[A couple of years after the knee-shot]
"How was work?" Trent asked as Metal set down his backpack in the hallway.
Metal sighed deeply as he stepped into the kitchen. "I need a coffee, or fifteen."
"That bad?" Trent frowned.
"My head hurts, my lower back hurts."
Trent smirked a little.
"My right hip and left knee is sore." Metal grouched, "My…"
"Sorry babe, I can't take you seriously with those color marker streaks on your forehead."
Metal chuckled a little despite himself and rubbed at his forehead, "-I can't wait to take off my prosthetic and have a bath."
Trent nodded a little.
"I swear, kindergarteners are worse than they seem."
Trent chuckled, "You know what? I believe you."
"You better." Metal nodded, "I'd rather go up against fifteen tango's alone, than having to watch fifteen four-year-old's alone."
"That bad?"
"Today, yeah." Full Metal sighed before he sat down with a groan by the kitchen table.
"But, the kids love their kindergarten uncle…" Trent smirked, "None of us would've thought that beforehand. Not even I…"
Metal chuckled, "Yeah… Well… I do have some experience babysitting. Being Alpha-1 was basically like babysitting full-grown men. I'm not saying they're necessarily smarter than your average four-year-old, but they're certainly heavier."
Trent chuckled as he poured up a cup of coffee and placed it in front of Metal. "Do you still miss it?"
"I wouldn't be able to do that stuff anymore."
"Not what I asked." Trent shrugged and filled up his own cup, "I asked if you miss it."
"Well, yeah. Wouldn't you?"
Trent shrugged a little, "Once upon a time, yeah…"
Metal tilted his head questioningly.
"I'm thinking I might not reenlist next time." Trent took a deep breath, "Figured it might be time for me to see the world from the civilian side."
"Yeah?"
Trent nodded, "Haven't decided yet, but now you know."
"It'd be nice to not be here alone while you're on deployments anymore."
"Yeah, you've been worrying more."
"I have." Metal admitted, "It's different when you're no longer able to…"
Trent nodded and covered the majority of his scar with his left hand, "I know… Never fun to be the one at home."
"Yeah, of course you know…" Metal chuckled, "Feels like a lifetime ago, though."
"It does."