(Disclaimer) References and Headcanons: Whenever I write about Anastasia, I imagine her as Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame (but with brown eyes, not green). So, in case any of you really can't picture her, that's how she's supposed to look. And Maria looks similar, but younger, less curvaceous, and has light olive skin.

Like Martha, Anastasia and Maria are of Mexican descent.

I also think it's possible Jack might be of British descent and (because of the name change in the dub) Aki has a very, very, very distant Polish relative in her family tree.

My first thought post temper tantrum was: What the hell did you just do?

The question was rhetorical in all ways possible, because there was no answer. My conscience asked my actions for reasons over and over, but there was nothing to divulge. Not as I hopped on the back of Aki's D-Wheel, not as we glided through the streets, and certainly not as I stepped foot through the twins' front door.

I shook off the anxiety long enough to play with the twins, chat with Aki. No one asked me if anything was the matter; either they were pestered by their own thoughts or I was getting better at hiding in plain sight.

Yeah, definitely the first choice.

My second thought, the elusive complement to its prior, tumbles itself out as I stretch across the bed: You fucked up.

It repeats like a broken record in the silence, so I slip out onto the balcony and let the city's soundtrack play. The cacophony wears off in my brain, but the thought spreads through my body like a virus. My restless hands give the moleskine attention and I write the sickness out onto the pages—my mess with Martha, the latest murder and encounter with the spirits, Yliaster. Just anything that comes to mind.

I stare at the finished work, a jumble of everything that has happened in my life since I arrived in New Domino. A mix of hardship and success, fears and wishes. And that's the thing I should have noticed sooner—even if times are worser than they've ever been, it hasn't been all bad. From every bad thing that has happened, better things have followed behind them.

My final thought appears as I raise my gaze to the pitch-black galaxy: I don't want this... No, I didn't want it to turn out like this at all. But maybe that's why I need it.

—

The twins forgot to turn on their alarms, so it was quick hugs goodbye and trampling footsteps out the door this morning.

I make up my mind to ask them about staying over when I pick them up from school later, and head into work at the cafe. Nayla was undoubtedly asleep at this early an hour and, even if I'd thought otherwise, I'm scared to see her again.

I still have the option to, surprisingly. After the last time, I was sure Zora would revoke my visiting privileges. Quite the opposite happened, and she instead thanked me for calling her as soon as I did. Zora even said I was "responsible." Albeit, she did look like it killed her a hundred times to say it, she said it nonetheless and I'd take it.

While Zora had allowed me entrance into one place, she still kept me out of the revelation of who Nayla's frenzy was about. Not that I have no clue, I have two. But what I want is clarification. Was it her husband or son that died? If one was six feet deep, where was the other?

Asking Zora would demote me back to a position of untrustworthy hooligan and Martha was a no-go. My only remaining option would be Nayla, but she didn't want to speak to either of us after she calmed down. And what if mentioning her family triggered her? One hysterical outburst was already one too many.

So, back to wiping tables and sweeping floors it is. Before I get my apron tied, I notice the giant pile of dishes filling the sink. Next to them is a note reading, "Happy Birthday!"

I glare at it, imagining my eyes shooting lasers straight into Asura's face and turning the jerk into a pile of ashes. There isn't a name on the note but I'm certain neither Mako nor Chiyo would pull this kind of thing—he's the only one childish enough to.

Yet as much smack-talk I shout at him in my head, here I am running warm water and soap into the sink.

"Oi~! You got the note!" he laughs when he and the other two cradle in boxes. "You like it?"

"It's not my birthday," I answer, scratching off a food stain. "And I don't really think this is funny."

"Aw, c'mon. Lighten up! It's a little gift, you know, 'cause you like cleaning?"

"Sorry, Mar," Chiyo cuts in. She shoves her box into Asura's arms. "What he means to say is that we got distracted yesterday and accidentally let it pile up."

"You don't have to do it, Maria. It's our fault," Mako adds, coming back from the supply closet. But he doesn't off to do it himself.

Asura slides up next to me and leans on the counter. "Yeah, you don't have to. But since you went through all the trouble to get the water all warm and bubbly...?"

I splash him in the face. Almost as good as laser eyes, I guess. "Whatever. Fine, I'll do it. But someone has to take orders while I'm back here."

"On it!" agrees Chiyo.

I twirl my hair into a sloppy bun atop my head and get started, elbows deep. At least I would keep busy this way. There's bound to be only a few people awaiting service, just the elderly stopping by for their usual breakfast. The numbers are dwindling day by day, though. Aside from regulars, the dining room has suffered a major drought in clientele.

Just like that, my thoughts rush back to Nayla. With both her health and business in decline, it seems Fate is doing all it can to stack the odds against her.

"Sorry about my bro, by the way. He doesn't handle responsibility well."

I turn over my shoulder. Mako's sorting out ingredients under the counter behind me. I never realized he was there. "Yeah, no kidding."

He saddles beside me, teal locks swishing as he angles his head sideways. "You're tense. More tense than usual."

"Am I?"

"And...bristlier. Something's got under your skin. Or someone."

I stop scouring a pan and let it drop back in the water. Letting my eyes look up to his, I ask, "Is that a question or an observation?"

"Is that honest confusion or you avoiding the subject?" The smirk he gives is filthy with pride. My gaze averts his as he continues, "Is it the boss-lady? How's she doing?"

"She could be better," I mumble.

"She will be better. She's got you and Zora to look after her." He doesn't sound the least bit concerned despite the cheery words, more flippant than uplifting. "Just try not to think about it so much. Do something to take your mind off it."

I reach for the pan again and answer, "Like what?"

He hums in thought. "Well, you could hang with us and actually experience this thing called 'fun'."

"Oh, 'fun'," I play along, "I think I heard about that on the radio this morning."

"See, that's what I'm talking about. Whenever I see you, it's all work and no play. What's the point of being alive if you don't live a little?"

"Thanks, but I just have too much on my plate right now, okay?"

Mako sighs, relenting but not fully deflated. "Okay. But when space frees up, lemme know."

—

The river of students pours out the open gates. I mentally sift through the dozens of faces for any of my three friends, but ultimately decide it would be easier for them to find me.

And they do with outstretched arms, but it's only two of the three that greet me at the Academy's entrance. When I question Aki's whereabouts, the siblings shrug.

"She said she was coming to Poppo Time with us," Rua tells as he rises on tiptoes.

His sister guesses, "Aki has P.E. last period so maybe she got held up changing."

"Whatever the case, we're not in a rush." As we pass the time waiting, discussing school and work, I fear I won't get another chance to bring it up.

"Are you sleeping over again, Maria? You are, right?" But maybe I didn't have to.

"Actually," I bend down to the twins, "I was thinking that the three of us could have one really long sleepover? Maybe for a few days or so, if that's okay with the both of you?"

"It's more than okay!" Ruka beams, bouncing back and forth on her heels.

"Definitely!" Rua chimes, then questions, "Wait. If you're sleeping over again, does that mean we can stay up late watching movies again?"

"Nice try, but it's still a school night."

"Yeah, don't push it," Ruka scolds, arms crossed.

The older twin turns his head to pout off in the distance, but latches onto the sight of our missing counterpart by the metal-plated doors of the main building. She spots us and on the walks over, someone else calls out to her. It's a group of girls, four or so, who seem around Aki's age. We're too far to hear the exchange and it looks like a casual encounter amongst peers.

The girls smile, flip hair over their shoulders.

"Who are those girls?" I ask the twins.

"I'm not sure, but they're in Aki's grade," clarifies Ruka.

One of the girls says something that makes all the others except Aki laugh. No, our friend looks more like she's seen duel spirits rather than heard a gut-busting joke.

"Aki's never mentioned anyone in her grade," Rua says. "Maybe they're friends of hers? Wah! Maybe they're discussing duel strategies!"

Maybe.

Aki rushes over after the chat, leaving the dampened expression behind her. "Sorry I took so long."

"No problem." I jut my head at her classmates, "You know them?"

"Yeah," she replies in a swift breath. "Are we still going to the guys' apartment?"

The twins follow her lead away from the school and I lag behind. I peek at the group of girls still standing by the doors. They scowl back.

—

I tried on three different occasions to talk to him. Well, really, it was only once. I sneaked away from the twins' and Aki's study session upstairs to the lower level where Yusei and Bruno were geeking out over the new engine. I lingered in the room, tinkered with miscellaneous objects hoping one of the mechanics would simply notice me. From that point in the plan, I was supposed to ask Yusei for a moment of his time and pop the question after I had him alone.

I thought it was flawless and manageable enough. Until I found myself standing unnoticed for twenty minutes straight.

"Oi," Crow hailed to me as I returned to the younger trio, causing me to skip a step. I was so sure that he was napping in the chair on the stairs that I hadn't even considered he was in a perfect position to watch the entire scenario. "What was that about?"

"None of your beeswax!" I yelled at him, charging up the stairs the rest of the way.

I was too embarrassed from the failed attempt to try again, so mortified that the best I could do was debate approaching Yusei at another two points in our daily venture to the garage. Even those fake attempts in my head had gone bad—the best of the two ended with a misstep over a toolbox and a broken nose.

In other words, I've psyched myself out of it completely. As usual.

Aside from thinking of how to go about my plea to Yusei, Aki was also a subject to ponder. She denied both mine and the twins' invitations to go home with her, and she claimed we shouldn't leave just because she was tired for the day.

Where had I heard that one before?

I let her go because, just like rubberbands, people need space before they can snap back. And if there is the chance she doesn't, that's when I would confront her about what happened earlier today. There was nothing that would deter me from that plan.

It's when the twins start yawning amidst deck strategies that I suggest we call it a night. Then it's a dial for the taxi and helping the siblings pack up. Leaving them to watch for the cab, I hurry upstairs for a quick bathroom trip.

I come out, intending to leave until nearly bum-rushing Yusei out of the way.

"Sorry. Didn't see you," I ramble off. "You can use the bathroom now. Uh, goodnight."

"Did you want to ask me something?"

My head whips around. "What?"

"Crow said you mentioned asking me something earlier."

I internally roll my eyes. Of course Yusei hadn't secretly noticed and of course Crow would say something.

Yet the worst of the two retries bubbles up and pops, prompting Yusei's make-believe words to ricochet in my brain: "No."

"Y-you build stuff—fix stuff. Like with the computer at Martha's. So I was thinking about you—not you! But your skills, and how you could help me help someone else. If that makes sense."

Yusei nods. "You want me to fix something for someone important to you."

"A friend of mine, yeah. She actually runs the cafe I work at. There's this old truck in her garage that she loves a lot, but it's broken." I sigh and lift a hand to smooth over my hairline. "I know you and Bruno are beyond occupied with building the engine from scratch again and that this is the worst of worst times to call in a favor. But I'm worried about her...about what's going to happen to her. Right now, she just needs something good, something to revive her."

"I think I get it." He lays a palm on my shoulder and gently squeezes into my skin. Yusei confirms with that small smile of his, "She needs to see the sun."

Only when the awe wears off can I laugh and agree. "She needs to see the sun."

So, I was reading (and rereading) reviews and I felt that I must address something very important: although this fic is forty chapters in, at this point in time Maria's romance with Yusei is one-sided (I know, I know, I'm crying too).

When I wrote the first version of this story, I planned for them to be in a relationship by now, but as I fleshed everything out I realized that would be so uncharacteristic on Yusei's part, which was one off the billion reasons I needed to rewrite. It just felt like: "Here's this guy who's only seen people as either friends or enemies, has some demons in his closet to overcome, and never experienced romantic love in his life, and here's my OC who has a crap-ton of issues she needs to fix/discover about herself and I'm just going to shove them into a relationship because I think they'd make gorgeous, dorky, D-Wheeling babies together!"

Not only that, it would also be irresponsible writing. Maria's only known the canon characters for about three months now—that's way too soon for someone like Yusei to be crushing on her in my opinion. I want the characters to be as canon as possible, especially now since all the stuff that is happening/will happen isn't canon.

BUT THAT IS NOT TO SAY Yusei isn't interested in Maria. She's much like him and that's initially what sets it off. But she's also different from anyone he's ever experienced; vice versa, Maria's never had anyone aside from her mom put in the effort to get to really know her. On top of that, she's just understanding what it is to be a friend, so being in a position any higher than that would probably cause her to explode.

Long story short, I know this is the slowest of slow-burns ever. But Yusei and Maria's bond is just developing, they've just started connecting with each other. There needs to be a solid foundation before anything can grow between them. It'll take a bit longer (not another 40 chapters rest assured) before the true romance starts. In the meantime, I will write plenty of one-sided romantic tension scenes between the two to appease your appetites and hope everyone has an enjoyable stay on the StarCrab ship :)

I would like to thank ImATopMagicianFromWonderland, Sky65, Guest, and She's a Pistol for their reviews for last chapter as well as new favs and follows~! Welcome aboard!

TTFN