Chapter 8: Snow

15 Years Earlier: Metro City Central Park - the winter before high school graduation

"C'mon, let's go have a snowball fight! I know just the place!"

"What are we, 12? And in this coat?" Jessica scoffed. "You have got to be kidding me."

"It'll be fun, I promise! It's not like there's many places around here you can guarantee not finding piss in the snow," Cody shrugged.

"Well, you're not wrong about that," Jessica resigned. "All right, fine - take me to your special place…"

The young martial artist led her to the west end of the uninhabited park. Because it was the farthest corner of the slums away from the central subways and buses, it wasn't as populated as the sports areas closer to the subway entrance. Not many folks took the time to walk around to that area of the park simply because of the inconvenience of it. The baseball diamond section of the park was located in a split beyond the basketball and handball courts that were typically more populated. Rows of rusty, degrading exercise equipment lined up on the other side - an uncommon stop for Metro City denizens.

"No one ever comes into the baseball diamonds this side of the park, especially not in the winter months," Cody spoke, breath visible in the cold. "So the snow 'round here is the best you'll see it before it all starts meltin' into a disgustin' mess."

The Metro City native knew the area like the back of his hand and he could guarantee Jessica's safety. He came here to think alone in all four seasons whenever things got to be "too much" for him, but winter was his favorite specifically because of this annual opportunity. No one else knew about this. He was always the first one to stake his claim and make his mark on the snow before the rest of the world caught on, and it felt for a little bit that he owned that part of the city. He was proud to know the right place at the right time.

He was looking forward to sharing this tiny part of the city with the girl who made him feel right all the time.

The two of them ventured into the pristine field, the freshly fallen snow ripe for the taking.

"Wow…" Jessica breathed. "When snow's not piling on top of trash, it's absolutely beautiful!" she reached down to pick some of it up in her hands, enchanted by its pillowy pliability. She squinted at some of the fluff on her glove as she gasped in genuine awe. He was captivated by her innocent fascination - he realized he was smiling so hard his cheeks were sore, feeling much more convinced that he made a good call bringing her here.

Jessica had been so stressed out about school lately, it was stressing him out. Given that his senioritis streak was in full effect, he had no intention of disrupting that vibe - so he figured that perhaps she needed to get all her nervous energy out in a different way. Fighting always made him feel better, so surely it could work for her - even if it were under different circumstances? He figured that exchanging kicks and punches might not have been a preferred use of her time…so why not make it a little friendlier instead? Can't get bruised by snow!

"Omigosh - and if you look real close, you can even see the actual pattern of the snowflakes!"

"See? I know what I'm talkin' about," Cody was still grinning, balling up a snowball behind his back as mischief spread across his features.

"I've always wanted to make a snow angel like on TV—wah!" Jessica was suddenly hit with a powdery puff of snow, the echoes of a laughing teenager rippling through the field.

"Gotta be on your guard, Jess!" he shrugged with no ounce of sympathy (but with the hugest smile), tossing another snowball at the ready.

"Ooh, I'll show you!"

The two of them started chasing each other across the entirety of the field, laughing with pure, unadulterated joy. For a few rare moments, it really was just the two of them, and no one else. The powdery snow flailed everywhere as the sound of their joyful banter radiated throughout the park. Each of them did their best to nail the other with a well-formed snowball at least one good time. There was no hardened ice or trash to worry about, so inhibition was finally a non-factor.

Is this what the kids from the 'burbs got to enjoy every winter? It was a dreamlike wonderland indeed.

The experience of the heavy first snowfalls in Metro City were infrequent because the snow removal vehicles would be at the ready within a few hours to clear the roads to keep it moving - without that, the subways would break under pressure and put the city at a complete standstill; a completely unacceptable scenario for a city that never slept. Metro City was far too busy to enjoy the peace and stillness of a snow day - there was no rest for the weary here. Once snow removal procedures began in the dense roads, filthy miles-high piles of compacted, gross, dirty unmelting ice mountains would plague the city alleys, corners and gutters for weeks thereafter until they fully melted away when spring started coming around.

They were going to enjoy this fresh blanket of falling snow while they could. They ended up rolling on the snow-padded ground together as the cold got to them, Jessica giggling uncontrollably. The sun was setting fast, and they knew it was almost time to go.

Before they knew it, they stopped rolling and were face to face as the snowfall began to let up, their incessant laughter petering out. Their cheeks flush with temperature and ice, they took a second to catch their breath as they looked into each others' eyes, holding tightly onto each others' coats to keep warm.

Cody finally had to admit to himself that he thought Jessica looked amazing - and in this moment he was particularly struck. Her wavy golden hair was now curly as the wet of the snow highlighted her stunning face and her bright red designer coat illuminated her adorable, rosy cheeks and bright blue eyes. Her hat made her all the cuter as it caused her dewy hair to dominate her precious features.

He was mesmerized. His breath caught in his throat, as he felt those stupid butterflies kicking up…there it was again, coming out of left field. It was the curveball that kept her on his mind nonstop these days. It was the pop fly that kept him up at night. It was the feeling that he was wrestling with each time it tried to surface, simply because it made him feel vulnerable yet safe at the same time and he didn't know what to do with it.

What am I thinking?! She is way outta my league!

"Jess…" he swallowed, the sensation becoming overwhelming as her focus was solely on him. "Thanks for indulgin' me."

"I had fun," she purred as she nuzzled his nose, causing warmth to spread throughout his body like a flame. "I like being with you."

Before they knew it, they were studying each others' features, each passing second longer than the last…

"Can I…?" he whispered, breath shallow.

"Absolutely," she whispered back. Her eyes flickered briefly to his lips before she met his.

They leaned into one another with the most delicate apprehension, closing their eyes. The tiny distance between their faces became mutually unbearable as their lips met in the cool, sparse snowfall; a warm, soft and welcome contrast to the cold winter that surrounded them. A contradiction that felt as right as they did …a sensation that rocked their entire bodies in a way they hadn't ever thought possible. They were so close, and the air so still, all they could hear was the thumping of their racing pulses in their ears despite the sirens and city noise resonating in the distance.

Cody pulled away slowly, surprised at his own initiative as the biting of the cold air hit his bones like a whip when he came to.

"I, uh, I just remembered - Kyle - I gotta get Kyle," he stammered as he hopped up suddenly, as Jessica sat up in the snow, eyes fluttering open.

"Oh no! Do you need me to come with you?"

"No, uh…I just gotta get there before practice ends. It'll be boring. I'll see you around, OK? Don't tell anyone about this place!" he ran off suddenly, his flustering obvious.

Jessica blinked as she touched her bottom lip with her gloved hand. It would be impossible to forget how kissing him made her feel, and it felt so much better than she could have ever imagined.

That boy was something else. There was no one in the world who could compare.

The next Monday… - Lunchtime

Nearly a week passed since their personal field trip to the baseball snow field. It was the longest the two spent apart since they'd known each other. Cody had been acting particularly strange, seeming to pivot in the opposite direction whenever they'd cross each other in the hallways. He was never in attendance for the few classes they shared, and he always had "something to do" immediately after school each afternoon. He hadn't even shown up to their spot, not once.

Jessica had about enough of his shenanigans and was going to confront him as soon as she could catch him. She willingly ruined a coat for him, after all.

But even moreso, she didn't like the ache his absence left…one particularly chilly afternoon, she spotted him, clearly trying to make himself invisible in a crowd. Sneaking through, she was going to catch him once and for all.

"Why have you been avoiding me, mister?" Jessica demanded, hands on her hips. She clearly caught him off guard as he almost choked on the last of the sandwich he was trying to inhale.

"Jess!" he exclaimed, swallowing the remainder of his lunch in one gulp. "Avoidin' you? Ah, I just haven't been feelin' great, is all," he rubbed the back of his head. "Don't wanna give you what I've got, heheh." He grinned sheepishly as she reflexively used the back of her hand to gently rest it on his forehead to gauge his temperature. She pulled back and crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Nice try."

He actually hadn't been feeling great, but he was realizing he was probably sick in a different way. Cody sighed, even though the action caused those damn butterflies to go haywire again. He wasn't used to this. "Can we just talk after school?" if the fluttering in his chest got any more intense, they were about to come out of his mouth. "Let's meet by our spot."

"I'm holdin' you to it!"

A few hours later at "their spot…" 3:08 PM, Dismissal

Jessica was nervous. Cody was typically upfront with anything he had to say, so this was unusual for him. He almost always made it to their spot before she did as he couldn't ever exit the school building fast enough. She breathed a sigh of relief as he gingerly turned the corner a few moments later. Perhaps she was just a bit on edge…

"Cody! I'm so happy you're here," she said. "I thought you were gonna ditch me again…you sure have an awful habit of walkin' instead of talkin'," she said in a melancholy tone. Her nerves eased when she sensed that perhaps he was as rattled as she was…but he wasn't getting away that easy.

"I'm sorry, Jess," he apologized, rubbing the back of his head as he snuck around. "I didn't mean to get all weird on ya. I was tryin' to come up with an excuse for…well, why I kissed you the other day," he responded with a mumble, cheeks reddening. He hoped he could blame the cold air for that. That wasn't supposed to happen…

She didn't forget that kiss - and it was clear to her that neither did he.

"So…did you have an excuse?"

"Not really," he laughed nervously. "I thought you'd hate me for puttin' the moves on you after we just got done talkin' about how we hoped nothin' ever changed between us," he started pacing. "But next thing ya know, things started changin'! And then so much time passed, then we saw that movie, things got weird between us, and I didn't want it to get worse so I just…"

"Stayed away," Jessica finished, arms crossed.

"I mean, you don't have to put it so cold…" he grumbled, leaning against the wall.

"Well, that's how it felt!" Jessica pouted. "Didn't you think for a second to just ask me how I felt about it?"

Was she talking about the kiss? Right. Their kiss. That they both did.

"I…no, I guess I didn't," he confessed with that lopsided, boyish grin of his as he plopped to the ground, looking up at her. "Okay - so how did ya feel about it?"

"I thought it was really nice…" she blushed. "I wouldn't mind doing that again."

"R…really?" Cody swallowed. Not the answer he expected, but he was relieved. Her cheeks were flushed. He couldn't stand it. Had she been thinking about it all this time, too?

"Your turn…tell me what's going on in that head of yours, Cody Travers," Jessica pleaded, sitting down next to him. "I'm good at a lot of things, but I definitely can't read minds. What were you thinking?"

He couldn't possibly tell her that he replayed their kiss in his mind on repeat since they were last face to face. And that right now, her face was so cute…and her lips were irresistible, and her spirit so beautiful. He almost didn't feel…worthy. Not with all the trouble he would bring to her…

"I've been thinkin' a lot, actually," Cody popped up and started pacing again, hoping his words were going to come out right. He couldn't be distracted by her cute face if he was going all out, and he could feel himself sweating in the dead of winter. When it came to articulating feelings, Jessica was always laying her cards on the table, so the least he could do was return the favor. The torture of being apart just for the last few days was horrific enough. He had to get this off his chest.

"I've been thinkin'…about what it really means to me to spend time with you. It's only been a few days and I felt like I was thinkin' about you every single second that passed since we saw each other. I couldn't stop the thoughts from floodin' my mind 24/7, and it all came crashin' down on me like I got hit by a train. So I started freakin' out? I think?" Cody scratched his head as he turned his heel.

"Couldn't stop thinkin' about what our futures were gonna look like. About how my life would look today if you weren't in it to begin with. Then I really started worryin'—and you know me! I never worry about anythin'! What if we go our separate ways after high school? What if you have to travel even more with your dad when he starts campaignin'? What if I can't keep up in class? How can I feel like this when I don't even know if I'll make it to 20?" Cody inhaled deeply as he finally stopped to look her in the eye.

"You already go through a whole lotta trouble for me, and I don't want to do that to you…you deserve better than that."

Jessica felt her eyes tearing up as she looked up at him - he resumed his pacing, practically wearing a trench into the ground. He certainly had a lot on his mind. They'd both been so busy in their senior year of high school, it must have felt overwhelming as this chapter in their lives was coming to a close - it was going to be a turning point for everyone.

Given their upcoming graduation, her father's retirement, their plans, hopes and dreams for a year from today…Cody was great at putting up a front, but it turned out that he was really just a messy human navigating the world when it all came down to it. If only he saw himself as she saw him…

"I'm just a kid from the slums, and you've got your whole life ahead of you. I don't wanna throw a wrench in your dreams, or our friendship. You're smart, you're a knockout, everyone wants to be you, and your dad is pretty much the king of the world. The last thing I wanna do is drag you down," he sighed, leaning against the brick wall.

"Cody, where is all this coming from?" she cried as she stood up to look him in the eye - a speech was the last thing she expected on this blustery afternoon, and judging by his clenched jaw, he didn't seem to expect to spill so many beans at once, either. He'd never complimented her more than he poked fun at her. "You could never," she grabbed his hands. "You've always been so sure of yourself, so what's changed all of a sudden?"

"See what I mean? There you go again," he exhaled slowly. It felt dangerous, her faith in him. He was a whole head taller than her, and somehow she still managed to make him feel weak at the knees when she looked up at him. "You always make me feel like I can do anythin'. Whenever I'm with you, everythin' just feels right and I don't usually think about all those things 'cause…" he swallowed as if he were about to reveal weakness. "Because you make me happy and I just wanna be with you, like…all the time. I just don't know if I can keep up…"

"But all I ever want is to be with you, too!" she blurted. "Do you think that's wrong of me? Of…us?" her face reddened. The tension in the distance between their bodies was palpable.

"I sure hope not…'cause, Jess, I'm pretty sure I'm fallin' for ya," Cody exhaled sharply. There. He said it. "I like like you. I'm sorry if this changes things even more between us. Please don't hate me."

"How could I?" she whispered, as she moved closer and reached up to touch the side of his face. "What if…I told you I felt the same way?" He couldn't believe it. Majority of the student body lined up for her, regardless of their gender. Cody hardly scratched the surface in how amazing she was to him…what on earth did she see in him, the kid who'd "never amount to anything"?

Jessica was overwhelmed with emotion. She was trying to figure this out for herself, too. His rarely challenged bravado was suddenly non-existent when his guard was down. It was no wonder he'd been acting so weird. She thought that maybe her wires were the ones all crossed because…damn it all if she didn't feel the same.

"I'm just a kid from the streets…" he repeated, shaking his head, facing the ground.

"The best I know," she said as she turned his chin to face her.

"But half the school is all over you…"

"I don't care."

"Your dad hates me."

"Betcha he'll come around."

"I'm no Kevin Delaney…" he mocked.

"He doesn't stand a chance," she giggled. Snow started falling again as she moved closer to his face, adjusting the collar of his jacket. He swallowed.

"Cody…instead of thinking of everything that could possibly go wrong in your head," she paused, placing her hand on his chest. "What if you just thought of everything that could go right in your heart?"

There was that stark pang of vulnerability again, except this time he knew he wasn't alone. He always thought he was a pretty brave guy until Jessica blew him out of the water with her own courage, time after time. She had a point. Supposedly, the heart didn't lie. He felt what he felt, so maybe…it could be that simple.

He held her hand with both of his. She deserved the world. How could he possibly give it to her?

"You make it sound so easy…" he said with a rare tremor in his usually confident, but now lowered voice.

"I think it can be that easy," she whispered back as she lowered his hands to her waist. She then reached her arms around his neck and kissed him with a significant burst of confidence compared to a few days ago - as if nothing else in the universe mattered. After his initial stun, he relaxed and kissed her back with the same intensity - perhaps a little more - his hands squeezing the small of her back in their embrace. They pressed their lips a little harder this time, wanting to feel all of each other. He deserved to know how she had been feeling, and he helped her finally find the words.

They broke their union to catch their breath; slowly, deliberately, gently, foreheads still touching—and this time, no one ran away.

For the first time in the history of ever, Cody was at a complete loss for words.

"I love you, Cody Travers," Jessica declared between breaths. "Really, I do…I don't say things I don't mean. I wouldn't have you any other way than you are, ya big softie."

She always just knew how to make what could be so complicated so simple. He didn't think that it was possible to fall for her any harder than he already had, but she proved him wrong by the second for a very long time after that.

Current Day: Mayor's Office, 4:37PM

Cody stared out his window, narrowing his eyes. He just got done signing over a stack of petitions he put off (without Marlowe's knowledge, so he thought) and was bored out of his skull, despite his primary e-mail inbox count rising exponentially. Ugh…

He was pretty sure a light snowfall was not in the forecast from this morning. It was hardly noticeable, but temperatures were at a record low for the city today…in autumn. And that was definitely not rain coming down from those clouds. He was on the 27th floor, so he could see this for himself rather clearly.

"The whole world's just goin' to shit, huh?" he grumbled derisively. "Snowin' in September? Man, have things changed since I was in the slammer…"

By the time he swerved around in his seat, he nearly fell out when he saw Guy standing there, unannounced.

"Guy!" Cody laughed to shield his startled embarrassment and genuine joy. When the hell did he get here? How'd he get past Maisie?! He knew he was a ninja, but damn…

"Cody," Guy acknowledged, standing as he did - stance wide, arms crossed. The mayor knew better than to ask him to have a seat. He hardly kept his feet on the floor enough as it was. "I see you've made a name for yourself."

"Yeah, it's been a while. Bet you didn't expect to…well, see all this, huh?" Cody replied as he gestured to the ambiance of his calm, pristine, and somewhat bare office, a stark contrast to the destruction of their own making that previously surrounded them in their last couple encounters.

"Hm," Guy tilted his head in thought, chin in hand. "Not in this capacity, no."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cody leaned back as he clicked a pen. He flexed his hand, not wanting to get a signer's cramp…

"I didn't expect you to stay in prison forever despite your preposterous insistence," the red-clad ninja started. "But to succeed Haggar? Can't say I saw that coming. For a second there, I thought Haggar was losing his mind."

Cody laughed. If Guy, a ninja master, thought this was ridiculous, then he knew he wasn't completely out of his mind. Haggar knew how to pull his strings. Perhaps…that was the brilliance in all of the madness.

"I dunno, man. It's been a trip for sure. Believe it or not, I've been pretty busy."

"I can only imagine," Guy smiled, a very uncommon expression for him. "I look forward to hearing all about it one of these days."

Cody grinned as he flipped his pen thoughtfully. The two of them couldn't be any more different, yet they remained connected at the soul through the worst of it — they considered each other kyoudai, sworn brothers, after all. After a year of intensive training, the two of them participated in a sakazuki-styled sake-sharing ceremony to immortalize their kinship, a concept that Guy introduced to Cody long before the trauma that bonded them late into their time in Metro City. The connection forged between the two of them seemed to have transcended existence itself - or so it felt. Guy seemed to have interesting, cosmic and almost otherwordly connections, after all…

As stubborn as Cody was, is and will be, Guy never lost faith in him - he knew this was true on his end, as well.

Their lives clearly took different paths over the last decade and the brawler genuinely felt disappointed at the distance he felt the need to put between them during and since his incarceration. Guy always seemed to truly care about the going-ons in his life, but it wasn't something he preferred to delve into. It weren't as if they were young people with hopes and dreams anymore - today, they had better, more tangible things to do, as the responsible adults in this always-on world. That, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of shame for it all, despite Guy's insistent support.

"What brings you to this neck o' the woods, anyway? Showin' up outta nowhere…as you do."

"My protégé. She has family here in Metro City, and I didn't want her to miss them too much before our next journey, given the upcoming holidays."

"Oh yeah?" Cody sat up. "You haven't even been Master yourself that long and you're already having to pass it on? That's awful nice of you," he said as he wondered what it was like to teach someone else your entire way of being…was that how legacies came to be? A strike of insecurity struck him in the stomach just then - he had to remind himself that everyone had their own way…

"Indeed. It is the way. It's been…an interesting journey for myself as well," Guy rubbed his chin. "I wasn't actively seeking to do this, you know. She came of her own accord from here in fact - Kimberly's definitely not the same student I was. I'm learning quite a bit from her myself. Learning to…'ease up,' as the kids say these days. The discernment between master and teacher is near nonexistent."

"So the student's already surpassin' the master is what you're sayin'?"

"N-not quite," Guy replied. "But she's got her own style. There's no way I can take that away from her. Bushinryu's been refined for many generations - and there's been plenty of deviation since, all for the betterment of our cause."

"I can respect that!"

"I can, too. She's really…altered my perspective. My family adores her, thankfully. She came into our lives at a pretty good time…"

"How's Rena, anyway? Sorry I was a bit tied up when you tied the knot…owe you guys a way overdue gift."

"She's doing wonderfully. In fact," Guy paused. "It might be a bit early, but we just learned that we're…expecting."

"Whoa - congratulations, man!" Everyone's lives really had…changed…since his time in the cell. Cody wasn't sure why he was genuinely surprised at this development in Guy's life - it felt like he was the only one who was still figuring out his place…thankfully, he was able to shake off his insecurities with genuine joy. "I can't believe you're gonna be a frickin' dad. I feel sorry for that kid," he smirked.

"Hey, now. I've done a lot of thinking about what it means to raise an entire human…the idea of bringing life into this world is concerning at best," Guy responded with a sort of dryness only he could manage. Of course he'd put it like that. "But we came to the conclusion that I'm dedicated to fight for a better future for those who will come after us. No one asked to be born…and this planet didn't ask to be corrupted, either. All we can do is our best…"

Cody resonated deeply with Guy's sentiment, but he was still surprised at the tightness in his throat. He couldn't help but feel a bit crappy for his off-handed remark about the world going to shit right before he got there. "I'm just teasin', Guy. You're gonna be a great dad - I just know it."

"Thank you, Cody," Guy seemed relieved as he released the loudest sigh the mayor ever heard come from him. Even he must have had his own concerns at this upcoming change…he, too experienced the fear of not only his then-fiancée, but his father-in-law's kidnapping - this happened while Cody was on the other half of the world on vacation with his girlfriend at the time.

The blond felt disappointment resurface in himself despite the ninja's sincere gratitude. He still felt as if he owed Guy for the night of Jessica's rescue despite him insisting otherwise, yet the debt felt insurmountable at times. It was a guilt he felt he could never quite detach himself from. There was a strength in Guy he felt that he lacked and he couldn't stand it. Everyone moves at their own pace…

The two of them looked at each other, many unspoken words tinting the air between them.

"I want to thank you, actually," Cody started as he leaned forward. After hours of speechwriting, he was learning that perhaps it was easier to just speak from the gut instead of having the words be just so. His language encompassed irreverence, and he didn't know any other way, really.

"I know I gave you a lot of shit about it, but seeing how busy you've been, I really do appreciate you checkin' me all these years, man - especially since you clearly have your own stuff to deal with. My mental wasn't so hot behind bars. I sure had a lot of time to reflect, though. As a matter of fact, I think I'm finally startin' to understand all that Bushin ninjutsu philosophy you've been tryin' ta teach me."

To say Guy was proud of Cody was an understatement. Cody was the first person to really teach Guy that the world was not as polar as he initially believed - grey existed in all kinds of shades and intensities. People were nuanced beings and it was precisely what made them human in a world where wisdom and experience was infinite.

"Anytime. You've taught me plenty in this journey as well. You're wiser than you give yourself credit for," Guy said matter-of-factly. "As you know, my practice grows by the day. I'm glad to see the ways of Bushinryu working in your favor. Perhaps you'll consider refining your fighting art in our studies."

"Don't let the necktie fool ya," Cody smirked, pointing his pen toward him. "I can still kick your ass anytime, anywhere."

"Pugnacious as ever I see," Guy raised a brow as he shook his head. His former training partner's confidence in his fighting ability never seemed to wane - that was good. The ninja's eyes bore right into the mayor's.

"You're doing all right, old friend."

Cody hadn't realized how badly he needed to hear that until Guy said it.

"Thanks, man."

Guy nodded, his eyes surveying Cody's office. It was a stark, empty contrast to Haggar's formerly decorated office, but yet it seemed just right. The mayor seemed to be doing quite well for himself, and he couldn't for the life of him understand why he offered so much resistance for so long.

"How's the transition been for you? And don't give me some half-hearted musing as you tend to," Guy refolded his arms. "This is quite the responsibility, running an entire city, especially one with the reputation it has. Metro City is particularly vulnerable to the rest of the world because of its worth and proximity to international shipping ports. If there's a town that will always be susceptible to corruption, it'll be this one. Between national threats, assassination attempts, being the center of the world…"

"Way to rub it all the way in," Cody rubbed his forehead, passing his hand over his face. He didn't expect Guy to go on such a deep tangent. He was a sneaky one. "On my mind every freakin' day, dad. Sheesh…you sound like Mike, Maisie, and even your master all in one. Everyone seems to think they know just how much the weight of responsibility feels in this position…"

"Mike does, doesn't he?"

He had a point there.

"Yeah, but…we agreed that if I actually won the election—which I did by a landslide, by the way—we weren't obliged to each other. My actions spoke for themselves," Cody said with a hint of pride.

"I suppose…but it wasn't without his help."

"Meh," Cody shrugged.

Guy didn't like that he found that monosyllabic reflex…troubling. Cody was excellent at putting distance between himself and others, but somehow it seemed foolish given his position. Americans sure had their…ways…

"Help me understand something, Cody. Master Zeku told me you initially turned down his proposition when he approached you. I, too thought it would have been reasonable to have a tactical eye at your disposal in a position like this. But to each their own. Can you say with confidence that you have a secure support system?"

"Uh, sure I do," the blond responded, his senses already picking up on the heel of an incoming lecture. "Miss Marlowe is quite the superstar and we've got it all under control. Just tryin' to keep it all above the surface for now."

"Right…but I don't just mean in your work," Guy started. "I mean in life. A man in your position has a network that expands aggressively of its own volition - which means it can go out of control just as easily. You're living a completely different path than you prepared for, at least from since I've known you. As a public servant, your life is under scrutiny from all angles, possibly until the day you die. You were training explicitly to be a fighter, not a politician." Guy sure had a way of pointing out what was…the blond adjusted his tie uncomfortably.

"Yeah…but life hardly goes the way you expect it to, huh?" Cody leaned back in his chair, looking at the ceiling. He didn't need to hear all of what was being said outside of his head. "You'd know - you're gonna be a dad for crissakes! Whatever will be, will be. As long as I stay true to myself and protect our citizens the best I can, we'll be all right."

The ninja had always valued his friend's simpler approach to life, but he always hoped that it would never come at his expense.

"I suppose - and I don't intend to overstep. It is what it is," Guy paused thoughtfully. In his perspective, Mike really was a guidepost for Cody - much like Zeku was for him, when he pulled him off of the streets all of those years ago. Zeku had seen a strength in Guy that others deemed as trouble. His life could have been on an entirely different path if it weren't for his patience and guidance…

Guy also found Haggar's dedication admirable for a man who was in his position despite his frustration with Cody's apathy. Ever since Kimberly came under his tutelage and Rena shared the news, Guy had been giving a lot of thought about what the concept of a strong mentor in life entailed, particularly sensitive to the fact that Cody's own father was the antithesis of everything he'd ever stood for. He couldn't help but wonder how, or if that had any impact on his friend's worldview. The strain between him and Haggar was puzzling at best. As much as he didn't want to interfere…he just needed to understand.

"I understand that things are a bit strained between you and Mike right now. Yet, I saw your televised speech on Monday. It was all over the internet. You opened a library in his late wife's honor," Guy rubbed his chin. "Very noble of you."

"Jeez. Did the whole world hear that speech or somethin'?" Cody bristled. "I figured it'd be limited to just the good ol' MC…it really shouldn't be a big deal for anyone outside of this city." Guy knew that Cody was generally overconfident, so it was interesting to see him more…humbled.

"Word spreads faster than lightning these days, I'm sure you know." Guy was a relatively prominent blogger - oh, did he know. It was how Kimberly sought him, after all. "I'd argue it was the sentiment that resonated with the world, not the action. We all could use more hope these days."

Cody snorted with annoyance - he couldn't shake his embarrassment. What were any policy enactments or city changes to anyone outside of Metro City? The last thing he expected was the level of reaction from this unveiling. Cody's approval ratings skyrocketed overnight and grew exponentially since. Multiple videos captured by the crowd garnered unprecedented viral circulation and his office was flooded with nothing but calls, donations, calendar photo shoot requests, requests for interviews, hashtags?…he felt just a tad overwhelmed. He was just figuring out how to use cell phones after how quickly they'd advanced since his incarceration, and now he had to learn social media, too? He couldn't pay himself enough.

Metro City's longtime shithole reputation was indeed transforming, essentially because the running narrative was that if Cody could become mayor, then anything was possible. With all of the decades of violence and destruction the city endured, it felt like a new hope. Yet, in the same breath, Metro City was the kind of place where they dared to do the impossible, and dream the biggest dreams. He wasn't used to the level of adoration that pummeled his administration. Haggar was well-loved, of course, but this was a completely different energy. At one point, Marlowe and himself had to hide in their vehicles to get any work done in the last 48 hours.

"I presume Jessica knows of the new library? It is in her dear mother's honor, after all."

Cody choked for a second on his own saliva as he regained his composure, Guy's stoicism nary breaking a sweat.

"Not sure," he replied sharply, clearing his throat. "I believe she's in town, so maybe."

Guy shook his head. He was so familiar with Cody's tells, alarm bells practically rang aloud for him when his walls went up. He often wondered if the brawler forgot that they trained rather intensely with one another for years, and were even roommates for a time. If anyone knew Cody at his core, it was Guy. The two of them were introduced to each other at incredibly formative points in their lives and influenced each other more than they realized.

To this day, Guy was never wrong about Cody, despite their seemingly polarized outlooks. Deciphering his thought patterns was a great exercise in keeping his senses sharp, sure, but it didn't take much as he knew precisely how to navigate his defenses, even after all this time. They'd grown so much together in the few years they bonded, and Guy did not want to take this for granted, despite Cody's ability to push people away. That's something that never made sense to him - he knew Cody valued relationship over machismo, so why did he insist on prioritizing the latter? He figured he would know by now that it was abysmal defense.

"You mean to tell me you haven't connected with her since your release?" Guy inquired skeptically, as Cody's irritation crawled up to the back of his neck. The brawler hated how serious he was about a topic that was rather sore for him - Guy was not one to amuse easily, so he knew he wasn't teasing…even if it felt like it. The mayor knew he couldn't lie to Guy - the ninja would see right through him. When it came to his fists, however…there was never a question about them.

"You seem…surprised," Cody raised a brow. "What's it to you? I've been pretty busy in this transition, y'know. It's not like she'd want anythin' to do with me, anyway."

"So you have spoken."

"Not exactly," Cody said slowly.

"Your presumption seems to indicate otherwise."

"It's complicated, okay?" Cody responded through gritted teeth. "Why are you pressin' me so hard, man? You goin' for your law degree next?"

"I'm not sure why you just don't speak with her," Guy replied coolly, failing in his resistance to scratch his head. "That could be the key to repairing your relationship with both her and Mike. That, and Jessica is one of the most compassionate people I know. I'm not one to judge, but it seems to me that you could…simplify your entire situation that way."

"I'm in a 'situation' now?" the mayor almost laughed out loud, but Guy was peering at him rather seriously through one eye. "You make it sound soooo simple," Cody chuckled dryly, leaning back in his seat.

"Isn't it?"

Cody scoffed and sat forward to suddenly concentrate on his mounds of paperwork. He clicked his pen as Guy raised his brow.

"And you always called me weird."

"Everybody's weird about somethin', I guess."

Guy shook his head. Stubborn. "Jessica and I spoke frequently during your incarceration—she was always careful when bringing you up, because you were a bit of a…painful topic for the both of us," the ninja said hesitantly. "You know…given the circumstances…"

"Yes, I know," Cody snapped. He couldn't dare ask Haggar anything about Jessica these days if he wanted to live. They couldn't agree on how things were handled to this day. But Guy…Guy could totally give him the insight he lacked. Jessica…asked about him? The idea made him feel giddier than he wanted to let on. "How has she, uh, been?"

"I suppose you can ask her that yourself," Guy replied, as impenetrable as he'd always been.

"Wow. Brutal, Guy," Cody rubbed the back of his head. "What am I supposed to do? Just stroll up to her as if the last ten years didn't happen?" the blond shook his head. "I said some fucked up things when I saw her last…who knows how much has changed since."

"After we took down Mad Gear…I sensed your intent and resonated with your sentiment, but I could not understand your logic," Guy pointed out. "Your actions directly conflicted with what you swore to do."

Cody narrowed his eyes.

"Is that your really nice way of callin' me stupid?"

"Not stupid, no," the ninja paused. "Just…questionable. I figured there was some darkness to your motives I failed to understand, even when it came to convincing you that you didn't belong in prison. This was before your false charges were brought to light. You knew you were innocent of those charges, and yet you refused to fight back anyway. You were always one to do things your own way, but matters of the heart are universal. You swore on your life you'd marry her because the time was nearly right. You even spoke with Haggar about it before it all went to hell…"

"Ain't that the kind of stuff folks say when they're in love, anyway?" Cody rolled his eyes, attempting to downplay his friend's callout. So what if he thought about her almost every conscious night? Or that memories of her intensified since his release? Or the fact that her face was on his mind nonstop since he'd spotted her before his address? "People change. She was my girlfriend at the time, Guy. I couldn't let her get wrapped up in my crazy life. You know I couldn't," Cody sighed. "If any of my enemies got to her, I can't even imagine the hell that I would have rained on this town."

"Would you be willing to put your life on the line for her if it came down to it?"

"In a heartbeat," the blond responded with zero hesitation.

Guy sighed through his nose, wondering how the brawler managed to get in his own way.

"What is it that you're afraid of?" the ninja asked plainly.

The mayor sat back in his seat. This was a question he hated to think about. No one ever asked him this outright, not even himself.

"I'm not afraid of anythin'," he declared boldly, almost selling Guy. "Jessica's probably livin' the life she deserves. Why else would she stay away from the MC for so long? It's been nothin' but pain for her, bein' from this town. Don't know how she did it before. Can't blame her there. No need to disrupt her life if she's doin' all right."

"You seem…convinced, considering this is your hometown too."

"Tell me somethin', Guy," Cody replied in a low voice, suddenly. "I saw your face…the day I knocked Belger out of the penthouse window. We both knew what I'd just done. If you were in my shoes…wouldn't you have done the same?"

"We were willing to die for Jessica. Almost did, in fact. If I were in your shoes…I'd understand why you felt forced to make that kind of decision."

Cody heaved a loaded sigh. "I'm tellin' ya - I lost it when I saw that bastard's face, and the way he was grabbing onto Jessica…hurting her. I didn't even feel in control of my body then, I just…completely lost it. I couldn't subject her to that."

The mayor sat back further in his chair, feeling like a giant weight dropped from his shoulders. Guy swallowed as the gravitas grounded him further than he already was. Guy sensed that there was a darkness that overcame him then, but he rationalized it at the time…Jessica's life was in danger, after all. His instinct also sensed that Cody would be able to overcome instead of succumb to it.

"I couldn't have Jessica live her life with a killer. I couldn't."

"I see," Guy accepted slowly, letting each of his words stake their claim. "So, then…you'd much rather leave her in the dark about your sentiment under the guise of protection?"

"'Guise'? Sheesh - c'mon, Guy, cut me some slack - what else am I supposed to do?" Cody shook his head. "Surely you understand that her safety is - was - my number one priority, yeah? I was just…doin' what I had to."

"Consider the impact of your intent. All the more reason to emerge from the shadows," Guy stood up. "Jessica is her own woman - you don't need to protect her from herself. It's evident that you care deeply for her still, even after all this time, yet you choose not to face it," the ninja's face showed hints of…pity, almost. That rubbed Cody raw.

"You're tellin' me…wait, what in the hell?" Cody grumbled - he hated feeling like an open book. "What gives you that idea?" His eyes widened as Guy's hand reached out to reveal a desk photo frame that was conspicuously facedown…

"To be clear, I don't blame you. Jessica is a special individual."

"Hey!"

Guy's reflexes were just a smidge too quick for the mayor, at a disadvantage on the other side of the desk. He examined the photo with an uncomfortable level of scrutiny - not that there was much to interpret…who else would the mayor keep a photo of on his desk, but nowhere on his walls like his predecessor used to have?

Those closest to him, of course. It didn't take a ninjutsu master to figure that out.

"As the kids say these days…'I'm just sayin'."

It was a photo taken after Metro City deemed Haggar, Cody and Guy heroes with Jessica between all of them. A blissful reminder of the times they shared before everything went left. It was notably marked up with a certain mayor's sharpie-imposed graffiti, but the last thing he expected to see was a definitive confirmation of what he already knew. Aside from the deliberate defamation of Guy's character, bright red hearts were doodled around Cody and Jessica's smiling faces, reminiscent of a schoolkid's notebook.

"Hm…your caricature of my sword leaves a bit to be desired—"

"Give me that," Cody yanked the picture frame out of Guy's hand, face red and very unamused. It was enough to make Guy withhold laughter. An unheard-of chuckle erupted from the effort.

"My sincerest apologies. I merely meant to return this upright," Guy smirked, his gamble worth it.

"Yeah, yeah."

"It's about time I take my leave. Despite the responsibility that comes with our new roles, I certainly hope we won't space out too much time before our next encounter. Just like in our training days…I'll always be in your corner. I don't doubt your ability in the least."

"Right back at ya. You know where to find me," Cody grinned as he shook off his lingering embarrassment, relieved they no longer had to debate their moral perspectives but was feeling significantly more honored Guy thought so highly of him despite all they'd been through. It was reassuring to know that their bond never bent, despite his hand in attempting to do so. "It was a pleasure."

"Same here. And with that, I bid you adieu."

The ninja was already halfway out the door before Cody stopped him.

"Guy, wait—can you at least do me a solid and tell me one thing, then?"

The ninja sighed as he crossed his arms across his chest. "What is it?"

"Can you at least tell me…if she's moved on already? I can't disrupt her life in good conscience. I don't even know if I wanna know."

"Again," Guy said, much to the mayor's chagrin. "Not my place to speak. Ask her yourself."

"Fine, I get it already," Cody yielded.

Guy tilted his head back as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Just talk to her before your silence does the speaking for the both of you," he said as he turned around to leave. "I think you owe each other that much."

"…Good lookin' out. I'll see ya around, Guy."

"You too, Cody."