Moonlight

by EverythingSlytherin

She just wanted to forget. However, some things needed to be remembered.

7. Chapter 7

~~~ A/N ~~~

English translations at the bottom.

K Company was back on a ship. There was still that dread that they were going off to fight again because that was usually the only reason they were on one. They were going home, though. They were finished. Eugene told her that he was never re-enlisting. It was a good choice for him. He shouldn't have done it the first time. Ipo felt like she shouldn't be on the ship home. She felt like she should've died in service. Her cause would've be done and her soul would've been fulfilled if she had been shot in the chest and died while staring up at the clouds. She'd never thought that she would be going home.

"Ipo!" Burgin came busting into the hold where she was lounging, reading Poe, "We're passing it!"

Hawaiʻi. They could see the islands on the horizon, sitting there like the rugged tops of turtle shells. Ipo clutched onto the side of the ship, her mouth parted as she stared. So close, she was so close. She wondered if she could swim that far. Ipo couldn't even see the ships that were undoubtedly still parked at Pearl Harbor. She pointed, "That's Kauaʻi. There."

"It's green." Eugene said.

"Islands usually are, dimwit." Burgin replied.

As she stared, Ipo knew. She knew that'd she'd never be happy on Kauaʻi again. It was tarnished. That night when she dreamed, she was at the waterfall. The rainbow shone above her and the loud sounds of the waterfall calmed her. That was until it started turning into screams. Familiar screams that she's heard time and time again.

Then, it started raining blood.

When they made it to California, that was it for her. She was to get on the ferry and head back in the direction she just came from. Ipo was going to be reminded of Peleliu and Okinawa with incoming tides. The rest of Second Squad had to immediately go to the train station in order to catch their tickets home. Ipo went with them to the train station, saying that she knew where the harbor was, she could catch a ferry any time. Burgin thought that statement was extremely funny.

"Don't cry." Eugene told her, staring down at her with a face of steel as they stood next to the train. She had already shook hands with Burgin and told him good-bye.

"I'm not crying." Ipo said back. She wasn't at all.

"I think I see some water in those tear ducts."

"I'm going to make you cry here in a minute if you don't shut up."

Eugene chuckled before finally wrapping his arms around her. She stood on her tippy-toes to hug him around his neck and she didn't care if it looked strange because she was about to never see her best friend in the entire world again. They squeezed each other tightly and she opened her eyes that she didn't even realize were closed. Snafu stood at the entry of the car, his bag thrown over his shoulder. He was staring at them, an expression close to pain on his face. When their eyes connected, he let out a breath of air before turning to get on the train. It was like slow motion when it happened. A shiny thing from around his neck twinkled in the sunlight, that's what made her look at it. It was hanging around his neck.

Her ring.

In that slow motion moment, her thoughts raced. She loved him enough to marry him, that's what she said. That kind of love doesn't just go away, no matter the gender and no matter the drunken indiscretions. He was wearing that necklace and she didn't know how he got it, but it was a sign. If she loved him enough to marry him, then she loved him enough to go to fucking Louisiana.

Eugene and Ipo pulled away from each other and he cupped her face in his hands, "You have my address. Write me. Don't be an asshole and try not to physically attack anyone."

Ipo laughed, her crunched up eyes making those tears that she said she didn't have slide down and run into Eugene's fingers, "No promises to that last part." Eugene laughed and wiped away her tears before kissing her forehead, which didn't garner great reactions. He had to go. The train whistled. It reminded her of Leyden. Eugene hopped on the train, giving Ipo a last wave goodbye.

Ipo's heart beat hard against her ribs as she turned and began walking down the length of the train towards the exit. She had a family to go home to. To fix. To build up. The train whistled again before it slowly started moving.

Fuck it.

Ipo quickly jumped onto the nearest car, which was about five down from Second Squad. She stood there at the head of the car, most people paying her mind since she was the only Marine on that car. The train went faster and faster. It was too late to get off now. She was doing this.

They were in the dining car eating dinner. Last sign that Eugene saw said that they had just entered Texas. In a day or two, Burgin would have to get off. It felt odd being with the Squad Leader and Cajun without the Hawaiian. Ipo would probably just be reaching The Big Island by now. Eugene was completely right about wanting to tell or show her things and it had only been five days since they separated. His crutch was gone and he was going to have to learn to stand on his own two feet. He'd caught Snafu playing with the ring around his neck while staring out of the window at the passing terrain more than once and knew that he felt the same. Although, Snafu hadn't spoken to or touched Ipo in months. He had time to ween away from her. Then again, he loved her differently than Eugene.

"Hi," Eugene heard Snafu as he approached a woman, "I'm Merriell Shelton. How about I take you to the back of the train and you can show me your caboose?" The woman slapped Snafu and it made Eugene smile, trying to hold back a laugh.

Snafu sat down across from him, "Feisty. We'd have been here six months ago, that broad would've given us all blow jobs." That was the truth.

"I suppose that I'm going to have to get a job, too." Burgin said.

"Doin' what?" Snafu asked doubtfully.

"I don't know. Anything between diggin' ditches and owning a bank." They laughed before Burgin awkwardly added on, "First, I got to get Florence home."

"Wait," Eugene paused his buttering of his roll, "Florence from Melbourne?"

"You shippin' her all the way over here and this is the first we hear about it?" Snafu reprimanded.

"Figured it'd be bad luck to talk about it." Burgin explained. He only told Ipo because he caught him fiddling with one of Florence's letters.

"Well, when's she coming?" Eugene asked. This had been the most excited he had been about something since... Well, since he went to bootcamp.

"I don't know. I cabled her, but we've been at sea. I guess I'm gonna find out soon enough whether I'm getting married or not." Burgin must've found the topic too nerve-racking as he changed the subject, "What about you, Sledgehammer?"

Eugene didn't want to answer. Because he didn't have an answer. Ipo told him to do what he loved, but he didn't know what that was any more, "I just hope this Florence girl comes to her senses."

"Got a job lined up in Mobile?" Burgin pushed.

"No." He was just playing with his food now, "No job, no girl... No plans."

"How long you think that's gon' last?" Snafu asked. This whole conversation wasn't doing much for him, either.

"As long as the sheriff lets me."

Snafu chuckled before leaning forward, his eyes sliding over to the woman he had harassed earlier, "You know, I'm going to get that girl."

"Leave her alone." Eugene said. It itched him under his skin to hear Snafu say that while Ipo's ring dangled around his neck.

"You boys watch. Imma get that girl."

"You've been saying that about every girl since San Diego." Eugene tried to keep it light.

"Well, if you ask me," Came a voice that almost caused Eugene pain, "She should've hit you a lot harder."

All heads turned. A girl stood by the empty chair next to Eugene, directly between the girl and Snafu's line of vision. A girl that looked awfully familiar. Eugene stood straight up like he was struck by lightning, Burgin and Snafu following.

"... Ipo?" Burgin asked, taking in the sight. There she stood in a tight dress that stopped just below her knees. The bodice and skirt were a light blue color with large pink and red roses scattered around it. The part that covered her breasts- which weren't covered in bandages and were actually presenting a little bit of cleavage- was a maroon color with a tiny black bow that sat in the middle. The sleeves only covered her shoulders, causing her tattoo to be shown off proudly to everyone who'd see. She was wearing short black heels and a tad bit of makeup on her face that was framed by the hair she'd been growing out for months. It was pinned back on one side with a gold barrett and was tamed well.

She was a pretty man, but a gorgeous woman.

The shock leaked out of Eugene pretty fast and he almost tackled her in a hug, squeezing way tighter than he should've. She had breasts; he felt them squished against his chest and it was the oddest fucking feeling. It must've never really sunk in that Ipo was a girl. It sunk in then, though, and he went from being happy to angry. Eugene pulled back and gripped her upper arms harshly, hissing, "What the fuck are you doing?"

Ipo winced, "Hoping that you don't break my arms."

"Is someone going to tell me what the hell is going on?" Burgin snapped.

Ipo yanked her arms away from Eugene, speaking sternly but quietly,"Everybody sit down. People are staring." The men took a moment before they all sat down. Ipo smoothed out her dress as if to wipe her nervousness away as she sat down in the empty chair. It took a lot for her to be there. She felt like her eyes were going to water because of how hard her heart was beating. Burgin was staring down at her chest from shock and Ipo was suddenly reminded of how it felt to be a woman. She slammed her hand down on the table, making the dishes and Burgin jump as she pointed to her face, "Eyes up here."

"Either you're a woman or those are really convincing." Burgin couldn't decide whether to be angry or surprised, so he stuck with confused.

Ipo swallowed, "... Surprise?"

"Ipo, what are you doin' here?" Eugene asked, "You can still be thrown in prison."

"You knew about this?" Burgin asked.

"Of course he knew." Snafu spoke lazily as if his insides weren't exploding, "He knows everything." He was shocked that he could even speak at all. When he first saw her, he thought he had swallowed his tongue. He also thought it was an apparition, there to haunt him of things he knew he'd never have, but then Eugene hugged his ghost and he knew that she was real. She. Definitely she.

Ipo didn't look at him because she was scared to see what emotion was or wasn't in his eyes. She kept her eyes on Burgin, "Snafu knew, too." She threw him under the bus just like that.

Burgin looked at Snafu, disbelief on his face. "War was over." Snafu said, "There was no use in tellin'."

"And there's still no use." Ipo said, "Right, Burgie?"

Everyone stared at Burgin as his mind undoubtedly raced over all the outcomes and thoughts before he decided on the same train of thought that made him decide not to turn her in for homosexuality, "... Right."

Ipo grinned, "Good boy."

"Let me guess." Eugene said, "You're here for Snafu."

Ipo stole part of Eugene's roll off of his plate. It was very difficult to eat on a train that only served people who showed their tickets, "ʻAe. Yes." She said with a mouthful of roll.

"What makes you think I want you?" Snafu wasn't teasing. His voice was deadly serious. But, Ipo knew better.

She pointed to the glinting thing displayed around his neck, "That." Snafu looked down like he forgot it was there. He quickly shoved it down the front of his suit like that would erase its existence. That confirmed that he knew it was from her.

"I saw it on the ground. Thought it was a nice souvenir, so I took it."

Ipo rose her eyebrows, "You're a really bad liar."

"I'm sure you'd know." Snafu muttered.

"Oh, Jesus Christ, Merriell, I fucking told you all that I could, what else do you want?" Ipo snapped. Attention was drawn and Eugene felt very uncomfortable being a witness to this fight.

"You're a woman." Burgin said again, more to himself.

"Good that you're keeping up." Eugene told him.

"I want you to never lie to me again." Snafu spoke like the other two hadn't said a word.

"I didn't plan to!" Ipo almost yelled.

"Excuse me, miss," One of the bartenders stopped by the table, speaking directly to Ipo, "I have to ask you to exit the car."

Eugene started chuckling, hiding his laughter behind his hand when Ipo shot him a glare. She smiled up at the bartender, "Sorry. My friend is being a real asshole." The man looked shocked and it'd been a long time since she was a girl, so she didn't know why at first. Ladies weren't supposed to curse.

Whatever.

Ipo stood and made her way quickly to the door that led to the sitting areas. Eugene sighed, standing, "Snafu, pull your head out of your ass." He followed after his friend.

Burgin looked at Snafu, "Ipo's a girl."

Eugene made Ipo sit with him, although her bag was already above the seats. She'd been planning to sit there. He thought about telling her to get off on the next stop, but he wanted this to play out. "You look very pretty." He told her.

Ipo was uncomfortable. Baggy shirts and pants had hid her away and now she felt like she was on display, "Thanks. I stole everything from some skinny girl, so everything is a little tight."

Eugene rose his eyebrows, "How?"

She grinned cheekily, "Always keep a close eye on your luggage."

He laughed a little and they were quiet for a moment before he asked, "What are you going to do? About Inoke and ʻAuliʻi?"

Ipo sighed, "Snafu said that we'll go and get them when we could."

"When did he say that?"

"When he asked me to go to Louisiana with him."

Eugene scrunched up his eyebrows, "And when did that happen?"

"On Okinawa."

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

Ipo looked at him, "Because I said no." She looked ahead at the empty seat in front of them, "And... I think he's the one saying no this time."

"Give him a chance. He has until Louisiana. If it doesn't work out, you can stay at my place for a few days."

Ipo smiled, "Seriously, Shark Bait, what have I done to deserve you?"

"I like to think of it more as you're my punishment."

Ipo punched his shoulder.

A few minutes later, Burgin and Snafu came into the car. Burgin had wanted to go right after Eugene and Ipo, but Snafu had forced him to stay with him. He was having a hard time processing what was happening and needed Burgin there to make it seem like he wasn't avoiding Ipo. The back of his mind kept arguing with the front and he didn't know which end to listen to. The ring against his chest felt like it was burning and he had an overwhelming urge to annihilate something and he wondered if that's how Ipo felt all the time. No matter what, his thoughts always navigated to her. He didn't fucking understand why.

"You okay?" Burgin had asked. He was finally accepting what was fact.

"... Fuckin' peachy."

Burgin and Snafu sat down, Snafu across from Eugene and Burgin across from Ipo. The Cajun just stared out of the window.

"So," Burgin leaned forward, elbows on his knees, "How'd you do it?"

"Bandages and dish rags." Eugene let out a snort at Ipo's answer.

Burgin furrowed his eyebrows, "What? I meant enlist."

"Oh." Ipo was fighting the urge to sit relaxed. She had to keep her knees together and it was very annoying, "Uh, after Pearl Harbor, we had to have these little I.D. cards with our name, gender, and thumb print on it. I ruined mine- the print and the gender part. Inoke and I went to replace it, him saying that he was me. For the printing part, he distracted her and I inked my thumb and... Boom. I'm a man."

"But, the physical inspections..."

"They let things like that slide when they need bodies." Ipo muttered. It wasn't fun retelling the tales of her deception when Snafu was there. She wasn't certain, but she imagined it made him angry.

"Huh." Burgin sat back, "Amazing."

"Not really." Snafu mumbled.

"I'd like to see you pretend to be a girl." Ipo said, "Then see how hard it is." She kept hoping that he'd smile or laugh, but he wouldn't.

"Oh my Lord." Burgin's face suddenly paled, "You've seen us naked."

"Only our asses." Eugene offered consolation.

"And that's not much of a sight." Ipo teased.

"... Really?" Burgin asked, his face serious and concerned.

Ipo laughed so hard that she threw her head back against the seat. The sound made Snafu look at her and he wished he hadn't because his heart pulsed and he had an aching to reach out and touch her.

"You're really loud." Eugene told her, "Hush up before you get kicked out of here, too."

"Sorry." She rolled her eyes, "It's been a while since I didn't have to grumble out my words."

"But, why?" Burgin asked. He must have still been in his mind, "Why the hell would you want to be in a war?"

Ipo just stared at Burgin. He was her friend. She owed her life to him, but that was personal. Way too personal. After an awkward silence, Ipo pulled her pink lipstick covered mouth into a tight smile, "Just wanted to help."

He barely mulled over that answer before he was on to the next question, "And Annalise?"

Eugene and Snafu both groaned and rolled their eyes. Eugene said, "Don't bring her up."

"Why?"

"Because she's a crazy psychopathic lesbian!" It was unknown to anyone before that moment, but Ipo did like to gossip, "She was like, 'Oh, Ipo, I know you love me' and I was like, 'Bitch, I had my fingers in you for literally two seconds, I don't love jack shit' and she was like, 'If you don't stay with me, I'll te-'" Ipo was interrupted by Eugene's hand that covered her mouth. She was being loud again and people had definitely heard all of that.

"If you have a filter between that brain and mouth of yours," Eugene said slowly and quietly, "I'd suggest you use it."

Eugene removed his hand and Ipo immediately apologized, "I think I'm a little... Wired right now."

"You don't say?" Eugene asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, well, I haven't been told whether or not I'm getting off in Louisiana or not and I guess it's making me nervous." Ipo wiped her sweaty palms on her thighs.

Both Burgin and Eugene looked at Snafu, waiting for him to say something. Snafu was just trying not to let Ipo's voice sink into his mind and now they expected him to say something? "... I don't care where you get off." His statement was met with Ipo's heel to his shin. Ipo made Eugene move over so that she could sit in front of the man who was rubbing his leg.

Ipo leaned forward, trying to look Snafu in his shifty eyes, "Tell me what the problem is."

Snafu glanced at Eugene and Burgin. They didn't seem to care enough to even pretend they weren't listening. He ground his teeth together before saying, "You're a liar."

"So are you." Ipo argued.

"I didn't lie about my entire life."

"Neither did I."

He was able to look her in the eye then, "How am I supposed to ever believe anything that comes out of your mouth?"

Ipo sat back, "... You'll just have to trust me."

Snafu hummed, "Right. Trust you. Because that worked out so well before."

"Oh, my God." Ipo groaned, placing her face into her hands and mumbling, "He fucking lōlō ʻoe."

"Yeah, well, sucer mes couilles." He snapped back.

"Okay, okay." Burgin said, "Stop with the Battle of the Foreign Languages. Ya'll are driving me crazy, so handle this after I get off, alright?"

They were quiet for a moment, staring daggers at each other before Ipo said, "Yes, Burgie."

Ipo and Snafu didn't speak to each other for the rest of the day. Ipo rested her head against the window, staring outside. She felt like this was a mistake. She should've just fucking left. Snafu didn't love her any more. She thought that he'd realize that she wasn't lying when she said she loved him by the sheer fact that she hopped on the train for him. Ipo didn't know what to do any more; how to win him back. She didn't know how she could go on with her life without him there. She didn't know what she'd do.

Snafu stared at Ipo that night. She had fallen asleep against the window and Eugene had put his jacket over her as a blanket. He wished he could. He wished he could drop everything his mind was warning him about and gather her in his arms and live in the world that he desperately wanted to, but it was impossible.

Because he knew. He saw.

"Get your own." Eugene said with a sharp slap to Ipo's wrist as she tried to steal his sausage on his plate the next morning.

"Sharing is caring." Ipo said, rubbing the sore spot.

"Guess I don't care, then." He responded.

"Ouch." Burgin commented, but he smiled as he ate his own bacon.

"Here." Snafu said, shoving his plate towards her, "Have mine. I'm not hungry, anyway." Everyone stared at him. Those were the first words he had spoken.

Ipo slowly picked up the fork that he had been poking at the eggs with, "... Did you poison it?"

"Thought about it." He muttered, staring out the window that he wasn't even next to to avoid looking at her.

"You have to appreciate the honesty." Burgin told her. He was rooting for them to work out. The way that they looked at each other was... powerful. They were meant to be together.

"Yeah. Thanks." Ipo muttered. She ate the food, anyway, because she was starving. She was trying to decipher every little thing Snafu did to try to understand what he was thinking, but his face and eyes were stone and actions hardly meant anything, apparently. Pretty soon, it was Burgin's stop and she'd decided on one final thing because all other options were exhausted.

"There's my little brother." Burgin said, pointing out of the window, "No sign of Florence."

"Melbourne's a hell of a long way, Burgie." Snafu reassured, "It'll take Florence a while to get from Australia to here."

Ipo stood up and hugged Burgin tightly because she could now. She didn't know why, but she kept thinking that she'd never see or hear from him again, even though he was just a postage stamp away. He patted her back as she said, "She'll be here in no time."

As Burgin walked away, Snafu called to him, "Thanks... For doin' all you did to keep us from getting our fool heads shot off."

Burgin smiled, "You're good Marines." He looked at Ipo, "Even if one of you was a girl." Ipo rolled her eyes at him and then he was gone. It felt too strange. They watched as he reunited with his family. It made her imagine what it would be like when she got to be with hers. Would Inoke hug her like that or would he just shove ʻAuliʻi at her and move on? Would ʻAuliʻi know the stranger who had come to take care of her? The train started moving again and it felt like it was too soon.

Next stop was Louisiana. They were quiet, mourning the departure of their friend for a while before Ipo spoke quietly, "Shark Bait, can I have a moment with Snafu?" Eugene looked at Ipo briefly before looking at Snafu. He was staring down at the ground, but he didn't make any objections. Eugene nodded before standing and leaving, going to get a drink at the bar. Ipo slid over so that she was directly across from Snafu. She didn't say anything for a moment, building up her courage, "... You don't trust me and... the only reason why that I can think of is because I'm not telling you everything, so I'm going to... Tell you everything that you don't know." She paused, but Snafu didn't even blink, "... Back, way back when I told you that the girl I was going to marry back in Hawaiʻi got engaged to another man. That's the truth, except it was a man named Analu, who has since married that girl without even telling me that he was done with me."

Snafu kept his eyes on the floor, so Ipo continued, her nerves building for what she was going to have to tell him, "On Okinawa, I... Asked Eugene several times to... slap me across my face. Which, is embarrassing to admit." Ipo stared down at her hands, rubbing her middle knuckle harshly, "And, he would do that almost daily. I knew he would because... I've asked him to hurt me before that and he did." Snafu had looked up at her, his eyebrows knitted togther in shock. He didn't think that Eugene would do that to her.

Ipo cleared her throat, moving a little in her seat as she mentally told herself to just spit it out, "When I got attacked in the woods on Peleliu, the Japanese soldiers saw that I was a girl and took advantage of it."

"Ipo." Snafu said.

"Shut up." Ipo ordered before continuing, "I... got rid of them, but apparently not quick enough because by the time we got back to Pavuvu, I was... I was pregnant." Her voice broke, trying to keep her from saying the word. She felt like she was telling a horror story, "So, I asked Eugene to... kick me in the stomach. I didn't tell him why. He only found out when he went to check on me and saw the fetus on the ground... He buried it for me and... we went on like nothing happened." Her entire body was tensed like it was remembering it better than her mind. She was quiet for a moment before saying, "When it came out, it was still breathing, so I put a pillow over it and killed it. That's why Eugene didn't want me near that baby on Okinawa. He thought I might have a flashback and... try to hurt it." As Ipo was saying all this, she felt disgusted with herself. Like she was a monster. That pink thing with its black beady eyes came with a spirit of possession that made everyone do evil things.

"That's it. That's everything." Ipo muttered. If he had any feelings left for her before all that, he definitely didn't now.

That's what she thought, anyway.

Ipo didn't realize that Snafu was next to her until his arms wrapped around her, making her jump a little. He pulled her into his chest, holding her tightly. He kissed the top of her head, whispering, "I don't care. It doesn't matter."

As much as she enjoyed his warmth and his smell, she pushed him away, "Yes, you do and it does. Or else you would've just dropped it and... and loved me." Ipo muttered the last part to herself because she had to say it, but she didn't want him to hear it. He did, anyway.

Snafu rose his eyebrows and leaned his elbows onto his knees so he could look at her face that was turned away from him, "I've never had a problem loving you."

Ipo turned to him, "Then, why the fu-" She paused, noting the look in his eyes. She furrowed her eyebrows, "... You still think I don't love you."

"I know you love me, now. Just... Not like I love you."

"Are you insane?" Ipo snapped at him.

Snafu turned his body to her, "Not as much as I love you."

Ipo could tell he was serious. She glanced away for a moment, confusion no doubt showing on her face, "I love you enough to spend the rest of my life with you and you think that I can some how love you even more than that?"

Snafu stared at her, letting the words sink it. There was a change that slowly formed in his eyes before he suddenly grabbed her wrist, yanking her towards him and connecting their lips in a well overdue kiss. He rested his hand on her cheek, stroking his thumb against the bone as they kissed like the other one was delicate. It felt so good. Snafu pulled back, resting his forehead against her's, "Love me whole or not, I'll take you any way I can get you."

"I'm ignoring that." Ipo kissed him again.

They must've been kissing for a while because there was an awkward clearing of a throat. They separated and saw Eugene standing there with eyebrows raised, "Going to Louisiana?"

Instead of answering, Snafu just kissed Ipo again.

"Alright, alright." Eugene sat across from them, "This is a public place."

Ipo pulled away from Snafu, "You try kissing him. See if you want to stop."

"I'm alright, thanks." Eugene said.

"Oh, come on, Sledgehammer." Snafu grinned, "I don't bite." Eugene looked legitimately terrified. Snafu and Ipo looked at each other before laughing. They had better enjoy their time together as much as they could because by midnight, they'd both be heartbroken.

Ipo was asleep against Snafu's shoulder when the train was rolling to a stop in New Orleans. He gently moved her against the window so that she mirrored Eugene and stood, grabbing his bag. He stared down at Ipo and Eugene. He did really think that he could make it work. All of the things she did, the lies she told; they were just excuses. Reasons for him to go on without her. He loved her so much that it tore him into pieces, but he couldn't steal the life she could have away from her. Snafu turned and paused for a moment, thinking that he could go back and wake her up, take her with him to be his and only his for as long as they lived, but he couldn't. He couldn't live knowing that there was someone out there other than him that truly was hers. She loved him, yes.

But, not as much as another.

Snafu stepped off the train, walking slowly away from it into the smoky jazz filled air as it rolled away. He ignored the tear that ran down his cheek.

When Ipo woke up, Eugene was across from her, elbows on his knees and head in his hands. "You okay?" She sleepily muttered. The sun had just come up. She'd been asleep all night.

Eugene dropped his hands and looked up at her, his face resembling the expression he wore on Okinawa, "... He's gone, Ipo."

"Who?" Ipo sat straight, wiping at her eyes, completely forgetting that she was wearing eyeliner. Then, it kicked in that the only person he could be talking about was Snafu. She looked at the empty seat next to her before her eyes traveled upwards to where the bags were seated. One was missing.

"We're in Mississippi now."

Ipo leaned forward a little, staring at the ground. It wasn't sinking in. He said he wanted her. That he loved her. That he was obsessed. But, he wasn't on the train. Why? Why would he do this? Ipo thought that he was just insecure, that's why he wouldn't accept the fact that she loved him so much that it hurt. She thought he'd get over it when they were together in Louisiana and he'd see that she only wanted him. No one else but him.

"... Are you okay?" Eugene asked quietly.

Ipo was quiet for a long time. Long enough for that question to expire. "... I guess I'm going home."

"To Mobile." Eugene corrected her, "You're going to Mobile." He was waiting for her to break down and start sobbing. She always cried when it came to Snafu. He was just about the only thing that could make her cry.

"Yeah." She said. She looked almost like she was in a trance for a moment before she sat back, eyes on Eugene, "Do you think we missed breakfast? I'm hungry."

Eugene blinked at her. Maybe she was just in shock, "... Let's go see." They stood, Ipo taking a moment before following Eugene to the dining car. He kept looking back during the transitions of cars to make sure she didn't decide to jump down. They didn't miss breakfast at all. It seemed like they were just on time. Eugene ordered enough for both of them and they ate off the same plate. He was surprised that she could eat at all.

Ipo drank some of Eugene's coffee, speaking as she set it back down on the saucer, "It really seemed like he loved me." She didn't sound sad. She sounded more like she was pleasantly surprised by an actor's performance.

Eugene felt cornered. He didn't know what to say, "... Maybe he thought that you needed to be with your family."

"ʻAʻole." Ipo said, poking her fork into the table cloth, "He said that I didn't love him enough. Now I think he just wanted out and was blaming it on me."

It didn't register in Eugene's mind how Snafu could think that Ipo didn't love him enough, "Love can't be measured." He said.

"Apparently so." Ipo let go of the fork, letting it clatter against the table before placing her chin in her hand as she stared out of the window.

"Maybe if you get off at the next depot and catch a train back to New Orleans..."

Ipo slid her eyes to Eugene, raising her eyebrows, "Trying to get rid of me, too?"

Eugene looked like he really wanted to roll his eyes, his tone telling her that she was being ridiculous, "Ipo." She looked back at the window. He grabbed her hand that was resting on the table, "I'm just trying to help." He squeezed it before letting go.

Ipo sighed and leaned back in the chair, crossing her arms, "I know."

"And this is no way your fault. It's his."

"We should stop talking about this now." Ipo said lazily.

Later that day, Eugene was growing increasingly concerned about her lack of speaking, so he began telling her about where she was going to be for a couple of days, "It's a nice sized place. You'll like my parents, I think."

"Do you think they'll like me?" Ipo asked.

Eugene looked like he was thinking before saying, "No. Absolutely not." He smiled when Ipo laughed quietly.

"That's fair."

"You might meet my brother. He's a Marine, too. He got shipped back home right after the war and has even gotten married."

"Auē." Ipo said, "That was quick."

"Probably my mother's doing. She's a little pushy."

"Does she push you?" Ipo asked. Eugene couldn't help but feel that she'd rather be talking about Snafu's family.

"Sometimes. I don't let her as much as I used to."

"Good. You're your own person."

She sounded almost emotionless. Eugene looked at her, her eyes trained on the outside, "You can't tell me that you never listened to your parents."

Ipo finally looked at him, "Of course I listened to my parents. I also sometimes obeyed them."

"What's the worst thing you did as a kid?"

Ipo smiled, "You first."

"I asked first."

"Yeah, but I want to know if mine's worse than yours."

"Aright." Eugene sat and thought for a moment, "When I was thirteen, me and Sid threw eggs at some old geezer's house. He was a nasty guy."

Ipo dramatically gasped, "Eugene Bondurant Sledge! You're terrible!"

Eugene flinched. He should've never told her his middle name, "Well? Your turn."

Ipo didn't even pause, "Got drunk when I was fourteen, robbed a store with Analu, and lost my virginity in isle five."

The shock on Eugene's face was amusing as he asked, "Were you arrested?"

"No. We were usually good kids. We gave the money back secretly and no one ever knew."

"That's why you never drink."

"Thinking about it now, though." She muttered.

Eugene chuckled, "I don't want you to be done in for train robbery like Jesse James."

Ipo furrowed her eyebrows, "Who's Jesse James?"

Eugene laughed at her.

The next day, they were in Mobile. Neither of them really wanted to be there. They didn't belong any more. "Are you ready?" Eugene asked her.

"Are you?"

Both of them agreed that it didn't matter.

They walked off the train. Ipo's legs felt like jelly, the high heels on her feet and the heavy bag over her shoulder not helping. There were people lined up to greet whoever it was that they were long awaiting. Eugene seemed almost in awe from being back until he saw a familiar face. It was familiar to Ipo, as well. It was Sidney Phillips. She was worried for a moment that he'd recognize her and call some Captain somewhere to tell on her before she realized that she didn't have to be afraid of that any more. She had been discharged. She wasn't living a double life any more.

Eugene threw his rucksack at Sid, "You gon' take this for me or what?"

Sid caught it with a smile, "Good to see you, Eugene." His eyes slid over to Ipo, who was standing a few steps awkwardly behind Eugene. She felt like this was too private of a moment. "Looks like you've got an admirer."

Eugene turned to look at her, motioning with his head for her to come closer before looking back at Sid, "You two have met before." When Ipo was by his side, he patted her shoulder, "Remember Ipo?"

"Aloha." Ipo muttered.

Sid furrowed his eyebrows, "Wasn't Ipo that guy who said he could catch a fish with his hands?"

"Hey," Ipo defended herself, "I can catch a fish with my hands."

"And she's not a guy." Eugene said, taking her bag from her, "She fooled us all. Or, you all. I knew."

Sid looked from Eugene to Ipo, "Well, I'll be damned. What're you doing here?" He suddenly pulled her into a hug. She didn't think they knew each other that well.

He let her go as she answered, "Long story. Eugene said I could stay with him for a couple of days."

"A few days." Eugene said.

Ipo turned to him, "Could you stop doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Correcting me over the littlest shit."

"Maybe you should get the little shit right and I wouldn't have to."

"Okay." Sid said loudly, "You two keep at this and we'll never get out of here."

Their bags were put in the back of the car and Ipo sat in the backseat. She almost had her nose glued to the window most of the way there. This was the first time she'd been this far on the Mainland. She was just trying to take in the surroundings to say she's been somewhere other than an island and actually describe what she's seen. Everything was a lot flatter. And tan instead of green. Eugene and Sid weren't talking that much. Sid probably knew what it felt like to be thrust back into a place that was supposed to be normal when they all knew that nothing about this world was normal.

"What's with the MacArthur bit?" Sid asked when Eugene lit his pipe.

"Huh?" Eugene asked.

"Popeye the Sailor?" Sid asked. Ipo laughed. She knew that Popeye joke was funny.

Eugene took the pipe out of his mouth, staring down at it appreciatively, "Calms me down. Packing it. Cleaning it. Always gives me something to do."

Sid waited a beat before asking, "What do you remember about Mary Houston?"

"Mary Houston?"

"Yeah."

"The Mary Houston?" Eugene asked. It caught Ipo's attention. People used to talk about her like that back on Kauaʻi. She was always so eccentric. Loud and happy and always doing something considered taboo. "Well, like everybody else in Mobile, I was in love with Mary Houston."

"Well, that's too bad for you 'cause she's marrying me."

"Sure she will." Eugene said, sarcasm heavily indicated, "The minute she goes blind."

"Yeah, well I asked her." Sid said, "She said yes. So, you're just going to have to deal with it, brother."

"You're saying that Mary Houston is going to be Mary Houston-Phillips?"

"In the eyes of God and the law."

"What am I going to hear next? That Martians landed downtown and they're settin' up a hotel?" Ipo snorted at Eugene.

"I want you to be my best man." Sid said.

"If you think... That I'm gonna stand at the alter and lose Mary Houston to the likes of you, then.." Eugene shook his head before suddenly shouting, "Well, hell yes!" He leaned over and started honking the horn, making the car swerve before Sid shoved him back into his seat.

"I have a question." Ipo said, leaning forward so that most of her upper body was between Eugene and Sid, facing the driver while using Eugene's shoulder as a crutch for the awkward position, making her friend laugh.

"What is your question?" Sid asked her, since it was clearly directed to him.

She scrunched up her face in thought, "... Do you think she's desperate? Because I think-"

"Oh, pipe down." Sid told her while Eugene threw his head back in laughter.

"I'm just trying to help you out, man." Ipo grinned, "Because you don't want to marry a desperate one."

"If Mary Houston is desperate, then, yeah, I'll marry a desperate one. Now, sit down before you make me drive into a ditch." He was laughing.

Ipo did what she was told, "I want to meet her."

Sid immediately shook his head, "No way."

"Oh, come on! I want to see the girl that set Eugene's spine on fire."

"What the hell does that even mean?" Eugene asked her.

"I'm pretty sure you know what that means." Sid told him, "Besides, Ipo, you're not going to be here long enough to meet her."

Ipo grunted before sitting back completely, crossing her arms, "You're no fun." Eugene and Sid laughed at her and they all steadily fell quiet. No one told her how long of a drive it would be. Thirty minutes later, she was still staring out of the window when they passed over a bridge and she let the words, "I wish I had a camera." Slip out of her mouth.

"I'll get you a camera." Eugene immediately said.

Ipo rose her eyebrows, "No, you will not."

"Try to stop me."

Ipo snorted, "You and I both know that I can."

"You never have before."

"Doesn't mean I won't now."

"I have to ask." Sid interrupted, "... Are you two together? Is that what this is?"

"No." Ipo said sternly.

"We're just good friends, Sid." Eugene didn't sound quite as annoyed by the question as Ipo did. It reminded her of things still fresh in her mind.

Pretty soon, they were arriving at a very large structure. Ipo leaned forward to see better out of the front windshield, awe on her face, "Eugene."

"What?"

"Is this your house?"

"Yep."

"Eugene."

"What?" He asked, a little more annoyed.

"There is a wall around your house."

"Yes, Ipo, I know."

"Is it to keep the rich in and the poor out?" Sid snickered at her question.

"Ipo, will you shut up and try to concentrate on acting like a lady in front of my parents?"

Ipo looked at him, "Am I embarrassing?"

"Yes."

Ipo narrowed her eyes, "Fine. I'll treat your parents like I treat the tourists right before I pickpocket them."

"Do not pickpocket my parents!"

"Why not? Clearly, they can afford it." Eugene turned to look at her. He was serious. Ipo rolled her eyes, "Okay, okay. I'll try."

"Thank you."

"Oh, brother." Sid muttered to himself.

"Right here's fine." Eugene told Sid. They had barely made it inside the walls. He was nervous.

"You sure here's good?"

"Yep." Eugene said, barely sounding more confident than he looked. Sid nodded. Eugene took a moment before getting out, pulling the seat forward to let Ipo out and grab the bags. "See you later?" He asked Sid.

His friend nodded his head, "Welcome home, Eugene."

"Congratulations, Sid." Ipo grinned at him. At least someone was working out.

"Thanks, Ipo."

"Come on." Eugene said to her, placing a hand on her back to guide her towards the large, intimidating house. The only other houses she had seen this big were all plantations, but Ipo didn't see any type of crop growing around.

"It's very pretty." Ipo said quietly as they walked up the long donut-shaped driveway.

"You get used to it after a while." Eugene said. Ipo didn't think that was right. If something was truly beautiful, one could never get tired of it. Like her waterfall.

"I'm nervous." She said, gripping the strap of her bag tightly.

"You're nervous?" Eugene muttered. He was way more unsettled than she was.

Ipo grabbed his hand as they stopped at the front door, "It's okay."

He looked down at her, "... I believe you." He pulled his hand from hers and raised it to knock the knocker against the door, but he stopped. This was home. He shouldn't knock like a stranger. He looked down at Ipo one last time before he twisted the knob, letting them both inside.

Ipo tried not to be intimidated by the smell of fresh linen or by the fact that she could immediately see four rooms while standing in the doorway, but she let out a quiet, "Holy shit." That made Eugene hush her. This house was too big. She could get lost in it. Her entire house on Kauaʻi was only four rooms. They didn't even have an indoor bathroom. Eugene probably had several. A large expensive chandelier hung above their heads. She felt inadequate.

Eugene walked forward and put both of their bags on the bench sitting in the hallway. A bench. In the hall. He then followed the noise of the clinking dishes and she followed behind him, staying a ways away because she felt like an intruder. She didn't mind, however. It gave her time to look at everything. Eugene stopped in the dining room, watching a woman put china back into the designated display cabinet in the kitchen. She must've saw his reflection in the door as she closed it because she turned around, looking like she saw a ghost. She quickly walked forward and embraced him.

This woman was his mother. Mrs. Sledge was crying because she was so happy. There were footsteps coming from another room to their right. How many rooms did one house need? The man was definitely his father. The doctor that owned this house. It was strange to see the people who made Eugene. Dr. Sledge walked up to Eugene and they shook hands, which Ipo thought was strange. Everyone in her family hugged. Well, they used to.

As Eugene's mother hugged him again, it was Dr. Sledge who finally noticed Ipo standing in the background watching them. "Who are you?" He asked, not sure if she came with Eugene or if a complete stranger had just waltzed into his home.

Eugene parted from his mother, still nervous about Ipo speaking to his parents for obvious reasons, "This is Ipo. She was a Marine, too."

"Nice to meet you, Dr. and Mrs. Sledge." She said, her shyness genuine.

"I told her that she could stay here a few days. Just to rest until she gets back on the train." Eugene explained as Dr. Sledge shook her tattooed hand. Maybe she should've stolen a jacket.

"Oh." Mrs. Sledge said, wiping her tears from her face, "That's fine."

"Nice to meet you." Dr. Sledge smiled. She hesitantly smiled back. The parents forgot she was there for a moment longer, going back to looking at their son, touching his face to see if he was real. Ipo felt out of place, but she'd been feeling that way ever since the war ended. She didn't feel useful to the world any more, but she was still there. There had to be some reason.

"Are you hungry? You must be starving." Mrs. Sledge.

Eugene took a moment before nodding, "I'd love some food."

"I'll just go show your friend where she'll be staying and-"

"No, I'll show her." Eugene said, "I have to put my bag up, anyway."

"I'll call Edward." Dr. Sledge said, heading to whichever room had the phone in it.

Eugene placed his hand on her elbow and as they walked out of the room, Ipo whispered to him, "You have a telephone?"

"Where do you live?" Eugene asked as he handed her her bag, "Under a rock?"

"Try on a rock, ʻōkole." Ipo was glad that she spoke another language and could call him all the bad names she wanted in the rich house.

"No bad words in front of my parents." Eugene led her up the stairs.

"How do you know that's a bad word?"

"Everything that comes out of your mouth is a bad word."

Ipo swatted his arm and he swatted hers back. The upstairs was like one large hallway of nothing but doors. He lead her down the left side to the very last doors. He opened the one on the left side, "Here's yours." He went to the one directly across the hall, "This is mine."

They stared at each other for a second. Sleeping in separate rooms was an odd thing for them. "Right." Ipo said, turning and walking into the room that was more than half the size of her house on Kauaʻi. What the fuck. The floor was wooden and had a large red rug half way under the twin bed. There was a dresser and a bed side table with a lamp on it. It was just a guest bedroom, so there wasn't much. She dropped her bag on the bed and just stood there, staring at the leg of the bed that was butted up against the flower covered wallpaper. She didn't know why; she wasn't thinking of anything at all. She was just... staring.

A hand grabbed her arm and she jumped, turning to look at Eugene, who immediately enveloped her in a hug. Ipo furrowed her eyebrows, her arms spread out in confusion as Eugene squeezed her, "Uh, why are you hugging me?" Her voice was muffled in his hunched shoulder.

"... Because I need to." He mumbled, "Everyone else seemed too fragile."

"Is that an insult?" She wrapped her arms around his middle, anyway.

"A compliment." Eugene pulled away and grabbed her face, giving her a quick peck on the mouth before stepping away from her, "I bet you can't wait to eat off of your own plate for a change."

Ipo snorted and rolled her eyes, "I can't wait for your mother to see the lipstick you just put on your mouth." Eugene wiped his hand on his mouth, smearing the little bit that had transferred onto him. Ipo laughed at him until he grabbed her short sleeve and wiped his mouth on it. Ipo smacked the back of his head, "This isn't my dress, you dick."

Eugene quickly put her into a headlock, talking while trying to keep her under his arm, "Yeah, like it'll ever see the owner again."

Ipo elbowed his stomach lightly, barely able to talk through the laughing, "Get the fuck off me."

There was a throat clearing and the two of them separated quicker than lightning, standing straight up like they'd just been caught by a Captain. It was Eugene's mother, so, same thing. "Sorry." They both said at the same time.

Mrs. Sledge glanced in between them. She had the look that rich white ladies wore when they didn't like whatever they were seeing. She smiled anyway, "I have Edna making your favorite and there's going to be mulberry pie afterwards. Oh, and Edward and Martha will be here any minute." She paused, looking at her son the way that mothers do, "It's so good to see you." She passed a look at Ipo before she hesitantly left.

Ipo glared up at Eugene, "You made me look bad."

Eugene couldn't stop the smile forming on his face before he said, "You don't need help with that."

"Asshole."

As they were going downstairs, Ipo asked, "Who's Edna?"

"One of the help."

Ipo stopped on a stair, "... You have help?" She knew that wealthy people came with all of these things, but it was still a surprise.

The front door opened and in walked a man in an Army uniform with a pretty blonde woman. He had a giant smile on his face and he held his arms out, "Baby brother!" Their bodies collided and they patted each other hard on the back like men often did before Edward held Eugene out by his shoulders, "Not much of a baby any more, are you?"

"You still are, though." Eugene teased. Him and Martha greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek.

Edward noticed Ipo standing behind Eugene, like she always was because he was like a giant protective wall between her and the world she didn't know, and said, "You've been back in town for barely an hour and you've already got a girl? A gorgeous one at that."

Lord, help her.

"Watch it." Martha warned with a smile.

Eugene put his hand on Ipo's back, making her move forward next to him, "This is Ipo."

"Ipo?" Edward asked Eugene, trying to see if he heard it right.

Martha stuck out her hand, "Hello, Ipo, nice to meet you." Ipo didn't get a chance to say anything back because as soon as their hands connected, Martha gasped at Ipo's arm, "Holy moly." She touched the tattoos like she expected it to feel different from skin.

Ipo awkwardly pulled her arm away, "... Hello."

"Honey, you can't just stroke other people's arms." Edward laughed before shaking Ipo's hand as well. This was the most she had ever shaken hands in her life.

"Ipo's a Marine like me." Eugene told them.

"Oh." Martha rose her eyebrows, "I wanted to join, but Eddy wouldn't let me."

This was awkward. Everything was uncomfortable. Thank God Mrs. Sledge saved the day by peeking her head out of the kitchen and shouting that supper was ready. As Eugene and Ipo followed Edward and Martha, her friend whispered to her, "Sorry."

"I feel like an exhibit." She whispered back.

"More like exotic."

"Oh, shut up." Ipo said a little louder then attended. Edward and Martha looked back at her before laughing. The blush was back in her cheeks. There was more than just Edna. There were about four people there to serve six people who very well had hands and feet of their own. Ipo sat next to Eugene and was quiet throughout. The food was good. Grits, fried chicken, and green beans. She didn't know this was Eugene's favorite. She also didn't know what a mulberry was. Eugene's mother kept doting on him, making sure his plate was full even though it was obvious he was trying to just blend into the background and get used to the happiness that his family radiated.

And then the questions started.

"So, Ipo." Dr. Sledge said, "Where are you from?"

Keeping Eugene's feelings about her fucking up in mind, she told herself to keep all answers short, "Hawaiʻi." Ipo took a drink of water to wash the nerves away.

Martha hummed, "Which island? I always wanted to visit Hawaiʻi, but the attack-"

"Um, Kauaʻi. Outside of Wainiha." Ipo had to interrupt her. She'd been around enough tourists to know how long these conversations of tragedy could go on.

"You were a marine as well?" Dr. Sledge asked, "Were you a nurse?"

Ipo bit her tongue, seeing as how the first thing she wanted to say was, "No, but I dated one." And that would've not gone over well. However, she was taking too long to think of a lie and they were all staring at her.

Eugene cleared his throat, "She was in K Company. Fifth Marines. First Division. 60 Mortar. Second Squad. We were in boot camp together." Ipo stared at him with wide eyes.

The table was quiet before Edward laughed, "No, really."

"Ipo pretended to be a man." Eugene said with a little sigh. It was like he was challenging his family, showing that he wasn't that afraid to tiptoe around them any more. Ipo kicked his foot hard under the table, making him jump, flinching as he said, "And she's really strong."

"You're joking, right, dear?" Mrs. Sledge asked her son. Ipo placed her face in her hands. It was unspoken, but those who weren't involved weren't supposed to know.

Eugene shook his head, "Nope. Elbows off the table, Ipo." Ipo quickly sat back, resting her hands in her lap while staring down at her empty plate. The only good out of this situation was that the food wasn't just slop any more.

The family was quiet, all clinking against plates ceased as she felt the stares on her. She looked up at Eugene, mouthing, "You're dead." He just chuckled at her. Has he gone insane?

"Oh, well," Edward broke the silence, "It happens all the time. Women want to feel more included. It's completely understandable."

"Really?" Mrs. Sledge asked, buttering some cornbread, "All the time? I can't imagine why. It has to be terrible being constantly surrounded by men."

The family laughed at that. Ipo picked up her water again, muttering to herself, "Pepehi ā make ia'u." Before drinking the liquid.

"I don't think it was the men she was worried about." Eugene said what she was thinking stiffly and it got awkward again.

"What's..." Ipo said after a few moments of silence. All eyes turned to her, "What's a mulberry?"

That was, apparently, very amusing.

They had the pie, which was delicious and she made a mental note to thank Edna, and Ipo had quietly expressed the fact to Eugene that she wanted to take a bath. He made a big deal, saying that she had been wearing that dress for too long and that she needed to have a change of clothes.

"I have clothes." Ipo smiled at the members of the family who had all moved into the "sitting room" (because there needed to be a room just for sitting for some fucking reason) before turning her back to them, "Show me to the bathroom. Please. Shark Bait." Ipo spoke quietly through gritted teeth. He did so, getting her towels as well, and as Eugene was exiting the bathroom, she grabbed his arm, "Why do you have to bring up my shit?"

Eugene sighed and leaned his back against the door frame, "I'm tired of lying."

"They're not your lies to tell."

"Are too. Your lies are my lies. You know that. Aren't you tired?"

Ipo pressed her hand against her forehead, hoping to cool it down, "... I guess. Your family's tiring."

Eugene smiled, "I know. When you leave, I'll still be here with them."

"I feel bad for you."

Eugene shook his head, "You are so sweet. Anyone ever tell you that?"

"Sure. It just usually sounds like "bitch" or "asshole"."

Eugene nodded, "Yeah, that's what it sounded like in my head."

Ipo shoved him out of the doorway, "Get the fuck out, haole." She was grinning, though, as she shut the door. Ipo didn't want to be alone for too long. As the bath was filling up, she washed the makeup off of her face. She only put it on for...

Ipo quickly scrubbed it off before getting out of the uncomfortable dress and blistering heels and too tight under garments. The water was hot enough to burn, but she didn't feel it too well. Ipo sat with her knees to her chest, staring at where the water's edge waved against the porcelain tub. This was the first time in three years she's been in one. Ipo didn't wait more than a couple of moments before busying herself with washing her hair and body to get the stench of train and ship off of her. She pulled the plug and dried herself off. She had to, unfortunately, put the bra back on, but she put the pants of her marine's uniform on and the white undershirt that she was given. Ipo took the strip of material that she used while in Peking and tied her hair back into a low ponytail.

Ipo left the bathroom, which had been right next to her room, and shoved the stolen dress and shoes into her rucksack. She didn't know the customs of these people, but she hoped that they wouldn't get offended by her walking around barefoot. Ipo took a deep breath before she went back downstairs. She'd only been in the bath for about ten minutes, but that seemed to be enough time for Mary and Edward to leave and the house was quiet. Those two brought a lot of noise with them. Ipo heard voices and she followed them down the hallway past the stairs. This house was like a damn maze. Dr. and Mrs. Sledge were standing in front of the back door, whispering to each other as they watched Eugene stand outside in the yard.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Mrs. Sledge whispered

"... Probably not." Dr. Sledge answered truthfully and sadly.

Ipo remembered that she was light-footed and backed up a few paces before walking again, slapping her feet against the wooden floor, walking around the corner. They both turned to look at her and Mrs. Sledge immediately said, "Oh, dear, when you said you had clothes..."

"I know." Ipo said, "But, I wasn't planning on going to a party or anything, so I thought it'd be okay... Is it okay?"

Dr. Sledge chuckled, "It's fine. You want to be comfortable. I think you deserve it."

Ipo smiled a little, "Thank you." She glanced at Eugene, "Um, I'm going to..." She pointed to their son.

"Maybe he should be alone-"

Mrs. Sledge was interrupted by Eugene, who had called out, "Ipo! Come on!" He had turned because he just knew she was there. It was that twin thing. Ipo looked back at the parents, pulling an apologetic face before walking around them and out the back door to stand next to Eugene. The yard was large and there was even a little sitting area. The ground wasn't good enough? It was still prettier than she thought it would be with the draping trees.

"What do you think?" Eugene asked her. It was obvious that he missed this yard.

Ipo sighed deeply, "I think your mother doesn't like me."

"Told you."

"Your dad thinks I'm alright, though."

"Makes sense."

"And Mrs. Sledge thinks that my outfit is terrible."

Eugene looked down at her, "You look fine."

"Thanks."

Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, Ipo lied awake. She didn't want to sleep and she didn't want to be alone this long, so she wasn't even laying down and the lamp was still on. Then, everyone was awake but Eugene. He was having nightmares. She listened to it for approximately ten minutes before she stood and exited her room wearing the t-shirt she had been wearing all day and the boxer shorts that she had been forced to wear. She stopped, seeing Dr. Sledge sitting in the chair that was by her room, staring at Eugene's door. Well, was until she walked out. He gave her a weak smile. Ipo felt like she had to offer him something, "... During bootcamp... and throughout our service," She spoke quietly to him, "I would have nightmares like this. From Pearl Harbor." Dr. Sledge was listening probably because he needed a distraction from Eugene's terrified grunts, "Eugene would wake me up because he hates being interrupted while sleeping." Dr. Sledge huffed a laugh. "I would wake up... And then immediately go back to sleep, nightmare free."

"Are you suggesting that we wake him up?" He asked.

Ipo shrugged, "I think... that maybe he needs a break from his dreams."

Dr. Sledge assessed her for a moment before nodding and standing, "Why don't you do the honors? I think he'd be less embarrassed if it were you." He patted her shoulder before walking back to his bedroom, escorting his worried wife out of the doorway, and shutting the door behind them. Ipo knocked on Eugene's door loud enough for him to hear through his nightmares. When he went quiet, she tapped gently to make sure he knew that it wasn't bombs or gunshots. Ipo knew what it was like. A few moments later the door opened and Eugene stood there, eyes ragged and hair a mess. She smiled tightly at him before pushing past him into his room. Ipo looked around as she heard the door click closed behind her. The room was very... Eugene-y.

Ipo glanced at Eugene, who was standing there, not really wondering why she was there, before climbing into his bed, which was way more comfortable than her own, leaning her back against the headboard and bringing her knees to her chest. Eugene waited a moment before getting in next to her. They sat there for a long while before a quiet, "... He left me." Was heard. Eugene looked over at her and saw tears trailing down her blank face. She had just been holding it in, trying to keep busy by surrounding herself with Eugene and his family. Ipo suddenly sobbed and Eugene put his arms around her, bringing her into him. She sobbed into his shoulder, asking why Snafu left her and why he didn't love her. Eugene couldn't answer. Instead, he rocked her and shushed her. He didn't know why Snafu left her.

Ipo cried for most of the night until they both fell asleep like that- Ipo's legs resting in his lap while she clutched onto his neck.

Eugene had woken up early. Really early. He had pushed Ipo off of him as gently as possible. She had no problems rolling away from him to where her nose was almost pressed to the wall and cuddling into the soft pillow. He covered her with the blanket before he left, heading outside with coffee. He couldn't believe that he made it. He also couldn't believe that he was shoved back into civilian life. More so, he couldn't believe that Ipo was there, too. That nagging question of "What am I going to do now?" beat against the back of his skull over and over again.

Edward came out and they shared a conversation about women that eventually led to his friend, "What about Ipo? She's a girl."

"Not my girl."

"Then, why's she here? I mean, not to sound rude, but Hawaiʻi isn't exactly around the corner."

Eugene stared down into his cup, "She was someone else's girl. Another Marine's. They loved each other, that's for sure. He didn't know, though."

"Know what?"

"That she was a girl." Eugene shook his head, "So many lies were told that I couldn't keep them straight. By the time he knew everything, he couldn't trust her, so... he left. Ipo was stuck on the train and she's my best friend, so I told her that she could come here. Gather herself before going back home."

Edward's eyebrows were furrowed, "If she loved him, why didn't she tell him?"

"... She didn't trust him, either."

They were quiet for a bit before Edward asked, "Is she going to the ball, too?" They heard footsteps in the grass behind them and turned to look at Ipo, who was wearing the same thing as yesterday after she took her bath. Edward took the opportunity to ask, "Ipo, are you going to the ball?"

She stopped next to Eugene's chair, eyebrows raised above her slightly bloodshot eyes, "Ball?"

"It's a fancy kind of party." Eugene informed her, "It's on Friday."

"Oh. Uh... No?" Ipo asked more than stated. She had just woken up and barely brushed her teeth before she went to find Eugene.

"Are you leaving before Friday?" Edward asked.

Ipo rubbed her eyes a little rougher than needed, "I don't know. Eugene?"

"You'll be here Friday." He told her, "Maybe... Maybe you'll leave next Monday."

"What's today?"

"Monday."

Seven days with these people. Ipo supposed she was going to feel like this no matter where she was or who she was with.

"Well, Eugene, you're going. It'd be impolite to leave your guest here by herself."

"It's up to her. I don't care."

"I don't have fancy party clothes." Ipo really didn't want to go and was prepared to pull excuses out of her ass.

"Well, you have your G.I. Bill, don't you? Eugene's going to register for classes later today, he could take you."

Eugene looked up at her, "Maybe you should go to the ball. Save me from all the girls that Ed says are going to want me."

"That's a reason not to go, my friend." Ipo grinned. She could picture it in her head, Eugene with cheeks as red as his hair in a crowd of squealing, adoring women. Picture worthy.

"Here, I'll settle it for you." Edward said, standing with his cup, "Ipo's going to the ball. Eugene's taking Ipo to the nicest clothing store and leaving her to go enroll. There. I'll be back with one of Martha's dresses because, no offense Ipo, but you can't go looking like that." He then left before either of them could say anything.

Ipo looked down at Eugene, "I like your brother."

"Of course you would."

"Can I have a drink of that?" Ipo took Eugene's cup before he could warn her and took a sip before spitting it out onto the grass, coughing.

Eugene laughed at her.

The dress that Edward had gotten was a navy blue circle dress who's sleeves and neck material were connect by loose dark blue netting. It looked a little too ornate, but Eugene was wearing a suit and tie, so maybe it looked alright and she was just being self-conscious about going into a town where she pictured everyone being white and rich and snooty. Breathe, Ipo. Just breathe.

Eugene drove, which was a terrifying experience all on its own, and he took advantage of the fact that she was freaking out over every little bump by swerving occasionally, laughing his ass off at her reactions. Ipo was much more comfortable when Sid was driving. Eugene gave it up after a while and asked, "Have you written your family lately?"

"I wrote them about a week before we were discharged." Ipo responded.

"You should write them again. Let them know where you are."

Ipo looked at him, "Why? I'll be back before the letter even gets there."

Eugene nodded after a moment, "Good point."

"You're nervous." Ipo stated, noticing the little amount of sweat on his forehead and bobbing Adams Apple.

"'Cause I don't want to do it."

"... I know. I'd rather dig a hole and bury myself in it right now."

"That hole better be big enough for two."

"And deep enough so that we can't hear or see anyone else ever again."

Eugene looked at her, "That's a little drastic."

"I'm a very drastic person, Shark Bait, I thought you knew this."

"Maybe it's the dress that's throwing me off."

"Maybe you should shut the fuck up."

Ipo was being stared at by everyone. She looked like a Jap and she had a giant tattoo that she wished, once again, that she had covered. Ipo felt ashamed every time she thought that. That tattoo was her entire life and covering it up made her feel like she was hiding who she was. Eugene took her to cash her G.I. Bill, parking by a movie theatre. They walked down the street, the redhead pointing and telling her things about all the buildings and shops that he thought were important while mothers pulled their children out of Ipo's reach.

Jesus fucking Christ.

Eugene stopped in front of a clothing store, "This is the only store my mother won't go to, so I think you'll like it."

"You know me so well."

Eugene chuckled before pointing, "I'll be over there at Town Hall if you need me."

Ipo eyed the young woman who seemed to be glaring at her from across the street and muttered, "If you hear screaming, know I'm probably getting murdered."

"I'm very sure you'll be fine."

"Right." They stood there for a second before they hugged each other and reluctantly said their goodbyes. Ipo took a moment to watch him walk away before entering the shop, the little bell jingling as she stepped in. Too many racks of clothing lined the walls and there were creepy wooden mannequins sporting brightly colored clothes.

"Hello!"

Ipo looked over at the woman behind the counter. She had been filing her pink nails out and blowing bubbles with her bubblegum out of boredom, but stood at attention when the bell dinged and her dark brown hair was in a peek-a-boo style. She was wearing tight black capri pants and a white top that only covered her breasts and shoulders. Her entire stomach was exposed. "Hi." She laughed, rolling her eyes at herself, "Haven't had a customer in..." She took Ipo's raised eyebrows as a sign that she was being too weird and cleared her throat, "I'm Bunny... Of Bunny's Fashion." She pointed to the name scrawled on the display window, "Do you need help with anything?"

Help of all kinds. Ipo stepped further onto the light wood floor, "I... don't have any clothes. I need... I don't know. Six outfits, maybe? And there's this ball thing. What do you wear at Balls?"

"Oh, you're going to the ball?" Bunny came from behind the counter and started filtering through the clothing racks, picking up a dress or top, holding it up to Ipo's front while speaking, "Me, too. There's this guy. He's a sailor." Bunny giggled, eyes rolling to the ceiling at the thought of him, "His name is John and he's taking me. So. Handsome." She was putting some things back while putting others on the outstretched arm of the mannequin, "He has a tattoo of an anchor on his shoulder, but I'm sure you know all about tattoos because, oh my God, have you seen your arm? That must've hurt like crazy. Anyway, who are you going to the Ball with? You're going with someone, right?"

"... I guess-"

Bunny squealed, "Is he cute?"

"I guess?"

Bunny had forgotten about the clothes, "What kind of man is he? Sailor? Army? Marine? Intelligence Officer? Being smart is so sexy these days."

"Marine." Ipo jumped in. It was very overwhelming and she thought she could hear the familiar ringing coming back into her ears, but it was just the bell above the door.

"Two customers in one day! Lucky me! But, uh, I don't sell men's clothes. Sorry, guy!"

Ipo turned and saw Eugene entering the shop, not looking happy. He motioned to Ipo with his head, "I'm here for her."

"Eugene!" Ipo sighed with obvious relief, "That didn't take you long."

"Oh!" Bunny smiled wider than what seemed humanly possible, "Is this him? The marine? The cute one? The one you're going to the ball with?"

"Thank you, Bunny, for saying all of that out loud." Ipo said quietly through gritted teeth.

"Oops." Bunny covered her pink mouth briefly before saying, "I'm so sorry. I talk a lot. Anyway, I guarantee these are perfect for you and, what else was I getting? Oh, yeah! The dress for the Ball. Gotcha. I'll be right back, don't go anywhere. Unless I scared you off by now, which I totally understand. I'll be back!" Bunny's black heels clicked as she quickly walked to the back, giving a quick wave to Eugene, who looked just as perplexed as Ipo did.

Ipo looked at Eugene, mouthing, "Oh my God."

He walked over the the clothes on the arm and started looking through them, "You said I'm cute?"

"No, actually, I didn't."

"Oh, you did too!" Bunny was back, carrying a dress that was covered in a bag, "I asked, "is he cute?" and you said, "I guess?" Which doesn't mean "no"."

"How, out of all the talking you've done, do you remember that?" Ipo asked her, all politeness out of the door.

Bunny just laughed as she took all of the clothes from Eugene, "I have a great memory. Anyway, I figured since your honey's here, you wouldn't want him to see the dress. But, trust me, you'll love it. You'll love all of them, promise!" Bunny rang them up and Ipo paid, "Please, come back any time. See you at the Ball!"

"Thanks. Good luck with John." Ipo was already halfway out. The last thing Eugene and her heard was Bunny's squeal.

"My Lord." Eugene said when they were out of earshot of the store, "Now I know why Mother never goes in there."

"I think my head's going to explode." Ipo laughed, "She was nice, though."

Eugene side-eyed her, "We're not going to have another Annalise situation are we?"

"Absolutely not. I've sworn off women. And men. Both of them can go to hell."

"I agree. Fuck 'em." Eugene said, causing an old woman who was walking by to gasp and cover her mouth. Eugene and Ipo almost giggled together like little girls.

They got to the car and Ipo put all the clothes in the back before they hopped in. "Are you enrolled in school?"

Eugene was quiet for a moment, starting the car, "... No."

Ipo looked at him, "Why? What happened?"

"It's just... Not for me. Not yet."

Ipo patted his knee, "Do what you want."

Eugene grabbed her hand, "That 'hole' plan sounded like a good idea."

Martha came over later that day to take her dress back. Either she was very possessive over her clothes or she wanted to preview everything that Ipo bought. Eugene tried to come into the room with them mostly because he was just used to being next to Ipo all the time, but Martha shoved him out, laughing as she slammed the door in his face. She didn't want to be trapped in the room with this sensationally giddy woman, but it was like Martha was trying to push Ipo into the world that she had been absent from for a long while. Ipo wondered if she and Edward had a conversation. "You should help her. Poor girl doesn't know how to be a girl any more." "Why, you're completely right, dear. Let's help her forget the horrors that she's seen by making her try on clothes!"

Ipo suddenly realized as she put on a white off the shoulder top with a high-waisted white skirt that had large blue and grey roses with green leaves that she was becoming Eugene. The Okinawa Eugene. The one who was always cynical and hateful towards anyone who didn't understand. It was rude to constantly make fun of Eugene's family, even if it was only in her head. Was she like this before the war? Did she make fun of every naive person with pale skin and a large bank account? That wasn't how she was raised. She was raised to practice Aloha. To love and accept everyone.

She had no Aloha in her soul.

"Earth to Ipo?" Martha snapped her fingers before jumping and staring wide-eyed at the suddenly sobbing Ipo. "Oh. Oh, God. Is it the skirt? You don't like the skirt?" Ipo collapsed where she stood, burying her head into her knees. It was out of Martha's expertise, apparently, as she ran out of the room yelling, "Eugene!"

Footsteps came clamoring up the stairs and three pairs of eyes were staring down at her before Eugene snapped out of the shock of seeing her undone without any reason before stepping into the room and shutting the door on Edward and Martha. He quickly knelt on the floor next to Ipo and pulled her to him, "What's wrong?" He didn't want to ask, but it was just strange.

"Naʻau ʻino au!" Ipo sobbed into his chest.

He pushed her away and held her face, smoothing her hair away from her puffy face, "You're not speaking English."

There were large juicy tear drops running down her face as she tried to catch her breath before saying, "Evil. I'm evil."

The words on the tip of his tongue were, "What the fuck?" And "No, you're not." But, he choked on both of those. Instead, he hugged her tightly and rubbed her back, rocking a little like he did the night before. Like everyone else who had come out of the war, she was falling apart. There was no constant fight that they had to be strong through. They were pushing hard against nothing and falling flat as a result.

Ipo very suddenly stopped crying and sat up, her back against the side of the bed, wiping her face, "Man. I don't know where that came from."

"You gave me a fucking heart attack." Eugene mirrored her position.

"I don't think I did Martha any good, either." Ipo muttered.

Eugene looked down at her, "That outfit looks pretty good on you."

"The tear stains complement the flowers very well." Ipo was joking. That was good. Eugene agreed. "...I think the fashion show is over. You wanna break the news to Martha?"

"You didn't start crying just to make her go away, did you?"

"I wish."

Ipo didn't come down for dinner. Eugene told his parents that she wasn't feeling well. That she's been through too much. Her words and the way she looked when she said it was stuck in Eugene's mind. She fully believed what she had said, even if she tried to play it off and pretend that she said nothing. Before he went to bed he peeked his head in to tell her good night, but saw that she was already sleeping and left.

She was only pretending. Ipo laid awake and let all of the salty water that was left in her eyes leak into the pillow beneath her. She didn't sleep an ounce. She didn't go to Eugene when she heard him toss and turn. Ipo was paralyzed as she laid on her stomach and stared at the little bit of moonlight that seeped through the sheer white curtains and she was pretty certain that drool was pooling out of her parted mouth. But, she couldn't move. It was her body's defense against all the pain that suddenly attacked her. The pain that was never going away. The pain that she purposefully piled on with hopes that it'd just cancel out.

The worst pain of all being the one with stormy eyes and curly hair.

The next day, Ipo tried her best to look like she didn't have a random major break down. She wore the outfit that she cried onto and she ate like she was hungry. She sought out Edna and almost scared the elderly woman by hugging her and thanking her profusely for giving her the best food she'd had in years. Mrs. Sledge had walked in and gasped, asking Ipo what she was doing. Apparently hugging Miss Edna (as Ipo had started calling her) was an odd sight. Edna told Ipo to never do it again or she could get fired. Ipo said that if Edna got fired, she'd take her to Hawaiʻi with her and she could cook for Ipo forever. Edna thought that was funny.

Eugene always stuck close to Ipo, but this time he almost always had his eyes on her, watching to see any sign that she was going to explode. He should've just left her alone. If he was in that situation, he'd want to be left alone. So, it didn't come as a surprise when he turned away for one second and she was gone as quick as lightning. It was a big house and for once Ipo was happy about it. She didn't want to offend Eugene or anything, but she felt on edge and being around any people at all made her want to teeter over again. Ipo just had to breathe for minute by herself before she tried to walk the wire again.

Ipo ended up in the library, that was strangely in the basement. She went through the door that was under the stairs and she thought it was going to be a closet. That's right, Ipo was going to hang out in a closet. But, it wasn't a closet, so now she's hanging out in the underground library that had three shelves mostly filled with medical books, a couple of comfy looking chairs next to a round table and a piano tucked away in the far corner. Ipo was delighted. She knew how to play the piano- sort of. She spent most of her time with guitars, ʻukulele, and the gourd, the latter of which was when she was getting more in depth with Hula. The only time Ipo had time with a piano was after she was done singing at the hale hulahula that she frequented when no one else was there but her and Analu. He was very good at the piano. And the guitar. And ʻukulele. One guess as to who taught her how to play those.

Ipo sat down at it and just began pressing random keys one at a time to just get her memory going. She wasn't one for memorizing existing songs, but she was amazing at writing her own. In her mind, anyway. Ipo sang and played a song that she wrote about a year after Pearl Harbor.

Upstairs, Eugene said to his parents as they sat in the sitting room, "I didn't know she could play the piano."

"She's very good." Dr. Sledge said.

"I thought it was a little... Depressing." Mrs. Sledge sipped her tea.

"Lighten up, Mary Frank." Dr. Sledge responded before turning to Eugene, "Was she a musician? Before the war."

"Yes. And a Hula Dancer."

"A Hula Dancer!" Mrs. Sledge exclaimed, "Those half-naked girls with the grass skirts?"

"Ipo only was half-naked to distract the tourists while she picked their pockets." Eugene smiled at his mother, drinking his own tea to not laugh at her shocked expression. He was pretty sure that Ipo was full of shit when she said that she stole from them.

At dinner, Dr. Sledge commented on it. Ipo's face turned so red that she was certain that they were able to see it. She thought that , since the room was under the foundation, that they wouldn't be able to hear her. They needed thicker floors. "I didn't recognize the tune." Dr. Sledge said.

She wanted to keep her mouth shut, her throat trying to seize up as a refusal to answer, but Eugene wasn't answering for her, "... I wrote it."

"Oh, really?" Mrs. Sledge said, "It was quite better than one would expect."

"What's that supposed to mean, mother?"

"I'm sure she means that it's better than anything you could do, Eugene." Ipo said. Dr. Sledge chuckled. Ipo knew that that wasn't really what Mrs. Sledge meant.

Later that night at about midnight, instead of hearing Eugene's cries, there was a quiet knock at her door. She was still awake because she was afraid to sleep. Ipo answered it slowly, her mind paranoid even when it didn't need to be. On the other side of the door was a tired Eugene who was still up for probably the same reason she was. He wordlessly grabbed her arm and pulled her after him into his room, shutting the door behind them. Ipo just laid down in his bed, Eugene joining her, and they both fell asleep peacefully.

The next couple of days went by uneventful. They just lounged around outside, quiet as mouses. The only exciting thing to happen was on Thursday morning when Mrs. Sledge came in to wake her son up only to see Ipo and him lying back-to-back. They weren't cuddling like lovers, but sharing the same bed was enough to make her let out a quick scream. The two of them had bolted straight up. Screaming in the presence of sleeping ex-marines was never a good idea as Ipo yelled, "Get down!" And tackled Eugene down onto the wooden floor, trying to make him keep his head down as he was trying to tell her that it was okay.

"Ipo!" He actually smacked her across the face in front of his mother, who gasped loudly and covered her mouth. Dr. Sledge had finally made it to the door to witness the thick tense silence.

Ipo rubbed her cheek, "... What happened?"

After Ipo and Eugene got dressed, Mrs. Sledge was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, her arms crossed and lips pursed like Ipo's own mother used to do when she was in trouble. Mrs. Sledge said that it was unethical for them to sleep together, to which Ipo awkwardly blurted out, "We're not having sex." And the lady of the house's eyes went as wide as dinner plates like the mere word was the very sin. Eugene tried to explain that it was the only way that either of them could sleep, but Mrs. Sledge wouldn't drop it until Dr. Sledge (who kept telling her to call him Edward, but Eugene's brother was Edward, so she didn't want to get confused) told her that there was no harm in it and that they've been through Hell, so leave them alone.

It seemed like Mrs. Sledge hated Ipo with each passing minute as opposed to the 'days' that she had been going by.

But, then Friday came and Mrs. Sledge took full advantage of the fact that Ipo was a girl and offered (almost violently insisted) to do Ipo's hair. The Hawaiian put on the dress that was meant for the Ball. It was white with giant dark pink roses and thin spaghetti straps. It was an A-Line that flowed down to just under her knees. Mrs. Sledge kept eying her exposed shoulders and chest as she brushed through Ipo's thick hair for the fiftieth time, "Maybe you should wear a sweater." It was the tattoos. The way that the two small orchids at the top of her shoulder caressed her collar bone probably pissed the traditional southern woman off.

"It's a little... hot outside." Ipo responded, trying not to flinch as Mrs. Sledge pulled a section of her hair a little roughly to put a heated roller in it.

"I know you may have forgotten, but modesty is still the first rule of being a lady."

Be nice to Eugene's mother. Be nice to Eugene's mother. "I grew up in Hawaiʻi, ma'am. I used to wear less clothing than this."

"You're not in Hawaiʻi, any more."

"You're right. It's hotter here." Ipo deserved the harsh tug of her hair. She was being a smartass.

"I just don't want Eugene getting any ideas."

"Your son doesn't have ideas. Not about me." Ipo felt that she had to express how it was to the woman. To get her to understand, "Mrs. Sledge... Eugene is a gift from Heaven. I love him because he's the best friend I ever had. He loves me because I'm one of his best friends. It's never gone beyond that and it never will. His purity is safe from me. He's not the one for me and I'm not the one for him." In Ipo's mind, she still belonged to him.

Mrs. Sledge was quiet as she put the rest of the rollers into her hair before she leaned her back against her vanity, handing a dark pink lipstick to Ipo, "How do you know he feels that way?"

Ipo gave a little smile, "I can just tell. They didn't call us "the twins" for nothing." She uncapped the lipstick and put it on.

Mrs. Sledge handed her mascara next, ""The twins"? What else did they call my Eugene?"

"I call him Shark Bait." Ipo said as she coated her eyelashes, "Everyone else called him Sledgehammer." Mrs. Sledge actually chuckled.

She grabbed Ipo's jaw and angled her cheek up so that she could get a better look at the bruise that Eugene had left, "I don't have anything your shade..."

"I don't think anyone will notice." Ipo responded. Mrs. Sledge pursed her lips for a moment before she started taking out the rollers, Ipo's hair bouncing.

"Your hair is too thick. You need to use conditioner." Mrs. Sledge said while brushing at the curls, trying to make them look united. It didn't look bad.

"Yes, ma'am." Ipo opted to say instead of explaining that there was no hair product in the world that could tame her hair.

"Okay. You're done. Off you go, I have to get ready now." Mrs. Sledge shooed her out.

Ipo went downstairs where Eugene and Dr. Sledge were talking in the sitting room about going hunting the next week. Eugene looked a little nervous about it, but he still smiled at his father. It was her black heels that gave her away and they both turned to look at her. Eugene rose his eyebrows, "You're a girl!"

"Really? You don't say?" Dr. Sledge spoke sarcastically to his son.

"It surprises me every time." Eugene twirled his finger at her, "Give us a spin."

"Shut up." Ipo grumbled, crossing her arms. She felt self-conscious. Like he was making fun of her.

Eugene laughed before pulling her into a tight hug, "You look beautiful."

"So do you." Ipo said as they pulled away from each other, "The longness of your tie distracts from the wideness of your nose." She squeezed his nose, wiggling it before Eugene slapped her hand away.

They were just playing, grinning at each other until Dr. Sledge cleared his throat, "Eugene, maybe don't be so heavy handed, alright?"

Ipo didn't want Eugene to feel bad, so she immediately said, "It's okay, Dr. Sledge. My little sister can hit harder than him."

"No." Dr. Sledge was serious, making the twins' smiles drop from their faces, "It's not. People will be asking about that." He nodded his head at her cheek, "I don't want this to become a habit."

"If he hit me any harder, I would've broken his arm." She sounded just as serious.

"I am in the room, you know." Eugene liked this conversation even less than Ipo.

Ipo looked at him, "Sorry. I would've broken your arm."

"I know you would have." Eugene turned to his father, "I didn't do it for fun. She was in a... state."

"This better be pleasant conversation that we're having down here." Mrs. Sledge came down the stairs. Dr. Sledge smiled and greeted his wife happily, kissing her cheek, telling her that she looked lovely.

While Eugene's parents were doting on each other, Ipo grabbed his hand and whispered to him, "It's okay."

He squeezed her hand before letting it go, whispering back, "I know."

They then went to the Ball. It took a while to get there, but not as long as it took to get to town. The place they were going to was on the Mobile Bay, which was part of the Gulf of Mexico. Geography wasn't something that she learned. Mostly because before the war, she kept herself in her own little happy cluster of islands and forget that the rest of the world existed. It was dark when they got there and, although the pāʻina was in full swing, people were still arriving. Rich people with fancy cars and nice suits and pretty dresses were mixed in with all of the servicemen. Ipo asked Eugene why he wasn't wearing his uniform and he repeated that question to her, so she dropped it as they pulled up.

"Why is the house so big?" She whispered to herself.

"Rich people don't have anything better to spend it on." Dr. Sledge responded with a smile. She wished that her returned smile wasn't as spiteful as it was.

They all got out of the car and Ipo grasped Eugene's hand as a reflex. Luckily, their hands met midway, which meant that he was reaching for her hand, too. So, she wasn't the only loser. Immediately, Dr. and Mrs. Sledge were called over to some friends of theirs and they bid goodbye to Eugene and Ipo. There was loud swing music and laughing coming from inside the large white building. "Do we go in there?" Ipo asked.

"... I suppose so." Eugene answered. Still, the backs of their legs didn't move from the car.

"Let's go, then."

"You're not going to make me dance, are you?"

"I might."

"Maybe we shouldn't go inside."

"You two better get your behinds up here!" Came a shouting from the porch of the house. It was Sid with a pretty girl laughing and waving at Eugene.

"Is that Mary Houston?"

"Don't get any ideas." Eugene muttered to her before waving back and pulling Ipo after him to where his friend was, hugging Sid.

Sid looked at her as Eugene hugged Mary, whistling, "Damn, Ipo! You clean up good!"

"Nice dress blues, haole." Ipo and Sid hugged like he and Eugene did because, once again, it wasn't just her that forgot she was a girl.

"What does that mean?" He asked.

"Probably something bad." Eugene answered for her.

"Ipo, this is my bride-to-be, my future ball-and-chain, and also the love of my life, Mary Houston." He pulled a black-haired girl with a permanent blush on her fair skin to his side. Mary Houston was absolutely beautiful and Ipo felt that side of her that made her want to kiss girls turn its head. She understood why every person in Mobile would love her.

Ipo shook her hand, "Nice to meet you, Mary Houston. I have to ask; The hell are you marrying this fool for?" To her delight, Mary laughed. A girl with a sense of humor was good.

"Eugene, get a handle on her before she scares Mary away." Sid said.

"I couldn't get a handle on her if I tried." Eugene replied.

Ipo patted his shoulder, "See, Mary, you've got to take no shit early on."

Mary laughed again, "I got that down." She turned to Sid and grabbed his hand, "Let's go dance." Sid shook his head at Eugene as he was being dragged inside.

Ipo looked at Eugene, "Mary Houston is... Wow. I think my spine's on fire."

"I said don't get any ideas." Eugene pushed her head before they decided to follow Sid and Mary inside. It was much louder in there. And much more bodies. All moving and dancing and laughing. It looked like a madhouse to her, even though she used to go to places like this for fun almost nightly. "What the hell are we doing here?" Eugene muttered to her.

"Trying to be normal." She answered back.

"Dance with us!" Mary shouted at them, laughing with joy as her and Sid swung around.

"No." Eugene told Ipo more than he told them.

There was a squeal off in the distance that sounded a bit familiar followed by a loud, "Hey! Hey, you!"

Eugene's face paled as his eyes made contact with something, "Oh, Lord."

"Wha-" Ipo looked to where he was looking and it wasn't hard to spot Bunny dragging a poor man through the crowd quickly towards them, "-Fuck."

"You're on your own." Eugene tried to move, but Ipo gripped his arm hard, giving him bruises of his own.

"Hey!" Bunny stopped in front of them, grin wide enough to split her face, "You're wearing the dress! It looks so pretty on you, like I knew it would. What's your name? I never got to ask in the shop."

"My name is Ipo and this is Eugene." She spoke quickly as she tugged Eugene closer to her side.

"Your name's what?" The man- who was more than likely John- asked loudly. He was drunk, that was certain.

"Ipo!" Eugene shouted clearly so that he could hear.

John laughed, "That's fuckin' weird."

Bunny rolled her eyes, "Don't mind him. He's a little..." She made a drinking motion, "But, he's so cute. Anyway, Ipo? That's exotic! Where are you from? You look Japanese, are you Japanese? Or Philipino? Or-"

"Hawaiian." Ipo interrupted.

"I was in Hawaiʻi!" John shouted.

"Maybe you should've stayed!" Eugene shouted back. John stared at him before he started laughing.

"I heard it's really nice there." Bunny said, "Not for me, though. I'm from up north, but I'm stuck down here because there was this guy I was with- it's a long story, you don't need to know about it. Anyway, how'd you end up here? Was Eugene stationed in Hawaiʻi and then you two met and fell in love and you stowed away with him to get married?" She had a far off look in her eye. She was a sucker for romance.

"No."

"Absolutely not."

Ipo and Eugene answered at the same time. Ipo added, "It's a long story. I'm going back on Monday."

"Oh, no!" Bunny frowned, "So soon? There's no way you've already experience Mobile properly, I mean, have you even looked at the Bay, yet? Had hush puppies? I love hush puppies, they are so-"

John groaned, "Hush, puppy." Before shoving his lips onto Bunny's and practically dragging her away while Bunny tried to wave goodbye to them, but she was preoccupied.

"I think I'm going to throw up." Eugene said.

"Yeah, me too... I'm going to go get some air." Ipo quickly walked out of the building like she hadn't just entered it, leaving Eugene alone in the corner. Ipo's ears were starting to ring and she didn't think it was from the loud noise. She encountered a waiter with a tray of champagne flutes and took two, chugging them both down before sitting the empty glasses back on the tray and grabbing another one to not chug.

"You might want to slow down." The waiter said, eyes a little wide.

Ipo clasped her hand on his shoulder, "I've killed people. I don't have to do shit." She smiled and patted his shoulder before walking off of the porch, sipping the alcohol. It wasn't a good idea, but she was going back to Hawaiʻi in three days and the ringing was too loud. Ipo went down the steps and headed towards the secluded trees next to the dock. There were people on that dock and she didn't want to be next to them, so the trees were the best bet. Ipo stared at the pretty water as it rippled and reflected the moonlight. Champagne tasted good. It didn't take her that long to finish the flute and she just sat the glass down on the grass. It was really pretty, the Mobile Bay. It was a huge body of water that wasn't the Pacific.

Perfect.

Ipo stood there for a bit before realizing that it was completely selfish of her to just abandon Eugene like she did. She had to tear herself away from the water as she walked back towards the house. It didn't take her long to find Eugene. He was sitting on the steps talking to Sid.

"-I don't dance until Eugene Sledge wants to dance."

Ipo came out of nowhere, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck which made him jump a little until he realized it was her, and rested her forehead on his temple, "You want to dance, Eugene?" Before anyone could answer, Ipo spotted that waiter from earlier with a replenished tray and left again with a little, "Oh!" Going up the stairs two at a time while temporarily using Sid's head as a railing. Ipo stopped abruptly before the waiter and took a flute.

"What did you mean when you said you killed people?" He immediately asked her, looking at her with suspicion.

She paused the rim of the glass at her lips, looking at him with a blank expression. She had temporarily forgotten. "Oh." She laughed a little, "I was just playing around to shut you up." He looked like he was slowly believing her before he was beckoned by an old woman and he left to cater to her.

Ipo went back and sat down next to Eugene, him looking at her with raised eyebrows, "You sure you should be doing that?"

"This is my fourth, so it's no use in stopping me."

Then, Mary Houston came out, calling, "Sidney Phillips!"

"Yeah?" Sid answered like he was being snapped out of something that he shouldn't have been in.

"You get back in here and dance with the woman who loves you!"

"I'm comin' boss lady!" Sid stood before turning to them, "Why don't you come on in? I'll wrangle you a partner."

Eugene laughed, "No."

"The only one who could wrangle Eugene a partner would be me." Ipo said, "Because I'd be that partner."

"This is why you're a bachelor." Sid said, "Because she's hanging around you all the time."

"I'd rather hang around her." Eugene nodded to the impatiently waiting Mary, "Go on, now."

When they were alone, Ipo said, "I was just joking. I'm sure several ladies would love to dance with you."

"I know." Eugene said confidently, "I said that for your sake."

Ipo laughed, "You don't think I can get my own dancing partner?"

"No offense, Ipo, but... Not in this town."

Ipo drank down the rest of her champagne. She was definitely between tipsy and drunk, leaning towards the latter side. She stood, "I'm going to prove you wrong.

"Please, don't embarrass yourself."

"It's either that or steal that pretty car over there."

"That's our car, Ipo."

"Oh." Ipo laughed again before clearing her throat, "Wish me luck." She turned and went to go up the stairs, but she turned back to him, "Excuse me, sir, I saw you sitting here alone and - stop laughing, this is serious- I was wondering if you'd like to dance with me."

Eugene was grinning, "I don't count."

"Hey, I dance with who I want to dance with and I want to dance with Eugene Sledge." Ipo grabbed his hands and pouted like she used to do with Analu, "You don't want to dance with me?"

"You want to go in there?" He asked.

"We can hear the music from here." Ipo pulled him up, "Please?"

"Okay, okay. Fine." Eugene sighed and they began slow dancing right where they were, "You're a very happy drunk. Maybe you should drink all the time."

Ipo pulled a guilty face, "... But, I did something bad."

"What?"

"I stole your necklace."

"What?" Eugene stopped their swaying to feel for his cross necklace. It was gone. Ipo took her hand from behind his neck, brandishing the gold necklace. He rolled his eyes and took it from her, clasping it back around his neck.

"And while I was telling you that, I stole your watch." She held it up to show him with a cheeky grin. Eugene snatched the watch out of her hand and put it back on. Maybe she did used to pick pockets.

"No stealin' things, Ipo."

"What if I give it back?"

"No." Eugene said sternly before placing his arm back around her waist to continue dancing with her.

"Alright. Fine. But, only because you're higher rank."

The rest of the party went fine. Ipo didn't try to steal any of the jewelry that she wanted to or embarrass herself. She ran into Bunny only once more, but she was a little preoccupied with John. He was very handsy, but he was also a sailor. They left before Sid and Mary did because Eugene's parents were older and got tired quicker. Sid offered to take them home if they wanted to stay, but both Ipo and Eugene didn't want to be around the noise and people any more. Ipo fell asleep briefly on the way back, her head against the window. The Sledge family took that opportunity to talk.

"How'd she do?" Dr. Sledge asked Eugene quietly.

Eugene didn't feel comfortable talking about Ipo seriously. He was always joking about her, but after the past few days it was obvious that Ipo was not okay. "... She ran off at first, but she was okay."

"How are you?" Mrs. Sledge asked.

"Fine." Even if he wasn't, he wouldn't let his parents know. He didn't have as much trouble as he thought he would, but it still felt like he had just went through Hell. Even when he was having a good time, it just drained everything out of him. The only thing that made him even a little comfortable was when he was alone. With the exception of Ipo, but that was a given.

They got back to the house and Eugene nudged Ipo awake. They all piled into the house, all of them saying good night to each other. Ipo didn't even play. She just walked into Eugene's room because she going to end up in there anyway. Eugene averted his eyes as she comically unzipped her dress and started getting undressed himself, not even paying any mind to Ipo as she opened his dresser and put on one of his shirts. She must've thought that being in her panties was just fine, since she didn't put on any boxers or pants.

Eugene sat down on his bed, rubbing the stress out of his eyes. Funnily enough, it was still there. Ipo suddenly straddled him, lying her head on his shoulder and hugged him around the shoulders. Eugene rubbed her back, trying not to make contact with her bare thighs. Ipo muttered, "I appreciate you."

Eugene chuckled, "Thank you."

"And I love you."

"I love you, too, Ipo."

Ipo pulled away and pecked his lips like she always did, but she paused when she pulled away before kissing him again, not like she always did. Eugene kissed back immediately, so it wasn't like he was surprised. His lips were soft. He ran his hands up her sides as the kiss deepened; Ipo pressed and ground into him. The friction snapped Eugene out of it. He pushed her away, looking down at the ground, "You're drunk."

Ipo felt like she was just woken up from an oddly pleasant dream and she sat there for a moment, looking down at Eugene as it sunk in. "Oh, God. I'm sorry." Ipo got off of him, sitting with her back against the wall and knees to her chest, "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine."

"This is why I'm not supposed to drink. I do stupid shit."

Eugene rubbed his eyes again, "You're the one who insisted on having six glasses of champagne."

Ipo groaned and fell over, pulling a pillow over her head, her voice muffled as she asked, "Do you want me to leave?"

"Don't be stupid." He said, laying down next to her. He grumbled to himself, "I don't even want you to leave on Monday. Leave me all alone with these people."

Ipo was quiet for a long while. He thought she fell asleep, but she eventually pushed the pillow off of her head and rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before saying, "I... Spent a lot of money on those clothes. Maybe... I should get a job. Get some more money before I leave."

Eugene knew she was full of shit. The clothes weren't that expensive and neither was an end of the line train ticket. He knew that she knew that his mother would give her as much money as needed to get the girl to leave their lives. Ipo had never said to him that she didn't want to go home. When she stared at Hawaiʻi as they passed it on the ship, he thought that she was going to jump off then and there. So, she was staying for him.

Eugene was a very selfish person these days, "... Yeah."

Ipo pulled the covers up over their bodies and rolled over onto her stomach, her nose almost touching the cold wall. Like how she always slept. Ipo's breathing slowed pretty quickly and she was asleep. Eugene followed soon after.

~~~ A/N ~~~

Only one chapter left. The song in this chapter is Seven Devils by Florence and the Machine. English translations:

He fucking lōlō ʻoe. - You're a fucking idiot.

Sucer mes couilles. - Suck my balls.

Auē - Wow

Pepehi ā make iaʻu. - Beat me to death.

Haole - Caucasian

Hale hulahula - Club

Pāʻina - Party