surrogate body because he was imprisoned with the Vindicare. That strained our relationship a lot. I'd started to doubt him in the long times we were apart, until finally, I ran away. I left the family, changed my name to Simone, and cut my hair short.

Yoko gasped, looking at the long messy red-gold curls that fell from her aunt's head. "No." She whispered. Riza only smiled, some days she didn't believe it either, and continued her story.

"I left Tsuna a note saying I didn't want to be a burden to him or any of the Guardians. But as usual, he didn't believe me. The Vongola Intuition has always been so strong in your father. He would send out whoever could be spared to look for me, but I'd left Japan. It took me a while, but I ended up at a high end nightclub in Rome, singing for a living.

I still remember that night, like no other. It was late and I was ending my set while the jazz band set up behind the curtains. I sang my heart out every night because it gave me the same jolt that being around Mukuro did. The stage lights were bright enough that I didn't see him come in. But the moment I stepped off stage, I knew it. He makes a room about ten degrees colder every time he comes in, and the club was never cold.

"I felt jilted I guess, because as much as I craved him, I wanted no part of him. I slid up the stairs to my small loft on the top floor, trying to evade him. But you know your Uncle; he'll never be denied. Mukuro followed me and caught me before I got to my door.

"Simone?" He whispered into my ear, making me shiver even as he wrapped his strong arms around my waist. I half melted into him, but then my heart closed up again as I remembered I thought he didn't love me. I broke free of his grasp, acknowledging him with an icy, "Hello Asshole." And I tried to keep going. He was amused that I resisted him, when before I was so compliant. He stayed after me, taking one wrist firmly in hand, "Now now, my pet, you're so cold to me now."

"That purr might have been my final straw. I spun on one dark heel, he knew me well enough to duck as I tried to slap him. Instead, I jerked away again and opened my door, fully intent on shutting it in his face."

Yoko leaned forward, upset now. "But I thought you loved him? Why were you so mean to him?" She asked, her lower lip quivering with anticipation. She was more like her father than she realized. "Yes, I loved him, and I still do. But back then, I'd had so much time away from him that I hated him for making me love him." Riza told her small niece, leaning back against the foot board.

"Mukuro was far too quick for me. After all, he was a fighter and I had been away from the mafia lifestyle for years. He slipped in before the latch had clicked home and grabbed me again, this time by both wrists in a tight hold. He slammed me against the wall and kissed me hungrily, enjoying it far more than he had in the past. Trying to resist him was like being a heroine addict that quit cold turkey. My body ached for him but my brain told me he wasn't good for me.

"I knew he was enjoying this immensely and I felt somewhat betrayed when I started kissing back. He loved fighting me for dominance, and if I didn't want it, all the better. He broke the kiss, drawing a dissatisfied moan from me. "Your brother doesn't believe you're the only reason I broke out of prison." He whispered huskily in my ear. I couldn't see his face, but from the wetness on my uncover shoulder, I could tell he was sweating. Although, it might have been me, but I doubted it. Stage lights never made me sweat and they were stifling.

His next words threw me. "Please come back with me? I have no other reason to keep this world alive." I was glad he held my arms because my knees buckled and I went very pale. "Mukuro-kun."

Riza paused, blushing from the memory. Her niece was enthralled by the story. "Don't stop now! What next! You did go back with him right?" Her voice went up several octaves and came close to a scream. Riza nodded slowly. "I did. But you don't need to know how that night ended. Let's just say that your cousin Dimitri was born about nine months after."

Dimitri was Riza's oldest child at seventeen and was physically like his father, though their disposition couldn't be more different. He was far more open and genuinely kind for one thing. Their daughter Magdeli was another story entirely...

Standing up and yawning a little, Riza looked at the alarm clock and tsked, "Now go to sleep. Tsuna will be horrified if your a living zombie when he gets home." The pre-teen grumbled but laid down, going to sleep within minutes. She would repeat the story, almost word-for-word, to her twin in the morning.

Back in the guest room, Riza slipped on her own nightgown and started to brush out her hair. Her husband materialized from the shadows and enfolded her in his arms, nuzzling the crook of her neck. "Giving away out secrets?" He purred nibbling on her earlobe. Riza groaned quietly, "She asked. Why deny the whims of a child?" She would never admit it, but she found him just as addicting as the day he'd come to whisk her back to Japan.

He didn't awnser, tearing the gown off her and dragging his precious prize over to the four poster bed. If either of their neices heard the muffled screams from their rooms that night, they didn't mention it to anyone.

This is sort of a sequel to Family Shots. I had the scene in my head for so long and the other one-shot is so popular I decided, 'What the hell? Why not?' And this is how it came read and review honestly. Flames are taken to heart and the other readers will find you and bite you to death if I stop writing these little drabbles. (Yume: Seriously, they are vicious little monsters!)

Disclaimer:I do not own KHR. It would be a lot more yaoi if I did, though a lot less creative. Instead, I am content to own these small drabbles and the strange family I seem to have created for Tsuna, which you people seem to love. And for all of you who enjoyed watch Yoko run Reborn's obstacle course, you are very sick, twisted little bastards! (Yume: Like KMT-baka) .'' You are so dead.