Nomad, Shin's Story

by Dark Ryuu

Growing up, Shin (Toy) always wanted to do the right thing for everyone that he could, especially those in need. But can he keep from losing sight of himself, his family, and his friends, especially his elusive best friend, Lyla, and new partner in life, Komari? A prequel to Step Toward the Future and Legacy, an alternate universe crossover between all games.

19. Alive

Chapter 19: Alive

Author's Note: Final chapter!

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December 21st, 2002. He'd just made it.

He was actually pleased when he found no one was at home. He hadn't announced he was coming back today so they didn't know but they also weren't cooped up in the house, worrying. Good. It…it gave him a chance to check on something else that had been at the forefront of his mind.

The last time he came up these steps, he came back down them crushed and destroyed. He didn't understand what had happened. Now? Lyla couldn't say anything. Then. She said she hadn't seen her father in some time because of him, because of his 'death'. She had WANTED to lay him out but…well, Shin had to admit, he'd choose his mama every time too.

He wanted that to end though.

Shin managed to get to the last step when the door suddenly swung open. Oh crap. He always got ahead of himself, her dad probably would bludgeon him right here. No. Shin smiled when he found Lyla on the other side, her face trembling. He…felt so relieved. Holding his arms open, he murmured, "…Hey, baby."

She shook her head, rushing into his embrace. "B-Baka. Baka! K-Koji came and told me that you w-went BACK over there! What would I-I have done if something happened THIS TIME? I didn't get to say goodbye to you again!"

He sighed, resting his cheek against the crown of her head. "…Don't worry about that. I'm coming back to you every time."

"You're too confident!" she wept.

"And you're being pessimistic" he chided lightly, pulling away to wipe her eyes, "…Perhaps I am too confident. But I won't claim things I don't want and I'm not claiming a death wish. Just let me have that bit of…superstition."

Lyla scrunched the cloth of his coat, murmuring, "…Yes."

She felt so nice and warm and he was about to FREEZE TO DEATH. "Was…was it always this cold in December?"

His spine…actually felt like it was rattling. His shivers were causing his entire backbone to quake. Lyla gasped, pulling away, "Oh no, you haven't felt winter in forever!"

Sure…hadn't. Wasn't sure which he preferred right now: hotter than Hell or Antarctica. He looked up when the door opened, still holding Lyla. No matter…who it was, he wasn't letting go again.

"Oh!"

With a smile, Shin nodded at Okamoto Lillian, the woman wearing a blue shawl over a blue long sleeved dress, her hair up in an unbelievably strict bun. "Hello, ma'am."

Her purple eyes seemed delighted. It crossed his mind that maybe Lyla meant that her mom was against him TOO, that also occurred in his family. Unless she was acting, that didn't seem to be the case. "It's so good to see you, dear—Lyla, bring him inside, it's freezing out here!"

Lyla nodded, grasping his hand. Oh, Bajiru must not have been here then. Leaning over to untie his leather dress shoes, he took a deep breath as Lyla led him to sit in their living room. It looked about the same as when they were kids, just minor technical updates here and there in the television and phone.

Sitting right beside him, Lyla squeezed his hand while he removed his hat, his ponytail falling with the action. "Did they say anything about your hair?"

"Mm, wasn't big on their things to berate me over, no" Shin smirked, "I'll cut it eventually."

Lillian had walked into the kitchen before coming to sit on the recliner, crossing her hands. "I'm so glad you're all right. Lyla was absolutely devastated when you were missing and prematurely labeled dead. I can't imagine what your mother was going through."

"Ha, my mama was one of the only people that presumed I was still alive" his brows quirked, "She stayed at home, waiting for me. She…she was the first family member I saw."

Sighing, Lillian nodded, looking down vaguely, "Well…your mother does seem to be made of a different material versus most daughters of the area. We weren't taught to be so…optimistic."

Wow. "I don't think she was either. I'm not sure where that faith comes from, really. I told her it was kind of crazy she was waiting for me for that long."

"Well, maybe that was her mama instinct" Lillian smiled, tilting her head, "…Like mine says you're being a bit clingy, Lyla dear."

Lyla pouted, indeed not having let go of his hand since he sat down. With a chuckle, he held her fingers a bit tighter, "I've been trying to convince your daughter for a while now you might accept me as a son-in-law, Okamoto-san."

"E-Eh?" squeaked Lyla, her green eyes widening.

"Well, maybe not in those EXACT words…" he blinked at her knowingly.

Flustering, Lyla sulked at him, "And definitely not in FRONT of either of our parents, mister."

Well… Lillian laughed, chiding lightly, "Perhaps it's a serious request then, no?"

Lyla fell quiet and he guessed he'd…ease into this. "…It's not the first time we've discussed it, Okamoto-san. I'd say…one reason we stopped speaking for a time was that I was upset with Lyla over an interaction I had with your husband. I…was told to stop seeing her in any way."

Lillian looked surprised. Why? Did he discuss banning his presence or…was he just making that decision on his own, just like everything else, it seemed? "…Bajiru said that?"

"And then some."

"Well, Lyla…your father has a lot of control when it comes to me mostly but you know well that I don't want him doing the same thing to you. If you want to be with Shin, that's what I want you to do" Lillian insisted.

"…You know it's not that simple" Lyla said, barely audible.

Leaning back into the light blue velvet chair where she sat, Lillian gazed toward the overcast sky beyond the window in the room. Shin took a small opportunity to look her over. Some abrasions on her knuckles but very light, could be passed off as something else. A man like Bajiru would make sure any markings weren't seen and the woman always wore a lot of clothes.

"I'll be all right, Lyla. I don't want this burden to go on generationally any longer. I want it to end with you" Lillian remarked after a few minutes of silence.

Lyla scoffed. Yea, he didn't blame her. "…I'm not a hundred percent sure of what's occurring, Okamoto-san, but I…I think I have an idea. And, were my mother in the same situation, there's no way I'd leave her either."

"…As a parent, I want to assure you both that we would never want you to hold yourselves responsible for our suffering and suffer along with us. Especially not when happiness is on the table somewhere."

"Oh, mama…" Lyla rasped.

"Okamoto-san, just…just come with us. I won't…be able to give anything as big as THIS but I'll take care of you until both Lyla and I can get on our feet. We're…we're pretty clever people so I know we can" Shin offered.

The woman smiled as Marianne came in, carrying a tray of tea, "Thank you, Marianne…I believe it actually was occurring in your mother's bloodline too, Shin. The Kobayashi is a matriarchal family, correct?"

"Y…Yes."

"The sect of the Fujiwara family I belonged to was also a matriarchal family" Lillian explained, picking up her porcelain cup of tea, "My father, he was an Maekawa. I never got to meet him, he died when I was a baby. My mother remarried an Usui and had another daughter. That man was the one that raised me mostly, he was very caring and sweet. My poor mother didn't have good luck though, he died from pneumonia when my sister and I were in our late teens—respiratory illnesses ran in their family, she also has weak lungs."

Huh…Koji had mentioned something like that back when he talked about his childhood 'fiancee'. "My mother remarried for the third and last time because, unfortunately, my grandfather willed it. That was the ridiculous part: it's a supposed matriarchal family but we place the final stake in whether we have a husband or not and then he is "allowed" to run things. As such, my grandfather had it written that those who controlled the name had to marry. Since I'm the oldest, I held the stake in having to marry to maintain our family name and legacy."

Shin nodded slowly. Okay… "To be honest, I…wouldn't fret leaving Bajiru. We've never cared very much for one another. I know he doesn't like me and I…can't say I'm very fond of him either. Just-…to give up my family's legacy is what he wants. He owns it no matter what I do. I…I struggle with that."

"Understandable" Shin murmured. This wasn't Bajiru's inheritance at all, just foolishness willed in the name of 'matriarchal' or 'patriarchal' families. Didn't seem like either were balanced or knew how to be.

Still though… "…Do you have the paperwork? I mean, the…wills and whatnot? Maybe we can find a loophole."

"Loophole?" frowned Lillian.

Smiling softly, Shin kissed Lyla's hand, "…I've been getting lucky lately getting the upper hand without…having to bend too many rules. Your husband wants to keep you under his thumb with threats and tyranny, let's…see if we can figure out the right way."

"…Wow."

Lillian had been reluctant. Lyla too. Again, this was playing out as an all-mighty man coming to rectify their woes. No, again, he needed someone to have his back this entire time. He needed two sets of eyes. Plus, if…he could be a bit selfish, he wanted Lyla to be in his life and to be comfortable there. If it were him, he'd never be able to do that worrying about his mama's safety. No, this…this needed to be fixed.

Shin read about…three pages of the will once Lillian conceded, going to Bajiru's office. With those three pages, he felt like an absolute dummy reading a forgotten language. Thus, he called over Yagami Koji and Nerimaru. Maybe their 'college smarts' would help him here.

The twins came over, giving him a look. "Well, well, look who's just HOME mysteriously and came over here first."

Shin has snorted, saying they were acting like they were home twenty minutes ago. Koji snickered, "Remember Christmas? We had some last minute presents to get."

Oh, hell, he had to do that too. Well, one task at a time. Advising them of what needed to be done without getting into too many sordid details, he gave them some of the copies he made. Koji had stared at the first page before looking to Lyla who was also reading over it, seeming annoyed. "…We do have the original copy, right?"

"Yea?"

"…Give it to me."

Not asking his brother any questions, Koji…left with it. Um? Lyla looked up absently before shaking her head. "…Father comes and catches on to us, he might seek to amend any possible loopholes. That's the original copy. While the courts also have a notarized version, it wouldn't hurt to be cautious."

Wow. He was just doing espionage and now it felt like he was a rookie. Well, he was glad for their insight then. With the five of them, they could find something to shut this 'patriarchal' nonsense down.

Or so he thought.

Koji was sitting in Bajiru's chair, his feet up on the desk, rubbing his chin between flipping pages. Nelly was sitting in one of the chairs on the other side of the desk, holding his head as he read as well. Shin was reading but having to stop to check a dictionary to make sure he got the actual implementation of these words. If…it was making sense…

"Um…no offense" Koji drawled, flipping the large document back to the front for the third time, "…But your grandfather was…kind of an absolute jerk for this, wow."

Nelly shook his head, his dark eyes wide, "If I am a hundred percent understanding this lingo…? If Bajiru and you die, Lillian-san, and Lyla remained unmarried, she legally is not able to own this house in any regard and it goes back to the next male in the original bloodline. And the sky's the limit on that, it can be a fifth cousin."

Lillian nodded grimly, "That's what I figured…it's no use."

No! Lyla looked to him miserably as he gritted his teeth, "…What if we dangle Bajiru out of a window?"

"Might make us feel better but that fifth cousin still gets the house" Koji droned.

What the hell. A rapid knock came at the door, startling everyone. Lillian sat up straighter, frowning, "…Yes?"

"Ma'am, Okamoto-san has returned."

The color left Lillian's skin as Lyla stood, shaking her head. "You should go, Shin, Koji, Nelly…"

"No" Shin grunted, "…He's not going to make me run again after all this."

"But Shin-"

Right…right, Lillian. Koji sat up straight, looking to Lyla's mother for a moment before shaking his head. "Either way, we're getting you out of this, Lillian-san, so there's no reason to be concerned. Can you have a bag with your things packed?"

"E-Eh?"

"Just an overnight bag—or at least a change of clothes for a couple of days. We'll figure something out in no time but we don't want to play our hand too soon."

Lillian looked alarmed. Shin couldn't blame her, this could end very badly. However, he and Koji were on the same wavelength: leaving her here right now was not an option. Lyla bit her lip but nodded at Marianne, "Please, pack mama a quick bag and you can bring the one I left by the door."

"Y-Yes, ma'am."

Koji stuffed the will back into an envelope and replaced it in Bajiru's drawer, standing when the door was flung open. Shin stared absently as Bajiru looked at them hotly. "What the hell is the meaning of this?"

"Oh, just reviewing some legalities" Koji answered casually.

"You have no business here" he snarled, pushing past them to go to his desk, "Clark! Call the police!"

Shin rolled his eyes as Lillian stared at Bajiru, trembling. Oh, Shin could make him shake in fear too…after surveying the situation, the man must've been…satisfied to still see the will was in place. Koji had taken a bit of time to forge a pretty convincing few cover pages that matched the original.

"I thought I told you that no one in this house will have any further business with you" Bajiru said lowly, looking up at Shin.

Huh. Shin might actually understand Teramoto's lackadaisical shrug now, what the hell was he supposed to say that wouldn't fan the flames? So, he shrugged, and Bajiru glared. "…You were better off dead."

Probably. Lyla balled her fists, her green eyes narrowing, "You…you have no right to say anything like that to him. Shin has done wonderful things and you-you have no right."

Lyla… Bajiru gazed at her emptily before he scoffed, leaning back in his chair, "Oh, so you had run off to him. Foolish. I knew early you didn't have good sense."

"I have enough" Lyla muttered.

Lillian folded her hands before her, staring at him. Shin couldn't…even imagine being forced to be with someone you never once loved for this long. More than twenty years, she was made to put up with an abusive stranger. That they even had Lyla, the…mere act of it may have been of some atrocity or at least awkwardness. There was a lot…that he was still learning to cope with. He was fully realizing he might not even be able to. But…that? That was no way to live at all.

"…I'm leaving, Bajiru, for the holidays" Lillian said faintly, "Lyla and I. We haven't gotten to take a holiday in quite some time."

"I don't recall agreeing to such" Bajiru replied.

Visibly swallowing, Lillian pursed her lips. Well…between him, Koji, and Nelly, they could definitely outnumber him if they had to. Prepared to suggest that Bajiru was a little too high on his horse for this situation, Lillian said firmly, "…I don't have to discuss it. It's simply going to be done."

"You have a lot of bravado with your little calvary here, I take it."

"Perhaps. But it's needed to be done for a long time now."

Bajiru snorted, giving off a caustic laugh, "Woman. You've seen that will, you know your grandfather—you'd lose all this for what? Living impoverished, something your spoiled ass has never done? Working with not one skill in your name? All for the sake of making a point? That's your business. This is mine."

"You divorce me, the will is moot" Lillian muttered.

"I won't divorce you" Bajiru sighed, kicking back a bit, "You can leave if it suits you. Find out how the other side lives for a time, see the struggle. But just like I won't divorce you, you know divorcing me means I get this house and all of the trust fund. Meanwhile, you leaving or separating, I still get this house and the trust fund. I can't get rid of you but for you to leave? It works out for me regardless."

Shin gritted his teeth, just…appalled. Koji smiled. "…Can I go help Marianne pack? I don't know if I want to catch an assault charge this close to Christmas."

Nelly mused, "I mean, we could probably get out in two days, right…?"

Bajiru glowered, his green eyes narrowed, "To threaten me on my own land, whenever those cops arrive, just gives me more grounds for this home invasion."

Cracking his knuckles, Koji looked enlightened, saying with a surprisingly delighted tone: "So we're going to prison regardless?"

"Stop it" Shin leered, holding up his hand, "No one's going to prison. We're leaving if Marianne isn't back in the next minute or two, we have plenty of clothes both of you can use."

Like something was answering this terse situation, Marianne rushed back with two printed bags. Shin grabbed both of them, tipping his head. "Thank you, Marianne. You ladies ready?"

Lyla nodded, following them without a hint of hesitancy. Lillian on the other hand, seemed to be…faltering. Oh jeez. Bajiru gazed at her hard, his fingers crossed, "…Don't be an idiot, Lillian, if you can possibly figure out how to."

Damn, he wanted to punch that bastard's face in. Lillian took a deep breath…and walked toward them at last. "Sleep well, Bajiru."

"Oh, I will. You try to get comfortable on someone else's pity."

When they walked out the door, Koji whistled highly, "Buddy-y-y-y, next time you call me into a situation like that, it better be to punch somebody's face in."

"Hopefully we don't end up in too many of these types of situation, Koji" Shin retorted dryly, "I need us to figure out how we get this house back."

Nelly stretched, yawning, "Mm, I think we have some big guns we can call in. There's always a way."

Lyla quietly held his hand, looking to him. Her eyes seemed…forlorn. "…If I were a son, it'd be okay. I…would have this house for mama."

"No offense, baby, but I kind of prefer you as a daughter" Shin drawled.

She smirked, pinching him, before pulling him to kiss his cheek. "…Thank you for…for coming to find me like you always do."

"Of course."

…Now just to find a way for her to stay.

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"Wow, if this is not a product of our time."

Their parents never particularly needed an office but the family computer, sort of like the 'easy access for information computer', was in an enclosed area enough for them to work. When Shin got home, his parents seemed irritated with him but were immediately surprised to see Lillian. His dad looked shocked. "…Oh no, what have they done?"

"Hey, hey, we haven't kidnapped or nothin'" Nelly had groused.

Lillian smiled…sadly. "…They want to possibly help me get out of a bad situation. If…nothing else, I want to spend this time with my daughter."

Lyla was dismayed because it sounded like the woman was having her last holiday or something. Not if they could help it. Explaining the situation, Yamada nodded. "I have just the man for the job."

After about two hours, Izumi Craig, his father's longtime friend and a local politician, showed up. Oh yea, big guns.

The others had departed, just leaving Shin, Craig, and Yamada in the room. Koji and Nelly were going to do the holiday dinner shopping, Lyla offered to make dinner for tonight, and Dana advised she was going to sit Lillian down and have a chat. The kids weren't home yet, still out living life, he supposed. Shin…guessed he could be living life soon. After this.

Craig was looking at the document, his sandy eyebrows raised. He was like a dirty blond version of Yamada, his eyes just a bit darker blue and about three centimeters shorter. Dad often looked to him for these matters and Craig always seemed quick to help. However, for him to say this was a product of their time? Mm, not promising.

His dad scoffed, looking at one of the copies they brought, "Maybe a product of your time. We didn't have anything this insane in Wasaba because we didn't have anything."

"If you did, I promise a man could legally bind anyone to take everything your mom had" Craig smirked, rubbing his face.

Yamada's brows quirked at that, shaking his head, "Well, you got me there."

"There's nothing…?" Shin asked softly.

Craig waved a hand, "No, no, there is always a stipulation in something this backwards that can be used to undermine it. Nothing this ridiculous can be rock solid."

"Ah…thank you, Craig-san. I hope this isn't taking you away from anything, I know it's close to the holidays."

"Nah…the wife and I divorced last year and she took the kids from me" he mumbled, "I need the distraction."

Shin's eyes widened, shocked. He didn't know a whole lot about Craig's family situation. He knew the man just had a baby, what made the wife leave him or vice versa? His dad shook his head, "…I know it sounds crazy coming from me, Craig, but Kira wouldn't have taken full custody of my kids."

"I didn't have a leg to stand on, Yamada, unless I bought the judge and I try to avoid that" Craig sulked, taking a drink of wine Yamada offered earlier.

Cutting his eyes, Yamada replied, "…I don't like playing the system at all, Craig, but I'd make some considerations before my wife took my kids back to Wasaba and then wouldn't allow me to pay child support."

Like…what? Craig squeezed the bridge of his nose, groaning, "…Yea, my son is not going to be balanced given he's working a full time job and in high school. I'm going to end up answering for this."

"Mm."

"I'm telling you though, he's a good kid! And just a year older than a certain daughter…"

What now? Shin's eyes shot up quickly, uncertain what the hell Craig was implying. Whose daughter? Yamada blinked languidly, not looking up but flipping over another page, "Absolutely not."

"What's wrong with my kid?!"

"Dunno yet, give it time."

"You know, Yamada-"

His dad smirked widely, his eyes half-closed, "First, I would never match anyone with my only daughter, I'd rather die first. What if I suggested Shaun for Nyoko?"

"I mean, I'd…entertain the idea" Craig droned.

"Second, I would think you'd know why I'm against matchmaking in general."

Craig made a face, "I'm not saying she has to marry him, man, I just think he could stand to see a Subamite young woman with drive and discipline!"

"Are we addressing our Jill?" Shin demanded.

"And there goes three" Yamada said dryly.

With a snicker, Craig sighed, "Fine, fine. I'll let the cards fall where they may and stay out of it. He is a beatnik. But I know your daughter isn't going to end up a nun like you hope, friend."

The hell not?! Yamada chuckled, "Yea, given our lean to not be Catholic, that would be a stretch."

Grr. Craig drank the last of his wine as Yamada poured himself another glass, stroking his chin, "…I'll have my lawyer look at this, guys. He can get me an answer back by tomorrow."

"That'd be great…" Shin whispered.

Taking a copy, Craig tipped his head, "I'm going to head out, Yamada. I'll be by tomorrow."

"Ah, you sure you don't want to stay for dinner?" Yamada frowned, standing.

"Oh no, I had an early dinner with some constituents. Might drop by for whatever Christmas feast you have, if I'm welcome."

Shaking the man's hand, Yamada nodded, "Of course you are. If you do have the kids, they're welcome as well."

Craig scoffed, "Kira hated Christmas the most so I can't see that occurring. But we'll see."

Suddenly, Yamada's beeper went off and he groaned, rubbing his face. "…My holiday doesn't start until tomorrow so Matsushima is probably going to run me into the ground for the next few hours. Let me call to try to coax him otherwise…"

"Good luck, man" Craig laughed.

Shin walked with Craig to the door, mostly out of manners, but surprisingly the man tilted his head. "Don't ask any questions. Just come along."

…Uh, what? Was he being kidnapped? Shin made a face, stuffing his hands into his pockets and glancing back. Well, he could take Craig if that were the case. "…Okay."

Getting into the man's Mercedes without another word, Shin frowned as they turned in the circle and rolled up the long driveway, turning to go deeper into Subami. Subami was the 'new money' territory, typically. It was sprinkled with old money families like Lyla's but of course newcomers purchased up the land within the less populated areas. Craig lived in the almost completely old money area, called Wensington. Why were they going to his house?

Apparently getting to Craig's gigantic mansion, probably at least a half a house bigger than his childhood home, Craig stopped in the gigantic white stoned entry. He cleared his throat and reached into the back, pulling the Okamoto will into the front seat. "…I'm still going to have my lawyer look at it."

Oh no. "…Okay."

"But I did locate a loophole."

Eh? "Y-You did? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because your parents would kill me."

…What? Clearing his throat, Craig turned to about the thirtieth page. "In layman's terms, this sequence indicates that a male heir needs to be produced. Should a male heir not be produced within twenty years of the marriage, the position of ownership can be challenged."

Yes! "That-that's fantastic!"

"—By another man."

Damn it! Shin felt his delight crash down, gritting his teeth. "…And how is that a loophole?"

"That's the part where I didn't want to have this conversation anywhere near your home, son."

Huh? Confused, Shin looked to Craig who raised his brows, "…Up until recently, Bajiru had enough time because the deadline hadn't come. Alas, given that Lyla is now 21, he is a year overdue. He was probably comfortable because, well, you were 'dead'."

…What? "I'm more than a hundred percent certain he is out there trying to get Lyla engaged to whoever will keep him in place right now. However, should another man of the house take his place before he can settle that…"

Wait a minute. Shin gaped, the…light leading somewhere different this time in his head. "…Are…are you recommending I marry Lyla so I own the house?"

Craig shrugged, "Lyla can't take ownership and neither can Lillian. However, Bajiru did not meet the agreement to have a male heir within the twenty years and now Lyla can marry and have her husband become owner of the property legally."

…Oh. Shin was…shocked, to say the least. His heart racing, he kneaded his hands. Oh. Oh man. "B-But there has to be a loophole to that loophole, Craig-san. Why…why wouldn't he have tried to have a son?"

"Because he assumed he had a daughter he could manipulate and control into marrying a scapegoat. Look at Lyla's previous suitors. They were all rich so they'd not even require the mansion and he could stay on it. They probably wouldn't have bothered to try to remove him so he retains ownership."

…Right. Parsley would have probably wanted to return to Greece and, from what he knew about Louis, he had a pretty large family estate anyway. "Oh my God…"

"Like I said, if this is too scary for you, I'm having my guy look at it tonight. He'll probably have something else in the works that he sees but…I would move fast. Bajiru has been a master manipulator for some time and he's probably working to get Lyla entrapped right now."

Over his dead body. "…Thank you, Craig. And I…definitely appreciate you not having this conversation in front of my parents. They will have a fit."

"Eh, probably not as bad as you think. They know sometimes things have to be done."

Yea, but him marrying at 21 fresh out of being labeled dead by the military probably wasn't one of them. But…if she…said yes…

"Anyway, there was one other reason I brought you here."

Huh? There was more? The blond man stepped out of the car, waving him toward the side of the house. Shin followed, wondering what business he'd have over here. "So, I was a little worried about your old man's mental state after you were labeled dead. You know, he's…been through a whole hell of a lot, Shin."

…Yes. Nodding glumly, a gnawing feeling in his heart that he briefly made the man suffer more, Shin looked up as Craig stopped by a covered car. "I had him followed by some of my men to make sure he didn't do anything…reckless. One weird day, I got the call that he had…decided to sell your car in a panic, a…car that was about to become all kinds of rare."

…What? Shin stared as Craig shook his head, "…Not to get into any old details but your dad and I do not have a good track record when it comes to rare cars. Long story short, son, please don't get lost in the desert anymore and leave your things with your dad."

If disbelief was a person, they just walked up to Shin and tried to say his car was not lost to the annals of time. Instead, they yanked the cover off and there sat his beloved Toyota Supra in immaculate condition, his Honda motorcycle cradled nearby.

Shin covered his mouth, staring, before walking over slowly. There were nicks he accidentally put on the driver's mirror. A light scratch from someone skidding by him on a bike. He saw a Pearl Jam CD cover in the floor. Holy shit. "C-Craig-san, oh my God, I—I don't even know what to say. T-Thank you so much. M-My God, how much do I owe you?"

"Oh no, son, your dad will be making this payment" Craig smiled, patting his back, "He will owe me for the rest of his natural life for previous and similar transactions."

What…? Giving him the keys, Craig waved him off. "Go think about what I said while I get my lawyer over here to look at this. If he finds something else, you can annul it or you can just wait but…just putting it on the table."

And it was some spread. Smiling, bowing lowly in absolute gratitude, Shin jumped into his car after managing to tie his bike into the trunk and started it up. He laughed when, of all things, Pearl Jam's 'Alive' immediately came on where he must've left it last time he drove before this entire nightmare began. Is something wrong? She said, 'of course there is; you're still alive', she said. Oh, do I deserve to be? Is that the question? And if so, if so, who answers? Who answers? I, oh, I'm still alive. Yea, I, oh, I'm still alive.

All grins, he gunned it up the road to head back home. He'd probably be full of nightmares tonight. Anguish, turmoil, guilt, suffering. No matter how many good things he was handed back from his previous life, where he was in that desert, murdering to survive, losing his mind, it sat there like a shadow that couldn't go away.

But the life he was getting ready to live that was just ahead of him? It…it looked amazing. He…he was alive.

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"DUDE!"

Shin laughed as Koji and Nelly had pulled in behind him, the twins looking flabbergasted and rushing over to view this miracle. Koji gawked, "BRO. We KNEW this was GONE, what the fuck?!"

Yagami Yamada came to the door before he responded. His blue eyes widened and he…very slowly walked out. "…Did that wine really get to me or is this your car?"

Snickering, Shin patted his back, "Apparently Craig was having you followed when I was 'dead' and saw you selling my car. He bought it and advised that you owe him for this and a 'previous' transaction for the 'rest of your natural life'."

Yamada smiled, his hands in his pockets, "…I definitely do."

"Man, if this is not a Christmas miracle, I don't know what is" Nelly whistled.

"Hey, what's—eh?"

He glanced back as Lyla peeked out. Her green eyes were wide as she rushed over, "Oh my goodness, Shin, is that your car?"

"It sure is" he nodded, hugging her shoulders, "Let's go for a ride after dinner. I'm starving."

Just…play it cool. The…last time they had this conversation, it set them on a two year schism that was only really rectified by him supposedly dying. It…really may have just been a convenient excuse, this whole deal with her parents, though a very valid one. But, well…with or without Craig's loophole, he…he knew. Deep down, even when he was denying the possibility to the infinitely more romantic Koji, he knew.

He wanted her by his side.

"You know, I didn't expect you to take me to a make-out hill."

Shin laughed, putting his old car into park when they came to his desired location. It was a bit of a hill, overlooking the starry sky. He hadn't brought her here before but he always thought it was a beautiful point. And she was calling it a make-out hill. "Ma'am, get your mind out of the gutter."

"I didn't bring us here" she stuck out her tongue.

"I can make out with you anywhere, why would I bring you here to do so?" he teased.

She pouted, leaning over to kiss him. "…I'm so happy you're home. And…and I don't think I figured you'd realize what I meant but I'm…I'm glad you did."

Shin stroked her hair, murmuring, "…Your mama didn't deserve this, Lai. She should have been able to find the husband she loved if she so wanted to even marry. She should have been able to have happy days without belittling or harm. She has some…man that is using her merely for fortune and property. He doesn't love her and he seems to even dislike you both. I know…that I want better for you but I want it for your mom too. I want her to find happiness."

"Me too" she whispered. "…I hope something can be found. It just…looks so hopeless."

"Well, that's…kind of why I brought you here."

Looking to him questioningly, she shook her head, "What?"

He cleared his throat, stepping out of the car. Lyla followed, frowning, "…What's going on, Shin?"

"I want to make it perfectly and abundantly clear, Lyla, that…when we parted ways those two years ago, I meant what I said. I want to be with you. I still want to be by your side. I clammed up but I…I meant it when I said my wife would never be expected to have to submit to me. I meant that…I wanted that person to be you."

Lyla stared at him, wide-eyed, as he flustered. This was still nerve-wracking. "…Craig mentioned a loophole he found. You parents have to had a male heir within twenty years of marriage or else the terms of agreement weren't met. A…new heir can challenge that. That heir would have to be…your husband."

"…Oh."

"But Lai, seriously, I…I'm not saying we put on a sham or whatever just to get your dad out of there. If you tell me 'no', I understand, but I mean it with or without this add-on: I want to marry you. I…I wish I…still had the ring. I told Marianne to get rid of it…"

He could get her another though. Lyla, trembling, slowly held up her right hand. Sitting on her finger was the ring she had left behind, maybe because she hadn't wanted to but thought it was all she could do. "A-After you—after they said you were dead, Mar-Marianne gave it to me, s-said you had asked her to throw it away but sh-she thought it was just too important."

Good ol' Marianne. Taking her hand, Shin pressed her palm to his lips. Moving it to his cheek, looking at her, he murmured, "So, how about it, Lai? Will…will you marry me tonight?"

"Tonight?"

"I promise, we can have a great wedding down the line and everything but Craig was of the thought your dad would get you hung up into something by tomorrow. I…I will fight for you every step of the way if it comes to something insane like that but…if possible, I want us to be ahead. That, and…an awesome Christmas gift would be you being my wife this time around."

She was dead silent and he…felt woe. She didn't mean it. She didn't want him. Maybe…maybe Yaya was right.

"…Are you sure?"

"What?"

"I-I'm not pretty-"

"The hell are you talking about?" he snarled, "You are absolutely beautiful and I've thought that since I first saw your face. Don't say such silly things."

"B-But Shin, I-I don't have any skills. My dad made sure I was absolutely useless. I went to a useless school that taught me nothing that can help me support us—I'll be a deadweight to you!" she cried.

"You are not useless…you have so many skills, so many talents, you've just never been allowed to look at them as such. Even if you didn't work, you'd never be useless to me, stop that…"

For a moment he thought she was making or finding excuses. He'd never told her anything like this. Her eyes were full of tears. No…these were things her father had said to not only her but her mother, the example of marriage that she'd seen. She saw Shin's family as…special because they didn't have these sorts of conversations.

Smiling grimly, he kissed her tenderly. They both needed trauma healing. "…Lai, this is your life and your choice. If you don't want to marry me, that is perfectly okay."

"Baka" she choked, "Of course I want to marry you. What I don't want is you to come to resent me. It's easy to say all these things but when it comes down to it, I'm not bringing a full plate to this relationship and you'd set it upon yourself to make sure I'm filled. That's not-that's not how it's supposed to be, you shouldn't have to work harder to fix me!"

"Lyla…you told me when I said that to you that you weren't out to fix me or hold me together. I'm not here for that either. But I want to be there while you do and…if I can help, I'm going to do that. We've…always made a pretty good team, I thought."

While she kneaded her hands, she whimpered, "…Me too."

Hm? She rushed into his chest, nodding, "Yes. Yes, I'll marry you."

Oh. Shin wrapped her in his arms and kissed her temple, smiling broadly. "Wow. I got my car and my girl tonight. This is awesome."

"Silly…"

"C'mon, I think we have time before the courthouse closes" he replied, opening the door for her before rushing to his side.

"Shin…you haven't discussed this with your parents, I know you haven't. What will they say?"

"…Um, let's worry about that in the morning."

Lyla's brow rose as he pulled back onto the main road. "…The morning?"

"Well, tonight's our wedding night, right? I don't think I want to make it back before morning unless you do…"

"Nope, especially not with my mother there too."

He laughed, grasping her hand, "My girl."

Man…talk about setting up house fast. This…this was going to be some adventure.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I always forget about your weird extra name."

Shin wandered out of the bath adjoined to the nice hotel suite he was able to secure with money he had prior to his 'death'. Wearing the complimentary robe, towel drying his long hair, he raised a brow at Lyla who was sitting on the bed in the same robe. Extra name? Oh. "Oh yea, the middle name thing. An Americanism, I suppose…"

"David…" she patted her cheek, "Unusual."

"I think it's actually super common in America" he yawned, stretching out on his side beside her, "My mom always tells me it means 'beloved'."

"That's so sweet!" she gasped, delighted. "Your parents took a lot of time to decide what to call you."

"Mm, maybe. I told you why I'm named 'Shin', right?"

Lyla shook her head, curling up into his chest, "Yes, but you can tell me again."

"It's my dad's late best friend's name. Except the guy was total garbage if you ask me. He…he caused a lot of suffering in our family. Looks like they might have been on point with that."

Pouting, she shook her head, "Hardly! I think it's still sweet though, Shin. They named you after things they loved and cared about and indicated they love and care about you. I get so jealous you have such awesome parents."

"They're yours now too, silly" he purred, kissing her forehead.

They managed to speed race through the paperwork and get in the very last minute to be married at the courthouse right at nine. Apparently they only extended the hours because of the holiday and the popularity of getting married right now. The guy had seemed a little droll, probably thinking this was some spontaneous thought. A little bit but this wasn't a flash in the pan marriage, as far as Shin was concerned.

Lyla smiled, stroking his hair, "Yagami Lyla. I like it."

"Oh, I definitely do…" he murmured, leaning in to press his lips to hers.

Caressing his lips tenderly, Lyla pulled away softly, pouting, "…NOW can we stop wearing protection?"

"No!" he leered, "We JUST got married and have to tell our parents that which is going to already be off the chain. We can't show up with their grandchild in September!"

Lyla laughed, tapping him chidingly, "I'll try to be a good mama."

"I know you will. It's just not going to be proven in September 2003" he smirked.

"Killjoy" she joked, softly pushing him on his back, "I got some sponges from the store anyway. I want to feel every bit of you tonight."

It was funny, this was…pretty much the anniversary of their first time too. He was terrified then how…easily he succumbed, now he was very much in the game and where he wanted to be.

With his wife.

Oh shit, with his wife.

Lyla looked at him as they sat outside of the hotel they had stayed in all night in his car. He'd turned it on, excited to go home and share their good work with his parents. He was ecstatic.

Then the screeching of brakes entered his mind and his wheels started spinning.

…He was the first born. Now, he was the first one to get married. The first of his parent's children to get married…and he didn't invite them to come watch him get married.

Yes, they'd have had their hang ups. It was rushed, he literally just got back from another stint in Iraq and got married in the same day after being cooped up in their home pretending to be dead. But he could have told his parents. He was pretty sure they'd choose him telling them to see his less than romantic nuptials than come after the fact with he had eloped and not told them at all!

God, his parents?! His siblings too! He'd be pissed if they just meandered off and got married without mention too! Sobbing, he buried his face into his hands. He had messed up hard.

Lyla rubbed his hand, staring at him softly, "…We can go and annul the other one and come back?"

"We'd have to wait like a week and they'd tell us we're crazy" he groaned into his palm.

"Do you regret it?"

"Not a bit" he assured, pulling back to look at her, "…I just regret not telling my parents that bore my sorry ass so they could at least witness!"

Biting her lip, Lyla nodded slowly. "…You're right. I guess we…just got so excited."

Scratching his head, Shin took a deep breath before putting the car into drive. "…I am going to be…bludgeoned and disowned from my family but what's done is done. I don't regret it and I…I hope they will forgive me some time in the next two decades."

Lyla sighed and he started that…sickening journey home. Well…now he didn't want to go home for other reasons, fantastic.

His phone suddenly rang and he shivered. God, if it was his dad, he might cry on the spot. He did not miss that constant connection to communication all of a sudden. Taking it out of his pocket, he lent it a quick glance before relaxing. Okay, he could take this. Pressing send, he looked around, "Hey, Mari."

"Hey, Baby Daddy-y-y" Yamada Komari sang.

"Stop that" he smirked, "What's up? I meant to call you, my first day back was hectic though. I assume you got back safely?"

"Yea, we're, um, avoiding Tsuyukasa for a while…"

What? "Why…?"

"Uh, according to my dad, we're not really…in good standing there right now because we kept the mission and didn't tell anyone we were alive?" Komari drawled.

The hell? "…So they just…expected you to say 'fuck it' to our mission and sacrifice what efforts we could complete while suffering in the desert? Like, did they watch our programs?"

"Bro, this is not a smart town, they probably just heard the part where we were alive and didn't tell anyone."

So just…super ignorant. "You're welcome to come stay with us, Komari. I know my parents wouldn't mind."

Well…it'd be pressing it after his nearing confession to eloping but maybe it could be a nice distraction. Komari pulled away to talk. Oh wait, oops. She laughed when she returned, "Yea, that's a negative, my guy."

"Yea, I forgot Itoh" he snickered. "At least come stay in Hondo for a bit then. I have someone I really would like for you to meet."

"I guess we have enough for fare and a hostel or something."

Making a face, Shin wanted to insist that Itoh just let them stay at the mansion. It was huge, they'd rarely even see them! Lyla suddenly touched his hand, startling him. "The pool house."

…Oh, hell. Raising a brow, Shin drawled, "…We have a…quote on quote 'pool house'. Except my parents…never got a pool which I guess was the previous developer's plan. The twins used to just use it for their party's facilities for bathroom and…more personal time but I don't think they've done anything like that in the years they've been at college. It's not much but it'll have you two away from us?"

It honestly just looked like a shed. It had a bathroom, one room where the bed and a small sofa were, and in that same room was a bar with a tiny refrigerator. It was super forgettable and none of the siblings fought to get the place, as he'd seen happen in one of those American sitcoms. The television shows was way nicer though. While he expected Komari to be reluctant, she chimed, "Hey, we'll take it, beggars won't be choosers in my book. We'll probably be there by five-ish?"

"Perfect. See you soon."

Clicking off, he was about to thank Lyla and tease they were already a better team. Surprisingly, she droned, "Baby Daddy, huh?"

Damn it, Komari! "I-It's just a silly nickname she calls me just to irk her girlfriend, I have never impregnated her or-or anything of that nature" he blurted.

Well…sort of. Lyla snickered, "I do understand how that can cause some misunderstandings. I look forward to meeting them."

Yea, that should be interesting…he took a deep breath as they pulled into the Yagami driveway at a little after 11 in the morning. It'd be…nice if everyone was away doing something but it was Sunday and his dad had taken extended time off since Shin was 'miraculously alive'. Shin sat in the car, staring. Yea, maybe…they should hide out in the pool house for a while.

Lyla gripped his hand, gazing at him, "I'll take the blame, Shin. I'll tell them it was my idea and I coaxed you."

"…Don't be silly" he whispered, squeezing her fingers, "…I never want to disappoint them but I'll do anything for you. I…I will accept their upset."

With a nod, his…wow, his wife opened the door and they strode toward the front door, hand-in-hand. Okay, it was going to be quick and probably painful but…

Entering the mansion, he thought he heard…yelling. Or at least raised voices. Eh? Alarmed, he quickly walked toward the source of the sound. His siblings were just casually sitting at the kitchen table, silent and not the cause of the dim, drinking coffee and tea. What? "Hey, is everything…"

He trailed off. He looked into the living room where, confusingly, one Okamoto Bajiru was with what appeared to be a lawyer, and some…offstandish looking twenty year old guy. Oh buddy. Shin stared, almost in disbelief this…was how this was actually going to go down.

His dad was sitting on the couch next to, surprisingly, Craig and another man. His mother was standing by Lillian who looked shaken. Fuck. What was going on? Bajiru, the culprit of the scream, looked sharply to the doorway and snapped, "Where is my daughter?"

Lyla wandered in behind him, her eyes half-closed, "Father."

"I…assure you, Watanabe, there is probably some general reason she was out with this man early this morning" Bajiru glared.

Smirking, Shin raised a brow. Oh yea, there was a general reason. 'Watanabe', the young man, shrugged. He seemed like just the perfect slub that Bajiru needed to keep his 'profits'. Lyla just sighed, rubbing her temple, "…I kind of wish we came home to the other scenario."

"Versus this? Oh yea."

Bajiru's lawyer cleared his throat, cutting his eyes at them, "Okamoto-san became…concerned about matters and made certain amendments to the maiden family's agreement. It was originally notated that Okamoto-san would be required to produce a male heir which is simply prejudicial. Thus, we edited the will to justify that no male heir of his bloodline is required but that his daughter would only be allowed to retain the property should he declare the male heir himself. We had the amendment added and notarized last night."

Shit, shit, shit. Dana scoffed, "Yea, if that's not prejudicial, I don't know what is."

"The previous version dictated by Lady Okamoto's stepfather indicated the same thing" the lawyer countered drolly, "It was only amended because the man grew senile and got an older version notarized."

Oh. So a slip up. Still though, that…Shin pursed his lips, his gut twisting. If they…got it notarized last night, did that mean…? The man by Craig stood, holding a file, "I will remind you all that notarizations made after three, in our current jurisdiction's law, do not go into effect until the next day."

"As we did so" the lawyer shrugged.

"Which I find unlikely, given that several flight and security logs indicate Okamoto Bajiru was in the sky at that time."

Ooh. Bajiru's lawyer looked shocked as apparently Craig's lawyer held up the paperwork, "Fortunately, I don't have to issue a compliance case as your paperwork does clearly indicate 6:30. That, however, means whatever you amended was not fact until eight this morning."

Thank God. Shin gripped his chest, relieved, as Bajiru shivered before barking, "What does any of that matter? It's a fact now and I am retrieving my daughter and my wife."

Dana looked at the young man absently. "…You didn't want to marry someone you might actually want to take time to know?"

Watanabe shrugged. "…Didn't really see a reason to do all that work."

Wow. His dad was rubbing his face…and he swore he heard the man mutter lowly, 'if this isn't some rich people shit'. Craig smirked at him widely in almost confirmation that the off color statement had been made. Lillian shook her head, standing, "Bajiru…it's over. You-you can have the house, I don't care. Lyla is by no means going to marry someone you choose."

"If we can get that in writing, the engagement is cancelled" the lawyer agreed.

God, it felt so tingly. Shin waved a hand, "…No need, Okamoto-san."

Lillian looked to them, confused, as Lyla smiled at her mother, "By yesterday's will and our documents from last night with last night's date, the house doesn't belong to either of you. It belongs to Shin."

What a fucking chess move. Bajiru stared at them hard for a moment before his jaw started to tick, "…What is that supposed to mean?"

"The paperwork said that you were supposed to provide a male heir within twenty years. Prejudicial or not, that was the requirement to maintain leadership of the household. You failed, thus ownership goes to the spouse of your oldest or only daughter…and, as of last night, that's me" Shin replied, crossing his arms.

"…You bitch" snapped Bajiru, almost seeming to start at Lyla.

Shin wished his ass would. Lyla looked…calm. "He's my husband, father. I know you: you'll challenge it in court. You can. But everything will check out. Shin and I went to the courthouse to get married to make sure you lost this property. It just so happens I wanted to be with him too."

Lyla… "T-This marriage is a sham!" cursed Bajiru, he green eyes ablaze.

"You literally were just going to force your daughter to marry some guy you just found yesterday" Dana said dryly.

"Stay out of this!"

"Oh no, sweetie, you're in my house with this bull" Dana said shortly, crossing her arms as well, "See? That's the difference between us, neighbor: this is just as much my house as it is Yamada's. Unfortunately for you, you didn't bother to fund that foundation and it sounds like if you try to go back next door, you're in my son's house with this bull. You are officially null and void."

Basil snarled and, 'I Wish a Fucker Would', Mr. Chaos made his way into the room. "There a problem, mom?"

"No, dear. They'll be leaving" Dana assured Koji.

Bajiru was shaking. He was outnumbered. His lawyer and Watanabe appeared uncomfortable, staring at their feet. Surprisingly the man looked to Yamada and hissed, "…You act as if this is so simple, like you'd let your daughter just marry anyone."

"Sir, I've known this man for twenty plus years and he won't even let me introduce my son to his daughter" Craig snorted, "Meanwhile you're just drawing characters out of a hat in order to keep a house you have no right to, the societal equivalency of marrying 'just anyone'. You're not alike."

"I kept that property for the last two decades! I made sure the finances were sorted, that the servants were paid, that the trusts were maintained! It is my property!"

Yamada smiled, sipping his coffee, his arm stretched across the back of their expansive couch, his legs crossed. It was kind of in that moment Shin exactly understood why their mom made sly comments about Koji being like their dad because Shin had absolutely no idea what was about to come out of his mouth but he just had this inkling it'd be out of control.

"Sorry, you'll have to redirect comments back to the pureblood one with the fallen house. I'm just the half-breed pauper she had all these quarterbreeds with."

Well, shit. "Shut the hell up, Yamada" Dana leered before her eyes brightened, "Oh, wait, that wasn't Yama that said that…that was you."

Bajiru blanched as Dana held her hands out as if unfolding a meal, "To think! You worked so hard to put up appearances with this family you despise, labeling them as 'ugly' and 'unfit' and keeping them in close quarters. Why, you're married to this woman you don't even find attractive to the point you, a low-level botanist, go on oh so many trips. Meanwhile, you terrorize your wife and daughter verbally and physically when it gets too out of hand for your taste. 'Oh, I do oh so much to keep this million dollar property I have no stake in in order! Oh, so much I've sacrificed!'"

Shin stared, wide-eyed, as his mother glared daggers, "Meanwhile, next door, you have a father that overcame actual obstacles and a mother from a 'fallen house' that had to work their way up to this against all oppression. Next door. In a house about the same size without legacy or any of that crap—no offense to Craig, who never undermined his family and continues to work despite legacy."

Craig simply waved his hand as Dana continued, "It eats you up inside that we're next door to you without the…sacrifice of being with people you don't care about, as sickening as that is. And happily, at that! It isn't even just the…half-breed and defying my family's credence that bothers you, Okamoto, it's that we did it and it worked out. Roderick-san?"

"A-Ah, yes?" answered Craig's lawyer, seeming mesmerized.

"How long until Shin has ownership of the house next door?"

"Oh, uh, about thirty days. With a court challenge, perhaps sixty."

"Twenty years of conniving undone in sixty days. How appropriate" Dana drawled before smiling, "I recommend you start looking for a new place to live and sign those divorce papers I'm working with your wife on when they're issued to you. Shin, I recommend you have the servants pack Lyla and Lillian's things in case someone gets any smart ideas in the median."

"A-Ah, yes…" Holy shit.

Lyla grasped his hand, quiet, before nodding, "I'll take care of that."

Nodding, he kissed her temple as she walked away. Bajiru barked, "You stay out of that house!"

"A-As Roderick said, Yagami Shin isn't an official executor until thirty days from now" blurted Bajiru's lawyer, panicked.

"I should think Bajiru will manage without women's clothing. If he can't, he can go get his own" Craig remarked sarcastically.

Lillian stood, folding her hands before her, pretty much the same as Dana would sometimes. She looked…lost. "…Shin."

"A-Ah, yes?"

"Despite what my husband thinks, I am well aware of my family's trust fund and the amount we have available. My stepfather, for all his faults, had us sign a prenuptial agreement to avoid this…mongering to an extent."

Bajiru's face was turning red. Shin nodded slowly as Lillian swallowed, "…If it is an acceptable offer to him, I would like to offer two million to forego any back and forth in court. If that's acceptable."

Yea, this was the part Shin was not on board for, the asking him who had about as much right to this money as a bird in the sky if it was acceptable how she spent her family money. "I don't see why not…"

"Why would I except a paltry two million when I'm entitled to it all?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Koji bite his lip, seeming amused. What was funny about that?! Turning his head more, he saw the absolutely and incredibly incredulous expression on his dad's face. Oh. Bajiru's lawyer looked a bit…skeptical. "…Okamoto-san, I recommend you…perhaps should accept that offer."

"Whose side are you on?" Bajiru snapped.

"Well, the one where you receive anything. I would be a discredit to you if I told you that in a civil matter such as this you had a 50/50 chance given they've accounted for the will's criteria. It's a 70/30 at best with you on the losing end. You can and most likely will walk out of this with nothing."

"You're fired."

His lawyer just threw his hands up, nodding his head, "Thank you for accepting me into your home, I'll take my leave."

Dana nodded her head in return as the man walked away. Watanabe yawned, standing, "Well, seems like my work here is done too. Thanks for the tea."

Shin smiled awkwardly at…the last pseudo-fiance of Lyla's he'd ever meet as he walked out the door. Wow. Lillian stared soberly at Bajiru who was gritting his teeth. "…You have a decent job, Bajiru. And two million will buy you a very comfortable home. I am simply asking that you let go before you leave with nothing."

"How dare you-" he snapped, actually reaching at her.

Shin grabbed his wrist hard, glaring hotly. "…You need to go. I don't think we have anything further to discuss here."

Snatching his wrist away, he screamed, "I'm not going anywhere!"

"Bitch-h-h" Koji sang, Nelly meandering behind him with his arms crossed, "We don't need cops here, motherfucker, we'll gladly throw you out. I recommend as your second to final warning that you locate the door and get your ass on the other side of it."

He was seething. In some…vague way, Shin got it. He put all of his eggs into this very comfortable basket he thought he had a complete grasp and control over only for someone to neatly snatch it away. Too bad it was someone else's basket. Literally…all he had to do was be a decent person and no one would try to be kicking him out or divorcing him. Hell, Shin didn't want that house, if he was just 'good ol' dad', he'd let him and Lillian live there for the rest of their lives with no problem. Instead, he…took a very limited way.

Craig made a face. "…You're into plants so you're not a numbers man, I see. If you are not taking Lillian's very generous offer, you need to remove yourself from this vicinity. If you can't see why that's a good idea, that's because you are tremendously and outrageously outnumbered right now. My lawyer is also here to acknowledge that one more warning, and you're trespassing thus the Yagami can remove you since they feel threatened. Leave."

Tuh, threatened indeed. Bajiru solemnly stared at Lillian before finally marching out of the house. The rest of the kids entered, looking shocked. Shaun's brown eyes were wide. "Wow, that was intense."

"And hopefully nothing like any conversations we'll have to have in the future" Dana scoffed.

Shin hoped but somehow he doubted it. His dad was squeezing the bridge of his nose as Craig smiled at him teasingly, "You okay, man, or still caught on the two mill being a 'paltry amount'?"

"What have I gotten myself into…?" Yamada droned.

Yea, two million seemed…like a very large and valid amount of money to offer someone that deserved nothing. Dana stared at her husband absently before walking toward the opening to leave the living room where Shin and the kids were standing. Maybe…all that was a little too close to home and she was remembering things could have been far different. About to offer 'thanks' and insist things were better now…instead, the woman grabbed him hard by the earlobe. "A-Ahh!"

"I was in labor with you for seven hours. Seven hours. And you have the audacity—as my first child I spent seven hours in labor with—to get married without me there?"

Oh, fuck. "M-Mama, i-it was such a ru-rushed thing and you heard! We-We had to do it quick!"

She just 'hmph'd!', released him, and marched away, going upstairs. Nelly snickered, "Well, glad I got to see you on the receiving end of the death grasp at least once."

Man… Jill's eyes were aglow, "You and nee-san are really married, Shin?"

"Yea…we…we figured it out last night with some help and, um, figured we needed to get it done right away."

"Good thing you did" Koji scoffed, "Bajiru tried quick and fast. If you tried to get married an hour ago, you would have been shit out of luck."

Yamada glanced at his watch a little weirdly, like he wasn't even looking at the time but just something not to direct his stare at any of them. "…Well, I'm short a few Christmas presents. Wanna come with, Craig?"

"Oh yea, sure."

"You boys got the house in case Bajiru gets any crazy ideas?"

"Naturally" Koji yawned.

Yamada nodded and just…basically left without really actually addressing him. Oh God, dad was mad too! Gripping his head, he sobbed, "I would have called everyone but it was so late, I wouldn't have made it!"

"What's even the big deal? It wasn't even a wedding-wedding" Tony snorted.

"Yea, if your ho ass ever gets married, try to do so without telling our parents and see what happens" snickered Koji, walking back into the kitchen.

Lillian shrugged, awkwardly sitting back down, "…I'd rather it be this way but I suppose the selfish part of me would have liked to see my only child wed…"

Oh God, Lillian too! "I-I'm sorry, Lillian, really—if it were possible, I'd say we can go down there right now and do it all over again but I don't know where that would put us in current standing."

His only little sister raised a brow, "…I mean, that wasn't what you and nee-san are considering your wedding, right? All it was was standing in an office and being married by an official, right?"

"Yea…"

"Then what's the big deal? You're having a real wedding, right?"

Nelly leaned against the doorway, shrugging, "Some people don't need a 'real wedding', Jill. What Shin did is enough because it's not the event that's important."

"Boy howdy, look at ol' Mr. Pragmatic over here" Koji chastised, putting him in a headlock.

Jill frowned as the twins wrestled, shaking her head, "W-Well, I know that, of course! But if you didn't intend to have a wedding, that does mean you got married without all of us and-and if that's the case, I feel sad too!"

Shrugging, Shaun went for the refrigerator, "Plus, mama's career is weddings. While it's an unnecessary waste of money, it is a big deal to her and definitely was a big deal to see her first kid get married, I bet."

Right…feeling cloyingly bad, he bit his lip. "I'm…I'm going to go talk to mama real fast."

Yeesh…exhausted by all of this, he walked up the steps, hearing the clack and hum of her sewing machine. Going to her work room, he watched as she worked with her back to the door on a cream colored gown. Man, Shaun was so damn right, his mom's gig was weddings, what the hell… Knocking, he swallowed as she didn't answer. She was pissed.

"…I, uh, lost Sweetie Plum status on this one, I bet."

He groaned as she just snorted, still steady sewing, "…I'm so sorry, mama. I-I should have recognized how important this was to you and dad, seeing…seeing your kid get married is important to you both, I'm sure. I…"

…Who was he kidding? He had a bit of time to tell them to get down there fast if they wanted to be involved. Blushing, he shuffled his feet as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, "…I just really wanted her to be my wife without…without her having to see her mother suffer in exchange."

Not like…they had. Dana ended the stitch she was on, her shoulders dropping back as she sighed, exasperated. "Look, Shin, I'm sure I'm being irrational. I know I am. We were almost in your exact shoes when we got married, everyone was going to want to stop us or get me married off to someone else. Time was slightly of the essence and we did it quick, fast, and in a hurry. I just never would have guessed my children would find themselves in the same place."

Shin grimaced as she turned to look at him, her eyes a bit watery. Oh God, she was crying. "Mama…" he choked, rushing to her and hugging her, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Stop it" she grunted, embracing his neck, "I told you I'm being stupid. I just…I just had hoped after your dad and I had parents that not only didn't care who we wanted to marry but would have stopped us every step that we'd get to watch you all get married happily. It's not your fault or Lyla's that the other side hindered that for us. Neither of you should have been forced on the spot to get married to keep her father from being an insufferable asshat."

Yes… "A-After I get secured with work and everything, I-I want us to have a wedding. Like, the actual shindig. Y-You can plan it if you want."

Dana smirked widely, smacking his arm, "Young man, you have a wife now and if your father promised that to his mother, I'd beat him black and blue."

"I wouldn't mind."

Shin jumped, startled as Lyla appeared at the entry, looking apprehensive. "I'm sorry to overhear. I just heard from the kids that you were upset. Shin was dreading telling you, he…he knows how important this must have been to you all. I wouldn't mind at all if you planned our wedding, especially after all the trouble I've caused you."

Clucking her tongue, Dana held out her arms to Lyla. She came over shyly and Dana hugged her tightly, "Both of you stop being silly. You've caused no trouble that I wouldn't want to annihilate due to my own experiences. And I want you to have the wedding that you want and I just want to be there. I'm so glad to have you as my first daughter-in-law, Lyla. Congratulations to you both."

Mama…Lyla bit her lip, looking hopeful, "But-But you'll make my gown, won't you?"

Dana looked startled, "Well, I mean, darling, I'm sure you can have any designer you please-"

"And I want it to be Yagada" Lyla pouted, "I'll pay you, of course."

"Knock it off. Of…of course I'll make it."

Shin smiled as his mother looked delighted, gushing about designs and whatnot with Lyla. Good, good…that felt better. Now, his dad. "Mama, dad's upset with me too…should I just let it play out?"

"Oh, I doubt he's upset over the wedding" his mother shook her head, "He's probably just shaken his baby has grown up and is married. He'll be fine when he gets back."

Oh. Nodding softly, his eyes burning, Shin whispered, "O-Okay. Um, K-Komari and her girlfriend are coming, mama. Apparently, their hometown thinks they're villainous for not telling them they were alive this whole time."

Dana raised a brow, "…Well, that's ridiculous. You offered them a place to stay?"

"Ah, yes. I'm going to go clean the pool house for them."

His mother stared at him, baffled, before realization entered her dark eyes and she gawked, "…Oh, sweetie, we had that knocked down while you were away. It had water damage."

Oh, hell. He was so out of it, he probably didn't even register its absence. Dana stood, patting Lyla's hands, "If the girlfriend doesn't feel comfortable staying inside with us, we'll get something thrown up really fast. I know some man specializing in pod houses or something strange."

"Oh no, mom, that sounds like an inconvenience and I can't ask that you spend that-"

"Oh, it will be a paltry less than two million" she joked, "And he owes me a favor. Lyla, darling, you think about colors and cuts. We'll discuss design after I get this done."

God, his mama. "T-Thank you so much, mama. I…I don't know what I've done to deserve any of you."

Certainly not after all he'd been responsible for. His mother huffed, pulling him down to kiss his forehead, "Stop that, Sweetie Plum. Take Nelly and Koji and get our tree, please."

"Yes, mom" he smiled.

Lyla looked after her with a smile as well, her eyes soft. "Do you regret it?"

"Nope."

"You answered too fast" she said sulkily, turning to him.

"Because I don't" he smiled, hugging her tight, "Would I have done differently? Absolutely. But the end result would be the same. I love you."

Kissing him, she purred, "…Can the tree wait for just a few minutes?"

He grinned, glancing over his shoulder and backing them toward the steps, "Oh yea…"

…What a good day.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"God dang, did it used to take this long to decorate this bastard?"

Nelly was almost slinging the glass ornaments at the nine foot tree, shaking his head in dismay. Koji was standing back, his head tilted, "…Maybe? I think we were more excited about it as kids."

"Yea, the feeling is very quickly fading, I have to say" Shaun droned, leaving after placing five ornaments.

After a quick…rendezvous with his wife, Shin went downstairs to advise the twins they were instructed to get the tree. Of course, he wanted to wait until their dad got home in case, as he had said, Bajiru got any slick ideas. Koji had raised a brow "Tony and Shaun will be here. I mean, we're not going to be gone long".

The babies? Tony smirked, "We're not lethal like Koji but we can pack a punch, nii-san, damn."

Oh…okay. Reluctantly, he headed out with the two and they were able to locate this giant tree and bring it back within about forty minutes after having it delivered. Now…? Yea, decorating it was turning into a task.

The doorbell suddenly rang and they all looked up, eyes narrowing. Lillian, exhausted after this stressful day, was napping and Lyla had gone out with Tony and Jill to go shopping. His mom was overseeing the guest house arrangements with their dad. As she said, the man returned and acted like nothing had happened but congratulated him… "Dad, I…"

"We'll talk later, son. I had wanted to have the 'husband talk' before you got married but things have to move fast around our parts, I see."

Yea, seriously. And Bajiru might have wanted to pull a fast one too. Stalking to the door, prepared for a fight, Shin yelped when he got punched in the shoulder hard upon opening it. Well, maybe not that prepared.

"You motherfucking son of a bitch."

Shin gaped, shocked to find Akiyama Joe standing there, staring at him in disbelief. "…Dude!"

"Oh, you're surprised to see me?" Joe laughed dryly, "Imagine my surprise when you've been labeled dead and aren't fucking dead."

"Oh my God, Jyou, it is such a long story…" Shin rasped, shaking his hand. He…hadn't gotten in contact with his friends yet, crap.

Joe clapped him on the same shoulder he just assaulted, Shin's bad shoulder, naturally. "I'm just messing with you, man, I am…fucking stoked. You good?"

"…Definitely better nowadays" Shin smiled some.

Joe's thick auburn eyebrows furrowed but he looked back. Ah! Aden Bjerke and Sonja Piehl entered, wide-eyed, "…Fuck-k-k, it was real?"

"Aden, Sonja! Oh my God, guys, things-things have been a madhouse since I got back, I have seriously meant to reach out, just—I just got back from Iraq-"

Aden shook his hand firmly, scowling, "Which was literally the fucking craziest thing any of us had ever heard if the first part of your story was true."

Sonja clasped his hand, nodding rapidly, "Y-Yes, it was all the talk of the base."

"Oh, it's just Joe."

Shin glanced over his shoulder as Koji appeared, drinking a beer, with Nelly. Joe grinned, heckling, "The trouble twins."

The doorbell rang again and Shin was…almost overwhelmed. Opening the door, he was there when Komari appeared with Kasumi who looked cross. "Yagami-i-i-i!"

"Hey, Yamada" he smiled, fist tapping with her, "You are…magnificently just in time."

"That's me. Hey, Aden, Sonja, right?" greeted Komari, taking off her boots.

Aden, Sonja, and Joe probably tried not to directly stare but it was unfortunately difficult to overlook initially. Shin smiled quickly, "Yea, that's right. And Komari, I want you to meet Akiyama Jyou. He's the one that was doing the transfer."

"Oh, yea, Baby Daddy chick" Joe nodded, shaking Komari's hand.

Shin smiled grimly while Kasumi's temple started to tick, Komari only amused. "Yea, that's her."

"And this is my darling, Kasumi. She is not a happy camper right now and probably just wants to hide in this poolhouse you have with no pool."

"Yea…about that. I was hopped up so I didn't notice it was gone. My mom and dad are overseeing a pod getting put in as we speak."

Komari stared at him, bewildered, "…A pod?"

"Oh yea, it's pretty neat. It's just like the pool house so you two will be very comfortable. Just a few more hours though, I'm sorry" Shin explained.

Joe smirked while Komari just looked at him in horror. What? "…Yagami, the fact that you kept us alive bewilders me the most when you act like a fucking rich kid."

"Wha?"

"Whose family just throws up a new guest house because they have guests coming, Shin?!"

Huh. Shin patted his cheek while Koji rubbed his chin. "Shit…that is kind of a money flex. Wow. When you really think you're well-grounded."

Komari just groaned, shaking her head while the others snickered. Well, oops. "Well…I'd rather you…still stay, Komari, Itoh-san, it's…kind of a lot of ask my parents just to cancel at this junction."

"Uh, duh? Just wish it had reached the junction where you called us before you built a whole new structure."

Ah well. Might be a neat newlywed suite too. Nelly glanced at his watch, tipping his head at Koji, "You ready to go run some errands?"

"Mm, yea. We'll be back in a few, Shin. You need anything?"

"Oh, uh, no" Shin smiled, feeling awkward as Kasumi leered through his soul. He really thought they'd reached another level of understanding.

Nelly, Trouble #2, blinked casually at…Kasumi? "You're welcome to go with us, Itoh-san. Shin tells us you hate his guts."

Idiot. "…I don't believe that's appropriate" Kasumi answered shortly.

Like, seriously. She didn't even know these miscreants at all. Komari, alas, teased, "I'm sure you could take them, baby. You should go explore Subami a bit."

What?! Kasumi sulked at her before grumbling, "…If it's only for a few."

Koji looked to Nelly questioningly, the latter seeming semi-surprised. Well, good job, his stupid ass offered and she took it. Watching this very unlikely trio venture out into the cold December night, Shin slowly shook his head. "…I don't know how that's going to work out."

"Shit, I'm floored she went" Komari droned, standing beside him in the door, "She sure as fuck does hate you to go off with two unknown to her men."

Shin smirked, looking at her through narrow eyes as Aden snickered, "You two have stories…a lot of which I need to hear given last I heard your ass was dead! C'mon, spill!"

"Okay, okay" Shin sighed, leading everyone to the living room, "Let me get some beer and I'll tell our terrible, awful story."

Getting everyone seated with drinks, he was grateful when Sonja and Aden delighted in seeing the tree. It was…a bit of an exploitation, but he offered that they were more than free to continue decorating the tree and that no one would mind. They went about it merrily but demanded they keep talking.

After about an hour of telling, just rereminded that he had no business being alive, Shin leaned back into the sofa next to Komari. He needed a shot. Aden and Sonja had sat down, holding their beers kind of loosely while Joe took a steady chug. Rasping as he pulled the bottle from his lip, he slowly shook his head. "…Shit, man."

"Yagami, Yamada…that's insane and brutal" gaped Aden, "And…and they were just like, 'okay, cool, you guys can go back, sure thing'?"

"I mean, we weren't forced or anything" Komari shrugged.

Joe scoffed, "Dude, I watched those reports. Those assholes were tearing you a new one. But if you came out with this full story, I can tell you they wouldn't have. And they'd be pissed the army just sent you war tired back, no matter if you went back on your own accord or not."

Shin shrugged, drawling, "…I can't speak for Mari but I dunno if I'd call it 'war tired'."

"Battle blistered, maybe" Komari mused, tapping the neck of her beer to her lip.

"Look…look, no hurt or disrespect intended, but you fucking lost a limb. You lost a limb because an army pilot took you off course and got you shot down so that you had to trek through thousands of miles of hellfire desert or…die? The army needs to name a base after you two and give you full pension, not-not offer for you to keep your jobs, what the fuck?!" Joe snapped.

Biting his lip, Shin mused. Well… Komari sat up, folding her hands. "I hear ya', bro, really. And…honestly, I only had retirement on the table. I think we were offered decent pensions. But…Shin made a point out there. We do…good work. Fuck, what we were able to just accomplish was just as big as what we did in the desert. I was down for the count and ready to cast myself out too but Shin's right: we were made for this shit and…as softhearted and stupid patriotic as it sounds? I don't think we were meant to sit the rest of this out after that."

… "No. I don't think so either" Shin nodded, "Battle blistered, war tired, shellshocked, PTSD stroked. Whatever the case may be, I didn't see what I saw in the desert to come home and sit back comfortably. The other two that did so? I'm happy for them. But it's not for me."

"And I told this crazy man if he got us anywhere but dead out of that desert, I'd follow him to Hell and here we are" Komari joked. "I don't mind it."

"You two are really good then" Joe groaned.

"Good?" laughed Aden dryly, "You're on some superhero shit, you mean? I'm just…awed. Sato was full of shit."

Komari looked startled. "You know Sato?"

"Mm, he was our instructor at basic training" Aden nodded, drinking.

"Dude, you had bad blood with Sato from the start?" Komari gawked.

Shin sighed, scratching the side of his face, "Yea…"

"Wait, Sato was over there with you?" Aden gasped.

He supposed it was a bit…weird to speak only of the military but it was something they definitely all had in common. Aden and Sonja updated that they were deployed to Fenith Island. Sonja communicated to Aden on his essentially mecha what she was seeing on their satellite and GPS. While there, they met Joe who was apparently guarding the waters. While he assumed that was just a hundred percent bullshit to throw off the army, Joe assured that the Zechs tried to infiltrate Fenith from the water too…oh boy.

"You know…" Komari said, frowning, "…I got so caught up, I just noticed it's been two damn hours. Where the hell is Sumi?"

Eh? Shin quickly looked to the clock over the fireplace and did a double take. Holy crap! And where was his wife too?! "U-Uh, I'll-I'll call Koji and ask if she's okay."

Komari nodded and continued chattering with the others. First thing, though… "Hello?"

"H-Hey, baby, it's been a little while, I'm just checking on you" he murmured.

Lyla gasped, "Oh, I'm sorry, Shin, we were getting distracted. I promise I'm okay."

"Good, good. I…I don't mean to be a worrywart" he murmured, going to get out the biggest rice maker to start a pot.

"I know" she gushed, "I'll be home soon, promise. I love you."

"I love you too" he smiled, grabbing a bag from the cupboard.

Man, he could definitely stand to be cuddled up or in a…precarious position with his wife right now. Ah well, soon, maybe. Calling Koji next, he expected to hear…well, he wasn't sure. It sure wasn't that weird electronica song. 'Sandstorm' came to mind but maybe because of the conversation he just had. Irregardless, what the fuck?! "…Koji!"

"Heyyy, bro!"

"Where the hell are you with Itoh?!" he hissed, getting further away so Komari didn't hear.

"She's doing fine! She's doing shots right now!"

Shin stared as he indeed heard 'shots' being sang in the background. It was…a little after seven o'clock. He…wasn't familiar with Itoh's loud nor drunk voice but it sounded like her that said 'another round!'. "…Koji. I…really, really need you to listen to me: bring her home."

"I will, dummy!"

Sucking his cheek as Koji ended casually with 'by nine' and hung up, Shin rubbed his face hard. Woah boy. Starting the side dish for dinner, her absently walked back into the living room and smiled. "…Um, she is…barely tolerating their presence but they promise they'll be back shortly?"

"My poor baby" Komari gasped, grabbing her phone, "Maybe I should go get her. She does get anxious in weird situations, I should have been more upfront that I was joking."

"Okay, I'm sorry, I lied: they're in a club somewhere taking shots" he groaned loudly.

His best friend stared at him weirdly. "…So you…lead with the plausible story and then recant with the impossible story to…confuse me?"

"Yea, I just…thought one sounded better than the other, so…"

Raising a brow, Komari tapped her fingers against the back of the sofa where her arm was stretched, "…Maybe I should still go get her. She gets kind of crazy on booze."

"And she is definitely in good company for that…" Shin snorted.

Komari seemed to be deliberating before she looked…worried. "…You…trust your brothers, right?"

"…Yes."

"…I'm anxious" Komari muttered, "But this…if this isn't a misunderstanding, that's really good that she's out having a good time with other people, especially other guys. Like, I want her to get better about opening her horizons."

Nodding, Shin resumed his place beside her, "I'll keep a check on them but Koji and Nelly are pretty committed that they take care of their company. She might be wasted when she gets here but she'll be in one piece."

Joe was rubbing his chin, gazing at them with a raised brow, "I think I get why the girlfriend hates your guts, bro, you're awfully chummy and intimate. You two fucked?"

"He got in a few strokes before the drugs kicked in" Komari nodded.

"Will you stop it?" he leered, shaking his head while he drank.

Aden snickered as Sonja laughed, her feet rested in the former's lap, "When we first met Komari, I thought you two were screwing around. It wouldn't surprise me."

"I can be friends with a woman, thank you" Shin sulked.

With a gasp, Komari shook his arm, "Dude! Where is she?! You said she'd be here!"

"She went shopping with my brother and sister. I'm sure she'll be home soon" Shin smiled.

"Who, Lyla?" echoed Joe, "I thought you hated her guts, what happened?"

Pursing his lips, Shin blinked some. What happened…? "…Honestly? Being out there in the desert, thinking about how I might never see her again? It…probably was one of the top four things that got me out of there. And we resolved all that. You were right, there…was a reason for all of it."

One that was thankfully resolved. Joe smirked, "Well, I'm happy for you and disappointed I didn't try to tap her in the interim."

"I'll punch your damn lights out" Shin said dryly.

"See how sweet Shin is about his lady?" Sonja teased.

Aden laughed, "Oh yea."

Shin smiled, looking up when the deck door opened and his dad walked in. "Oh! Hello, everyone. Joe, how's your grandfather?"

"Probably drunk as a fish, sir" Joe nodded proudly, standing and shaking Yamada's hand.

His dad groaned, looking absent, "…Well, Bacchus was drunk most of my childhood so I guess it's okay."

Shin raised a brow. Was it? "Ah, dad, I don't think you got a chance to meet my other good friends, Aden and Sonja. Sonja, Aden, this is my dad, Yagami Yamada."

"Ah, you both called for Shin. It's nice to finally meet you" he bowed.

"O-Oh, you as well, sir!" Sonja blurted.

Aden smirked some but nodded, "I'm glad we're meeting under much better circumstances, sir."

"Ha, definitely. And Ms. Yamada, I take it you're taking care of edema with your new prosthetic?"

Komari smiled, wide-eyed, "…Uh, is that…supposed to be something done… with a false leg, sir?"

"Edema, Komari" Shin leaned over to whisper, "Swelling."

"Oh! Like a water balloon, sir!"

While that was not good, Shin had to cough not to crack up along with the others at her chipper tone and his father's blank expression. "…Let me check."

She followed him without complaint and Shin chuckled, tilting his head, "C'mon, I'm getting dinner ready."

The others followed him into the kitchen while he decided chicken curry would be the best for the amount of guests they had. Sonja elbowed Aden, swaying, "Look! He cooks too!"

"I cook!"

"Barely!"

Shin sighed, dicing carrots, "Are you two 'off' again?"

"Surprisingly, no" Aden scoffed, turning his bottle in his hands, "But you're lucky your dad's not single, she'd probably be skulking around him."

Sonja dragged down her eyelid. Shin's eyebrows furrowed, "My dad?"

"She loves tall, blond, blue-eyed men" he rolled his eyes.

Joe laughed, stretching, "One out of three ain't bad, bro."

Punching at Joe's shoulder, Aden grunted, "Asshole. I always thought Japanese people were shorter. Lo and behold I meet the only two behemoths on the island."

With a grin, Joe winked, "Whoever the fuck my old man was was some European wank that fucked my mom for a week and went back to jolly old England."

"My dad's half-American and apparently his dad's taller than he is" yawned Shin.

Sonja gasped, "Oh, did you guys have to raise your sinks?"

"Yea, now, you all's sinks and toilets are hella low, I will say that" Aden droned.

Huh. Shin paused to ponder as Joe looked thoughtful, "…I think because Wasaba was built during the Euro-American craze, our stuff isn't quite the same…scale. Especially this house, man, I bet your mom is the uncomfortable one here."

"My mom's not that short, dingbat."

"Who's calling me short?"

Dana came in, wearing a puffer coat, weirdly…plebeian for his mother somehow. Joe grinned as she ruffled his hair, drawling, "Hello, Jyou. I'd ask how your grandpa is but I already know. Tell him to quit it."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Oh, mama, these are my friends, Aden and Sonja. We were all in the army together" Shin nodded.

"Oh! Nice to meet you both!" Dana gushed, shaking their hands, "Will you be staying with us?"

Aden shook his head, "We probably shouldn't. We have a little leeway with the holiday but we have to still check in due to an…increasing number of AWOL soldiers."

Eh? "Oh, that's crazy. Well, if you two are given the opportunity, I welcome you to. We have a very nice pod home now."

Shin frowned as she came over to stir the miso, "Oh, it's done? Komari was kind of…shocked we took the effort and felt bad."

"It's perfect, especially if my newlywed decides he wants to have a little privacy" Dana teased, glancing at her watch, "Oh, I need to make a call, I'll be right back!"

Smiling grimly as she left, he felt the eyes of his peers stabbing into the back of his head. Joe cleared his throat, "…Newlywed?"

"…It's a very long story that I will wait for Komari to return for."

Which was far too soon as not two minutes later, Komari came down the steps with his dad, the man wearing a blazer. "Your meal smells amazing, son, but I promised to have dinner with Matsushima and his wife."

"Oh, that's fine, dad" Shin blinked, "I'm sure between me, my friends here, and the kids, we'll eat all of this in no time."

"Without a doubt" Aden groaned, sounding like he was suffering, "The food at base is so gross…"

"Yea, I'm used to scraping by food but some of that shit isn't even scrapin'" Joe drawled, his eyes wide.

Yamada smirked as Dana came down the stairs, wearing her pea coat now. "Well, enjoy then. And Komari, I'll bring you something for that water retention. Try to stay off of your limbs for a little bit."

Komari nodded, taking a seat beside Joe at the table, "Will do! Thank you!"

The duo bid them farewell and Shin bid this calm 'farewell' too. Going back to the kitchen, Aden, Sonja, and Joe peering at him, he sighed, going back to the fridge to get more beer. "…Komari, Joe, Sonja, Aden…Lyla's dad was saying racist things to me and Lyla didn't say anything about it because he was attacking her mother. On top of physical harm, he was attempting to rob Lyla's mother of land that belongs to her family because he wanted it for himself. Due to a sexist will Lyla's step-grandfather drew up, it said that only a man could take account for the house. Since Bajiru didn't have a son…"

"…Oohhh" Joe sang, whistled.

"Wha?" Komari scowled.

Cracking the top on his fourth beer, he blinked at her, "…To keep them from losing the house, I married Lyla last night."

"…WHAT?"

His partner in crime gawked while he simmered the carrots and potatoes in the curry roux. "…Well shit, no invite?!"

"It was super spontaneous, Komari! We just came back yesterday!"

She opened her mouth but faltered, stunned, "…Holy shit, you're right! What, you got off the plane and popped the question?"

"I got off the plane, went to get her, had a run in with her dad, removed her mother and her from the home, had someone advise me that Bajiru may take the house, got married last night to keep the house so Lyla's mom has a place to live and that racist pompous ass doesn't get it. Plus…I love her to the depths of my soul so yea, there's that too."

"Aww" cooed Joe.

"Shaddup."

Sonja leaned back, crossing her arms, "…I mean, not to sound discouraging, but that's a bit of a heavy reason to get married. Everything else, that's sweet, of course! But, like…"

"I do wish it was under better circumstances" Shin assured. "And, don't worry, because even my parents weren't allowed to be there with the time constraints, we're going to have a wedding and you all are invited."

Komari groaned, gazing at the ceiling, "…Jeez."

"When's the wedding?" Aden asked, "Just make sure we're not deployed."

"Oh, well…"

The door opened and Shin smiled when Jill and Lyla entered, chattering. Well…kind of two Yagami daughters now, he supposed? Lyla looked surprised, "Oh."

"Well, hello" Joe blinked, his voice taking that flirty tone, looking at…

Jill smirked, "It's me, Joe. Jill."

"Ho-ly shit."

Shin leered lightly at him, wandering over, "As even I barely recognized her when I got back from the desert, I'll let it pass…this time."

Snickering, Jill looked at the thin watch she was wearing, "Well, I'll see you all later, guys."

The fuck? Shin opened his mouth to demand where she was going at…eight o'clock. Then had to reel in, once again, she was sixteen and damn it, this was hard. "…Please, be safe wherever you're going."

"I'm going somewhere with Tony, relax" Jill yawned, waving and heading back down the hall.

'With Tony' did not make him feel any better, he was the second coming of the twins combined! Komari snickered, "Hey, 'nii-san', chill thinking your sister is about to be kidnapped before Christmas and introduce your wife."

Oh! "I'm sorry. Komari, Aden, Sonja, this is Lyla. Lyla, these are my basic training buddies, Sonja Piehl and Aden Bjerke. And this is Yamada Komari who I have told you all about and have presently heard address me as 'baby daddy'. And you remember this whore, Joe."

Joe smirked, flipping him off, as Sonja gasped, "I heard so much about you but I don't know why I wasn't expecting a fellow pinky."

A what now? Lyla laughed, bowing, "We are rare, I think you're the third one I've met. Nice to meet you all."

Oh, the hair. Aden smiled awkwardly, "Uh, Shin told us about the whole deal…I guess that's pretty fresh so are you still flying under your maiden name or Shin's?"

…Ooh. Lyla looked thoughtful, "Oh, you can just call me 'Lyla'. You're right, it is pretty fresh. I will go by Yagami but it will take a second to acclimate to answer to it, I think."

Hell, it'd be hard for him too, they…were both Yagami. Blushing a bit, he wandered back to the stove to check on the food. "U-Um, have a seat, Lai, dinner will be ready in a sec."

Lyla sat beside Joe, blinking at him, "You're looking well, Akiyama-san."

"You too" Joe sighed, "Guess you won the entire replacement best friend now."

She smirked, swatting at him, "Stop it. Shin-chan has a lot of friends."

"Actually, everyone is pretty much at this table" Shin drawled, taking a fruity wine Lyla liked out of the chiller.

Komari snickered, "And a majority are army buds. What happened to your high school friends?"

"I joined the army" Shin winked.

"What about Louis? I mean, he's got to be somewhat of a friend for you to fly him into a reconnaissance situation."

Drawling, Shin started to take down some dishes, "Yea-a-a-a, that's a weird situation."

Indeed, his…wow, spouse, looked at him weirdly, "…Louis? Like the guy my dad was trying to marry me to?"

"Uh, wha?" Komari droned.

"He's a nice guy!" Shin protested.

Aden stared, wide-eyed, as Sonja snickered. "Men."

Lyla sighed, rubbing her forehead, "So…he helped though?"

"Oh, he hella helped" Komari assured, "Like, that dude is probably about to have a full decorated military career after that one. Didn't know there was that sort of history."

Bringing over the glass of wine to Lyla, he jabbed at Komari, "I probably told you. Out of sight, out of mind."

"You do tell me a whole helluva lot of craziness" Komari laughed.

"O-Oh, Shin told me you really helped him get through that whole experience in the desert" Lyla said, a hint of shyness in her voice, "Thank you. I…I was really here thinking I'd never see him again."

Lai… Komari scoffed, drinking her beer, "You let Shin tell it, I spearheaded the whole mission by myself while he was just standing around, looking dumb or something. I very much would have been dead without him so I don't know what the fuck his problem is."

"Because I'm also not Rambo and couldn't have done it myself?" Shin countered lightly.

"We're a good team, that's why. Uh…in a platonic way, of course."

Shaking her read rapidly, Lyla gasped, "No, I get it! Shin explained to me how special you are to him and insisted it wasn't something he wanted me to feel jealous over. And…I mean, aside from some envy, I wouldn't let that affect his relationship with you and hope I can get to know you well too."

Komari was quiet and Shin set a plate before her, smiling smugly, "That's the difference between my girl and yours."

He grinned, dodging as she punched at his hip, "Shaddup! I know mine has issues, she's working on it!"

"I know, I'm screwing with you. Although I am going to be more than mildly offended if she's somehow bosom buddies with my brothers after whatever this experience is" he snorted, working his way around the table.

Komari cracked up, "I'm saying. And that'd be nice, Lyla. Shin told me a lot about you too. And definitely don't discredit yourself for getting us out of that desert either, it…was a lot of touch and go."

"That whole fucking experience would have been touchy for me" Joe scoffed, swirling his bottle, "I'm just blown away, ya'll. That's…that's history book shit and they just let you go back like-like normal or something."

Aden nodded glumly, "Right. It's like…it wasn't even enough."

"I'm pretty sure it was more than enough" Sonja murmured.

After setting out the serving bowls of rice and curry, passing out the bowls of miso, Shin silently sat down at the head of the table, Lyla at his left hand and Komari at his right, the latter staring at him solemnly. What could he actually say to that? Was it weird that they were just thrown back into the fire with PTSD and permanent physical damage? Yes. Really, it was beyond absurd.

And yet, despite it all, when he heard…there were people still suffering more than he was, he put that behind him as much as he possibly could to jump back into the flames. He needed all the help he could get. Therapy, rehabilitation, possibly drugs for the rest of his life—last night, he got up and pretended to need to relieve himself to stand in the bathroom until he was coming off the plateau of a bloody nightmare. On his wedding night. Komari…would never have full mobility again, no matter how much physical therapy she did. This…took the toll from them and then some.

Komari had folded her hands, smiling some as she took the bowl of rice handed to her from Sonja. "I'm not a bootlicker. I just feel…like we were put in a situation where others were actively not prepared to put forth the effort required, whether it was because they didn't want to or just didn't believe hard enough in the cause. I…surrendered my life a few times out in that desert but it ate at my soul every day we couldn't help those people—we wouldn't have even agreed to the 'death' lie if we didn't care about the cause. They asked…for our lives and…like a friend of mine that didn't make it over there, we almost paid with them."

Swallowing that, Shin nodded, "…We paid a toll. But the road ahead still has quite a few before we get to where we want to be—I think everyone at this table, whether they think so or not, is capable of paving the path."

"…The right people for the job" Aden murmured.

"Damn straight" Joe smiled some.

…Hmm. This could work, actually.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Okay, okay, okay."

Shin smirked widely at Joe who was sitting on the recliner, on his second cup of Hennessy. Lyla was curled up with him on the elongated part of the couch into his side, drinking a glass of wine with her brows furrowed while Komari sat at his other side, Aden and Sonja snuggled up on the other end. When the beer ran dry, they made a run to the liquor store before it closed to replenish. He wasn't expecting them to get hard liquor though. He guessed he better get the guest room ready for everyone because they were all now wasted.

Joe's amber eyes were wide as he sat up straighter, his cup sloshing but staying within the glass, "So-So look, if you can believe it, ol' rich motherfucker over there with his hot wife, he used to-to live in the fuckin' slums. My next door neighbor until his dad hightailed it outta there in like the eighties."

"1986" Shin nodded, rubbing Lyla's back.

"Yes!" Joe pointed, "So-So we were poor as fuck, right? So we had stupid fucking games we'd play like knock knock ditch because our stupid apartment didn't have doorbells."

Komari laughed, drinking a cocktail she made, "I can't believe ol' blue-eyes here was playing pranks."

"EXACTLY. Shin was always just there for the ride, he wasn't an active participant. He was a punk!"

Aden and Sonja cracked up as Shin could only smirk more, his eyes narrowing, "I was not trying to be a troublemaker while my dad was barely surviving, asshole. Didn't mean I didn't want to OBSERVE you and the other guys doing BS."

Lyla made a face. She was a bit chattier than usual with the three glasses of wine she'd had. "Weren't you all like…four, five? Why were you allowed to wander around and ring doorbells—knock- anyway?"

"Because all of our parents were at work, Lyla, we didn't HAVE supervision in the hood" Joe sighed gravely.

Raising a brow, Sonja drawled, "But wait, if everyone was at work then who was the victim of the games?"

"Good question" Joe nodded, mm'ing, "Here's the thing about Wasaba though: you always had people at home. Night shifters, drug dealers—druggies. Victims were always available."

"So…you were knocking and running on druggie's doors" Aden droned.

"They were so high half the time that they didn't care" Shin explained, holding Lyla's hand, "Now, the drug dealers would get mad but then they'd tell us they wouldn't beat us if we just ran down to the store and got them some cigarettes. Half the time, they let us keep the change or told us to get candy so it really worked out great."

"But those night shifters, man, they were ready to GO. Came with brooms READY" Joe shook his head, "In retrospect, I feel like an asshole for them more than anyone."

Lyla sulked, "That's so dangerous! Where was your Yaya, Shin?"

"Mm, at that point, she was busy studying to get into college. If I asked to go play with Joe, she was happy to send me" Shin shrugged.

"Yaya?" Komari raised a brow, "Oh, the sister of your namesake."

"Mm! Okay, so that's the story!" Joe redirected, setting his glass down, "I'll never forget—Shin was a punk."

Shin snickered, "Ass."

"No, no, Shin—Shin was Mr. Do Good even at like five. The goody damn two shoes. A few of the kids were like, why do you even let him come? And I was like, why not?! But one night—one night, I had Shin stay over. I told him, tonight, Shin—tonight, we release Garin's pigeons."

Oh God. Shin squeezed the bridge of his nose while the others chortled, Aden remarking, "Oh, this is gonna be good."

"I don't think I've heard this one" Lyla blinked at him.

"For good reason" Shin groaned.

"So Garin was this old coot in the building. He smoked like the cheapest fucking cigarettes—like the ones they'll basically just give you for free. And for some reason he was bald but had on a net—I think he used to work at one of the restaurants. He was batshit crazy" Joe replied, "The biggest thing he did was, on the roof, he had this cage that he would trap pigeons in. And the local legend was he would eat them."

The audience groaned in disgust while Shin simply shook his head. Joe, animated, smacked his hand into his fist, "So I was like, 'Shin, we're gonna go free Garin's pigeons'. And punk Shin was like, 'nooo, maybe those pigeons are his only friends' or 'maybe the pigeons need his help'. Stupid shit."

Shin couldn't help laugh at that, recalling that he did say something along those lines. "Well…"

"I was like, whatever, man, we're just doing it for kicks anyway. So, we sneak out, it's like, eleven o'clock at night, Garin goes to sleep at like…seven so we're rock solid, he's not coming. We go up to the roof…and I shit all of you NOT, the rumors of this building…paled to what was actually occurring on that roof. There were, NO LIE, no less than five hundred pigeons in that box."

"Oh my God" Aden groaned.

"Now here's the important part, ya'll" Joe exclaimed, "I, the leader of these antics, was like, 'oh, fuck no' and was ready to bail. There was enough of them to peck us to DEATH. So I turned to Shin and I was like, man, abandon damn SHIP. And THIS punk—this guy, this 'maybe the pigeons are his friends', he was like, 'oh no, we are bailing these pigeons'."

Komari giggled, "Yep, now that sounds like Yagami."

Shin smiled as Joe threw his hands up, "But at the TIME, that was NOT how Yagami worked. Dude was not about that life, man! So, I was like, 'oh my God, what do you MEAN? They're gonna kill us!'. And he was like, 'no way, look at them all cramped up and trapped in that cage. They deserve to be free!'. And I was like, what do you mean, fucker?!"

Sonja chuckled, "Oh my God, what happened?"

"So, I convinced Shin they'd peck our faces off. But the super? He had this long graspy thing he used to get stuff from behind tight areas. Shin was like, let's get that, we'll take off the lock, use the graspy thing to get the hinge, and we bail."

"Wow…you were a damn tactician at five, bro" Komari gasped, pouring herself more of the drink she made from a pitcher.

"Maybe" Shin snickered.

Joe nodded, "I had nothing to say, I was so damn impressed with this idea. So, we get a hammer, manage to not smash our fingers and get the lock off, and then we stood in the direction of the doorway, flipped the latch…and PANDEMONIUM. The pigeons…blotted out the sky for a solid minute as they just BOLTED. Screeching, shitting, feathers flying—it was beautiful."

Lyla bit her lip as Shin grinned, "Yea, you're a real poet."

"Now here's where…I now understand what you're saying about this whole desert thing. I couldn't even grasp it at that young age, but Shin was always thinking like two steps ahead, man. He was like, we've done this step, there's more—he was like, we gotta make sure…that Garin never tries to put pigeons in this cage again."

"Oh wow" Komari droned.

"How'd you do that?" Sonja questioned, bewildered.

Shin felt a little surprised because he did forget he…had calculated this whole thing out as a five-year-old. Having to reprocess, his brows furrowed, "…What was it? Jake the Snake?"

"Jake the Snake" Joe smiled widely, tipping his head at Shin.

"The wrestler?" Aden echoed.

Nodding, Joe picked up the brown bottle of alcohol, pouring another glass, "Well, we din't know about that at the time but yea, he got the name from American wrestling. Big deal here."

"He was one of those drug dealers we mentioned. His real name was Jaken. On the side, he…bred snakes" Shin rolled his eyes around.

"And he HATED Garin" grinned Joe.

Sonja chuckled, covering her face, "…What did you do?"

"Well…let's just say that when Garin went to collect a pigeon for breakfast, he did not get the member of the animal kingdom he was expecting."

"Oh my God" Komari cackled, "You know that's some gangster shit, right, Blue Eyes?"

"Maybe, but it did the trick. Not one pigeon was ever collected up there again" Shin winked.

"And that—that was the difference between those other guys and my boy here, one of the reasons I kept in contact with him. Hell, I would trek like two hours over here after he moved when I had the time. Shin was going to get shit DONE. It wasn't enough to just go at it one way, Shin was taking care of the whole shebang. That wasn't a mindset you get outta Wasaba, man. Short, quick, easy and sloppy is the way. Not Shin. If he was gonna do it, he was gonna go every meter, yard, foot, centimeter—whatever. When I heard he joined the army, I thought, 'y'know what, if Yagami did it, he did it for a reason' and I felt better about going there too. My guy" Joe held up his glass.

Shin knew the man was super drunk, as the Wasaba way was to never be this flattering, but Joe sounded really sincere. "I appreciate that Joe, really."

Komari nodded, sipping her drink, "I didn't grow up with Yagami but after seeing the way he handled our first combat situation, I thought the same. Even if I questioned him, I knew he's always thinking about the best way and the way to resolve a situation."

"OUR first combat situation" Shin huffed.

"Bitch, you accept a compliment from him but not me? Sir, when I am complimenting you, I don't need you leveling the playing field for US" she heckled.

Oh. "You're right, nee-san…thank you" he sighed.

He snickered as he smacked his chest, telling him to 'quit it'. Lyla frowned, "Shin's younger than you, Komari-san?"

"Yea, like two, three years" Komari nodded.

"Wow…can you believe it's almost been four years since basic, Shin?" Aden shook his head.

Shin groaned, "Tell me about it, it…it really is flying."

Just…what to do now? He looked up, shocked, when there was a raucous sound at the door. Eh? Eyes narrowing, he stood and got ready. Bajiru was showing up pretty late…

"Calm the fuck down, GENERAL, it's just us."

As soon as Shin rounded the corner, he relaxed and stared incredulously as his brothers and Itoh Kasumi came in, almost walking sideways. Koji seemed the soberest but…that wasn't saying much. "…Where the hell have you BEEN?"

"Man, where HAVEN'T we been?" hiccupped Nelly, leaning against the wall, his eyes closed as if he were falling asleep.

"We went to this rave club place, then this bar called Tijuana, karaoke bar, thuh mall, Starbucks" Koji slurred, counting off incongruently on his fingers.

Shin gave him a look, "You drove back like this?"

"Nahhhh, when the roads looked like I was spinning, figured I'd sit that DUI out. I left my car at Keiba's, our last stop, and we gotta cab back."

Good ol' Koji. When he was irresponsible, he was still somehow very responsible. Kasumi…looked amused? And it scared the hell out of him. She said in amazement, "…I wasn't aware you could drink that much and not be in a coma."

"Well, it's…probably still not recommended."

"Did I hear my baby?"

Glancing over his shoulder, he found Komari walking down the hallway to the foyer. Kasumi's green eyes lit up. It was actually really cute. "Mari! Oh my God, I had an okay time?"

"Question mark?"

"Yea, we may have, uh, convinced her at her most panicked to take a few puffs of our rather potent weed so her calm may not be a hundred percent natural of herself" Koji explained slowly.

Komari raised a brow, "…You got this mostly straight edge to smoke pot?"

Kasumi hugged Komari's shoulders, resting her head there, giggling, "I love you so much."

"Wow. You are drunk and high" Komari said airily, "I never thought I'd see the day. Are you hungry?"

Shaking her head, Kasumi stammered, "K-Koji and Nelly fed me very well. And th-they even chased off a bastard th-that tried to hit on me before I-I even had tuh."

…He'd chase off someone trying to hit on her too. Pouting as Komari smirked, kissing Kasumi's temple, "Usually you'd hate that, baby."

"Ye-s-s-s, but wuz very efficient and quick so I wuz impressed" Kasumi mumbled, apparently about to fall asleep, "Iz…iz there a bed somewhere? I…I juz need tuh rest my eyes for a sec…"

Shin sighed, tilting his head, " I guess we can go take a look at this pod house."

Komari nodded, thanking Koji as he grabbed their baggage from near the front door and handed it to her, "Thanks, guys. While she will probably deny it wholeheartedly tomorrow, she had a good time tonight."

"She was actually more fun than I imagined" Koji nodded.

'Fun'? Komari snickered, "Well, that is more news to me. Thank you so much."

"….You think she'd wake up ready to fight me if I carried her?" Shin snorted.

"Probably" Komari laughed, suddenly picking Kasumi up pretty neatly, "I got it. You're not the only one that can carry a lady around, my guy."

He chuckled, taking the bag and leading Komari out of the deck door. It…was a weird house. Actually just a solid square with no slopes. There were curtains but the windows comprised almost the entire front of the house. Confused, he opened the door and glanced inside. Flipping on the lights, he was startled to find a small kitchen and a little sofa with a small television in a shelf with some books. Woah?

Wandering in, he was…shocked to find there were two very miniscule bedrooms. And it literally was just like a bed room. There were some built in shelves in the wall but otherwise, the full sized bed took up about 85 percent of the room. The bathroom was also similarly spaced but…well, wow. Komari looked amazed. "…I mean, wow, this is still pretty nice to throw up in a few hours."

"Yea…"

Komari sat Kasumi on the bed and he exited so she could get the woman undressed, sitting at the counter which was apparently where they were supposed to eat. "Well, I'm…glad those two got her back in one piece. I mean—I didn't DOUBT they would, I just…"

"Oh, you're upset she gave them the time of day and not you."

"YES."

With a laugh, Komari replied, "I mean, Shin, you're just a do-gooder. While I got to the core of you and understand that's one of your charms, to someone like Sumi, that just seems like you're hiding something or trying to get something. Your brothers are out there and slightly deviant, she can see them for what they are."

"I mean, I wouldn't say all that, both of them are good people" he countered.

"Oh, of course they are" Komari amended, "Just a little less…knightly about it."

Oh yea, no, even when his brothers performed good acts they seemed almost criminal in nature. "Well…dunno if I can help that."

Reemerging, Komari smiled, "Nah, bro, don't change who you are for Sumi. She'll come around. She knows deep down in herself you're a good person but she also knows our relationship and doesn't like that."

Of course… Shin blinked, turning his head, "…Teramoto called me."

"Oh?" Komari frowned, taking the remaining stool beside him.

He nodded,glancing at his nails, "…General Yoshifumi, Teramoto, and I had a phone conference. It's not…well, it's not the most usual thing. They said if I remain in the army, I still would be in active duty. If I'm deployed, I go there with my regular army rank that I've gained and perform my duties."

"Okay…"

"…They want me to build a team."

"Um, too soon."

Shin raised a brow, "What?"

"Build a team of what?" she demanded, "We just got home!"

"…It's like a swat team, I reckon. We'd handle special assignments, special missions, security details—pays a little more decently than what we're already commissioned at too."

Komari looked at him drolly, "…We?"

Smiling at her, he blinked coyly, "You said Hell, Yamada."

Groaning, burying her face in her hands, she laughed dryly, "…I did."

"I told them the only way I'm building this team is if you and I are of the same ranking as officials in this unit. You're not my second, I'm not your second, we're both in charge."

"Can't have two generals, Shin."

"Not doing the same thing" he nodded, "You can be in charge of stealth, tech, and medical operations. I'll be in charge of combat, tactical, and administrative operations."

Recoiling, Komari looked horrified. "…Shin, one leg does not make me stealthy, okay?"

"I have a guy."

"Um, what?"

He shrugged, "That aside, what do you think? In maybe not a hundred percent best circumstances but 93 percent, what would you say?"

Covering her mouth with her fingertips, she raised a brow, "…We operate as a separate entity but still have military duties. And we'll probably still need work outside of this. But…this is our unit?"

"Just have to get you on board" Shin nodded.

Komari sat back, dribbling her fingertips against the counter. Her dark brows lowered and she stared out of one of the few uncovered windows. "…You'll excuse me but it just sounds too good to be true."

"Like the others said, Komari: we made history. Probably even a Guinness record. They're going to get scrutiny if we're just… 'average', not that there's a problem with that. They have to elevate us because that's how the appearance needs to be kept. They aren't expecting us to use this, that we'll just bask off the glory and bullshit. No, we…we can use this to our advantage to make a difference, Komari. We can get to where we both want to be."

With a soft smile, Komari's dark eyes closed, "…You still get to play the hero to this woman in this scenario, Shin, it's playing like the same ol' cliché. If you weren't here, I wouldn't be a thought."

"And if you weren't there, I'd be dead in the desert" Shin countered shortly, "I don't know what the fuck they're looking at nor do I care. I need you. We do this well together and maybe I'm getting some unfair bias but I'm not making moves if they're not with you. None of us are winning if one of us is being forced to struggle harder, remember? Well, we're both winning this one."

Tapping her thumbs against her chin, she nodded once. "All right."

"Piehl, Bjerke, and Akiyama are still on active duty. When they return, I want to offer them a position on the team" Shin said, folding his hands.

"Nepotism, gotcha" she snickered.

"Perhaps. But, they're special at what they do."

Komari's brows tweaked, nodding, "One guy with a subspecialty in diving and nautical navigation, one dude that basically can operate a fucking mecha, and a woman that can route that bastard in any conditions? It'd really be more stupid to not offer them a position."

"Itoh, of course, can be on your stealth team."

Snorting, Komari whacked his arm, "Bro, what if I put Lyla on as your secretary, would you like that?"

"A little too much, actually, I'd probably be trying to get laid between missions."

She laughed, hitting him again, "Baka. Maybe I'd try to get laid between missions too, huh?"

"Mm, I think Itoh would be all business before pleasure."

"True" Komari smiled, "Okay, Itoh, Piehl, Bjerke, Akiyama…who's on our medical?"

Crossing his legs, Shin muttered, "…I asked Teramoto what happened to the nurse that brought me to you after the desert. Apparently, she was 'demoted' and now just does basically laundry. She's just a few hours from being a medical doctor and she can't get that washing sheets."

"Don't have to tell me twice. Hakuryu" Komari nodded.

"Torataro as well. Joro, Saki."

Making a surprised face, Komari stood, "…Huh, this team is actually sounding kind of nice, Yagami, not gonna lie."

"We didn't end up only being the right people, Mari…we ended up surrounded with the right people too" Shin murmured.

"Damn. I'm excited" she grinned, cracking her knuckles. "…I guess we get to fuck 'em up all the time now, huh? What do we call our group?"

"Well, they are going to address us as Sogen Ops. We can probably put in for a name change later" Shin shrugged, opening the door.

Standing outside for a minute, he stared up at the stars. It was…unbearably cold out but the stars were so clear, standing out just so radiantly in the dark blue night. Komari stood beside him, hugging her arms. "…I like Lyla. She's very sweet for you."

"…I met her going through that thicket right there. I was trying to get back to Wasaba to see Joe" Shin smiled softly, gesturing with his head toward their 'jungle'. "…I wish I could say I met her and never looked back but…it worked out, I suppose."

"It did" Komari said faintly, "…Is she going to be on board with your ambition, Shin? She's…she's outside of this. From the sounds of it, she didn't have a stable father or home life. Maybe…maybe this route you want to take isn't the best for that? You're going to be away a lot."

Digesting that, Shin felt his stomach knot. "…I dunno. You're right, it's…it's a lot to ask of a person and while I told her I wanted to rejoin, maybe…maybe she didn't want it to be this serious. I…I guess Joe was wrong: I don't always look at the big picture."

Komari patted his back, "…Kind of hard to when it comes to the person you love. All you know is you want them there with you."

…Right.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Yaya is furious."

It was December 26th. Yagami Shin had had…the single best Christmas he'd had since his childhood. His family was all around, his friends came every day until today and stayed over a couple nights when they asked permission at base, Komari and Kasumi were currently cozy in their abode—it felt comfortable and he loved that. Yes, he woke up a few nights, shaking, needing help sleeping, but…every other segment of his life felt immaculate.

Jovial, today, he called Hamasaki Ayame finally after all this. He felt bad because he hadn't reached out to her yet since his rise from the dead but he figured she'd understand. Figured.

Furious. That was all he got out of the phone call: fury. She was furious that, after getting shot the first time due to Kitamura's negligence, that they had him return to active duty. Okay, that was…fair. Then she was furious that he…decided to volunteer to go out into the desert after explaining that most of the people that stayed by the wreckage DIED and that the army was not looking for them. 'It was a ridiculous move, Shin!'.

Okay. It was probably the downers he was on but he remained calm despite everything in his mind saying he should be angry. So, he tried to tell her about his friend, Komari, and how she lost a leg. In not…so many words, she eluded to that little pin prick feeling he got in his gut when he saw Komari's swollen ankles and her slightly lilted walk, that that was due to his choices. Okay.

She was mad he pretended to be dead. She was mad that, when that task was over, he went back and helped some more. She was mad when he said he got promoted and was given a pretty sweet opportunity that many in his position wouldn't see for decades if at all.

She was up the wall when he said he married Lyla. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO."

Sitting in a diner at a booth across from his dad, Shin rubbed his temples as they threatened and pursued the option of ticking and thumping out of his head. What…what made someone hear a story that probably made the subject feel like they're on a mountaintop want to snipe them down? It was like he did absolutely NOTHING right at any point in his life with her and he was…well, he was just flabbergasted. He…he was fallen down to the place he was when he first got home, actually, he…he wasn't sure if he'd done one damn thing right ever either now.

Because, like this same person explained to him, he had Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and any litany of things that had him walking a tightrope trying to keep it together, he actually started to cry on the call. He didn't WANT to, it just kind of…it just kind of hit him hard and he literally saw himself falling into a chasm after being so…so high.

Of course, because he guessed whether he had faith in divinity or not, he was covered, Komari had come in to ask them something and saw him sitting there, silently weeping while he was getting lambasted. He just got choked up when she marched over and snatched the phone away, unable to advise that it was 'okay' while Komari pressed the receiver to her ear, listening to the woman's words. After about a minute of just nonstop vitriol, Komari's face darkened, "…Who the fuck is this?"

… "Bitch, I don't know. I'm asking YOU who the fuck you are and who the fuck you are to be talking to him like this because I'm ready to find you and punch you in the throat."

Shin had tried to garner the strength to take the phone back but he…felt so much relief not having to hear it, he didn't even care that Komari took over. The brunette kept flexing her fingers into a fist before smiling tightly, "…I'm not going to allow Shin to continue this conversation, Bitch-san. You have some fucking balls on you to sit here and talk to someone like this. Who hurt you?"

Shit. "Fuck off. Good bye."

Komari pressed the button and snapped, "Who the hell was that?"

"…The woman who raised me."

Luckily, his dad arrived and asked him to have that 'chat' now. Komari patted him on the back and told him to go on with his dad and she went upstairs. What? Too dejected to think much of it, he went with his dad and…here they were.

Yagami Yamada sipped the black cup of coffee, looking at the sun set early at four in the evening in the adjoining window. "…It's no excuse, son, but by Wasaba standards, you…have done a lot of unnecessary things. Your Yaya is a creature of her habitat and also saw her brother killed over unnecessary things. To her, you're…following the same path."

…Okay. "Am I?"

"Not even slightly" Yamada scoffed, "I'm not proud of what my friend was up to. I'm proud of my son."

Shin smirked, spinning his mug of the same beverage, "Well, that might be bias, dad."

"Perhaps. But you have a plan, son. And, while Wasaba ways say you take the route that keeps you alive, yours…is ambitious and isn't just looking out for number one. Ayame…unfortunately, she kept the Wasaba mindset of look out for number one alone and forget everyone else. Self-preservation is vital, it's important to be able to put yourself first in some circumstances—but the world can't manage if everyone can only think of themselves alone."

… "…Um, she…told me what she did. About…how she came onto you."

The man briefly choked on his coffee, hacking before beating his chest. "S-She did?"

"Yea."

"…Really?"

Shin was about to confirm…however, from his father's tone, he got the idea that perhaps Yaya didn't just 'crawl into his bed'. "Well, she…she said she crawled into your bed while you were asleep and offered to mother your children and be conflict-free or something."

Yamada looked a bit…perturbed, glancing up and around. Not able to help a snicker, Shin shook his head, "I'm married, dad, and I'll be 22 in three months. If you wish to disclose something of an adult nature, I'm good for it now."

"I…I mean, that…is the gist of it" Yamada said slowly, wide-eyed.

"As long as you say you didn't have sex with her, I'm sure it's fine, dad" Shin shrugged.

The blond rubbed his forehead, "Not consensually, no."

WHAT? "She-she raped you?" he mouthed quietly.

"I-I dunno, I wasn't going to call it that back in the eighties" Yamada made a face, "But…I guess by some definition, that's what it was? I definitely was a passive participant for a few minutes before disengaging."

UGH. Shin gripped his hair, sobbing, "…I'm cutting ties too then, that's disgusting."

She wasn't even apologetic! The last last conversation they had, she made it sound like his father was the wrong one! Yamada shrugged awkwardly, "I almost wish you wouldn't. I'd have to explain a lot to your mom if neither of us associated with her and that's…not a conversation I want to have with Dana."

"And we're about to have a 'what a husband should do' conversation?" Shin said dryly.

"Yea, well, are you going to tell Lyla you had partial sex with Komari?"

Dead. Shin almost literally died, inhaling hard. His father just smirked at him while Shin prayed the ground opened up and killed both of them. "H-H-How do you-?!"

"She is a peculiarly open young woman."

DAMN IT, KOMARI. Burying his head underneath his arms, he whined. This was the worst AFTER Christmas he'd ever had. "…Okay, point taken."

"Your mother and my…past sexual history aren't in conflict, son, I don't want to make it sound like that" Yamada said softly, "…Just you know what your mother was going through, what she had to deal with. It meant a great deal to her that Ayame was there taking care of you where she couldn't. To hear…to hear that same person was trying to steal her husband AND child away? It…it just doesn't sound like it'd be productive information for her."

… "I do understand that, dad" Shin admitted, "…But like, she assaulted you and that's bad."

"I won't excuse her, son, but I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't…an acceptable practice in her life. Living in Wasaba, a lot of unacceptable things were taught. While I would have never done anything to anyone sleeping, I just was lucky I never had that introduced in my life."

Eek. "But…you still knew it was wrong."

"Some people have to be taught things are wrong, son."

…Okay. "That aside, I'm not going to give you so much a husband talk because…I think each of you will find your way in relationships in the way that best fits you and whomever you marry. You and Lyla have a rich history and, I believe, without Bajiru in the way, you'll start to communicate even better. I think Lyla will come into her own and grow confident and I think you two will be very successful."

Oh. "T-Thank you, dad. I guess I had a good role model."

"I could be doing better" Yamada chuckled, "Like, I had literally no idea your mother stays up until four in the morning now working on dresses, good lord."

Shin snickered, "Can you do anything about it?"

"Nope" Yamada smiled, "Your mama is her own force and I love her endlessly."

"…Mm."

Somehow, the…conversation made him feel a bit better. After they finished their coffee, his dad drove them back to the Yagami mansion. The man put the car in park and looked off before grumbling, "…I was working with the Hondo police force on a community medical plan. I'm actually in pretty good cahoots with the captain. If…if you still want to be a cop, I can see if he can work with your schedule."

"…I dunno, dad" Shin whispered, unbuckling his seatbelt, "The last thing in the universe I want is to hear gunshots and make the wrong move or harm innocent people. I-If I were to be a cop, I want to do it for the reason cops should be there: to protect."

"Believe me, you're already starting better than most of them with that" Yamada said, surprisingly sarcastic, "I'm definitely and I mean DEFINITELY not going to press you on that, son. But if you want to, I…I think you're perfect for it. We can get you help with the trauma and try to get you regulated on a drug program to keep your anxiety down until you don't need it anymore. But…I believe you'll function perfectly."

…That was a lot to digest. His dad literally was ready to fight him when he started all this and now he was slowly encouraging him. Swallowing, just emotional today, Shin finally smiled. "…I'll discuss it with the missus."

"Ha, that is true" chuckled Yamada, patting his back, "I love you."

"Love you too, dad."

A cop. It came up before somewhere but it was question where he would have peace if he was a cop and then overseas half the time too. Maybe…he was pursuing too much there.

When they entered the Yagami abode, they found Lillian and Dana sitting in the kitchen, chatting over what appeared to be wine. Yamada smiled, coming to kiss his wife's temple, "Hello, dear."

"Hey, you. What were you two up?" Dana questioned, looking up.

"Oh, just a father-son chat" Yamada assured, going to the kitchen to apparently make himself a glass.

"Uh huh" she smirked, smiling as Shin kissed her cheek, "Hello, Sweetie Plum. You okay?"

Because his mother could read them like a book, she probably could tell he was at least slightly crushed by Yaya's rebuttal. "Eh, I've…been better, mama, but dad made me feel better."

"Oh no. Anything you want to talk about?"

To her? Not even slightly. Smiling, he shook his head, "It's…just a Wasaba thing, mama. It doesn't make sense to me anymore either."

Dana made a face, grumbling, "Well, I…lived in Wasaba for a little bit. And I almost got shot there, that has to count for something."

What?! His dad sipped his wine, drawling, "Your incredible lack of self-preservation, maybe?"

"Shaddup. I married you, didn't I?"

Yamada's brows quirked, "That you did."

Yea, well, start with THAT story of how his mom almost got GUNNED DOWN in this courtship, holy shit. Lillian laughed suddenly, a bell-like quality. He wasn't sure he'd ever heard her laugh like that. "You all are so comfortable with one another, it's so foreign to me but I like it. I'm glad Lyla got to feel warmth somewhere."

Oh… Dana patted her hands, "You still have all the time in the world, Lillian. Don't let Bajiru be the end."

"Oh Dana" Lillian scoffed, "I'll be a forty year old divorcee and all I'll have to offer is my estate. I'll fall right back into the same situation I had with Bajiru."

"I know a guy" Yamada suddenly said.

Lillian giggled, "Yes, I know him too. I am a hundred percent certain that, at some eventual time, his spouse will return to him."

With a gasp, Dana clapped her hands together, "You think so too?"

What? His dad looked incredulous, "…Are we talking about the same guy? I can't see that happening, ladies, that's…not how Wasaba people do things. Once we're gone, we're gone."

"Oh, don't be silly" Dana chastised, "And Lillian, you have much to offer but you'll find it if you want to. And if you want to, especially! Why, you can go travel and see the world now!"

"M-Maybe…"

Shin was sure that sounded super intimidating to a woman sentenced to house arrest for twenty years. "Well, let's get Bajiru out first then we can look at all the things on the horizon. Where's Lyla, by the way? She was doing laundry when I left."

"Oh, she went out with Komari-san, Kasumi-san, Sonja-san, and Jill-chan."

…What now? Shin smiled…some. "Oh. That's…that's nice."

"Ayyy, there he is!"

Jumping, grazing his pocket, he leered as Joe, Aden, and his four brothers appeared out of the living room like the damn horsemen of the apocalypse. Nope, Shin didn't trust this. Koji smacked his shoulder, all grins, "C'mon! It's time to party! We'll be back soon, mom, dad!"

"I won't hold my breath" Dana remarked dryly.

"Where the hell is my wife?" he demanded flatly as Joe and Aden pushed him down the hallway.

"With LADIES doing LADY THINGS" Nelly chanted, "We're about to go out with the boys!"

Yep. Worst…after Christmas ever. But, well…at least he was here.

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"God…God, my head, oh my God…"

Yagami Shin had had some hangovers, he couldn't deny that. The New Year of the millennium definitely came to mind. However, he had never been at the point he woke up with tremors which was no laughing matter, what the hell did those bastards have him do last night?

When he opened his gritty eyes, he relaxed because the tremors weren't internal…just caused by the fact he was almost upside down in the SUV they were in that was driving, the reverberations making his arm shake. Oh, okay. The sun…was up which wasn't great either. Glaring toward the clock on the digital radio, he groaned loudly. "What. The. Fuck?"

It was four in the morning. FOUR. "You idiots, I am married now, this is not married behavior."

"Relax" droned Koji, horrifyingly driving, "I called the house and told them we'll be home late. Lyla wasn't even back when I called thirty minutes ago."

…Pardon? "WHERE IS MY WIFE?"

"Shut the fuck up, bro, some of us are trying to sleep."

Shin glared daggers…before actually jolting to find Joe was also upside down, his legs slung over the back of the SUV, beside him. "Holy shit."

Wait, wait—they had the babies with them! Looking around quickly, he found Shaun conked out, his mouth agape and his cheek pressed slam against the glass window. Tony was weirdly face forward, face down in the seat, snoring, and Aden was in the middle, his head slung back and potentially comatose. He couldn't see Nelly but he assumed he was in the front, dead.

Trying to have his mind process, he couldn't help notice everyone was…kind of sparkly. "…Where is this glitter from?"

"Glitter" Joe mumbled.

"What?"

"Glitter, the stripper that gave you a lap dance. She had a theme" Koji said casually.

He was killing everyone in this vehicle. "W-What would make you—what—what in—WHY WOULD YOU LET ME GET A LAP DANCE?"

"God, what woke him up…?" Nelly mumbled.

Koji snickered, "Shin, you got like two minutes of a lap dance and told her she was 'sexy' but you have a wife. We proceeded to spend the rest of the night taking shots, going to the club, we went to an oxygen bar, did some indoor skydiving—it was great."

Shin buried his face in his hands. "Two minutes is too long, Koji."

"Literally, you should be more mad we spent money on oxygen than that."

About to snipe that a lap dance wasn't exactly acceptable in a marriage typically, he did find himself recoiling at Koji's remark. "….I mean, how much are we talking?"

"Uh…like a thousand gold pieces?"

"We paid a thousand gold pieces for something that's free?!"

God, he knew this was a mistake. His wife was going to divorce him. Miserably, he stared at the kids. They seemed more covered in glitter than anyone in this car. He shook his head. "Lemme guess: they got lap dances?"

"Um…yea."

"You know…I was going to let you two plan my bachelor party when I had my actual wedding but now I can say you've failed that interview."

Nelly snickered and Koji chuckled as they pulled into the driveway, "Nii-san, by bachelor party standards, we nailed this interview."

Assholes. Disgruntled by the fact they now had to get everyone inside to bed, he glowered as Joe swatted at him when he tried to grab his arm to wake him, "Oi, oi, yer not the only one with touching problems asleep, buddy."

…Shit. "…I'm so sorry, Joe."

"Mm, don't sweat it" he muttered, rubbing his amber eyes.

…How horrible. Joe whistled loudly suddenly which managed to alarm Aden to waking up. Oh God, not Aden too. The silver haired fellow's hair was standing up on end, his eyes bloodshot. "Oh. Oh fuck, w-what happened?"

He had a hand in his pocket…when he removed it, he had a red lacy thong. "Ah! What happened?!"

"Just one of those nights" Nelly droned, opening the door and tugging Tony up.

Koji opened Shaun's side and was able to neatly catch him from falling, the youngest groaning and mumbling, "I dunno if I wanna party no more…"

"We're home, sunshine" Koji said dryly, helping him stand.

Shin pushed the seat up so he and Joe could…stagger out. In what…had to be the most insane experience he'd had since, well, surviving months in the desert, he was almost more incapable of walking now than when he was shot in both legs. He almost teetered over into the ground, the limbs giving and buckling like toothpicks under a bowling ball. "Oh no."

Now, Joe laughed, grabbing his arm and pulling him up. "That's how you know you partied too hard, my guy."

Clearly. Aden meandered around the backyard, wobbly, to the guest house where he and Sonja usually stayed in the second room. Joe entered with him and the four of them, quietly as possible which was like trying to silently herd elephants, went up the stairs. Joe bid them all good night as he went to the guest room. Shin groaned as he helped Koji get Shaun into bed, Nelly able to handle Tony on his own, the youngest out cold. "…He is too young to be drinking, Koji."

"I agree, he's not even good at it" Koji sulked, resting his hands on his hips.

Somehow Shin couldn't help smirk at his younger brother, being that his dismay was not that Shaun was underage but that he was a lightweight. "…Koji."

"Hmm?"

"Thanks…I…I guess for always believing in me and Lyla. You might not have nailed the bachelor party but you…definitely nailed me marrying Lyla on the head."

It was Koji that said they'd have to save Lyla, no matter what it took. He was…adamant very young that Lyla would be his wife and it all came true. Stretching, Koji yawned and walked with him from the room. "Well, it's hard to see how you look at someone from the inside, bro. Lyla has always been in your sight."

… "Yea. Yea, she has."

Now to keep her there because he was out all night apparently at a strip club! Koji winked, the child of darkness heading for his wing. "I'm happy for you, bro. You got your happy going. Y'know, since we're not at the end yet."

"Not at all" Shin murmured, feeling a pang. Jeez, Koji…

… "Don't give up on your 'happy going' yet either. She might just show up one day and be just perfect for you too."

Koji scoffed, waving his hand over his shoulder, "One step at a time there, Shin. The future looks bleak for that."

…Nah. Hopefully not. Not…after everything.

Dragging himself up the next flight of steps, Shin stood outside of his bedroom, staring at the door. Oh man. Here goes. Pushing open the barrier, he was expecting Lyla to either be asleep or up waiting for him in a rage.

Staring, he found his fairy princess on her knees on the edge of the bed like she was praying, face down. She was wearing…a very slinky pink spaghetti strap dress. Signaling to him something was very off, she wore her shoes into the house, a big no-no to her. One was still on her foot, the other was about an arm length away. Her pink hair was literally stacked and spiraled all over her head.

That damn Komari. "…Lai?"

She groaned, turning her face to look at him. She apparently had had mascara on that had…run down her face in tearstained shapes. He…was entirely at a loss. What? Lyla, despite this state, suddenly cracked up, "…And what did you get into?"

Him!? What about her?! He opened his mouth to question but glanced into the mirror he had on the bathroom door. His hair was standing vertical in parts, a feat he wasn't sure he understood without some sort of…gelling material. It was completely covered in glitter as well and he had the word 'azure' written across his cheek in red lipstick. Weird splotches of colored powder in shades of pink and yellow were dashed across his white shirt. Huh.

Shin bit his lip. While…he was certain he didn't like whatever happened tonight, he had to admit being kind of amused they both ended up a hot mess. "…Uh, let's…just not discuss what happened to either of us tonight—yesterday."

"Deal" she giggled some, coming to her feet, "Komari is wild."

"Yea, she's female the twins" snorted Shin, taking off his shirt. "…I know we're not asking questions but did your night have any intervention from penis?"

"I wouldn't say 'intervention'…" Lyla droned, taking off her other shoe, "…Invasion?"

"Oh my God."

"I started to cry because I was touched by something Komari said, not because I was gagging on penis."

"Jesus, Lai" Shin couldn't help laugh, wandering over to her to stroke her hair down, "You're still drunk, aren't you?"

She smiled up at him, holding his cheeks, "Yea-a-a-a."

Kissing her forehead, he chuckled, "Let's take a nice warm shower and go to bed, okay?"

"Mmkay…Shin-chan?"

"Yes, beautiful?

His…wife, she walked over to the night stand on what was now essentially her side of the bed and opened the wooden drawer. Withdrawing a box, she returned, her cheeks rosy. "Komari mentioned that…that you were too cute to let walk around without showing you're my husband."

That Komari. "You can trust me to turn them down every time, Lai."

"I know. Just…last time, you gave me a ring, you told me how…how perfect everything felt between us. You said you hadn't expected it but I've…I've loved you for as long as I can remember and I…I almost lost you and I…" she paused, taking a breath, "Even…even when I almost lost you though, you…you always came and found me. Despite…everything, you never left me behind. I love you."

… "The pocket watch? I gave it to you because…you're the only person I've ever loved and the only person I ever wanted to marry. I…I thought that wasn't going to happen but I…I wanted you to have it. In my head, no one else was going to deserve it. But…I-I still picked out a ring for you. Please, tell me if you don't like it" she whispered, shyly taking his hand.

Shin silently watched as she slid a simple silver band with some light carved embellishments onto his finger. "…I love it."

"Really?"

"Mm."

"I'm…I'm glad you're home, Shin. I'm glad you made it back."

Shin stared at her before hugging her tightly, his eyes burning now. He…really questioned if he should accept being able to come back here and just be able to have all this. So…so many people had lost their lives. Kitamura, Mako…God. God, he'd taken so many lives. He might take more.

Those that made it back, they…they were haunted by nightmares. Him, Komari, Aden, Joe, probably Sonja and Kasumi. Kasumi, like his brother, had lived with nightmares long before this. The…casualties of a war that wasn't even close to over.

This path he was taking where he was going to be constantly away, fighting the powers that be, it…it'd make him something of a nomad at times. Someone that didn't stay in one place long…

But…he had his roots, his…garden here and not only would he protect the cause to take down the Zechs, he would protect his family, his friends, Lyla—his purpose —with his life. His home…this one he still felt in the pit of his soul he didn't deserve. Not after all the things he'd done, things people that raised him rebuked him for. Did he…deserve to be here?

"…Lai, can I call you 'taiyo'?"

"You are not calling me the sun, Yagami Shin."

With a laugh, he held her hand, leading her to the shower. "I'll just think it then…Yagami Lyla."

…He'd try to every day of his life.

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End Notes:

Alive, again, is by Pearl Jam. After my heart attack, I randomly took one of those stupid quizzes 'What's your grunge theme song?'. While I was still feeling low, it made me chuckle when I got 'Alive'. Yep, still alive, ya'll.

So more 90s-ness, Jake the Snake was a wrestler in our insane American wrestling. His MO was he had a giant snake that he would put on his opponent after he had them pinned to freak them out. The 80-90s was weird, ya'll.

Garin is a slight nod to 'Galen' from AWL. Just slight.

So, Oxygen/O2 Bars were kind of popular in the 90-00s. I think they might still exist but I definitely don't see them as much nowadays.

Oh, the biggest storyline shakeup here to Legacy, the series as a whole, is that prior, Shin and Lyla weren't married. In fact, in old Step Toward the Future, Shin asks Lyla to marry him at some point off screen there. But, as this progressed, I started to think about how the two were kind of always together in that story from what we did see of Shin. And I started to think, hmm, maybe they should just have gotten married earlier. So, that's a retcon.

This is the final chapter of the story coming from Shin. I have two sides coming up next. Anyone that read, thank you!