Notes: A series of loosely connected missing scenes that can work within the canon timeline. This was supposed to be mindless self-indulgence to sort out certain characters and relationship dynamics with bonus genderswap versions of the key players in HOMRA. It became that and more and is now a bit experimental. While it was started before the finale, it will probably also be doubling as a fixit/retelling in light of the ending.

Also, this series doesn't have straightforward A/B pairings or an "endgame" relationship in mind. Rather, a number of different kinds of relationships will likely be featured: platonic, romantic, sexual, polyamorous, among others, and may see overlap. These include but are not limited to: Mikoto/Izumo, Mikoto/Reisi, Izumo/Seri, Mikoto/Izumo/Tatara, Misaki/Saruhiko. Please see individual parts (chapters) for characters, relationships, ratings and content warnings. Mentions of past character death in this part.

Dynasties repaired —
Systems — settled in their Sockets —
Citadels — dissolved

(Emily Dickinson, "All but Death, can be Adjusted")

x

"If there's anything I can do," is what the Blue King chooses to open with. He's completely out of his element and out of his domain, standing in an alley in Shizume by the Red headquarters. He might have deceived himself into thinking otherwise but he looks it too. Mikoto would tell him as much but considering she's the reason he's here tonight, it wouldn't really have the same effect.

"There is actually," she says. "You can stay out of my way and it would be easier for both your guys and mine."

He smiles like he's expected this; she wants to knock it off his face. "Fine, but the moment you start causing trouble, I can't promise anything."

Her eyes find a streetlight at a point in the distance over his shoulder. "Yeah, well." She taps an erratic beat against the brick of the wall shouldering her weight and the light flickers in time, on and off, on and off. "You'll just be doing your job."

"Well, l am not here on the job now. And Suoh," he says, grave and sincere, "I am genuinely sorry for your loss."

And here, it's possibly the first time this night she has looked at him properly. "Don't," she warns, because saying it makes it real. His presence here makes it real, like Anna's stony silence and Yata's outrage and the way Izumo's hands hadn't stopped shaking since she got back last night until halfway through the morning make it real. Besides, everything from his posture to attire to tone is strictly business and as formal as fucking possible. There's a laugh bubbling inside her, old and hollow, and at least he can still instigate that. "You could have just called."

He sighs, and it's that same exasperated breath as always. Good, she figures. Her cigarette's burnt to the filter and neither of them have time for this anyway. She crushes it out under her boot, says, "Go home, Munakata. I'll see you when I see you."

x

From her vantage point above the bar, Izumo can see the King's coat whipping in the wind before it disappears out of sight. She gives Mikoto a light when she arrives, knows she's almost out of her own cigarettes, has been going through them more and more aggressively considering neither of them slept through the night.

She wastes no time in asking what Munakata wanted.

"Came to give condolences," Mikoto says, sprawls out on the rooftop and blows smoke into the sky.

It's rare for Izumo to pry or for Mikoto to be this open about political dealings, especially with the Blue King. But then, their world has just been knocked off its axis and they are all still raw and reeling from it. Maybe, thinks Izumo, all things considered, clinging to the usual is a little overrated. It's probably the only reason she even bothers saying what she does:

"Can he help?"

"We don't need his help."

Izumo knows that, sooner or later, that's not going to be true. Even if she asks Seri to pull a hefty number of strings on the other side, there is going to be no way in hell SCEPTER4 will let them run a riot trying to track and subsequently burn down a killer.

And then there's the possibility that Izumo doesn't like to think of, that Mikoto has something worse in mind. She'd much rather see it tied up sooner, cleaner, but if her queen wants a war, she'll go to war; there's nothing more to be said of it.