For several months now, Fran had been living with Mukuro. He still missed his family, but it was much easier to cope with someone who loved him so very much looking after him.

The boy had been curled up in his bed, sleeping peacefully beneath his lump of blankets. His frog teddy was tucked tightly in his arms, and he had been dreaming of eating a whole bowl of sweets he had stolen from Bel. He mumbled something in his sleep before his eyes cracked open, his rest disturbed by the hallway light coming on and footsteps moving towards his room.

"Master...?" Fran sat up in his bed, frowning as he lifted a hand to rub at his eyes. He didn't move, wondering what was going on; the alarm clock on the bedside table beside him flashed three-thirty-three, so why would anyone be awake at this hour?

No one replied to the boy, so Fran climbed out of the bed and left the room, looking down the hallway. He was just in time to see a shadow disappear into the living room, so he followed it.

"Master...?" Fran poked his head into the living room, trying to figure out where the man had gone. He could hear someone talking, but the voice sounded far too distressed to be Mukuro's. "Master, is that you?"

Fran was relieved when aforementioned man came out of the kitchen, a laptop under one arm while he held a phone to his ear. He followed the older male over to the couch, sitting down on it when his guardian did. He wasn't sure who Mukuro was talking to, but he could make something out about money costs.

Teal eyes watched as the laptop was turned on and an internet page was eventually brought up. He didn't know why the first thing Mukuro looked at was a website belonging to the closest airport – he especially didn't comprehend why someone would get up at three-thirty to look at flights going overseas.

"I can't afford these, I'm sorry."

Fran looked up as Mukuro spoke into the phone again, not understanding what was going on. He could hear the buzz of someone on the other end of the line replying, and then Mukuro spoke again.

"Let me talk to Belphegor. I'll call you back."

"Master, what's going on?" Fran didn't understand why Mukuro looked so distressed.

"Family emergency," the man explained as he hit the dial button with Bel's number on the screen.

Fran stayed silent as Mukuro waited for Bel to answer. He looked at his lap, pulling at the hem of his light green pyjama top.

"Belphegor, I'm sorry for calling at this hour..." Mukuro sighed as his friend shouted something incomprehensible at him before he explained. "Something's going on with Nagi, and... I can't afford to pay for my own ticket up there... May I borrow some money from you? I'll pay you back as soon as I can."

On the other end of the line, Bel muttered. "...How much?"

"Two-thousand for a return trip... I know that's asking a lot, but –"

Bel snorted, cutting his friend off. "What, you think I've got that kind of money to just pull out of my ass whenever I want it? I don't even have a job, Mukuro."

Mukuro fell silent. He lifted a hand to his mouth, biting at his nails, not knowing what to do – Bel had been his only hope of getting over to Japan, so now what was he supposed to do?

"You could go whore yourself out or somethin' – you're worth a few euros." When Mukuro didn't reply, Bel knew the younger hadn't appreciated his joke at all. "...I could ask Squalo for the money if you want."

"Could you?" Mukuro was near pleading with his friend, just wanting the last of his family to be okay. "Tell him I'll pay him back as soon as I can."

"Give me a few minutes to talk to him." With that said, Bel ended the call.

"Master, are you okay?" Fran shivered from the cold night air, moving closer to his guardian.

Mukuro nodded. "I am; my sister needs me, and I'm having trouble getting the money together to fly out and check on her."

Fran frowned. "...We can sell my things, Master; will that help?"

"No, we don't need to sell your belongings, little one." Mukuro offered a gentle smile to the boy. "Hopefully Bel will be able to help me out."

"Bel-senpai said Master is poor." Fran tilted his head, his eyes shining with concern. "Is that true?"

Mukuro's expression became strained at this question, but he tried his hardest to soothe his charge. "I may not have a lot of money, but the important thing is that once I finish my university course and hopefully get into my desired profession, we'll have lots of money then."

Fran nestled against the older male as a strong arm wrapped around him. It was silent between them for a few more minutes before the man's phone started ringing again, Bel's name coming up on the screen.

"He said he'll pay for it, but he wants you to come around so he knows he's booking the right flight." Bel yawned before he continued talking. "I had to go around there anyway and get chocolate milk from them, so I'll see you there."

"Thank you, Belphegor." Mukuro ended the call. He slipped the laptop onto the coffee table in front of them, looking down at Fran. "Go put a jumper on; we have to go for a drive."

Fran nodded. He jumped off the couch and disappeared into his bedroom, returning a minute later with a baggy black sweater on his body. He was lifted into the air by Mukuro, the man carrying him out of the house and into the car. He wasn't entirely sure of where they were going, but he didn't complain; he was too busy trying to keep his eyes open.

~~XX~~

Bel sat on the couch in the living room of his foster parents' home. Fran was in his lap, the boy fast asleep. Mukuro was standing by the desktop computer tucked away in the corner, the long-haired man named Squalo putting his credit card details into the system so that Mukuro had a ticket for the next flight up to the Japan.

"Thank you so much, Squalo." Mukuro would forever be grateful towards the man for helping him out – though Squalo and his partner were rough around the edges, they both cared for their foster child deeply and had quickly accepted Mukuro as Belphegor's best friend many years back. "I'll pay you back as soon as I have the money; I promise."

"Don't worry about it." Squalo pulled away from the keyboard as he rubbed at his eyes; he had had a late night as it was, and he was exhausted. "You don't need to pay us back; we can manage without the money."

Mukuro knew it was true; owning their own company, Squalo's family had more money than they knew what to do with – enough to pay off Bel's university costs, the blond's living arrangements and giving said blond enough money to live on each week. This would be nothing more than loose change in their pockets, honestly.

"You're not taking the brat with you?" Squalo confirmed as he double checked the details he had put in.

Mukuro shook his head. "I have no choice; I'll be too busy with Nagi to look after him. He's just a kid – he doesn't need to be dragged around a foreign country..."

Bel grinned at these words, patting teal hair. A sly look crossed his face before he spoke up, in a loud, confident voice. "Froggy can stay with me, Mukuro~ I'll look after him~"

Mukuro hated saying no to his friend, but he knew Belphegor really wasn't the best babysitter around – Bel had never hurt the boy during the hours he had put in to looking after Fran for Mukuro, but the blue-haired man didn't know how long he'd be away for, and Fran was a handful; he'd drive Bel crazy eventually.

"Actually, I was hoping Squalo could look after him as he has experience with kids, Belphegor..." Mukuro sent the older man a hopeless look, hoping Squalo would understand – it was nothing against Bel, but Fran required patience and understanding. "Will that be too much to ask for, Squalo?"

"I would, but Xanxus and I have quite a few business meetings outside of town." Squalo's dark eyes held an apologetic look in them. "I'm sure Bel can handle it; he's smart enough to work it out."

Mukuro wanted to disagree, explain that he didn't feel comfortable leaving his precious boy in the hands of someone who didn't know what he was doing, but he knew Bel would be hurt by his friend's lack of trust in him otherwise.

"...Yeah, I guess he is..." Mukuro looked uncomfortable as he approached Bel and Fran. He patted teal hair before he spoke to his friend, "You know the rules..."

Bel rolled obscured eyes. "Yeah, yeah; basically I'm not allowed to be horny and have to keep my house clean."

"If you have to watch porn, wait until he's sleeping, and be quiet." Mukuro knew he had to be stern with the older male – he didn't want Fran's innocence tainted because kids were very impressionable, and if there was one thing he'd learn from Bel, it was how to be a slut and want to fuck everything in sight. "And for God's sake, no whores – even if he's sleeping."

"I got it." Bel shrugged. "I hear it often enough. Shit, Mukuro, you act as if I can't look after a kid."

Mukuro didn't want to admit that that was exactly how he felt about Bel. He instead shook his head, getting back up to leave. "I'm going to go home and pack a bag. Can you take him home now so that he can go back to bed? You can get clothes and other things tomorrow."

"Okay."

The two friends said their goodbyes, Bel hugging Fran tightly to him. He was barely aware of Squalo asking him if he still wanted the chocolate milk, just glad that he had finally gotten a chance to have Fran all to himself and finally, finally try and coax the younger into things.