Chapter edited on 17th April, 2016.
Yamamoto wasn't usually one to wander the streets alone at night, but after being invited around to Mukuro's home, he was having a little trouble finding the right house. The older male had told him that he had a few things he wanted to give to Yamamoto to help him out, and so he had accepted the invitation, curious about what the other had in mind. Along the way he had been texting Tsuna, and he was relieved to hear that the brunet agreed with Mukuro's philosophy of not caring, and he decided he would try to be more open about his orientation – but first, only around the people he trusted until he became more confident.
When at last Yamamoto found the house, he walked up the footpath and knocked on the door. It was opened almost immediately, and a purple-haired woman who greatly resembled appeared in the doorway.
The woman smiled as she greeted Yamamoto. "Hello. I'm Satu. You must be Mukuro-kun's friend?"
"Yes, but…" Yamamoto rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, "…you look an awful lot like his friend!"
"Oh, he didn't tell you?" Satu let out a small laugh. "I'm Chrome's mother, yes, but I'm Mukuro-kun's foster parent, too."
Yamamoto let out a sigh of relief. "Here I was beginning to think I had been texting Chrome all this time."
"Please, come inside." Satu stepped to the side to allow the teenager entrance. "Mukuro-kun is up in his room with Bel-kun. It's the first door to the left upstairs."
"Ah, thank you." Yamamoto followed the directions he had been given and climbed the stairs. It didn't take long for him to stop at Mukuro's bedroom door, and though it was closed, he could still hear two people talking inside. He wasn't one to eavesdrop, so he knocked politely and waited for someone to answer.
The Namimori Middle student could hear someone walking to the door, and within seconds, it had been opened and he was staring face-to-face with Mukuro.
"Glad you could come." Mukuro gestured for the younger to come inside, and once Yamamoto had, he closed the door again. "As I said, I have things for you."
"Thank you, Mukuro." As Yamamoto looked around the room, the first thing he noticed was the blond boy sitting on Mukuro's bed in the most awkward position he had ever seen. The boy's head was hanging off the bed as his back lay sprawled across the mattress, with his legs in an upright position against the wall. From the smile on the boy's face, it seemed the blond was quite content.
"Are you Bel?" Yamamoto asked. He smiled when the other nodded. "I'm Yamamoto. It's nice to meet you."
The blond let out a strange laugh. "Ushishishi~ You came at a good time, peasant; Mukuro was going to let me make out with him, but I wouldn't mind making out with you, either~"
"Just ignore him; he wants to get a bite out of you," Mukuro said as he walked past Yamamoto and grabbed the plastic bag that was sitting by his desk. "These are for you. I will tell you about them when the annoyance is gone."
"The prince isn't an annoyance," the blond spoke calmly, almost as if he was amused. "What's annoying is that little brat that sticks to me like glue."
Mukuro ignored this and instead gestured for Yamamoto to sit down. The dark-haired male took a seat on the floor while the blue-haired teenager sat at his desk. "I must apologise; Belphegor found out. He overheard Fran telling Satu about our conversation."
Bel laughed as he noticed the look of discomfort on Yamamoto's face. "Ushishishi~ Is the peasant embarrassed? No need to be; I won't judge you if you'll have sex with me~"
"Be quiet, you." Mukuro turned his attention back onto Yamamoto. "I also apologise for this nuisance. He is bi-curious, and stealing dirty magazines out of his adoptive parents' room is no longer satisfying enough for him."
Yamamoto couldn't help but laugh at this, feeling a little more at ease; if Mukuro was comfortable with himself, and Bel was unashamed in wanting to experiment, then there really was no reason for him to feel awkward about himself.
"Have either of you had a boyfriend before?" Yamamoto was fully relaxed now, and he didn't even mind when Bel left the bed so lay on the floor next to him and rest his head in the younger's lap.
"I have not." Mukuro's playful smile never faltered; he was in no hurry to get a partner and being single didn't bother him.
"Shishi~" Bel rolled around a little in excitement at the question. "I've only gotten curious recently, so nope~ But I had a girlfriend when I was in Italy~ We only got far enough for me to put my hand in her pants before we had to move~ Ne, I hate not having anyone to play with~"
Yamamoto didn't mind the blond telling him things like that; he would never interrupt someone in the middle of a story as he always enjoyed hearing about what made people happy. It was Mukuro who wrinkled his nose up in disgust.
"Belphegor, I do not wish to hear about your… teenage adventures."
"Ushishi~ You would if I had had a boyfriend instead~"
The Namimori Middle student smiled as he ran his fingers through soft golden locks. "How long were you with her for, Bel?"
"Eh? Only a week. Then Squ-Squ told me we couldn't stay in Italy anymore and we had to leave." Bel's bottom lip stuck out in a pout now. "I haven't had a girlfriend since, and it's lonely with only my hand!"
Mukuro seemed much more interested in what the blond had to say now, but before anyone else could say something, there was a knock on the bedroom door and Chrome's soft voice floated through the hardwood.
"Mukuro-sama… Dinner is ready…"
"Ah, thank you, dear Chrome; we will be down in a few moments." Mukuro's eyes wandered over Bel's body for a few seconds before he stood up. "I guess we can expect you at the dinner table again, Belphegor?"
"Ushishishi~ Of course." Bel was the first to leave the room, in a hurry to get downstairs for the food he knew he had been promised; with an appetite as huge as his, his adoptive parent was constantly questioning where it all went as he was always so thin.
"So what's in the bag?" Yamamoto asked once they were alone and walking slowly towards the dining room.
"Some old magazines of mine." Mukuro chuckled when he saw the confused expression on Yamamoto's face. "Kufufufu~ No, not like that. Satu bought them for me when I first came out. They have some good tips in all aspects, including how to cope and tell other people."
"Oh, really? Thank you, Mukuro." Yamamoto smiled, already feeling as if he was being supported; he was so thankful he had taken the chance to talk to the blue-haired male because he knew no one else would have been able to help him as well as the older male was.
He's such a nice guy once you get to know him, the younger male thought to himself. Shame he doesn't have many friends. I think he has trouble trusting people, kind of like Gokudera…
When they entered the dining room, Yamamoto found everyone else already seated and waiting for them – all except Bel, who was already eating like a person starved of all edible resources for a week.
"Yamamoto, dear," Satu said as she gestured to the brunet man sitting beside her, "this is Chrome's step-father, Genjo."
"Oh, hello." Yamamoto smiled at the man, only to receive a grunt in response. His smile faltered for a few seconds before he caught Chrome's eye and saw the glint of understanding in it; was it always like that with the man?
Deciding he would try not to think about it too much, Yamamoto took a seat in between Mukuro and Bel and looked at the meal he had been served. His mouth almost watered as he took in the kare raisu waiting for him; it looked so good, and he couldn't wait to try it.
Yamamoto picked up his chopsticks and prepared himself to dig in, but before he could do so, he noticed the sound of metal hitting the plate from his right. He looked over at Bel and noticed the blond was using a spoon to violently stab at his food before scooping it up and swallowing it in one fell swoop.
"Why aren't you using chopsticks?" Yamamoto questioned. He searched for the other's eyes hidden beneath long bangs, but he couldn't find them.
Bel growled as he hunched over his food and put an arm around it, almost as if he was prepared to defend it from anyone who was thinking of stealing it. "Mine," he growled out, taking another bite while staring at the younger as if to emphasise the fact.
Yamamoto raised his hands defensively as he smiled. "Maa. Maa~ I'm not about to steal it from you."
Bel only hunched further over his meal, so Yamamoto let it go; they were both hungry, and he could talk to the blond later. He took one bite of his dinner and found himself greatly enjoying it, but as soon as his gaze left the plate to compliment Satu's cooking, a spoon came out of nowhere and stole some of his rice. "Oi!"
Yamamoto turned to Bel and scolded the older male for stealing some of his food, but all it had accomplished was for the blond to take even more. The teen stood up and took his plate and chopsticks to Mukuro's other side and asked, "Can I sit here? Bel is confused and thinks my food is his."
"Kufufufu~" Mukuro slid across so that Yamamoto could sit between him and Fran.
Those magazines had better be worth that… This food is too good to be stolen from me.
~~Later that night~~
The blue-haired teenager had invited Yamamoto to stay for the night, so here they were, sitting out in the living room with Chrome as they watched Bel and Fran verse each other on one of their gaming consoles.
"Is it…"
Mukuro and Yamamoto turned their attention to Chrome after hearing her small, uncertain voice.
"…Is it true you…" Chrome blushed before finishing, "…l-like Gokudera-san…?"
Yamamoto blinked before nodding. "Did you hear that from Fran, too?"
"H-he doesn't understand…" Chrome, despite her fragile appearance, could be quite feisty when she needed to be. Her protectiveness over her two foster-brothers only proved this. "He's young, and he…"
"It's alright, Chrome," Mukuro said softly. "He understands and he isn't mad about it."
Chrome smiled shyly, bowing her head in an apologetic manner. Yamamoto just laughed cheerfully and said it was okay as their attention turned back to the TV.
Yamamoto, at this moment, was just realising he knew next to nothing and Mukuro and his family. He turned to Chrome and asked gently, aware that it could be a sensitive subject, "Did something happen to your eye, Chrome?"
"C-car accident…" Chrome mumbled as she twiddled her hands nervously. "I tried to s-save a cat but got hit by a car…"
Yamamoto put his hand on Chrome's shoulder in understanding. "It's okay. I'm sorry I asked."
Chrome smiled nervously back. She looked down when a small weight pulled itself onto her lap and put her arms around Fran who was now nestled against her with heavy eyelids.
"I'm tired…" Fran mumbled.
"Let's get you to bed, then." Chrome was gentle as she stood up and pulled the child into her arms. "Goodnight, Mukuro-sama. Goodnight, Y-yamamoto-san… B-bel-san…"
Yamamoto and Mukuro bid their goodnights while Bel just leaned back on his elbows and tilted his head to look upside down at them.
"The prince should go home before Squalo has another man-period." The blond sighed, almost as if he were reluctant to leave. If Mukuro was right about Bel being lonely, he probably was reluctant to go back home.
"Goodnight, Belphegor."
Bel said nothing as he showed himself out, leaving Yamamoto and Mukuro alone together. Mukuro let out a yawn. "I should go to bed myself. I will get you a blanket and pillow."
Yamamoto waited patiently on the couch for his friend's return and, once he was given the items, made his bed up on the couch. Mukuro said goodnight and made it halfway out of the living room before he stopped and turned to Yamamoto with a curious expression.
"By the way, you should invite Gokudera over for dinner. Did you notice how it's easier to relax and let people in?"
Yamamoto blinked, never having thought of the idea before. "Thank you, Mukuro. I'll try and do that."
"Goodnight."
With that said, Yamamoto was left to his own thoughts, deciding he definitely had to invite Tsuna and Gokudera around to his home for dinner, even if it was just for a friendly get-together.