Author Notes:

Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!

I finally finish chapter four!

I effing did it!

Miracles man! It's all miracles!

Thank you all for reviewing! I would like everyone to know that the plot will be appearing in small doses in this chapter! This was a bit harder for me to write since I'm transitioning from inductions to the actually story, but I think I did an okay job where that was concerned…. Oh man, I need a cookie.

Special Thanks Caramel Cappuccino, for emergency BETA-ing!!

Tsuna had been gone for a few hours now.

Seeing as they wouldn't be bathing together, Mukuro took that shower he promised himself. At least he was able to change out of that stuffy suit and into a simple black cotton tee and green pinstripe pajama pants.

The rest of the time was spent playing with the kids and otherwise wearing out the boys.

After many games of tag, hide and seek, and "Simon says" the kids fell victim to the sandman's will. One by one the children fell asleep leaving Mukuro to lounge about on the carpeted floor.

Kazuya had fallen asleep a while ago. His wild blonde hair hung down the edge of the mattress due to the odd angle he was positioned. Yoru was sleeping beside his cousin, small hands balled into fists while Yuuri, the last to fall out, took to sleeping with his head on his father's lap, sucking his thumb in his sleep.

Stroking his son's soft brown hair, the raven haired male leaned his head back. His boys looked so much like their mother. Even his little Yoru, who resembled him the most out of the two, had not only inherited Tsunayoshi's honey-brown eyes but also his facial expressions.

Tsunayoshi…

Which reminded him… He, Rokudo Mukuro, fucked up big time.

Yes, that's right.
He fucked up.
He fucked up and he knew he it.

There his wife was, standing their doorway about to leave.

He knew that Tsuna was well aware of his screwing around today. He knew that his wife was angry and would have left tonight, regardless of what he said. Those were all givens. Those were things that he could not have been changed. It wasn't uncontrollable that bothered him so much as what he could have controlled that made him want to ram his head into a steel pole. He may have not been able to make Tsunayoshi stay but he could have made it so that Tsuna would be willing to come back at all.

Even if that son of a bitch Gokudera hadn't called, Tsuna would have made up some excuse to leave.

Damn, Mukuro couldn't stand that little bastard and he was more than aware that the feeling was mutual. Gokudera hated him with a red hot passion and made it painfully evident.

The glares. The constant insults - both indirect and direct.

The silver haired bastard was infuriating and it was all he could do not to drown the bastard in the pond out back. The only good trait the other man had was that he was good to the twins and he even drove him up a wall where they were concerned.

Just a few days ago, Gokudera pick up the boys from school without his permission. It was Mukuro's turn to pick them out from school, and the bastard had only bothered to call Tsunayoshi in regards to arrangement… after he picked them up.

Mukuro had thought his boys been kidnapped!

Mukuro would have strangled the principal hadn't Tsunayoshi calmed him down, explaining what happened. Hayato returned them in time for dinner but the damage was already done. The principal made it very clear that Mukuro would only be allowed in the building if, and only if, Tsunayoshi was present

…When he thought about it, the brunet was the only person who ever had that effect on him. Tsuna was the only person who could really calm him down… the only one.

The ravenet couldn't explain it. For some reason or another, Tsuna put him at ease. The boy was able to keep him grounded. Focused. Around Tsuna, he could think clearly. He had noticed how easy it was to breathe and speak knowing Tsuna was with him.

But…

When those soft fingertips brushed his wrist.
When those full lips gently caressed his cheek.
When those warm honey hued eyes gazed up at his own.

"I love you, Mukuro."

Mukuro froze.

He could kiss him.
He could hold him.
He could have sex with him

However, when his wife showed him any type of affection, he couldn't… didn't know how to respond. He just couldn't figure out what to do, how to react… How could he respond to that?

Mukuro had changed.

Seven years ago the lawyer wouldn't think anything of this sort of thing. He's been with so many people over the course of his life. Tsuna had not been the first to touch and caress him. And Tsuna was definitely not the only person to say they loved him. On the contrary, he had heard the that four letter word quite often and for every time he had, Mukuro had sneered. Mukuro had been well acquainted with the art of bullshitting before he even earned his law degree. He knew how empty their words were. He could read their ulterior motives, how shallow they were.

People in general are selfish and cruel.
He would know.
He is the same way.

Mukuro had truly believed that before he met Tsuna, before his children were brought into the world. He had changed so much over the time that he had known Tsuna.

What was he suppose to say to someone who could speak those words with such sincerity, knowing he had been… It just made him feel so - Mukuro just couldn't quite describe the feeling. All he knew was that responding to Tsunayoshi felt almost… wro-.

Thud-dum! Crash!

"What the fuck was that?"

The man winced before looking down at the six year old in his lap. Lucky the boy was still asleep. Which meant he wouldn't be paying four bucks in the swear jar - one for each letter in the curse. He found it quite bothersome that the boys had a very large and steady allowance. Just like his mother, Yuuri could sleep through pretty much anything. But Yoru on the other hand… Mukuro thought.

A small whimper escaped the black-haired child as another loud thud was heard.

… will definitely wake up if this damn banging continues.

Scoping his son carefully into his arms, he laid the child on the mattress next to his brother, placing a soft kiss on both his boys' foreheads as he tucked them in. He looked over the at Kazuya who was still had in his head craned in that odd position. After a minute of contemplation he decided to adjust the boy so that he was in a semi-normal position. He still looked ridiculous, but at least his neck wouldn't be stuck in a ninety-degree angle in the morning…

I wonder which one of his parents sleep like that…

The thought of Kyouya practicing karate on his brother-in-law in sleep would have been a funny thought to entertain had it not been for a another loud thud coming from outside.

Apparently, it was coming from next door.

Mukuro took his set of house keys, throwing on a robe and a pair of sneakers, he exited the house, locking the door before looking for the source of that damn banging. It was too late for this crap. The pissed off father of two made his way down the walkway where he discovered a moving truck in front of the house next door.

Again, he heard another loud thud along with something akin to cursing. Of course, Mukuro found a couple of things wrong with this picture.

First of all, that truck wasn't there when Tsuna left earlier.

Secondly, he was pretty well informed in new relating to his neighborhood. The former owner of the house, Haru Miura, considered Mukuro and herself "friends". Of course he denied any allegations of being anything but a hesitant acquaintance of the little psycho. She was better known as Tsuna's little stalker anyway, often sending he and the twins ridiculous (not to mention hideous) clothes she made herself.

When she decided to move last month, the wannabe-fashion-designer asked him for legal advise regarding the selling of the property. Mukuro would have charged her for the advise had he not been so overjoyed with her moving the hell out. Tsuna was becoming frightened of her, and that took a lot considering he was friends with a pyromaniac and a man next door who smiled more than your average homicidal manic.

Plus, her needless updates on the status of the house had made it so he could "influence" her choice of who she sold the house to. After all, I would be quite annoying if someone equally as crazy as her moved next door…All though he doubted there was anyone as insane as her.

Thud-Thud!

…Then again who, in six paths of hell, moves in the middle night?

He just wanted them to shut the hell up before the kids woke up.

Making his way to the back of the truck he discovered the source of the ruckus - not that he had to look very far. The cause of the noise: a scrawny redheaded man with glass struggling unsuccessfully with a rather large, pristine white couch. He was so immersed with the task of giving himself a hernia that he didn't even notice the man standing to his side.

Mukuro cleared his throat curtly, effectively drawing the other man's attention away from his futile attempts to move the bulky piece of furniture - as well as startle the guy.

"Ack!" The redhead yelped pathetically. Mukuro just rolled his eyes, thinking about what a long night this was probably going to be. The man looked up toward Mukuro before he gave a sigh of relief, smiling. "Oh…Sorry about that. For a second, I thought I was going to get mugged or something."

Mukuro quirked an eyebrow at the other man.

"In this neighborhood? There are three officers living in the area. Frankly, you have a better chance of snow in hell. Would you care to tell me why are you unpacking your truck at ten," the raven haired male checked his watch. "I amend that, eleven 'o' clock? My six-year-olds are trying to sleep right now."

"I'm so, so sorry! I've been trying to keep it down, really, it's just that my boss called me - well he's not exactly my boss - he wants the furniture unloaded from this truck tonight and-!" The poor bespectacled tried to explain, breaking off into a stammer.

Mukuro was becoming annoyed with the man's unnecessary blabbering, but overall their wasn't about him. The nervous man in question wore sweat pants and wrinkled but clean t-shirt with sneakers making it clear that he had been intent on sleeping himself before he supposedly received the call.

His boss must be one evil son of a bitch to leave one person to do a job like this by himself.

…Not that Mukuro was an better.

While the redhead was still trying to complete his sentence, he grabbed the other end of the couch. The other man was so surprised by the gesture he almost dropped his end of the couch. "It's all going to the white house, through the front door, right?" Mukuro confirmed shortly.

"Huh? Oh… that's right." The ginger replied, still dumbfounded by his willingness to help.

Once the couch was in the small man dusted off his hands before offering one to Mukuro, "Thank you so much. I really owe one. My name is Irie Shoichi."

Ravenet looked at the hand extended to him for a minute before shrugging his shoulders, taking his hand and giving it a firm shake. "Rokudo Mukuro. "

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Mr. Rokudo… Please don't take this the wrong way - I don't want to seem ungrateful, but I could use a bit more help if it's not too much trouble. Do you think maybe you could spare some of your time?" Clasped both his hands together, his eyes pleading for assistance.

"Sigh. I suppose I could help. I have nothing better to do… providing you can do something for me."

"Uh…"

Shoichi wasn't exactly in a position to barter and given the fact that he was the one requesting help. And besides, there wasn't a man alive who was more of a creeper than his boss. In the end, Irie gave a nod in a agreement. Between the two of them, unloading the truck was a breeze - this time, with significantly less banging.

After about two hours or so, Mukuro carried in the last box while Irie offered one of two water bottles from the duffle bag that, Irie explained, he brought in case he was forced to pull an all-nighter. Placing the box on the floor in the living room, he graciously accepted the bottle before plopping himself on the plush white carpet. Irie sat across from him, where he began arranging the low bookcase.

This definitely took care of his bout of insomnia…

"Thank you so much, Rokudo-san! I really wouldn't been able to this without you're help."

The ravenet winced at the honorific, as he took a drink from the bottle, waving his free hand.

"Please- just Mukuro is fine." he amended. After moment of relaxation and a few sips later Mukuro spoke again. "About that favor…" The ravenet started. "…

Irie's smile wilted a bit. Pushing his glasses up he responded a bit nervously. "Oh, yes… What exactly did you want."

Okay…Mukuro hoped the man didn't think he was interested in him. This guy was the far from his type anyway. "Kufufu, I just want to know a little bit about my new neighbor - your boss was it?"

"Oh! Well like I said before, he isn't my actual boss. I'm an editor for Millefiore publishing but I'm 'assisting' his writing process…"

"Oh, so he's an author?" Mukuro inquired.

"Well, not exactly… that's a bit if a long story." The other laughed nervously.

…

By the end of the night, Mukuro had wished that Haru was still living next door.

P.S.:

THANK YOU ALL WHO REVIEWED!

I will be messaging you responses from now on, seeing as my responses to you are longer that the story… (Plus the file with responses it acting screwy...) I love you guys!

~~OzOh!