Full Summary: It's been three years since the (mostly) successful first off-world excursion of Border agents, three years since Chika brought brother home, three years since Replica had been recovered and Hyuse had strongarmed his way into ruling Afrokrator in Tamakoma-2's brilliant blue colors. Three years of peace to recover and heal from their war wounds.

But some wounds don't heal. Instead, they stay trapped in limbo, caught in the slowly fading ring of Yuuma's Black Trigger. His father bought him seven years of a half-life, and as it winds to a close, he's content with his stolen time. Or he would be content - until Jin sees something. A sliver of a chance, locked deep inside the whirlwind of another disaster, for Yuuma to live whole and hale. The only problem: For once, Jin's Foresight isn't clear, and the chance is slender.

And Yuuma will die a thousand times before he lets anyone give him a life he thinks he doesn't deserve at their own expense.

How do you convince someone who died seven years ago that life is worth living?

Additional Tags: Future Fic Aged-Up Character(s) Recovery Trion Jargon Asexual Relationship Angst with a Happy Ending Yuuma is depressed but too passive to realize it Osamu and Chika just want him to live Tamakoma plots to save Yuuma's life but he's having NONE of it Alien Invasion Self-Sacrifice Emotional Hurt/Comfort Hurt/Comfort Yuuma learns to let go of all his guilt but he fights it tooth and nail Osamu and Chika are Very Done with Yuuma's shit

A/N: Hi all! I just found World Trigger recently, and HAD to add Yuuma to my pile of White-Haired Little Shits in my Favorite Character Jail (so named because they're all bastards or massive dorks) And so...here I am. Writing Fanfic. You know, as one does. I'll try to finish this one! (you can find me avtorsola on tumblr or twitter if you want to chat~)

ALSO I'm a bit confused: Mikumo *is* Osamu's surname, right?

It had been, what, three years? Three years since the ship had left with Tamakoma-2 safely onboard, three years since the infiltration of Afrokrator and the devastating fate of those captured people had been shoved into their naïve faces, three years since Hyuse had overthrown an entire House for them? Three years since their lives had been sobered, since Replica had been recovered, since they'd fallen into this pattern of quiet remembrance and the grieving knowledge that they hadn't been able to save everyone? Only three years?

Sometimes it all felt like a distant memory. The Neighborhood was wary of Border now, scrambling in the aftermath of Afrokrator's fall from grace and the scattering of their Black Triggers, all jockeying for positions of power in the ashes. Hyuse held on to what was left of his country, leading them skillfully, his strategy keen. But Afrokrator wasn't a superpower of Trion anymore, just a normal, formidable country that Earth had to contend and ally with. Hyuse did what he could from the other side, still wearing Tamakoma-2's bright teal-blue colors. But it was clear - the Neighborhood was different now, more fractious and less peaceful. More dangerous despite the new alliances made. And so, Border had grown accordingly, so that no more civilians would be taken again.

And now Tamakoma had two A-rank teams within its walls, and the single Black Trigger that mattered.

"Good Morning, Mikumo."

Osamu jumped out of his skin with a short yelp, spinning around on his heel and lashing out with the frying pan he had in his hand. It sizzled threateningly, half-cooked eggs slopping around the flat dish in treacherous attempts to escape. And Yuuma ducked, the pan skating over his fluffy white hair with a loud hiss, red eyes sparking with mischief and mirth. It took a second for Osamu to realize what had happened, and then he sighed, putting the pan back on the stovetop to continue cooking breakfast.

"Kuga! I almost smacked you with a hot pan. Make some noise or something next time," He huffed, and Yuuma laughed, face puffing up with feigned innocence.

"Wasn't me, that was Replica saying hi." The Trion soldier hovering over Yuuma's shoulder dipped a bit in the air, making a hummed apology, and Yuuma's lips pursed into a slight pout, his gaze going flat – the infamous duckface of plausible deniability. Of course. "Good morning, Osamu. There. That was me."

Osamu couldn't help the smile, and he reached out and down to pat Yuuma's head, instantly earning him a look of resignation and no little amusement. The small Trion body was still the same height as it had been all those years ago, after all, and it was pretty clear to everyone with eyes that Yuuma was starting to get bored of looking up at his peers.

"Hm, I'm your age, don't treat me like a junior high kid."

Tamakoma-2's captain just laughed and handed him a few plates.

"Do me a favor and set the table, Kuga?"

"Yeah, sure. Is Chika coming off defense duty soon, then?" The soft sound of ceramic plates hitting wood was a welcome distraction from the sizzle of egg frying around the vegetables being shaken into the pan. Osamu didn't bother looking up from his work. He was almost done anyway.

"Yes, she should be back pretty soon. Right, Replica?"

The autonomous soldier beeped cheerfully, tiny antennae wiggling up and down.

"Correct, my clone is less than five minutes' walk from Tamakoma Branch HQ."

"Hmm hmm, sounds like she's close. Do you need a hand with breakfast, Osamu?"

Osamu glanced over his shoulder to see Yuuma leaning on the kitchen counter, plates laid out on the table. His hair was slightly more tousled than usual, and he was already wearing their squad gear, gloves and all, his long blue sleeves hiding the base of his thumbs. He was ready to go, red eyes flickering with excitement. Osamu's smile spread a bit more – he knew why Yuuma was raring to go, and frankly he was just as excited for it himself. And so would be Chika, once she'd returned and caught a quick nap.

The B-rank wars had just finished – which meant it was now time for the A-rank trials to happen again. It would be time for them to keep the place they'd earned.

And frankly, Osamu couldn't really think of anything better to distract them all for a while.