Warnings: No trigger warnings, for once! Only happy feels. ^_^

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Epilogue

—T—

I stood just outside the Sendai airport security line, and already wanted to come back to Japan.

Some of that was simply due to the country and the people themselves. I had adjusted relatively quickly, and aside from our little jaunt back to the States partway through, the entire trip had been incredible. While I knew I would be returning in mere months to watch Sage compete in nationals, part of me wished I could stay longer. Or maybe forever.

At the same time, those weren't the only things I might have fallen in love with.

Rowen laid a hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him, adjusting my carry-on backpack self-consciously. He seemed not quite sure what to say, for a moment; there hadn't been much opportunity to properly talk in the last few days, since...everything with Alexa. It hadn't helped that I still wasn't sure what to think about...us, yet. Even thinking that word in this context felt strange.

Sage had said his goodbyes already, excusing himself to his car—and something told me he knew exactly what he was doing, leaving us by ourselves.

"It… I'm…" Rowen took a decidedly nervous breath, as I glanced away. "I'd…like to keep in touch, if that's alright."

I looked back at him, blinking and then laughing shortly. "Between Alexa and Sage and the rest of the guys, I don't think that'll be a problem."

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "W-Well, yeah, but—I mean…" He exhaled. "I…wish there were more time."

I'd been in Japan—and around Strata—long enough to catch his meaning. I shifted my weight awkwardly, dropping my gaze to the floor. My chest felt tight, but there were butterflies in my stomach and my cheeks were warm.

Maybe…

Taking a breath, I stepped forward and slipped my arms around Rowen's chest.

For a split second, I thought that might've been the wrong thing to do, because he felt stiff. But almost immediately after, he folded me into a tight hug with a hand on the back of my head. "I'll miss you."

I smiled, inhaling his scent from the sweatshirt he wore. "I…" Clearing my throat, I drew back and met his eyes—briefly, before turning away as a blush rose to my cheeks. "I'm...still not sure about...things, but I'm… I do want to come back."

He smoothed a hand over my hair, letting it come to rest on my shoulder. "I'm glad to hear that," he murmured. After a moment's hesitation, he added, "I'll be counting the days, 'til then."

My face had to be red as a tomato; I welcomed him hugging me again as a chance to hide that fact. But...it also was nice. His hugs had never not been nice. And that kiss, on our trail ride…

Maybe I was wrong to wait. But I also couldn't trust myself, yet. And there was so much I needed to focus on, when I stepped off the plane I was here to catch.

Speaking of—

I gently disengaged from the hug to check my watch. Wincing, I smiled apologetically at Rowen and slowly stepped backward, toward security behind me. "I have to go. I'm sorry." Turning to trot away—and then looking over my shoulder—I waved and called back, "I'll message when I land!"

Strata's energy wrapped around my shoulders like a familiar blanket. "I'll be waiting."

—/—

November couldn't come fast enough…until it was suddenly here.

The excitement was different from last time. Then, I had been both ecstatic about my first trip outside the States, and nervous—about being in a new land with patchy language skills, wondering how I'd be received, and if I would even like it. Now, though, I had new reasons for the mix of internal squealing and restless pacing.

Sage had nearly blown the competition out of the water, getting to the finals matches. No student had won nationals in decades, but if ever there was a time to change that, it could be now. The hype was real.

I also had a traveling partner, this time. Flying into Ottawa and reuniting with Alexa was a rare treat, or at least it was at this new stage in our friendship—familyship? But hopefully it would set a precedent for future visits.

And then…there was Rowen. When my roomies had dragged out the so-to-speak unclassified version of what happened over the summer out of me, they had been jealous-excited. At first, I simply blushed and stammered and insisted we didn't want to rush into anything or...something. We'd both decided it was probably wise to see how a long-distance friendship worked out first, especially with my looming future work commitment.

But, over the intervening months...

If I kept thinking about it, I'd obsess myself into a nervous wreck. So I shoved those thoughts as far away as possible and tried to nap at least a little on this thirteen-hour flight.

Halfway through, Alexa extricated her hand from mine to pull her headphones from her ears and pass them to me. "I'm just going to show you this song instead of crying about it…"

Curious, I accepted the 'buds and settled in to listen. It was another Thousand Foot Krutch song; she'd introduced me to a handful of them over the last few months, though I did recognize the band from my high school days and had just never learned the titles. I could admit I loved their style—everything from the melodies and harmonies to the lyrics. This one in particular expressed the depth of love's impact on the singer, emphasizing how the marks that had been left could not be erased.

"It's…" Hesitantly, she continued, "Kinda how I feel about you…"

I carefully pushed up the armrest between us so I could wrap an arm around her shoulders. "The marks you've made on me can't be erased."

She laughed at my quoting the song. "Kind've wanted a tattoo with you for years cause of that…"

I paused, considering that. I'd always found the idea of tattoos neat, and thought that maybe getting one would be kinda cool. But it had been a passing interest mostly because I wouldn't have known what to get—for ink that would remain permanently etched into my skin, I wanted a design with meaning. And…I'd always told myself, too, that if I did find something that met that criteria...I'd get it.

A matching tattoo with my long-unknown twin sister certainly would qualify.

"I… That would be nice," I said softly.

Alexa drew back to give me a wide-eyed look of disbelief. "What?"

I sheepishly ran a hand through my hair above one ear. "Well… I always. Thought tattoos might be cool, but… I'd wanted something that meant enough to permanently put it in my skin. If it didn't have that kind of meaning…"

She visibly swallowed, eyes shining with moisture even in the dim aircraft interior. "I didn't think you'd ever agree to it."

Smiling, I reached for her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I always told myself if I found something with a deep enough meaning, I'd at least seriously consider getting it." I paused, feeling the emotions rise warmly in my voice. "I think this would be worth that."

Her quiet laugh came uneasily, hiding the darkness plaguing her next thought. "I told myself I had to see how I felt when you'd… deploy or. If you didn't come back…"

"I'm glad you mentioned it now," I murmured, squeezing her hand again.

Alexa held it tightly in return. While Dusk didn't broadcast it, Dawn nonetheless knew roughly where to look to know why hearing that was such a relief for her. She had feared that she might not mean enough to me for me to consider such a permanent declaration. "I thought… since we're actually sisters…"

I smiled warmly at her, returning my arm to her shoulders. "I'd like that."

She leaned closer, Dusk transmitting her wry amusement. "I thought that since we're actually sisters I… shouldn't need it, or even really want it because. I don't even know."

Rubbing her arm encouragingly, I pointed out, "That makes it even more special, in my opinion." A new idea occurred to me. I tilted my head thoughtfully, raising an eyebrow at her. "Should we ask Dais to help design it?"

She managed a bit of a smile. "I… have an idea…"

We spent a good chunk of the rest of our flight discussing the possibilities.

Sage met us at the baggage claim carousel—in the same exact place I had met him and his grandfather months before. It took me a split second longer than usual to recognize him, though; I stopped short of giving him a hug, eyes locked on his hair.

"You got a haircut!" I said, disbelievingly.

It looked fresh, too. The voluminous, fluffy locks we'd come to associate with Sage had been tamed considerably, neatened up on the sides and nearly as short as Rowen's in the back. He'd even trimmed down his bangs from a thick cover across his right eye to something more like sheer curtains. I could actually almost see both eyes at once, without him brushing the hair away.

"You didn't lose a bet or something, did you?" I continued, as I gave him his hug.

He was grinning nearly from ear to ear, as he drew back. "I felt it was time for a change. Other than my family, you two are the first to know."

I stood on tiptoe to stretch a hand up and fluff out his silky-smooth bangs. Unlike the first time I tried, he actually let me. "It looks amazing on you. Daaaaaamn, Sage."

"It does look really nice," Alexa said, when they hugged briefly. I pretended to watch the baggage carousel as she reached up to brush the hair from his eyes, with a faint smile. "There."

"If people were chasing after him before…" she said to me.

I hid my Cheshire cat grin from her, but agreed. "You can say that again!"

I nearly lost my composure and spluttered, as Sage blinked in surprise. "You like it this way?"

She nodded. "But if you like it better down…" Rubbing her arm, she said, "I just. Wanted to see both your eyes…"

My twin's voice sounded warm, for her. I internally raised an eyebrow at the observation, especially when I glanced at Sage and noticed a faint flush. He made no move to put his bangs the way they had been, despite them sliding back down his forehead a little.

Notably, he changed the topic. "I brought my car, if you're interested in a drive around Sendai."

"The RC-F?" I asked excitedly, as we began moving toward the doors to the parking area.

He threw me a smirk, nodding.

I promptly squealed and turned to Alexa. "You're gonna love this!"

Despite the jet lag, my excitement for the treat we were about to get and just being back in Japan in general put a skip in my step. As we approached the sleek emerald green coupe, Sage turned to Alexa and asked, "Do you want to drive to the ocean?"

He had remembered that she hadn't had the chance to see it, yet—and lucky for us, Sendai Airport was incredibly close to the waterfront.

Immediately, she brightened like I hadn't seen since I landed in Ottawa; she'd been unusually quiet the entire trip. "I— really? It… wouldn't be too much trouble?"

I couldn't stop mentally looking back and forth between Sage and my sister. While I knew they had talked fairly regularly in the past months...I could hardly believe what I was watching unfold from the wings. As much as I wanted to tease her, though—like she had teased me whenever Rowen came up in our conversations—I metaphorically sat on my smug musings.

Later. There would be plenty of time later...if this worked out.

Instead, I wiggled my way past a frozen Alexa into the back seat of the small sports car, as Sage reassured her, "She's already ridden in the front."

When she still appeared to hesitate, I gently encouraged, "I don't have to do everything before you. You're allowed to have things I don't."

Only slightly reluctantly, she at last climbed in the front seat. "He's your host brother…"

Familiar with the sense of unimportance compared to those people and things I was closer to by degrees than her, I nudged her with some amusement. "That makes him your host brother, too. And besides that, a friend. This isn't just about him either. I've...noticed you tend to be uncomfortable if I haven't done something first, because you don't want to take that away from me. But...I don't want to take the opportunities away from you either. There's enough room for the both of us."

The car remained quiet while Sage focused on navigating busy traffic. Once outside the airport's main footprint, he said, "I am a boring driver on public roads."

"I can see why you like driving this, though," Alexa replied, voice betraying how starstruck she was by the luxury car.

"You should see it on the track." Leaning forward between the front seats, I gave Sage my best puppy-dog pleading eyes. "Think we might be able to open up a bit once we hit the highway?"

He glanced briefly at me. "I can take a drive around the city before we go to my family's home, if you wish."

I looked at my twin with the obvious, unspoken question wondering what she thought about that. Dawn reassured her that I would in no way be upset if she felt more comfortable heading straight to a quiet, cozy place and curling up with her computer—whether with our writing, or otherwise.

"Ocean first then I'll think about it?"

I smiled. "Sure!"

—/—

A hush fell over the martial arts hall once more as the audience's applause fell away. Heart racing from the thrill of what I'd just seen, I continued watching Sage's championship final with bated breath.

He'd fought through four other competitors to get here, just today. Now he squared off against an older fifth dan, and had just scored two points in one fluid advance. His opponent had been quite jittery almost the whole match, compared to the Date's calm, determined battle aura.

Sage only needed one more point to win it all.

They each maneuvered for space and opportunity, clacking shinai and fumikomiashi the only sounds to punctuate the stillness.

Then, only a minute or so after his last strike and in the blink of an eye, Sage lunged forward with the speed of his yoroi element. A satisfying thwack on the other kendoka's wristguard overwhelmed his attempts at defending.

The judge's red flag-Sage's assigned color-went up at the same instant that the room erupted into enthusiastic applause.

It took so much self-control to merely match their level, and not get my American ass in trouble for wild cheering. The yoroi connection got it instead, all of them surging at once with the strength of our excitement.

Sage had done it—he was the first student in forty-three years to win the All Japan championship!

We couldn't meet up with him again fast enough.

But first, there were the requisite media interviews for him to complete.

The minute he found us afterward, gathered out of sight around a corner from the throng of fans, Rowen was the first to initiate a tackle hug. Everyone else immediately crowded around him, congratulations flying and hands ruffling his hair or patting him on the back.

"That was amazing, niichan...!"

"Dude you CRUSHED it!" Kento crowed.

Ryo and Cye added their voice to the mix as Rowen withdrew. I managed to reach an arm up around Sage's neck in a half-hug. "Congrats, Seiji-niichan! How's it feel?"

"I can't believe it," the new champion said, violet eyes shining with awe and joy. A wide smile seemed almost permanently plastered on his face, now that he could properly relish a job well done.

Everyone laughed.

Once things had settled a little, Sage added, "And you thought I was crazy for doing this," with a pointed look at Rowen.

The blue-haired Ronin raised an eyebrow at him, then pointed to me as he said, "No, I said you were crazy for also taking on a student."

"What're you complaining about that for, Rowen?" Kento slung an arm over his friend's shoulders, smirking. "Seems to me like that was a good thing for you."

I tried very hard not to met Rowen's eyes, and to keep my face from turning a shade deeper than a tomato. I failed miserably at the latter.

Ryo's next comment helped to alleviate the embarrassment, to some extent. "Seems it worked out for Sage pretty good, too."

Sage laughed, yet again masterfully deflecting those implications. "Adding to this family of ours was the best thing I could've done," he said warmly, looping an arm around me and the other across Alexa's shoulders. We both gladly returned the gesture as he hugged us. "I'm so glad you could make it."

If I weren't already hugging him, I would have glomped him. "Wouldn't have missed it for the world."

The rest of Sage's family walked up to us just then, and congratulations and hugs began anew. I extricated myself from my host brother to allow him space, feeling my face split in a dorkish grin with the happiness at his success.

I noticed Rowen checking his phone and also grinning—but to himself, and quite mischievously. Dawn poked at Strata curiously, like peering over his shoulder wondering what was up.

Noticing, he sidled over and surreptitiously showed me his phone screen. A message from someone he'd named "Playboy" in his contacts said, 'Where's our fake boyfriend hiding?'

I stifled a chuckle behind one hand, but raised an eyebrow at the rather interesting nickname. I could only assume there was some good reason for it. "Playboy? Really?"

Rowen's smirk only grew. "You'll see why in a moment."

Shrugging, I decided to just roll with it.

Sage's throng of wellwishers had grown considerably by now, as classmates and team mates found out where he had vanished too. Not long after, movement from the doorway to my right caught my eye. Two men—the one in the lead of middling height in a red shirt and black pinstripe vest, the other in black suit and tie with a purple vest—walked through. Even more eye-catching than those colors, though, and the main reason I noticed them, were the dark red streaks in the second one's black hair. They were on a clear collision course toward Sage; judging by the fact Rowen nor the other three Ronin made a move to warn their friend, I assumed this was expected.

In fact, they watched with hints of smirks on their faces and rich anticipation hidden from Sage in the yoroi.

While the second man hung back, the first casually slung an arm across the kendoka's shoulders, leaning on him like he had done it a hundred times before. "Hey, flower boy. Or is it "champion" now?"

I hadn't thought Sage's smile could get any bigger. He brightened like a small sun, jaw dropped open before he flung his arms around the newcomer's neck.

It finally clicked—this had to be the Yuusei, of Sage's first relationship.

As Sage was a tad taller than the average Japanese man, Yuusei quickly disappeared in the folds of his gi-clad embrace. Laughter bubbled out of his chest, a "You made it!" muffled against the other's neck.

Yuusei's companion was smiling warmly. "Despite my appearance, Yuusei is available for any dates."

"You're going to need someone, with that new haircut," Yuusei teased, hand lingering in the shortened hair on the back of his neck as he and Sage parted.

"Oh don't worry," Kento assured, casually leaning on Sage and glancing briefly but meaningfully at my twin. "I think he's got that covered."

Alexa laughed a little—nervously, it was easy to tell—and awkwardly stepped into the conversation. "Yeah, hi, Sage's unofficial date for the evening, nice to meet you."

Yuusei bowed a greeting, the light catching on a black metal earring shaped like a bear's claw. "Yuusei. This is my boyfriend Daiki. I take it you've heard about us?"

He was making an effort to be warm and friendly, as if he hadn't been already. That certainly endeared him to me, for my sister's sake.

She nodded. "Sage told me a little about you. Alexa, by the way! If Sage hasn't told you about me."

"He has." The smallest smirk tugged at his lips and I immediately knew he was in the schemer circle. "But I would like to hear about you from you at the party."

Sage subtly moved a hand to Alexa's back. "You're coming? I didn't think you could make it."

As they dissolved into the chatter of long-time friends that hadn't caught up in a while, Dusk leaned against Dawn. "Why did I agree to this, again?"

I couldn't resist a smirk. Finally, the tables had turned. "Because you deserve to feel like a princess on a prince's arm for at least one night."

Glancing at Rowen, briefly, I added with amusement, "And because if I have to so do you."

—/—

I shouldn't have been surprised how much sake flowed at the afterparty, since Sage's family had pulled out all the stops. We had an entire back room of a fancy restaurant to ourselves, and the more respectable members of his family and the other guests-slash-friends-of-the-family had left almost an hour ago.

On the one hand, I was very much aware of the prevalent drinking culture from my last trip over. But on the other, I'd been raised in a mostly dry household, except Liv's occasional glass of wine with dinner. So on a normal day-month, really-I rarely indulged in more than one beverage at any given time, and that usually with my classmates.

After all, plenty of their habits had made sure I wasn't unaware of how these things tended to work.

But a friend only won national championships every so often. So I figured, in the company of the mutual friends of said friend-two of whom certainly or almost certainly could not get drunk, and thus would be the designated drivers-why not sample the offerings?

"You're a total lightweight, aren't you," Kento said more than asked from across the low table between us.

I shrugged, ignoring how the deep silver-blue scarf I was using as a shawl dislodged a little with the motion. Tipping back another mouthful of the smooth sake in my glass, I drawled, "Just cuz I'm not as familiar with drinkin' as y'all doesn't mean I'm drunk."

Rowen chuckled, nudging me with an elbow. "Careful, yah South'ner's showin'."

"Says the guy from Osaka," Cye shot back with amusement, idly leaning his chin on one hand while keen seafoam eyes watched us interact.

For once, I ignored the obvious scrutiny. "Don' ferget who's descended from the guy who united th' island," I defended, poking a finger into Rowen's arm to indicate the answer.

Ryo snorted. "If it hadn't been for Date Masamune I don't think that would have been as likely."

"Speaking of-where's that dragon's kid, anyway?"

"Prob'ly with Alexa and Yuusei and his boyfriend," I suggested in response to Kento. "I think they were trading notes on suit fitting tips and fashion trends. Pretty sure she'd much rather be in one now than the dress she's got on."

Kento gestured to the distinct lack of tie and suit jacket he now wore. No doubt the articles were draped over some arm of a chair somewhere or something like that, probably. The rest of the guys around me had been more than happy to ditch the fancy apparel, themselves. "Can't say I'd disagree with her."

Having worn something equating to both types of fashion myself at various points in time, I could agree with the sentiment.

To be honest, I would be surprised if Sage wasn't the only one still in his full suit.

Although...since going to military school, I did have to say I didn't mind getting prettied up once in a while. Like tonight. And the glittery, deep blue, off-the-shoulder gown Alexa and I had found when preparing for this party had instantly caught my eye. She had also immediately pointed out it was the same color as Strata's armor, but by then I had already fallen head over heels for it.

Huh. There was quite the analogy in there, if I thought about it.

'Damn...I get even more rambly than usual after a drink or two.'

...How many had it been, actually? After nursing the first one for half an hour, it had gotten much easier to toss back a shot or two of warm sake at once. And if I remembered correctly, sake had nearly twice as much alcohol as standard liquor. Or was it just half as much again?

"Ye'h grinnin' like somethin's funny."

Startled out of my thoughts, I looked up and blinked at Rowen for a moment before being able to properly parse the Osaka-accented Japanese. "I was just try'na remember what the average alcohol content of sake was."

I waited for the others to break out into chuckles, but only heard Rowen. An owl-like glance around showed that they'd all left at some point in my musing. "Where're they?"

"Went to check on th' othahs, I think."

"Ah… Ok."

It occured me that this could be yet another part of their not-subtle plans to set us up. As soon as I'd seen what Rowen was wearing for the evening, I knew my sister and Sage had schemed together to arrange it. The dark shimmer-blue suit jacket with matching tie and gunmetal gray shirt was a dead ringer for my dress.

Of course, he'd ditched the jacket and the tie hung loose over an open collar. But I might've done a double take when I first saw it. The outfit, that is.

I watched as he stared down into his cup before taking another swig that drained it. "Don't s'pose now's ah good time to talk, s'it?"

"While drinkin'? Nah, totally fine," I said with only a little sarcasm. "Prob'ly make it a bit easier, t'be honest."

Going for another shot revealed my cup was also empty. But when I reached for the refill jar, Rowen's hand gently intercepted me by the wrist. One end of my scarf slid from my arm to fall across my back, but I ignored the chill it induced.

"Yah don' hafta deal with Michael by yahself."

I stared at his face for long moments, at the bare honesty and genuine care there, before closing my hand into a loose fist and looking away again. "I haven't even been dealin' with it, if 'm honest."

"But yah have," he insisted softly. "Even if yah ain't in the same town, yeh still scared of him. Still gotta deal wit'tha proof of it with tha whole trial nonsense."

"I'll make do," I muttered.

He maneuvered our hands so our fingers entwined, the back of his resting on the tabletop. I stared at them, thinking there was some sort of significance there. "If you were makin' do, yah wouldn't hafta be leanin' on me 'n yah sistah as much as yah are."

I couldn't answer that gentle accusation, though I could feel Rowen's eyes on me even as I refused to meet them. Dawn shrank away from Strata's outreach, despite the voice in my head saying to accept it wholeheartedly.

"Tell me what you're 'fraid of."

He said it like he'd said everything else to this point-like speaking to Ryuusei when he'd spooked. I couldn't possibly resist. Not like this.

"I don' trust myself anymore." Maybe that was why I felt alright drinking like this tonight, subconsciously. "'m terrified of how this'll affect m'job. That he'll get off easy, or escape 'n find me in my sleep. Didn't see 'im comin' the first time-what if it happens w'someone else?"

It was surprising to feel myself shaking when I sniffled.

Rowen's hand under my chin insisted I look at him. "Alexa trusts you. Sage trusts you. I trust you. And I've not forgotten mah promise t'yah." Eyes with the depth of infinite space studied me in a way unlike any time previously, and I wasn't quite sure whether that had to do more with the armors, the alcohol, both, or something else entirely.

He took in a long breath, drawing my hand-still entwined with his-closer to him. "Ah know I've said it b'foah, but I truly 'ave missed you. I didn' know how true it'd be, that ah'd be countin' th' days 'til now. I thought th' movies were jokin' when people would say bein' apaht was agony. So, I know I've asked yah before, but I'll do it again…"

"Tessa. Do you trust me?"

My name in that voice made me shiver.

The last time he'd asked that, sober, he'd kissed me.

And even now, tipsy, knowing what the odds were of a repeat… I saw clarity in his eyes. This wasn't something coming out just because he had been drinking. The fact our first kiss had been sober, too…

My answer was the same.

"Yes."

"Good. Because I love you."

This time, Rowen didn't hesitate. He drew me against him with an arm wrapped around my waist as he leaned in, kissing me deeply. I allowed myself to forget my problems and simply sank into it, bracing against his chest with the one hand not still enclosed in his. I didn't even care when my scarf slipped completely off my shoulder to the floor.

Why had I waited for this?

Both of us were breathing more heavily when it ended, only parting just enough to each breathe on our own. I sighed and leaned my head on his chest tiredly, feeling the long day, the jet lag, and the sake all together catching up with me. Not to mention the headiness of that kiss...

"I love you," Rowen murmured, separating his fingers from mine to wrap both arms around me.

"That's incredibly blunt 'n un-Japanese 'f you," I replied sleepily, shifting to better settle in his lap.

He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I learned it from you."

I cracked an eye open to glance up toward his face, despite being unable to see it. "So...I guess my answer is yes, then."

He chuckled. "I'm happy to hear that."

Voices growing louder from the direction the others had gone warned us too late of their return.

I didn't care enough to move. They'd only been wanting to see this for how long, now?

"Hey, for once Sage didn't need to strong arm him into a date!" Kento crowed triumphantly, as he plopped down in his previous spot.

"Oh good, now we can stop pretending you're not together," Cye said to us, with a grin and a silent toast from his now-empty sake cup.

"Just needed how many shots?" Ryo asked rhetorically, smirking.

Rowen hooked a thumb toward where the trio had just returned to us from, without actually turning to see the objects of his meaning. "Yeah. Instead we hadta strongahm him," he said in a sardonic drawl.

Kento glanced that way, and slowly grinned. He indicated we should look that way with a tip of his head. "Maybe not."

Sage and my sister were currently dancing in the middle of the empty room-I thought I recognized a basic waltz step. Rowen looked like someone had just tried to pull a "look over there!" trick on him. "Are yah already forgettin' tha work we had ta do to convince him to ask her?" he shot back at Kento with amusement that kept it from sounding hurt or cutting.

I shook my head at him-well, on him-and poked him gently in the side. "Shhh. Fahgetabahtit fah a night, eh Brooklyn? We c'n play revenge matchmaker again later."

He sighed, but acquiesced with a kiss on my forehead.

"Hey Rowen, since you lost the bet, how's about you pour us some more sake?" Kento jabbed jovially at his childhood friend.

"How's abaht I make yah a knuckle sandwich instead and we call it even."

I rolled my eyes at their antics and ensuing banter, but let it slide. Rowen's body heat was a more than suitable replacement for my discarded scarf, and his slow heartbeat made a nice metronome to focus on. He was tall enough I could comfortably stretch out against his torso, and his chin barely brushed the top of my head.

Strata wound around Dawn and I like a winter coat; before too long, I had drifted off to sleep in Rowen's arms once again.

~Fin~

A/N: Apologies for how long it took to wrap this story up but HOPE YOU ENJOYED! Next up is a (new) story directly after this (have to get Sage and Alexa together, after all ;) ), before we get to Nightfall's rewrite.