Take Care of Yourself, Yoko

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They'd nearly shut the bar down that night as Team Dai-Gurren had celebrated the wedding of Black Sibling Kiyoh and Dayakka from Littner. Everyone had had their fill of drinks and the effects had been quite obvious as they'd blundered around even more voraciously than usual. Luckily, Neirah had developed a great relationship with the owner of their establishment, like she'd been known to do. As such, they were treated like the kings and queens of Kamina City even when they'd been at their rowdiest.

"Wow, Dayakka," Yoko crooned impishly. "You're starting on that father-figure a little early, aren't you?" She'd flinched when Kittan had begun to fuss in the seat next to her.

"Oh come on! They just got hitched!" Kittan sobbed. "Let me deal with one tragedy at a time!"

Yoko had flinched and reached out to give the distraught man a reassuring pat. "Awe, it's okay," she doted nervously. "Don't cry..."

"And what about any of this is tragic?!" Kiyoh scolded. "Dayakka! Put your clothes back on this instant!"

Zorthy had propped his feet up on the tabletop, throwing his hands behind his head and flashing a wicked smirk. "And it begins. Hate to say I told you so, but I really don't."

Yoko had filled with panic the moment that Kiyoh had climbed from her seat, taking both sides of her wedding dress up into her hands as she swept across the sticky bar floor towards her new husband. Her face had been twisted with a stern and embarrassed look as she'd stormed the bar, leaving Yoko completely defenceless without her aid. "Kiyoh wait! What am I supposed to do with your brother!?"

"I remember when she was just a little ankle biter pickin' fights with beastmen..."

"I won't ask you again!" Kiyoh scolded. She'd waved her finger in her husband's flushed face but he hadn't seemed to absorb her threat. "Put your shirt back on or I'll- EEK!" She'd begun to pound on his shoulders to demand release. "Dayakka! Put me down this instant, you oaf!"

"This is my bride!" Dayakka hollered proudly. "This is the woman I married!" Kiyoh's face had flushed in mortification as she was paraded around in his clumsy arms.

"Oh yeah, well everyone can see your bride's panties when you hold her like that!" Kiyal jeered. "It's a good thing big brother's so drunk or this could get messy!"

Yoko had shuddered, her face paling as Kittan's devastated blubbering escalated. "Uh... help?" She'd quickly raised her gaze and scanned the area in hopes to find some backup but between Dayakka's bragging and the battle ensuing for the bouquet that Leeron had caught earlier that day, she'd come up dry. Finally, she'd come to rest her gaze on the sight of Neirah chatting up the barkeep of her team's favourite dive. Their symbiotic relationship had seen the drinks come without end, but they had definitely been paying the price. She'd turned to where Kittan had still been codling his fourth nearly-emptied wine bottle but the last time she'd tried to take it away, she'd almost lost her trigger finger.

Thinking on her toes, she'd climbed to her feet, recoiling when the abandonment had made Kittan drop his head to the tabletop in a fit of hysterics. She'd quickly rushed to Neirah's side like she'd been trailed by five or six armed enemies, nearly throwing herself up against the bar.

"Oh, hello Yoko."

"Skip the pleasantries," Yoko rushed out breathlessly. "I need your help. Kittan is having a complete meltdown and the others are too drunk to care."

Neirah hadn't shifted her gaze from where she'd been stacking shots on the silver tray presented to her. "What did you expect? You know he's an emotional drunk. It just so happens that devastation is a human emotion."

"Neirahhh...!" she whined. "Think of it like the swimsuit thing. Surface humans act weird when they're drunk so can you at least help me get him away from the liquor?"

Neirah had finally tipped her dry gaze Yoko's way. "Did you try putting on a swimsuit?"

"Be serious!"

The girl's had turned to where Kittan's sadness had obviously turned to rage the moment he'd slammed his fists down against the table hard enough to make the timber crack. "That sorry bastard! What idiot told him he could marry my sister?!"

"Oh too easy," Kidd crooned.

"That idiot would be you," Zorthy agreed. "It's not like he didn't ask first."

Kidd had rolled his gaze to where his brother had remained dancing on his own trying desperately not to fall over for how dizzy he'd become.

"Am I doing it? Am I doing it like Neirah yet?"

Kidd had snorted his amusement when Iraak had finally hit the floor. "Sorry, partner. No one can do it like my girl can."

"Your girl?" Zorthy chided. "Just how drunk are you?"

His devious chortle had been emitted from behind a wicked smirk as he'd raised his beer in a self-assured toast. "Stick around and yer gonna find out."

"Guys! Guys! I'm doing it!"

Kidd and Zorthy had both turned over their shoulders to watch Iraak wriggle across the floor, their simultaneous replies denying his triumph. "Not even close."

Yoko had cut her narrowed leer towards where Neirah had begun to feel guilty for her actions, Kiyoh's desperate pleas ringing over the escalating clamour. "You see what you started?"

Neirah had heaved a heavy sigh before conceding responsibility. "Alright, alright, keep your tie on," she groaned. "I can't do anything about the dancers, but I've got the rampaging brute locked in big brother mode." She'd dusted her hands on her black dress pants and popped a couple of buttons free on her sleeveless blouse. When she'd raised her gaze, it had sharpened intently with purpose. "I'll handle Kittan. Cover me."

She'd blinked back at her comrade uncertainly. "Uh, Neirah... What are you doing?"

Neirah had taken up her tray and started to step away from the bar. "Preparing to do battle."

Yoko had lurched forward the moment that Neirah had stumbled, her one high heeled boot cracking to one side before recovering its stability. It was then that she'd actually realised that Neirah was just as drunk as her boys and she may have made a grave mistake. "Oh god, what have I done...?"

"Assassin!" Zorthy cheered upon receiving her alcoholic offering. "My angel in disguise!"

"What disguise?" Kidd had purred fondly beneath her affectionate pat as she'd passed them and his expression had remained blissful as he'd watched her approach Kittan's impending catastrophe. "It's gonna be our wedding next. Just you wait..."

"That's it. I'm cuttin' you off," Zorthy groaned.

Kittan had lurched forward, scouring the bar through his double vision in hopes of locating at least one of his adversaries. "Dayakka! Get back here and fight me!" His gaze had narrowed the moment he'd laid eyes on the clumsy man swooning towards the eldest of Kittan's sisters. His gaze had grown hot with unjustifiably impatient rage. "You bastard..." He'd drawn his fist up along his head and took charge on the unsuspecting newlyweds, causing the rest of their team to panic. "I won't forgive this!"

"That idiot!" Yoko bleated. "In his state, he might just end up hitting Kiyoh!"

"Kittan! What the hell?!" Zorthy added frantically.

The entire crowd had silenced the moment Neirah had appeared between Kittan and Dayakka, and Dayakka had just turned his head to catch the sight of the butt of her palm driving up into Kittan's jaw. The group recoiled to the devastating snap of his teeth clacking together as his head jolted backwards. In case that hadn't taken him down, she'd quickly dipped low and swept his feet out from beneath him to break his already clumsy stride and send him crashing into the floor. The room had watched in utter bewilderment for a while before they'd burst into merry laughter and continued with their festivities. To their old team, it had seemed to be just another typical, run of the mill gathering.

Kittan had snapped his head square again with a bitterly agonized hiss. "You son of a bitch... I'm gonna-" He'd flinched when he'd opened his eyes to see that Dayakka and Kiyoh had long vacated the premises, leaving nothing but a sharply dressed Neirah at his front staring back down at him. "Wait... yer not Dayakka." He'd glowered back at her wrathfully. "I wondered why that hurt so bad..."

Neirah had sighed and knelt by his side because she'd realised that in his current state, there was no way he'd be able to pick himself up after that. "Sorry, but you deserved that," she murmured softly. She'd weaved beneath his shoulder and helped him to stagger to his feet. "This is your sister's big day. We don't need you hospitalizing her new husband on their wedding night."

Kittan's rage had started to subside as heartache filled his weakening expression once more. "My kid sister's married. She got married and..."

Neirah had rolled her eyes as he tossed the back of his forearm over his weakening gaze and started to weep again. She'd turned and faced where Yoko had reclaimed her seat with a cocky grin. She'd known she'd dodged a bullet and Neirah had grown irritable to have it passed on to her. She'd dropped Kittan into a chair unsympathetically, slamming her hands down on either chair arm to keep him steady there as she'd glared at him nose-to-nose.

"Alright, listen to me," she commanded authoritatively. She hadn't hesitated when his expression had shifted from blubbering hysterics to bashfully keen intrigue. "So your sister got married today, but she didn't marry just anyone. She married Dayakka, one of your best friends and teammates." Luckily she hadn't been capable of seeing the awkward scene the aforementioned had been making at her back. "That man risked his life to defend humanity and win us the right to be here having this conversation on the surface."

Kittan had leant to one side, letting his wry gaze wander to where Dayakka had gotten his shirt stuck over his head before falling to the floor at his wife's feet.

"He is strong and caring, and now he protects a heart close to your own. If he would give his life to see that we all made it here, just imagine what he will do to make sure that no harm ever comes to your sister."

Kittan's bewildered gaze had shifted back in line with hers, his vacant expression hot with humility. "I uh..."

"You should be relieved right now, not angry or sad. Would you really berate him for giving her the moon and stars?"

To their side, Kidd had started to snigger devilishly. "Man, she's wasted."

Kittan had blinked back at her sheepishly, completely blown away by a sentiment that he could hardly comprehend in his current state. "I think I just got belted by words..."

"No, that was definitely my fist," she assured him coarsely. "And you're going to taste it again if you don't shape up."

"Kamina would be proud," Yoko murmured impishly.

"You sure are pretty when you take charge like that," Kittan murmured keenly.

Kidd had thrown his chair back from beneath him as he'd climbed to his feet ready to brawl. "Hey! That's my girl yer comin' on to! Where I come from, them be-"

Zorthy had casually reached out with his shoe and kicked the chair back out from beneath Kidd's palm. With the loss of the crutch, the man had toppled to the ground next to his brother with a disgruntled yip. "Alright, I think it's just about time to call it a night," he suggested. "You guys get too rowdy when you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk," Neirah growled defensively.

"Please," Zorthy spat. "Everyone knows you get all gushy when you're drunk off yer ass."

"I think you broke my jaw again," Kittan groaned under his breath.

"I'm not drunk!" Neirah had reiterated more passionately.

"Really?" Zorthy chided sardonically. "Do you even know how much you've had tonight?"

She'd tipped her nose towards the bottle she'd been nursing next to Kidd earlier that evening. "I don't know; whatever's not in that bottle."

From where he'd reclaimed his seat, Kidd had raised the bottle and gave it a wiggle. "It's empty, Nei."

Her expression had grown vexed as she'd narrowed her gaze on the sight. "Okay, what about the other one?"

"That's hard liquor you little moron! How are you even still alive?!" Zorthy demanded in outrage. "Go home! And take Kittan with you!"

"Hold on!" Kidd denied. "Why's she takin' him?!"

"Guys! I'm-!"

"Yer not doing it!" Kidd and Zorthy snapped simultaneously impatiently.

Neirah had sighed and rose from where she'd been keeping their frantic comrade locked down against his seat. She'd slicked her hair back against her scalp, a lean strand of bangs yet to grow out flopping onto her brow defiantly. "Fine, I suppose it is getting early and I have a lot of work to do tomorrow."

"Zorthy's right, though. Someone should really take Kittan home too," Yoko agreed. "If you're not here to keep him in line, there's no telling what might happen." She'd flinched when all gazes had fallen on her. "What?! Don't look at me, I did it last time!" Before they could open their mouths, she'd lurched forward bitterly. "And the time before that! Not it!"

"That's because you're the only one sober enough to walk by the end of the night," Zorthy teased.

"What's wrong with your legs?!" she battled fervently.

Zorthy had sniggered shrilly to himself. "Why d'you think I haven't moved all night, lady?"

Neirah had groaned bleakly and snatched up a handful of Kittan's shirt, dragging him to his feet. "I don't understand why the rest of you can't take responsibility for him once in a while. Instead, you always put it on us girls."

"Women are naturally more nurturing," Zorthy explained sardonically. "You two are better equipped to deal with his tantrums." Without opening his eyes, he'd laid his palm out towards the sniggering Kidd to receive the clap of the other man's sinister approval.

Kittan's expression had knotted impatiently. "Hey! I ain't a damn kid!"

"Then stop acting like one," Neirah scolded. "Seriously, your fits are worse than Gimmy's ever were."

"Well that's embarrassing," Gimmy groaned bleakly as he sank into his seat.

"Come on."

"I can walk y'know!" The entire crowd had winced to the sound of Kittan hitting the floor.

"Can you stand in order to do so?"

"Piss off! Just... help me up..."

Yoko's wry gaze had lingered on the swinging of the door marking their exit into the street, her smirk playful. "It's not easy playing match-maker is it?" she crooned spiritedly. "I swear; those two are so dense sometimes." She'd giggled to the sounds of their intoxicated banter cadences carrying through the bar over the lively ruckus. "Is it really okay to let them leave like that?"

"They'll be fine," Zorthy crooned. "So long as they don't-" He'd stilled, panic filling him in his moment of realisation. "Crap, please tell me that someone took his ring before they left!?"

Kidd had turned his deviously mischievous gaze towards him, holding up the dainty golden band between his fingers. "Like I'd just sit back and let that happen."

"You just... took it?" Yoko's expression had paled as his sly gaze had slid her way. "Have you always been this sneaky?"

"Hey, all's fair in love n' war, partner," he crooned. Kidd had sniggered and flipped the band up in the air before catching it in his palm and leaning back in his chair. "If I told ya that, then it wouldn't be-" The moment he'd went to fold his arms behind his head and lean back in his chair, the stability had crashed out from beneath him a second time, leaving Neirah's ring in the air space where he'd once been.

Zorthy had reached out and snagged the band swiftly out of the air before slipping it into his breast pocket. "Only when he's drunk."

"Hey! Give that back!"

"I don't think so," he muttered through his teeth. "Yer not as tough as you think you are and Nei's not gonna give you the time of day if Kittan knocks out all your teeth."

Kidd's roguishly tapered gaze had peeked up over the edge of the table in order to leer at him. "Like she'd let 'im hit me."

Yoko had chuckled brightly. "Some free advice; the quickest way to a woman's heart is not to use her like a human shield."

Kidd had slid his impatient glower towards her offence. "And just how would you know what women want?"

"Well, first of all, I'm a woman!" she demanded upon letting her palms strike the table between them. "And you people wonder why you're still single!"

Kittan had groaned to himself as he'd paced through the hallway of their workspace. In his opinion, Parliament Tower had been overkill. It had made Dai-Gurren's battleship look small and it had been a chore just walking those halls previously. "Man, if I could kick this migraine, that'd be great..." He'd reached back and held his pounding head. "Last night really beat the hell outta me... Hm?" He'd turned his gaze to where a freshly showered Dayakka had exited a room in front of him, joining him in the hall. His gaze had narrowed on the man curiously as he'd dabbed the towel around his neck against his damp face.

"Oh, mornin' Kittan," Dayakka announced pleasantly.

Kittan had stuffed his hands into his pockets sheepishly and joined the man. "Hey, sorry about last night," he apologized meekly. "I hear I got a little carried away."

"Yeah, you kinda did," Dayakka teased. "But Neirah's pretty good at damage control, even when she's a little drunk too."

Kittan had cut his guilty peripheral gaze to the side. "Yeah, about that... uh... You haven't happened to see my-"

Dayakka had chuckled and pulled the small gold band out of his pocket to offer it to the worrisome man. "Here. The boys took it from you last night so you didn't do something stupid when she took you home."

He'd rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and reclaimed the ring. "Yeah, neither of us ever really made it home. We ended up crashing at Kiyal's place. Thanks... I owe ya one for this."

"Actually, you still owe Kidd," he crooned impishly.

Kittan's grip had locked and tightened on the ring in his palm. "That sneaky bastard! I shoulda known-"

"Should have known what?"

Kittan had yelped, quickly hiding the ring Dayakka had just passed to him the moment Neirah had followed him out into the hall. "N-Neirah?! What are you-!?" He'd given her a curious once over, taking into consideration that she and Dayakka had been similar in appearance. Breathless, sweaty and dishevelled. "Wait... what the hell is...?"

"What Yoko said last night wasn't wrong," Dayakka muttered in embarrassment. "I kind of let myself go a little after the war and Neirah's been helping to whip me back into shape."

"S-she has?"

Neirah had hitched her hand on her hip with a fond smile. "He refuses to eat nothing but fish and rice now that he's married, but we're making progress," she purred. "Class dismissed. I'll see you tomorrow."

"You bet," Dayakka assured her gratefully. "Providing I can still walk tomorrow."

Neirah had turned her bright gaze to where Kittan's bewildered expression had watched his friend casually saunter away. When their gazes had finally met, her smile had broadened understandingly. "Today was leg day."

Kittan had poked his head into their training room when she'd returned to it. "How long's this been goin' on?"

Neirah had slipped her hands back into her hair, gathering it on the top of her head before picking the elastic out of her teeth and replacing it to bind her long waves in a sporty ponytail. "About a month," she calmly stated. "Originally he wanted to get back into shape for his wedding but work has been rough for me recently and I haven't had a lot of time for him."

"Yeah, I'm still not even really sure what you do..."

"Don't worry about it," she added softly. "It's nice to get out some aggression every now and then so I call him in for warm up. I work him 'til he's tired and then I start with my day when I'm a little more focused."

When she'd turned to start stretching out her arms and shoulders, Kittan had taken a moment to size her up from behind; her haunches wrapped in black tights that flared at the ankles, her wrapped hands wringing lean arms that were bare thanks to the charcoal grey sports bra strapping down her weighty breasts. "You and I should definitely work out sometime..." He'd flinched to the sound of her curt snigger walking away from him, deriding his entire sentiment. "What the hell was that for?"

She'd turned and looked over her shoulder at him cattily. "Oh please, you're almost as bad as Dayakka. I haven't seen you lift anything but a drink in ages."

His expression had darkened over his menacing smirk. "You think I've gone soft?"

"Well, your new uniform isn't exactly flattering," she teased. "I think you all got a little lazy after we won the war, but I suppose you earned it."

"Hold on there, Neirah," he cautioned her. He'd stepped into the room, his hands still in his pockets and his expression mischievous. "Don't go gettin' cocky just because you took me out last night. We've thrown down before and I did alright."

She'd turned and folded herself over the leg she had braced on a railing along the wall. "That was a long time ago," she derided spiritedly. "And even then, you still couldn't keep up." She'd huffed out an exasperated breath as she'd deepened her stretch before switching legs. "I'm a little disappointed, honestly. You've been hunting beastmen longer than anyone else here. Your survival instincts alone should be lethal."

"You say that, but that night they kicked in, they left you pretty speechless."

She'd stilled releasing her stretch in order to turn and glance his way with a softened expression. She'd never forget the look in his eyes the night they'd met, the night she'd threatened his life. "Touché..."

"Well, if you've got nothin' better to do; I'm game," he announced eagerly.

"You mean?"

"Yeah, let's do it," he assured her confidently. "I told you back then that I was gonna look out for you so long as I was above ground. If I just let myself go, I wouldn't be able to keep my promise."

Neirah's grin had grown eager and crooked. "I like your style, cowboy. You've got spirit, but you'll need more than that to keep up with me."

He'd reached up and hooked two fingers beneath his tie to loosen it. "I gave up on keeping up with you a long time ago," he admitted fondly. "'Cause, y'know, no one's faster than you are."

"So he can be learned," she teased on approach. "You'd better have something to bring now that you've got me all hot and bothered."

He'd caught a confident chuckle in his throat as he peeled his shirt away from his body, the effort leaving him in the black tank top he'd worn underneath. "Come on, just who the hell do you think I am?"

"I think you're a very foolish man," she mused in a sultry tone. "One who's about to realise that they've made a very grave mistake."

He'd scoffed sardonically and draped his over shirt onto some weights. "What? You gonna assassinate me?"

"If I had of wanted to do that, it would have been done long before now," she crooned. He'd turned and stiffened to see that in the time it had taken him to drop his shirt, she'd managed to near him to the point of their noses almost touching when he'd turned back to face her. Her smile had been wicked as she reached out and pushed his bangs back from his brow. "I think I might have a spare tie if you want to pull back your hair."

He'd cleared his throat anxiously. "You think it would help?"

She'd shrugged and turned to stride away from him. "No, I suppose not," she purred resolutely. He could have sworn that she'd walked away with an exaggerated sway in her broad hips. "Besides, I kind of like it this way."

His heart had started racing restlessly with his eagerness when he'd been struck with a sudden realisation. "Holy crap, yer nervous," he announced in amazement. "That's why you're tryin' to get me all worked up over-" His eyes had widened the moment she'd whirled back around, her black runner rocketing towards his head without hesitation. He hadn't been able to finish his sentence before he'd had to raise his hand and capture her ankle, heaving a sigh of relief when his nose had been spared the impact.

"Well, your reflexes seem sharp. Perhaps psychological warfare won't work on you," she teased. "That's good; because the only thing I was afraid of was hurting the man who introduced me to surface life."

His gaze had grown more confident as he'd shoved her leg away and took a firm stance before her with his hands raised, ready to counter her strike. "Keep talkin', sweetheart," he teased mischievously. "I'm not gonna hold back just because yer a total babe."

"I wouldn't expect anything else from a member of Team Dai-Gurren..."

"So, have you given up yet?"

Kidd's face had knotted defiantly as he'd walked the halls with his brother close to his side. "Come on, you should know better than anyone that the Whirlwind Brother's never give in," he chided. "Just because she left with him doesn't change anythin'. I could still have a shot."

"You're one durable heart, Kidd," Iraak crooned proudly. "Even after she all but turned you down, you're still going for it."

"S'just how it is, partner," he murmured assuredly. "She's worth fightin' for 'til the very end."

"Even through the black eyes and nose bleeds?"

"Hey, he hasn't hit me yet!" Kidd argued optimistically.

"Awh crap!"

"I warned you not to let me get my legs around you. You think you would have learned that by now."

"Don't say crap like that when we're-" Kittan's breathing had been choked by the pressure of her thighs clamping down on his airway. "Damn it-!"

"What was that? Cat got your tongue?"

Iraak and Kidd had stormed down the hallway until they were able to take a peek into the room to the sight of two perspiring parties grappling in the centre of the padded training floor. As usual, Neirah had latched onto Kittan and he had been forced to struggle to pry powerful thighs from where they'd incapacitated him.

Iraak had slowly shifted his gaze from the spectacle to where Kidd's flushed expression had gawked at the sight. "So when you said worth fighting for..."

"Oh man, I'm so jealous right now," he murmured distantly. "Kittan looks like he needs backup!"

Iraak had sighed and captured his little brother by his collar in order to drag him back through the doorway's threshold. "I think he's doing just fine. And besides, Rossiu would hang us high if we were late to council."

"Man! Kittan gets to have all the fun!"

"Yeah, sure looks like it."

Kittan had winced, hissing to the sting of the alcohol disinfectant that Neirah had been applying to his jaw bone where she'd accidentally broken skin. "I'm sorry," she murmured kindly. "I guess I got carried away again. I always get so excited when someone comes along who can really help me stretch my legs."

"Glad to help," he groaned. He'd let her capture his face, shifting it around in the light so that she could treat him properly. "You know, I almost had you."

Neirah smiled and released his face, gently taping down the bandage that she'd applied to his cut. "I have to say, you weren't fibbing. How's your chin? Looks like last night left you with a nasty bruise."

"I'll live."

"I'm impressed," she purred keenly. "I actually think you've improved over the years."

He'd rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he'd redirected his gaze across the room. "Okay, to be fair, Yoko helped. She's about as ruthless as you are so I have her go a couple of rounds with me every once in a while so I don't get rusty."

Neirah's face had wrinkled bitterly and his first alarm had been that she'd actually grown jealous to hear his admittance. He had been half right. "That wench. She never spars with me. Unforgivable." Neirah had cocked her head off to one side as she'd watched him knead his nape like it had been causing him discomfort. "Is something wrong with your neck?"

"Yeah, the whiplash you just gave me when you nearly kicked my head off my shoulder-" He'd stilled when she'd pressed up behind him and shooed his hand away so that she could replace it with her own.

"Wow, you're knotted up good and tight," she murmured worriedly. "Try to relax, stop tensing. I'm going to try and work this out."

"How can you even say that with a straight face," he growled. "When an assassin's got their hands around your neck-" His entire demeanour had shifted with the blissful sigh he'd let slip. "Oh yeah, right there..."

Neirah's brow had creased disdainfully as her fingers had worked down his neck and into his shoulders. "That can't just be from our little spat," she gently theorised. "This kind of tension would have taken months to develop. Is something the matter?"

"You mean other than buildin' a city, my kid sister gettin' married, Rossiu breathin' down my neck to turn in papers and-"

"Okay, okay, I get it," she teased spiritedly. "Things have been pretty intense lately. I guess this is justified. You just keep your composure so well that it caught me a little off guard."

His cynical look had humbled as he'd sat in front of her and stared into the empty room with guilt weighing his expression. "Yeah..."

"Are you sure there's nothing you want to get off your chest?" She'd smiled teasingly. "Or at the very least your neck and shoulders?"

His expression had lightened but not to the point where he'd been at ease. The returned weight in his pocket had staggered him, but he couldn't admit to her that it had been the reason behind the tension. "Nah, I'm good. I like this better."

"That's healthy," she mocked sardonically. "All this time you've spent telling me to lighten up and you're carrying around baggage like this."

"I'm sure it won't last forever," he assured her calmly. "I thought that things woulda calmed down a long time ago but it just seems to be one thing after another."

"It certainly isn't boring," she agreed. "I'm glad I stayed. This is much better than what I had planned."

"Which was?"

She'd turned her playful smirk away from his gentle prying. "You have your secrets, I have mine."

"So, in other words, I should ask Kidd."

"You could, but there are things that not even he knows."

"You say that, but the other day he proceeded to have a twenty-minute conversation about what you had for breakfast," he grumbled dismally. "It was bad enough before, but havin' you guys livin' in the same building is just plain unnecessary."

"You know, I think a room just opened up downstairs if you're interested," she informed him casually.

"Keep doin' whatever it is yer doin' back there and you have a deal."

"Well now, isn't this a touching sight."

Kittan's gaze had grown mortified when he'd swung it around to face where Yoko had been standing in the doorway but Neirah had remained calm and complacent. "This isn't what it looks like!" Kittan demanded frantically.

"Ya sure about that?" she teased. "Because it looks kinda familiar. Let me guess, some chick with a sword kicked your ass and demanded that you take her to your leader? Should I warn Simon?"

"You guys are brutal, ya know that..?"

"How's your face, Kittan?"

"Shaddup..."

"I'm glad to see you two getting along."

Neirah had ignored his disheartened griping as she'd climbed to her feet and dusted herself off. "So today's the big day, right?" She'd walked over to where Yoko had been standing in the doorway with a kind smile on her face.

"Yup. It sure is."

The two had turned to face where Kittan had been left in the centre of the room with a confused look on his face. "Big day? What's that mean?"

"Don't worry about it, cowboy," Neirah assured him gently. "Take ten and hit the showers. When you don't smell like sweat and shame, we'll meet up with the others for lunch."

"Harsh," Yoko teased. She'd ignored Kittan's venting fury as the two stepped out into the hall to converse privately. "It's not a wonder you're still single."

"So there's nothing I can say that will convince you otherwise."

Yoko had slowly shaken her head. "No way, this is just what I have to do. You always talk about what feels right and, to me, this does."

"You could at least say goodbye to the others," she gently reasoned. "They're going to miss you too, you know. This is the last thing they'd probably expect and even if you don't tell them where you're going, you should at least let them know that they matter enough to do that much."

"But that's what I have you for," she teased puckishly. "Just tell them that I was too upset to do it myself. You know, because I'm a woman and what not."

Neirah had snorted softly. "Like they'd believe that out of you."

"But you'll be here to look after them for me and that's all that matters," she announced fondly. "There are kids out there who need me more right now so that's where I'll be if you ever need me. Plus you've got my number so call sometime would ya?"

"You're the one who never calls me," Neirah nearly growled.

"That's because I don't want to interrupt-" She'd flicked her wrist, dismissing the sight she'd just walked in on moments prior. "You know, whatever this is. You're always with those boys doing something or other so I can take a hint."

Neirah's gaze had darkened sternly. "You know it's not like that..."

"Kittan's right, you really do need to lighten up." Yoko had shifted her tender gaze back to the glossy brunette, her smile warm and apologetic. "Sorry, but you know how important this is to me."

"I do," she assured her kindly. "And protecting my boys is important to me. Just remember that if you ever need me, I'll be there in a heartbeat."

"Same," she murmured certainly. She'd raised the flat of her palm like she was going to take an oath so that Neirah could do the same. They'd clapped their hands together playfully. "My scope's always got your back."

"And my sword holds your front line," she agreed. "Take care of yourself, Yoko."

Yoko had winked back at her over her light-hearted grin. "Look after Kittan for me, kay? I still don't think he's accepted that Dayakka married his sister."

"If he hasn't, I'll knock some more sense into him after lunch," she hummed devilishly. "I'm starving."

"That's because you only eat fish and rice."

"Hey, don't knock it 'til you try it."

"Okay Zorthy," she teased. She'd turned away and tipped her fingers to her brow in a casual salute. "Catch ya later, soldier. Make sure you look after yourself too."

"I will..."

Neirah had smiled fondly and watched as Yoko had started away, taking her secrets with her. She hadn't tipped her gaze back to where Kittan had poked his sopping head out of the doorway to glimpse the sight of Yoko's silent retreat. "What was all that about? Was there a reason that I couldn't be around for that?"

Neirah had smiled and shaken her head, turning to face him certainly. "Nope, it's all good. A girl's gotta have a few secrets, you know." She'd slipped her fingers back through his bangs to tease them back into place while they dried. "Put some clothes on, drippy. We're late for council."

He'd shuddered in sheer mortification. "What!? Why didn't ya say somethin' sooner?! Rossiu's gonna flip if I'm late again!"

"Well, then you should have thought of that before being late to the last four meetings," she teased. "You know how I get when someone offers me a challenge."

"So I was a challenge, huh?"

"Maybe not as challenging as your pride would like to think."

"Oh kiss my ass!"