A/N: And here we are once again, thanks for sticking with it this far. And a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates it!

Episode 6:

It was a bright and sunny day, and all was well with the world. Or rather, it would be if one didn't think about the mass killings that had been going on lately. And then there was dear Yuto Gasai calmly smashing in part of a window and breaking into Yukihana Amano's house. Naturally, if one saw this they would be alarmed.

But at the moment the resident of the house was away at the airport, waiting for her mother's plane to arrive. "I really need to start using my Diary for more mundane things. If I'd known she'd be late I wouldn't have gotten here at 4 on the dot."

"Hey hey! There she is!"

And there she was, her mother, Rea Amano. Now, it might surprise onlookers to know that they are in fact related. Their eyes and hair colors were quite different after all, with Rea's being sea-green and hair being a light brown. But they did in fact have some similarities, sharing noses, mouth and chin as well as facial structure.

She greeted her daughter with a hug, and quickly went outside to hail a taxi, not wanting to stay at the airport longer than necessary.

"Sorry for the wait, sweetie," she said after they had packed her things into the trunk and were on the road, "I hope you didn't have to wait long."

She shook her head, "No, not too long."

"I swear it feel like I've been gone a year with how much you've grown."

"It's only been a month, mom."

The older Amano poked her cheek playfully, "Here you go with the attitude."

This was going to be a long day.

She loved her mother, she really did, but she was gone so often that she rarely saw her anymore. Yuki knew her mom's gaming company was really busy lately, but couldn't she take a little time off to visit her own daughter a bit more?

"So do you have anything in particular you'd like for dinner?"

"Not anything in particular."

"Guess it'll be my default. Steak Hamburguesa," she finished saying this with a peace sign and a wide smile. Yuki smiled.

"So why did the brass let you off?"

The smile slipped off, "Something... kind of came up. I'll tell you about it later. And Yuki-dear, I wish you would stop dying your hair."

She looked out the window, "You know why I do it."

Rea sighed, running her fingers through Yuki's hair, "Alright, I'll let it drop." The unspoken 'for now' hanging in the air. "Change of subject." She then leaned in real close, a smirk on her face,"So, a lucky athlete make my little girl a woman yet?"

"Mom!"

She pushed on, sensing something juicy, "Come on! You can tell me."

"Most moms freak out about stuff like that, you know."

Rea brushed it off, "Well sure. "Cause they're idiots."

Yuki cocked her head to the side, "Does sleeping in the same bed count? Cause that's the best I got."

The instant she said it she knew she shouldn't have as an unholy light gleamed in her mother's eyes. The older woman latched on to her daughter and shook her, "Come on, I need details!"

As she was pressed for information, they finally arrived at home. Grabbing the bags, they walked through the gate but Rea stopped before going inside.

"Um, Yuki, was the window broken before you left?"

"No, nothing was broken when I left. Why do you ask?"

She pointed, and Yuki blinked as she took it in. "So, that's a no."

Yuki was quick to grab her phone out and check her Diary, sighing in relief when it said it was just Yuto. Then she read the bit about him cleaning the house. "Huh? Why'd he want to clean it?"

"What was that, dear?"

She paled as she remembered where she was, "Oh um, one of my friends from school said he'd be dropping by and I forgot to give him my key, so he broke in."

Her mother was like a shark in water after Yuki was done talking, eyes narrowed in mischief as she smirked, "Oh? A BOY friend you say?"

Her cheeks heated up, "We-we don't have that kind of relationship. Although I wish we did." She muttered the last part, but squeaked when she saw her mother in front of her with her ear to her mouth, turning the impish look on her once again.

"Well, we'll just have to make him feel at home, won't we?"

Still blushing, she nodded before moving to open the door.

"Why don't you start getting dinner ready while I put your things in your room?"

"That'd be wonderful, thanks. Oh and if you see that BOY friend of yours, be sure to tell him to say hi. I want to meet him. Mother's prerogative after all."

Face steaming, she ran up the stairs.

After putting the bags down, she looked around the second floor for a bit before she went to her room, and stood there in shock as her previously semi-tidy room was now spotless. Her eyes immediately shot to the only other person in the room, "Wh-what are you doing?"

"I'm cleaning up. We want me to make a good impression on your mom, right? You want her to like me right"

"Of-of course! But, did you have to break the window? I would have given you a key if I knew you were coming by."

Yuto beamed at her, "That's so sweet!" He then went back to what he was doing, chanting "Scrub, scrub, scrub scrub." over and over as he did exactly that" scrub the floor.

Yuki gained an odd look on her face as she tried to figure out why he would doing this just to make a good impression. After all, most boys his age would just buy a bouquet of flowers and give them to her and charmingly kiss her hand. Or at least that's what she heard through the gossip vine at school.

"Since when do you cook?" Rea called up suddenly. Blinking in confusion, she looked down at Yuto who had stopped scrubbing to smile up at her. "Last I checked you couldn't even boil water."

"I am not that bad! And it was only one time!"

"It was a bit more than one time!"

"This is the part where you tell me how handsome I am." Yuki straightened his shirt, and quietly did so, earning a peck on the cheek as a reward.

"Hey, Julia Childe, where are you? Are you in your room?" Rea asked as she opened the door. She blinked as she took in the sight of her daughter alone in her room with a boy. Then she smiled, "Why hello there, who are you?"

Yuto stepped forward, hand outstretched, "Yuto Gasai. It's a pleasure to meet you mom!"

Visibly stunned by the greeting, Yuki fell down in a faint. Yuto was quick to catch her though, something that Rea nodded in approval of.

Later, after Yuki had recovered, they were all seated at the table for dinner when Rea turned to the man in the house, "So, Yuto Gasai, Mercy, how incredibly handsome are you?" Yuto blushed at this, a stunned look on his face at how accepting Yuki's mother was.

She turned to look at her daughter, "So where have you been hiding him all this time? The last time we spoke you said you hadn't even been able to speak around him!"

"Mom!" She whined, she didn't want him to know that!

Then Yuto stood up, drawing their eyes as he walked over to the counter and grabbed a small dish. "Excuse me ma'am, but I steamed some vegetables if you'd like to try a bite."

"Interesting," was Rea said as she lifted her chopsticks to pick out a piece.

Both teens looked on in anticipation, Yuki more so than Yuto as Yuki was aware of how critical her mother could be of someone's cooking.

But then she nodded in satisfaction, "Yum. Well done, my dear. That's some serious talent you've got. Very impressive. You've practically got a little showcase going on here. I know Home Ec prodigies when I see them."

"Thank you, ma'am!"

"None of that 'ma'am' nonsense! Call me mom! This family could use a man like you!"

"You think?"

"I do! I'd love to see you in a tuxedo! And I know Yuki would beautiful in a wedding dress."

"Or something a little more traditional maybe."

"Are we talking a Shinto ceremony?"

"Modernism has its good points too."

She placed her chopsticks down with a satisfied sigh, "Ah where do the years go? Kids grow up so face. One minute your buying cereal, the next cruise vouchers. There's hardly time to get a handle on them before they plunge right into adulthood."

"Daughter mine," Yuki looked at her mother pensively, suddenly having a bad feeling, "Birds and bees time. Seal the deal!"

"Oh wow!"

"Don't think I'd pimp my little girl out to anyone. You seem like a nice boy."

"Really mom, that's very sweet."

"I'm not too late for the party right? Have you two already done it?"

"Well," Yuto started, but Rea instantly made a connection.

"Oh! You're the boy Yuki slept with!"

"Mom! You said it that way on purpose!"

"Oh hush dear, it's a mother's right to embarrass her daughter in front of prospective husbands."

"Hu-hus-HUSBAND! Wh-where did you get that idea?"

"Have you not been listening? I want grandbabies!"

A few minutes later found Yuki sitting in the living room on the couch, looking at her phone and sighing as she listened to Yuto and her mom laughing over some photos.

"Oh wait! Get a load of her in this one!"

"Look at those cheeks!"

"Can you believe she was ever this small? Or ever not such a royal pain in the keister?"

"She's not that bad."

"Defending her now are we?"

"Oh Mom."

"Oh, ha! And this was her first ever swimming lesson."

"Oh! Look at those cheeks!"

"You must really like her cheeks if you keep commenting on them."

"But they look so pinchable!"

Yuki became confused, I know we have a lot of photos, but the only ones that would get THOSE kinds of responses would be... Oh crap! She bolted from her seat to the kitchen as she realized exactly what part of the photo album they were looking through.

"Mom! You said you wouldn't do this again! Remember last time?"

"Oh sweetie, relax, we're not going beyond them, so it's fine."

"You said that last time too!"

"Oh alright," Rea closed the book sadly, "Sorry Yuto, it seems our fun time has come to an end."

"That's alright mom." When Yuki walked out, they whispered something to each other, and Rea laughed loudly in glee at whatever it was Yuto said. A shiver went down her spine, She did NOT want to know what that was about.

Sitting on the toilet later, she was just reaching for the toilet paper when she remembered an entry in her Diary about being out. She sighed in frustration at her lack of foresight but blanched as the door opened a crack, Yuto's arm reaching inside with a roll of toilet paper.

"Here you go."

She smiled softly, "Thank you." She stood up and waddled over to the door to grab it when the door opened fully, revealing her bare lower half to him who blinked down at her in shock.

Yuki stood there speechless for a moment before she came back to her senses, "Ah! Get out! Get out get out get out!" She started beating at him with her fist to leave the room. She didn't think it had the right effect though as he merely laughed before she shut the door behind him with a click. She hurriedly locked it, something she had been too absentminded to do earlier.

As she sat back on the toilet, she tried to calm down her furiously beating heart as she sat there. A moment later, she blinked as she felt like she was being watched, her head spinning this way and that before she came to a proper conclusion. Glaring at nowhere in particular, she called out, "You know, it's a crime to peep on people going to the bathroom, Deus."

She could swear she heard a muffled curse and a crash as well as gut-wrenching laughter before it went silent again.

Later, the three present occupants of the house were seated in the living room, Yuto and Yuki on the couch with Rea in the chair.

"It doesn't surprise me. She's had a keen eye for other people's business since she was a little girl. As a matter of fact, a month ago... Oh, I almost forgot. My being here?" Her face lost its smile, which concerned Yuki. It was never a good thing when she stopped smiling, "Work's going to be paid leave for the next few days."

"Something the matter?"

"Well, uh... Have you kids by any chance been following the news about that nutty suicide cult?"

Yuki nodded her head awkwardly, "Yeah." What else was she supposed to say? Sorry mom, but your little girl was there when they were hacking each other to bits and nearly got raped?

"Well," Rea went on, unaware of her daughter's inner turmoil, "It turns out one of my coworkers was a member. He left behind a child, and the company wants me to look after it while they arrange things long-term."

"How old a kid are we talking about?" Yuto asked softly.

"Two or three, I believe," a smile blossomed on Rea's face, while Yuki thought about all the fun they could have. "It's a little boy. I offered to let him stay here for a few days." She put her mug down after taking a final sip, and stood up, stretching her arms above her with a yawn. "Best get ready for bed, Yuto. It's too late to let you walk home so you'll have to stay here."

"Thank you, you're so considerate."

"But mom, where would he sleep? We don't really have any available rooms."

A sly look overtook her, and suddenly Yuki wished she hadn't asked, "Why, your room of course, unless Yuto is uncomfortable with the idea."

"Not at all!"

She was in her room a few minutes later, looking for her spare futon when her mom came in. "Mom, where's my futon, I can't find it."

"Oh don't worry about that, it's all going according to plan."

"What was that, mom? I didn't hear that last part."

She waved her hand dismissively, "Oh it's nothing to worry about." Rea then smirked, "Have fun being stormed like a castle!"

"Mom? What are you talking about? Mom!" She didn't get a response as she closed the door upon leaving. The door then opened again, "And keep those legs closed til your married!"

Yuki threw her pillow at the quickly closing door, face alight with embarrassment.

She threw herself onto her bed, looking up at the picture of when her family was still whole, and suddenly the image of Yuto appeared next to her and before her dad, she blushed at the thought of being married to him. While not entirely unappealing she still had a hard time wrapping her head around the idea of being desired.

20 minutes later Yuto walked in with a towel around his neck, he looked around a bit before asking where he was sleeping.

"Um," she blushed prettily, "I know it's a tight fit, but would you sleep with me?" Her eyes widened as she realized what she said, and hastily waved her hands in the air, "N-not like that! I j-just meant...!" A warm hand covered her lips. She stopped and looked up at him.

"It's alright, I understood what you meant, and yes, that'd be lovely." She smiled before scooting over to make room for him. He turned out the light and climbed in, wrapping his arms around her as he did so. When she looked at him in confusion, he answered, "This way we have more room, yes?"

She buried her face in his chest and nodded, before trying to fall asleep, her quickly-beating heart thundering in her ears.

Minutes later, she still hadn't fallen asleep when Yuto spoke up, "Hey, are you going to put the moves on me or what?"

Yuki's eyes shot open as she stared in shock at him, "Wh-wh-where did that come from?"

"Your mom said it's okay to mess around."

She shook her head against his chest, "I know she likes to think I'm mature enough, but I-I'm not emotionally ready for that kind of thing. I love you, I really do, but it just doesn't feel like the right time, you understand?"

He stroked her hair, running it through his fingers as he kissed her forehead, "I understand completely. We can wait."

She smiled at him gratefully before closing her eyes. She was out seconds later.

In the morning, Yuki blinked her eyes tiredly as she heard voices outside.

She tried to sit up so she could look out the window but Yuto's arms around her tightened, drawing her head back to his chest, "Go back to sleep, Yuki."

"But mom's..."

"Sleep." He said firmly.

She sighed, "Fine, but I know I'm going to regret it."

She closed her eyes and fell asleep again, breathing softly into Yuto's shoulder after adjusting her head.

20 minutes later, the door to her room opened, and Rea's giggling woke her up again, and this time, Yuto didn't stop her from moving.

"Mom?"

"I see you two slept well. Ha."

She buried her head in Yuto's chest this time to hide her burning cheeks. She should have known that would be the first thing she said.

After regaining her composure, she looked over Yuto's shoulder to see a small form next to her mom.

"This is the fella I was telling you about," Rea said as she knelt beside him, "Hey, champ. Can you tell big brother and big sister your name?" she placed her hands on his shoulders encouragingly.

The two got out of bed to stand in front of the little boy.

He looked up at them with wide green eyes matched his hat. His orange hair still managed to frame his face it being so long. He had on an adorable pair of dark green overalls with a white shirt underneath.

"I'm Houjou Reisuke!" He held up a feminine puppet, "What do I call you, big sister?"

She bent over with a smile, "Hi there, sweetie. You can call me Yuki."

"And what do I call you, big brother?" a more masculine puppet was raised this time.

"My name's Yuto."

"Face hug!" He cheered as the two puppets embraced.

Rea rubbed his back affectionately, "Oh, the kid's good." She laughed brightly, bringing a smile to Yuki's face.

She reached down and picked him up, resting him on her hip, "So, was there anything you wanted to do?"

"Color!" He answered quickly, a wide smile on his face.

Yuki laughed, "Alright, I'll see what I can do. Let's go down to the family room to do it though, okay? That way there's more space."

"Okay."

And off they went.

POV Change: Yuto

As the others left the room, Yuto couldn't help the feeling of jealousy that overtook him when she instantly took to the kid. And something seemed off about everything. If things were like last time then... He shook his head. No, he wouldn't let it end the same way. Yuki loved him, and while he wished his First had accepted him as quickly he wouldn't complain. He had her now, and he would never let go.

They were seated around the little table in the living room, Houjou drawing enthusiastically on the paper with crayons.

Yuki leaned over the table to get a good look at it, "Whoa, look at you. Looks like someone's a drawing prodigy."

"What are you drawing?" Yuto asked politely, although he could care less. The brat was taking Yuki's attention away from him!

Rea looked at it next, "Wow, that looks like you, Yuki!"

"It's a picture of the woman I love!"

Yuto's eyes snapped down to the picture in question, and if glares could kill, it would have burned a thousand times over.

"Uh oh, looks like you have some competition, Yuto!"

He smiled at Rea, "I'm not too worried, Mrs. A."

Houjou then proceeded to cut the face out with scissors, leaving the face in a circle, then stood up.

"Aw, did you make that just for me? Thank you." Yuki said as the kid walked toward her quickly. He had a determined look in his eyes as he moved closer, before unexpectedly his foot slipped on the rug and he fell forward, the scissors in his hand moving in tandem with his fall, nearly stabbing the older older boy if not for a hastily positioned pillow getting in the way.

While Yuto laughed off the incident, and watching as Rea scolded him for running with scissors, he thought over the encounter, and concluded that, on top of wanting to off him for possibly killing his dad, the kid also wanted Yuki to himself, and so decided to get rid of him. But he was on to the little brat. No one could have Yuki but him! And he'd kill anyone who thought otherwise.

The little boy then went into the bathroom, calling himself a big boy in the most childish voice imaginable while Yuki fussed over him. He reassured her he was alright, but she kept glancing at him concernedly for the next couple hours until he finally agreed to let her check him over for wounds, which he soon found himself wishing he had agreed to sooner as she ran her hands over his chest, probing here and there in an attempt to find a scratch or a gouge.

When it was over he tugged her face up to his and kissed her, which she happily responded to. Oh yes, no worries at all. She was his forever and ever.

Aaaaand cut! As before, R&R, and all who flame will get tossed in the ocean to cool off. Critiques are one thing, insults are another. See you next week!