-settling in-

"Sawada" was apparently the name of a mousy brunette florist. Said florist seemed to be caught between both the blonde and raven haired brutes. It also seemed like the mousy brunette didn't mind it in the least. Not that Mukuro really cared all that much. The information was intriguing, though.

"You must be Mukuro," 'Sawada' greeted, smiling far too brightly to be human. "I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi. It's a pleasure to meet you, finally. Alaude... Speaks volumes about you and your brother. He doesn't look it, but he's rather vocal, isn't he?"

Tsunayoshi smiled nervously, realizing that he'd probably said too much. Mukuro arched an eyebrow. So he was supposed to know Alaude, at the very least.

"Sawada." Alaude eyed the brunette disapprovingly. "I shouldn't have to remind you that Rokudo Mukuro lost his memory from falling through the door. Take care with what you disclose."

"Oh! Right, sorry!" Tsuna waved his hands, placating. "Please, Mukuro, disregard what I've said. I, uh. I was just assigned to set up the apartment for you. I hope it's to your liking."

Mukuro waved his hand, chuckling, an eerie fufufu. Tsuna fidgeted nervously. Mukuro would have thought it cute, if not for the nagging reminder that someone, somewhere, meant everything to him. And perhaps Alaude's and Kyoya's glares had been a kind of warning, too.

"I'm sure it'll be just fine, Tsunayoshi." Mukuro looked toward the unimposing apartment, his expression bland.

"It looks much better on the inside, I assure you!" Tsunayoshi floundered, taking Mukuro's expression to be judgmental. Tsuna knew he was no interior designer; he was just a florist. But still, Alaude and Hibari had… Asked him to set up the apartment for a newcomer. Sort of.

More like told him to do it. He did, at least, get some paid compensation for the work. Mukuro offered a smile – a creepy, smirk-y kind of expression.

"I'm sure it does."

Tsuna shivered, sufficiently creeped out. "I'll, uh. Show you inside."

The brunette smiled, regaining his confidence slowly, and led Mukuro inside the building and up a flight of stairs to the unit which he'd prepared for the amnesiac's arrival.

-x-

The apartment was pretty small, fit for one person. The kitchen was boxed in, but the counter behind the sink gave way to a bar-type fixture, which proceeded to open up into the living area. The living area had a coffee table, one two-seater couch, and a matching armchair catty-corner to it. There was also a TV, positioned so that it could be viewed from either couch or armchair. The living area had a door that led to the private balcony. Through the kitchenette was a laundry room. Across from that, back through the kitchen, a door led to the single bedroom. The bedroom had a connected bathroom.

All in all, despite its compact size, it was a versatile, homey space. Mukuro was mildly impressed that Tsuna had done this on his own. Here and there, little touches were added. Sprigs of mayflower were in a glass on the dinette table. Welcome. A cluster of forget-me-nots had invaded the coffee table in the living area. True love. Florist, indeed. The forget-me-nots were accompanied by a card bearing Dino's elegant signature. There was that name again. Who was Dino, and why was he paying Tsunayoshi to leave forget-me-nots in Mukuro's new apartment?

Tsuna's voice cut into Mukuro's thoughts. "It's not much, but… I hope you enjoy your stay with us."

"Us?" Mukuro turned to Tsuna, tilting his head.

"Yeah." The brunette blinked. "Alaude, Hibari-san, and I are on the top floor—"

"All of you? Together?"

"We're in different apartments, though the entire floor is ours." Tsuna pursed his lips, trying to look affronted, but it looked more like a pout to Mukuro. "I was responsible for setting them up here in Castor, too. The bottom floor is my shop, though. And Alaude has turned one of the top floor apartments into a private office. But I'm sure this is all really boring, so…"

Tsuna waved his hand dismissively, smiling. "Forgive me, I tend to ramble. Anyway, there's already some food in the kitchen – I took the liberty of getting regular staples, since I wasn't sure what you liked, and you should be set for at least a week?"

"How kind of you, Tsunayoshi. Did you do this for the other two?" Mukuro smirked at the mousy brunette, amused.

Tsuna practically squawked, his cheeks heating up. "Uh. N-no, actually… Dino-san hadn't told me they were coming, so they… Were stuck in my apartment until everything finally fell into place…"

Mukuro snickered. He didn't know the two skylarks that Tsuna seemed so fond of, but still. That had to have been a trying experience. "You, Tsunayoshi, have the patience of a saint, dealing with those two."

"… You know what they're like?" Tsuna tilted his head. "…Do you remember them?"

"A few minutes with them was enough to gauge their character. No, I don't remember." Mukuro shook his head. "Thank you, by the way. For the apartment."

"Oh, it's no trouble, really. It's just us here – you, me, Alaude, and Hibari-san." Tsuna smiled. "We're… Slowly but surely fixing the building. The second floor is in the worst condition, but we're on the third right now, and the fourth is where I am, with the other two."

Ah, so the building was a fixer-upper. That would explain why Tsuna hadn't asked for any money and was able to afford the place. And why no one else was here.

"Oh!" Tsuna practically jumped, almost startled. "That reminds me, the phone is hooked up, and there's already a series of numbers with places within walking distance that are hiring. The paper with the numbers, businesses, and job descriptions is on fridge. Rent is cheap, but still, a job is kind of necessary."

"Ah? Thank you." Mukuro arched an eyebrow. The brunette was pretty efficient.

"Anyway, I'll go now." Tsuna headed for the door. "I hope you enjoy it here – in Castor, I mean. It's sort of a one-way trip. And I'm sure Dino-san will join you soon."

Mukuro sighed at the familiar pang of something lost at the sound of Dino's name. This was frustrating – who was Dino and why was his name so familiar? "Tsunayoshi."

The brunette paused at the door, turning at the sound of his name, "Yes?"

"… Who is Dino?"

"I'm sorry, Mukuro, I'm not allowed to say." Tsuna smiled apologetically, opening the door. "I'm in unit 405, if you need anything – Alaude is in 408 and Hibari-san is in 401, if you need them for something. Oh, and it does get a little spooky here at night. I suggest getting a pet."

Mukuro rolled his eyes and chuckled, storing the information away. He watched as Tsuna disappeared from apartment 309.

A/N:

Well, here we go! We're headed off to a good start, I think! Apologies for the length, it is a bit shorter than the last two.

As always, thank you for your support~. It means the world to me.