Roppi let out an exasperated groan as he splayed over a park bench. Hibiya and Tsukishima sat on either side of him, nomming on beef takoyaki. The two kids had eaten plenty for lunch but being creatures with high metabolisms, it was no surprise they were hungry once again. Roppi would make a big dinner when he got home. For now, they could snack on some stuffed battered balls.

Roppi stared up at the sky. He glowered at the sight. The blue sky, the domain of Zeus that was supposed to main untouched by man, was almost a muggy grey despite the sun shining bright. Pollution and reflection off the giant buildings was dampening the beautiful sight that was the sky.

'Zeus must be pissed. Is that why it rains so often even though it's summer? Wouldn't be surprised.'

Roppi tilted his head down to stare at his ground between his spread boots.

'I wonder how the gods are doing? How is Anubis doing? Last I talked to him, he had fallen into quite a depression.' Roppi glowered. 'I hope the Egyptians are treating him better. He should really dump those stick-up-their-asses fucks and go to the Greeks. At least Poseidon will treat him better than Ra ever did.'

Roppi scoffed and rolled his head to rest on his bicep.

'Doubt Ra would agree to that. He's an Egyptian after all, so of course he has to take responsibility even if he doesn't want to. Fucking golden dickcheese.'

"What are you 'inkin about, papa?" Tsukishima looked up at Roppi with his wide eyes.

Roppi chuckled and bent his elbow. His twiddle with a lock of Tsuki's blond hair. "Nothing, darling. You guys done eating?"

Roppi looked down at their takoyaki boxes. Hibiya had only eaten three, Tsuki had two out of their separate boxes of 8 each.

"Hm. Well hurry up and eat. You can't eat those in the cab."

Roppi phone buzzed in his pocket. He looked down in question to what that noise was before he registered it was his cellular device. He reached into his pocket. Izaya was calling. He hit the green button and put it to his ear.

"Sup, bitch?"

"Hey, have you left Ikebukuro yet?"

"No, not yet. I got the kids some snacks. Once their done I was going to take a cab."

"You want to just eat dinner in Ikebukuro?"

Roppi cocked a brow. "But I said I was going to make dinner."

"I know but that was about three hours ago. I'll be going through Ikebukuro to get home. So, I figured, if you're still there, we could just get dinner out."

"What, you don't like my cooking?"

Izaya chuckled. "That's not it, of course. It's actually quite nice eating home-cooked meals. But I'm used to eating in restaurants. It's much easier than cooking."

"Ten bucks says you don't even know how to cook and that's why you always buy take out."

"I have more class than that. I never bought take out. Five-star restaurants only."

"I don't think that sushi place was a five-star establishment."

Izaya just chuckled dryly. "Do you want to go out for dinner or not?"

"No need to get annoyed."

Roppi heard Izaya grumble. He most-likely didn't want Roppi to hear since it sounded farther away than it should. Roppi decided not to bring it into question.

"I don't mind going out to dinner." Roppi said. "How long till you get to Ikebu?"

"I'm right outside the city. Where are you at?"

"We're in the park. By some jet fountain things. You know what I'm talking about? They shoot up out of holes in the ground."

"Yeah, I know. I know where you're at. I should be there in another 15 to 20 minutes."

"Okay. You want us to meet you halfway?"

"No, I'll just meet up with you at the park. Let the kids finish their snacks. Are they going to be able to eat dinner?"

"Oh, yeah. They'll eat. If not, we can get it to go."

"True."

"Don't worry about the kids. I could definitely eat."

"Alright. Just so you know, we have some business to discuss."

Roppi cocked a brow in suspicion. "…What kind of business?"

"It's about your lost children."

Roppi's eyes narrowed. "I told you, I don't want you to find anymore of my children."

"I know. But now that you've calmed down, I think we should have a proper discussion."

"I don't need a discussion."

"We'll talk about this face to face when I get there."

Roppi growled, inhuman and low. "There's nothing to discuss."

"Humor me."

"Debatable."

"Roppi."

"Fine, fine, fine. Just don't spoil my appetite."

"I'll do my best not to."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"See you in a bit."

"See—"

Roppi hung up. He let out a heavy sigh as he put the phone in his pocket.

"Papa, why do you not wan' kids to be found?" Tsukishima looked up at him.

Roppi's brows furrowed. But he smiled. "That's a little complicated, darling."

"…Do you want me and Hibi to go away too?"

"No! No, no, no! I don't want any—it's not like that, Tsuki-baby." Roppi put his hands on the four-year-old's cheeks. "I don't want you to go anywhere. That's why I don't want to find the babies who were stolen from me. Because they want to go away. And it hurts Mommy so much to lose them."

"But…won't me and Hibi haf to move out?"

"…Where did you hear something like that?"

"On the TV. When we turln eight-teen we haf to move out."

"…Yes, you…can do that when you turn eighteen. But you don't have to. You can…you can stay with me forever if you wanted."

"I don' wanna stay with Mommy forefor." Hibiya said. "I wanna be an adult with rots of horsies and a big house!"

Roppi chuckled. "That's going to take a lot of hard work, you know."

Hibiya eyes widened. "Really?"

Roppi nodded. "Yes, really. You need money in order to do that."

"But…but Daddy will buy it for me!"

"He could, but will he?"

"YEAH!"

"Don't yell." Roppi glared at the toddler.

Hibiya pouted but said nothing.

"Weww, I wanna stay wit' Papa." Tsukishima said. "I wanna stay wit' Papa forever."

Roppi smiled. "That would make Papa very happy."

Tsuki smiled. The toddler then wiped his mouth and puckered his lips up at Roppi.

"What are you doing?" Roppi asked, chuckled.

"I wanna kiss your fourhead."

Roppi chuckled. "Okay."

Roppi leaned down and let the baby kiss his forehead. Roppi then nuzzled his face in Tsuki's hair and kissed his head.

"You're sweet. You're so sweet, Tsu-Tsu."

Tsuki smiled proudly.

Roppi sighed heavily into his hair. He then leaned back to sit up right.

"So," Roppi started, "Did you guys hear Izaya?"

"Yeah!" Hibiya beamed.

"Uh-huh." Tsuki smiled.

"I rike gowing out to eat!"

"You shouldn't get used to it." Roppi said. "Home cooked meals are healthier."

"Ah, but out food is tastier!"

"But I can't give you blood in a restaurant."

Hibiya stared at him wide-eyed. "But-but you did no do give at wunch!"

"Well, I can't, Hibiya. Humans will become very upset if they see something like that."

"Why?"

"Because humans are scared of blood."

"But why?"

"I don't know why. They just are."

Hibiya pouted.

Then the three perked. A sensation overtook their being. A bittersweet sensation that filled their chests. The feeling was far more profound for Roppi than the babies. The adult felt tears sting his eyes as his chest tightened. They quickly looked over to the right.

A blond bartender stopped along the sidewalk. He was standing next to a dark-skinned man with dread locks and a little girl with black hair was holding his hand. They both looked at him in confusion as tears started to streak his cheeks.

Seeing that man made Roppi's heart hurt for a completely different reason. He quickly looked away as he wiped his eyes. He then stood and grabbed his coat.

"Tsukishima, Hibiya, come on. Let's go."

"Eh? Why?" Hibiya balked loudly.

"We're going to meet Izaya somewhere else." Roppi closed the takoyaki boxes and stacked them on top of each other. "Come on, come on."

"But why?"

"Hibiya, do not argue with me right now." Roppi growled. "We're leaving. Now. Tsu—" Roppi turned to look at his well-behaved blond. But he wasn't there. "Tsu-Tsuki? Tsuki?" Roppi looked around himself wildly.

Roppi looked over at the blond bartender. Attached to Shizuo's leg was the blond four-year-old.

"Hello." Tsuki looked up at Shizuo.

"Um…hello?" Shizuo wiped his eyes quickly.

Roppi noticed for the first time the outfit Tsukishima wore. Roppi hadn't given the clothes much thoughts since it was Izaya who bought them. But now that the toddler stood next to Shizuo, it became painfully obvious that Tsuki was dressed as a bartender. The only difference was the white scarf around his neck. Maybe it was just a coincidence but Roppi knew better. He knew Izaya well enough to know that it wasn't an accident.

'Izaya knew Shizuo was related to us.' Roppi came to the conclusion.

"Tsukishima!" Roppi called. He looked back at the brunette toddler. "Hibiya, stay here!"

Roppi rushed over. He knelt down and grabbed Tsuki's wrists. He turned the toddler around quickly, so they faced each other.

"Do not run off by yourself! Especially not to a stranger!"

Tsuki's eyes stretched wide. "Bu-but he's no stwang—"

"He is! Just…" Roppi glared at the ground. "He's not one of us."

"But he's related."

Roppi wrapped his arms around his child and stood. "Doesn't matter. He's not one of us."

The raven turned and walked off.

"Hey, wait!"

Roppi's bicep was grabbed. As a knee-jerk reaction, Roppi spun around quickly with his knee swung out. His knee collided with Shizuo's hip bone. The blond man gasped before he grabbed his side and held the impact zone. Roppi's eyes widened at his own actions as he hugged his baby tightly.

"Sor…sorry." Roppi said, taking a step back. "Sorry."

Roppi turned around and rushed back over to Hibiya.

"Here, Hibiya, you hold the boxes." Roppi stated.

Roppi's coat hem was grabbed. "How did you make Shizu-Nii cry?"

Roppi glared over his shoulder at the child. "Fuck off."

The child jolted as her eyes stretched wide. But she then clenched her fists and stared up with a newfound determination. "You hurt Shizu-Nii too! I wanna know how you did it!"

Roppi's lip pulled back in a snarl as his shark fangs extended over his human teeth. An inhuman growl echoed in his throat before an even more inhuman hiss sounded. The girl's eyes stretched in surprise then in fear.

"Back off." Roppi growled.

"Akane-chan!" the dread-locked man—who Roppi had seen once before—rushed over. "I think it's best to leave her, um, him? This person alone."

"No, wait!" Shizuo rushed over as well. "I—we need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about." Roppi growled and knelt down. "Hibiya, come on."

The toddler hugged the boxes of food to his chest while he reached up with the other. Roppi leaned down lower and wrapped his arm around the brunette. Hibiya wrapped his arm around Roppi's neck as well. Roppi sat up properly and turned away.

"Wait, please!" Shizuo put his hand on Roppi's shoulder.

Roppi looked over his shoulder and bore his teeth, a vicious hiss echoing out his mouth. Shizuo's eyes stretched wide in shock. Roppi's mouth popped as his fangs retracted.

"Loo-look," Shizuo started. "I won't waste too much of your time. I—you obviously have gone through a very traumatic experience. And…well, I'm no stranger to monsters so I'm not saying your baby didn't save you like you said. But…but—"

"You think I'm mistaken."

"…Well, yes. I'm…I'm telling you, I was born and raised to the Heiwajima's. I've got birth certificates and everything."

"Course you do. It would be questionable if the Heiwajima's suddenly had a son without papers."

Shizuo glowered. "Listen, I know Izaya way better than you do. I've been dealing with that bastard since high school. He's twisted and enjoys peoples suffering. I wouldn't be surprised if he tricked you or lied to you about who I was."

"Hey, that's my daddy you calling bad names!" Hibiya yelled.

Shizuo's eyes stretched wide in genuine shock. "Daddy?"

"Hibiya, shoosh. I'll handle this." Roppi growled.

With that said, Roppi let out a heavy sigh and put the babies down on the bench. The two sat down. Hibiya glared at Shizuo while Tsukishima stared at him wide-eyed.

"Now, you listen to me, Shizuo." Roppi growled. "You know on an instinctual level that it's not a lie. You are my son and you know you are. You're just in denial."

Shizuo glowered. "I'm not—"

"Our species is biologically designed to recognize those that have the same blood. We resonate with those that share DNA, because it's not unnatural for creatures like us to go centuries without seeing each other. It's so we don't inbreed. Which means, the fact that you resonated with me means we are related. That tight sensation in your chest; a feeling of bittersweet that makes you cry. That's what it means to resonate. On an instinctual level, you know that. But you refuse to acknowledge it. And it's for that reason why I'm not bothering with you anymore."

"But—"

"No. No. No. No. Unless you want to listen to reason, then you will leave me alone."

"This is reason!"

"Believe what you want! I don't know what kind of mind control the Heiwajima's did to you, but I'm not willing to deal with you until you're willing to listen!"

"I wasn't mind controlled!"

"Really? Then let me ask you? What's the max weight you can lift?"

"I-I don't know! I never tested it!"

"Is your strength normal in comparison to your friends and family?"

"Well, no…I'm a lot stronger than others."

"Do you have a better sense of smell than others?"

"Well, yes."

"Better hearing?"

"…Yes."

"Why do you think that is?"

"…Shinra said it had to be something about my mind never developing the stopper for inhuman strength saved for adrenaline rush and emergency cases."

Roppi cocked a brow. "You mean when the human brain's limits how much strength they output so they don't destroy their muscles? That 'power' they access during adrenaline rushes?"

"Yeah. That's how Shinra described it."

"And that explains your advances senses?"

"I-I don't know!"

And that you are the special first human who doesn't have a limiter?"

"I…I know it sounds stupid but—"

"Have you never heard of Occam's Razor?"

"What?"

"It's the scientific law of parsimony, in which, 'the simpler solutions are more-likely to be correct than complex ones'."

"Um…"

"So, in your scenario, Shizuo, the simplest answer would be you're a monster rather than an extremely special, one of a kind human, right?"

Shizuo's sunglasses hid his eyes so Roppi wasn't able to figure out what he was thinking.

Roppi scoffed. "You want to be right so bad, Shizuo? Ask the Heiwajima's what really happened. Actually, ask a guy named Nanasaki Yoroshi."

Shizuo cocked a brow. "Who's that?"

Roppi scoffed in disgust.

"Am I interrupting something?" A new voice said.

The group turned to look at none other than Orihara Izaya.

"Daddy!" Hibiya yelled.

The raven stood and put his arms up to the informant. Izaya chuckled before leaning down and grabbing the toddler. Hibiya beamed happily.

"You fucking flea." Shizuo growled in a low voice. "What did you tell this woman?"

"Hm?" Izaya cocked a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb! You fucking tricked her into thinking I'm her son!"

"Okay, first of, Roppi-san likes being referred to as 'he'. Secondly, I didn't convince him of anything. You two resonated. That's nothing I can control."

"Bullshit! What the hell are you guys talking about with this resonate crap?!"

"I'm sure Roppi-san already explained that yesterday."

"You're full of shit! You played on this wom—person's trauma!"

"Oh, believe me, Shizu-chan. Knowing that you came from Roppi has completely destroyed his sex appeal."

Roppi jolted before looking at Izaya with shocked, angry confusion. "Excuse my fucking French, the fuck did you just say, blood bag?"

"It was no insult to you, I assure you, Roppi-san."

"Are you fucking high?"

"No."

"There is no way, shape, or form that's not an insult to me."

"Unfortunately, I can't take that back. The fact that Shizu-chan and I have shared the same vagina in some form or another really ruins my sex drive."

Roppi glared at him. Then he chuckled. He tilted his head down with a soft chuckle. "Okay."

Roppi reached out. He wrapped his arms around Hibiya and took the toddler from Izaya.

"Eh? I've got him, Roppi."

Roppi said nothing. Instead, he stomped his foot hard. Over Izaya's foot. The raven called out and took a knee as he held his injury.

"Well, then," Roppi growled. "If I've lost my sex appeal, then it's no problem if I pay that Samia guy a visit, right?"

Izaya immediately glared up at him. Roppi cocked a brow, a sadistic smile on his face.

"You wanna change your statement really quick then, Iza-chan? Or am I hunky dory to do what I want?"

Izaya glowered. "You could have broken my toes, you know."

"Oh, please, I know how to hold back."

Izaya stood, testing whether it hurt to use his foot or not. Roppi chuckled and leaned in close until his mouth was pressed to Izaya's ear.

"Listen, honey," Roppi whispered. "I don't want to embarrass you in front of others, but you cannot treat me like shit and expect me to like it, especially when I'm already in a bad mood. Swallow your pride for a second and do not humiliate me like that again. Can't defend you if you prove me right, dumb shit."

Roppi backed off enough for the two to make eye contact. Izaya glowered at him with enough hate to kill.

He then let out a heavy sigh. "Fine. I'm sorry."

Roppi scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Prove it to me."

"How?"

"Can't say in the earshot of children."

Izaya blushed in response.

Roppi held back a laugh.

"Oi, don't show me such a disgusting sight." Shizuo growled.

Roppi glared over his shoulder at him. "Take your homophobia and shove it."

"I'm not homophobic. Just the thought of the flea doing anything sexual is enough to make me puke."

Roppi stared at him, then at Izaya. "You guys seem to know each other quite well."

"We're natural enemies." Izaya beamed. "This is the first time we've been this close, and he hasn't tried to beat the shit out of me."

"If the kids weren't here, I'd send you flying."

"Touch Izaya and I'll break your hand." Roppi said without hesitation.

Shizuo glared at him with a mixture of shock. "You shouldn't protect this piece of shit! You don't know half the horrible shit he's done!"

"I have a pretty good idea." Roppi stared down at little Akane standing by the dark-skinned man.

"Whatever you think you know, you obviously don't know the full picture."

Roppi looked up at him. "I assure you. I know."

Izaya did not like that. It was evident on his face for less than a second. Shizuo didn't notice as he seemed to only get angrier.

"If you know, then why are you still with him?!"

"What in the FUCK do you CARE?!" Roppi yelled much louder than he should have. Hibiya and Tsukishima flinched. "You're the one who rejected me, so you don't have ANY FUCKING REASON to be sitting here TALKING TO ME!"

Shizuo's eyes stretched wide.

"…Roppi, you shouldn't yell." Izaya put his arms out for Hibiya. "You guys have advanced senses, right? You'll hurt the kids ears."

Roppi didn't respond. He couldn't respond. He was about to cry so he had to keep his mouth shut else he wouldn't keep his composure. Hibiya reached out for Izaya. The informant took the toddler from Roppi. Roppi felt a tug on his shorts. He looked down at Tsukishima, who had tears in his eyes.

Roppi knelt down and picked up his blond child.

"Izaya, I wanna go home…" Roppi said.

"…Okay." Izaya nodded. "Let's go."

Roppi walked past Izaya. The informant watched him go for a moment then turned to Shizuo.

"Well, Shizu-chan, I'll be leaving Ikebukuro. Since I have a kid with me, I hope you won't follow me."

"You've already hurt that woman enough, you creepy bastard."

"Right now, the one who hurt him is you."

Shizuo growled but couldn't say anything.

"You!" Hibiya yelled, glaring at Shizuo. The faux blonde's eyes widened. "You a bad man! You be one of our sibwings but you hurt Mommy! You a bad, bad man!"

Shizuo was stunned into silence. Izaya smiled triumphantly. "Very good, Hibiya. You tell that bad man what's what."

The informant nuzzled Hibiya's cheek as he turned around to follow Roppi. Shizuo didn't pursue. Tom put a hand on Shizuo's shoulder in comfort, since that was all the senpai could do.