Gokudera's cheeks heated in the palest of pinks at the dark haired boy's words.[color=ed1c24] "Of course! What kind of right hand would I be if I couldn't remember anything about the families?![/color]" Gokudera held up a fist and growled.  He was proud of the fact that he was smart. He was proud of the fact that his tutors in his younger years taught him the importance of having a good education since it meant benefitting the family as a whole. Although he never spoke or acted like it, he did love this mismatched, patchwork family that Tsuna and Reborn had created. 

He patted Tsuna on the back as the boy slumped in defeat and he gave a few encouraging words that had been interrupted by Nana, Bianchi (who was wearing a pair of large sunglasses) and I-pin. 

Nana was smiling gently as she set down the food she had been making, Bianchi brought the plates and cups and I-pin brought the napkins. They were laid out on the small table in the middle of Tsuna's room. "I thought we could all eat lunch together." Nana said in a soft voice. She was straining to keep her voice in check. Gokudera caught the tone and the look in her eyes while almost everyone seemed to skim past those little details. 

The food was passed around and soon things grew lively again. Even Gokudera was laughing. 

But Nana's strained smile was still there.


[center]~*~[/center]


"[color=8dc73f]Uh-huh. I've stayed with my cousins before in hotels when we'd go travelling so I guess it'd be something like that.[/color]" Nova rolled onto her stomach as she reached for a picture of her cousins that she kept on her small night stand. Her mother's sister, her aunt, was very dear to Nova and they used to visit all of the time when she was younger but when her aunt died unexpectedly things changed and for a little while they didn't visit as much as they used to. 

[color=8dc73f]"We'll be able to meet all sorts of people."[/color]

She kept in touch with her cousins and almost every summer she and her parents would travel to visit them. The last few summers became harder as her cousins grew up and branched off to do their own things and she couldn't visit them for long. Nova sighed before placing the picture back on the night stand. She rested her chin on her pillow and a small smile came to her face. [color=8dc73f]"And we'll be able to learn so much about other countries and we'll make all sorts of new friends."[/color]

Nova was excited but her heart was thumping nervously in her chest. There was a tiny part of her that wondered if her mom and dad would be okay. She was an only child. There would be no one here to keep her mom company when her dad was out on business. Her mom was a quiet woman with a few friends who all lived in different countries. 

[color=8dc73f]"What about your siblings. Have your parents found someone to watch them?"[/color]