It took less time than he thought it would for the controlled chaos in the barracks to turn into the new normal. Yuusaku woke up exactly at six in the morning to the sound of crashing. He covered his mouth with his hand to yawn and rolled off his bed. Something shattered in the distance, ceramic and expensive from the sounds of it since he could hear Yuugi shrieking and Yuugi was the only person who seemed to care about their budget.

He stepped into the shared bathroom to brush his teeth, noting that his elusive roommate's side remained untouched. Still out on a mission, it seemed. Not that he minded having the extra space to himself. He brushed his teeth mechanically, ignoring the sudden banging on his door.

"Yuusaku, you awake?" It was Juudai. He must have had at least two cups of coffee already because he wasn't slurring his sentences and sounded too chipper to be allowed. "Uh, don't go down to the kitchen yet, 'kay? I think Yuuri convinced Yuugo to make a cake. Yuugi-san and Yuuto are trying to clean things up now."

Yuusaku would have responded but he could already hear his footsteps bouncing away, presumably off to warn someone else. A few moments later, there was a flurry of voices and the unmistakable thud of either Yuuma or Yuuya falling out of bed.

After deciding that he might as well get out and get some exercise in, he pushed open the door to brave the outside. There was no one in the hall to stop him so he walked briskly, hoping to get to the exercise room without running into anyone else. He paused for a second outside Yuuma's room to stare at the sight of Astral trying to pry a blanket out of the younger boy's death grip. ("Yuuma, it's time to get up." "But Astraaaal!") Shaking his head slightly at the daily spectacle, he nearly made it out until one of the ceiling tiles suddenly moved aside and Yuuya dropped down in front of him without making a sound.

"Yuusaku!" the redhead greeted cheerfully. "Can you lend me a hand in the briefing room?"

"A mission?" he asked.

"You could say that," Yuuya said with a mischievous wink that never boded well for anyone. The so-called mission turned out to be hanging a bunch of ugly orange and yellow streamers all over the pristine white walls. Yuusaku bore it with dignity, though he was mostly holding onto things for Yuuya and helping him get hard to reach places. Astral and Yuuma eventually turned up and started to unfurl some kind of banner. Yuusaku briefly considered asking one of them what was going on but was interrupted by more arrivals.

"I said I've got this, stupid-Yuuri," Yuugo was saying loudly as he shoved his way into the room, with his arms laden something that Yuusaku guessed was the cake that Juudai had warned him about earlier, but it looked more like a chaotic abomination of frosting and too much enthusiasm. An annoyed Yuuri, followed by a harassed-looking duo of Yuuto and Yuugi trailed after him.

"Oh no, they're almost here," Yuugi was muttering nervously to himself, just as Yuuri stuck out a foot and sent Yuugo and the platter flying. Yuusaku, being the closest, darted forward, grabbing Yuugo by the scruff of his neck with one hand and catching the tray with the other.

"Thanks, Yuusaku!" Yuugo said with a vaguely worshipful gaze and Yuusaku coloured awkwardly when he heard clapping in the background.

"It's nothing," he said quickly as he set both Yuugo and his cake down, although his voice was mostly drowned by the sound of three people all scolding Yuuri at the same time . But everything came to a pause when Juudai suddenly threw open the door.

"Look who's here!" the brunette yelled, and everyone straightened up with wide, beaming grins.

"Atem!"

"Yuusei!"

"Welcome home!"

Yuusaku hung back as the rest of the boys practically threw themselves at the two haggard and bewildered looking agents standing in the doorway. Yuusei and Atem hadn't even changed out of their mission gear but that didn't stop them from being hugged within an inch of their lives. Even quiet, undemonstrative Yuuto was clinging onto Atem's arm.

The room was in a sorry state with streamers taped haphazardly on the walls, a lopsided 'WELLCOME HOME' banner and Yuugo's masterpiece sitting sadly on the corner of the meeting table. But Yuusei and Atem were nearly moved to tears. They all looked thrilled, even though Yuusei was wrapped in bandages and Atem was favouring his left leg. With all these carefree smiles, no one could have suspected just what they all did for a living. Despite himself, Yuusaku found himself smiling too.

In the end, the cake turned out to be surprisingly edible.