Ah, nothing like doing a big job with your family. Makes the task a lot more fun, and memorial in a golden or comical way.

Thanks for coming along for the ride everyone. I hope you give my other developing story a try. It should be more of a long trip.

The Slades' Day

"All right, way to go, Soma!" Kota praised to Soma with a pat on the back. It was the end of the day and Fia had just given the news that her father finally started calling Soma by his name to the girls. And knowing how the grapevine works the girls spread the news to the guys of the First Unit who then in turn told the guys from the other two units. And they in turn spread the news to the others in the Den. So here they were, dragging Soma to the Entrance Lounge to celebrate with some drinks. "Now that you're in good terms with the old man you're clear for takeoff with Fia."

"Don't you guys have something better to do than bother with my personal life?" Soma groaned out as he took the needed sip of his can of beer to wash away the on coming headache.

"This is a big deal, Soma." Lindow teased at him. "Once you've got the approval of the girl's father your relationship is practically in the clearing."

"Ugh, I told you it's not like that." Soma groaned out, trying his best to hide the on coming blush under his hood.

"Really? Then why did you fight so hard?" Karel chuckled out.

"?!"

"You honestly didn't have to take that mission with General Slade, nor the ones with the other Slades that Fia asked you to tag along in. But you did it anyway, for feelings that you have for Fia that you constantly try to hide from others."

"!"

"And honestly, you're the only one who can handle the Den's Raven by yourself." Shun commented in with a shrug. "She's cute but has a lot of baggage. I wouldn't last long with a father like she has, that would be too much of a pain for me. But hey, you're pretty good with challenges! And you're use to carrying extra baggage so she's going to be no problem for you!"

"Damn you all, shut up." Soma growled out.

"Aw, he's shy." Lindow poked at him. "We better ease up on him guys or he might sink into that hood."

"Good luck with Fia, Sempai." Federico nervously congratulated before turning his eyes to the ground. "I won't lie, I respect your choice but I am not envious."

"?" Kota looked at Federico with a titled head of confusion. "Are you still scared of Fia?"

"!" Federico began to break into a nervous sweat.

"Jesus, what the hell did she do to you guys during those training sessions?!" Shun asked, getting slightly nervous when Federico curled into a ball, hiding his face in his legs.

"First rule of the Raven's training: never talk about the Raven's training."

"Dude, are you crying?" Kota asked in disbelief as Federico began to shake.

"Second rule of the Raven's training: No crying during the Raven's training!"

"Hey!" They flinched at the sudden voice of Fia. "What did I say about crying, little man! It's a waste of salt."

Kota and Soma began to break into a nervous sweat when her eyes began to search the group and stopped when they spotted them. Smiling widely as she began to skip toward them in a sing-tone chime.

"Soma! Soma, Kota, Soma, my favorite buddies!" She chimed as she went to sit between them on the couch and wrapped an arm around both of their shoulders.

"!" Kota began to fidget in his spot, fearing what her next move would be.

"(Sigh) What do you want?" Soma sighed out in yield, already knowing that she was after something from them.

"Ooh, you can read me like a book." She happily cooed to Soma. "I need you boys to go on a co-op mission with me."

"Wha?!"

"Those kind of missions don't usually end well." Soma said in concern. Usually for those kind of missions there was either a lot Aragami and a lot of casualties; or, it was a set up by a Higher up to get rid of the loose ends. Either option did not bode well for Soma when it came to his unit, or his crazy Raven.

"It sure isn't going to end well for the Aragami, I'll tell yah that!" Fia laughed out before calming down again. "But, yeah, there's a Yaksha Raja infestation on Aegis Island. Multiple numbers of them have been spotted in the area along with a stronger than usual Hannibal, they have most likely created a nest in the area. Anyway, we are to destroy the herds before they get too strong and pose a noticeable threat to the Branch."

"Boy... that sounds like a tough one." Kota commented.

"It sounds like a drag."

"Aw, come on, Soma. Don't be a poor sport." She pouted, giving him a little rock with her arm. "This is going to be fun."

"For us or you?"

"Hopefully, both." She said with a smirk. "Listen, the second team is waiting for a response, and Alisa had already said she was down with it. So, are you guys in or out?"

"Alright, I'm in." Fia smiled at Kota's answer, then turned to Soma, waiting for his response with pleading eyes.

"(Sigh) Fine... So who's the second team anyway?"

"Excellent!" She cheered, wrapping an arm around each of them as she lifted them off their feet and dragged them off. "Oh don't worry about them, it's just the Slades."

"?!" Kota and Soma panicked, regretting that they even agreed to this mission. Their nervousness only served to feed the grin on Fia's face.

"That's right, boys. Tonight is the night of the Slades!" She laughed out as they disappeared inside the Mission Elevator. "There's going to be Aragami blood everywhere!"

"..." The group left behind simply stared off at the spot where the three of them once stood in skeptic silence.

"Those poor bastards..." Shun shook his head in sympathy.

"I don't know whether to be happy for Soma or sorry." Karel chuckled out.

"Ah, just be happy for him. He finally found someone to keep him on his toes." Lindow pointed out with a grin.

*** Aegis Island ***

ROAR!

"Whoa. We've got a lot of company!" Kota yelled as they were greeted by a Hannibal, two Yakshas, and a Yaksha Raja on the field.

"It's enough to make a grown man cry." Azar said in awe, catching the others off guard. "But not this man. I am beyond excited by the predicament of this battle."

"Careful, Dad, you'll start drooling if you keep it up." Blaised joked around.

"If I do it'll be while doing the things I enjoy the most."

"If you keep grinning with a face like that, people will mistake you for having rabies." Rangi mocked, readying his God Arc.

"Heh, rabies wishes it was just like me."

"Enough with the talking." Interrupted Nina.

"Come on," Lynn added in before finishing the sentence along with Nina.

"We've got some Aragami to terminate."

"Right! Let's finish them off!" Alisa encouraged.

"Alright!" Fia fist pumped, before giving out the team strategy. "Soma, you're with me on the Hannibal!"

"Blaise, you and me go after the Yaksha on the left!" Azar instructed along side Fia.

"Rangi, Kota, Alisa, you work together on the Yaksha Raja!" Fia continued.

"Lynn, Nina, take care of the Yaksha on the right!" Azar instructed as everyone was getting pumped up.

"Right!" They all shouted in positive confirmation. They all jumped into the area, Fia and Azar leading the pact.

"Let's give'em hell!" Father and daughter excitedly roared together.

The first move made on the field was by the Hannibal as it tried to do its 1-2-3 claw strike on Fia and Soma, which the two blocked with a hard shield. Going right into action the two began to bombard the Hannibal with slashes and crushing blows. Soma stuck to the side while Fia boldly struck at its front. But both were caught off guard as a tail attack from the Hannibal knocked them both back off their feet. Just as Fia was getting back on her feet a friendly fire knocked her back further.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Alisa sorrowfully apologized. Her Yaksha Raja had just ran pass Fia in a failed attacked and Alisa had taken the shot but hit the wrong target. But Fia got back up with no problem.

"No worries A-shot, it's all go!" Fia cheered at her. Observing how the Hannibal had released a breath of fire attack right in the area she was just standing. If Alisa had not shot her, Fia would've been a cooked marshmallow. "See, you're helping!"

"Heh!" Alisa held in a laugh as Fia gave her a thumb's up. But now was the time for that, she had Yaksha Raja to take care of.

"Head back in the game, Trigger-happy!" Soma warning growled at Fia through gritted teeth. But he was knocked down by the Hannibal's claw attack while he was attacking its side during its blaze attack. Once it was done knocking Soma back, the Hannibal jumped at Fia with a spear attack which she blocked with her shield.

"Whoa! Ha, shoot your words right back at yah, Soma! Good thing I came packing with Recovery Bullets." Fia grinned, changing into gun-mode after taking down her shield. She shot Soma two Recovery Bullets before changing back into blade-mode and jokingly speaking in a medieval knightly accent. "Eat my sword, foul beast!"

Her attack knocked the Hannibal off its feet, but also destroying its back scale. Meaning that the Hannibal was going to be a lot more trouble once it got back on its feet. So Fia and Soma put more energy into their strikes as the Hannibal's fire wings came out. It was going to let out a fire breath attack when Fia's blade smack the crap out of it, knocking it onto two legs to wipe the blood from its mouth. Angered, it got back on all fours for a tail attack. Fia was able to block it with her shield, but she was too impatient and was smacked down by a claw attack the moment she took down her shield.

"Ow!"

"Fia!" Soma called out to her in concern.

"Ugh, I'll live." She assured to him, cupping her now bleeding clawed cheek.

"S-s-s-super bitch slap!" Rangi joked over to his sister as he dodged the Yaksha Raja's claw attack.

"Oh shut it, Rangi!" Fia growled at her brother before tightening her grip on her God Arc. "But you're right, this fool handled me like a pimp! And we can't have that."

The Hannibal rose into the air to release a blaze burst attack, causing Fia and Soma to block it with their shields.

"Ha! Justice be my shield!" Fia taunted at the Hannibal's failed attack. As it got back down on its feet, she went for an immediate strike. "And truth be my blade!"

The attack knocked the Hannibal off its feet, gripping its arm in pain. Leaving it open and at the mercy of Soma and Fia's attacks.

"Sorry..." Soma said down to the Hannibal, taking a devouring bite out of it for a boost burst. Charging up for a powerful blow, Soma cast the final blow on the Hannibal. "What an eye sore."

"The beast is slain!" Fia jokingly praised before turning to the others. "How's it going with you guys?!"

"Clear!" Alisa, Kota, and Rangi all confirmed as their Yaksha Raja went down with their three-team combo.

"Clear!" The twins said at the same time as Nina shot their Yaksha onto its knees while Lynn went for the decapitation.

"Heh, down." Azar chuckled out, giving the ending head shot to his and Blaise's Yaksha.

"(Huff) Was that... was that all of them?" Kota tiredly asked, but got the answer he wasn't hoping for.

ROAR!

"Heh, well..." Azar grinned as three more Yahsha and a Yaksha Raja came climbing up into the area, surrounding them. "They did say it would be a nest!"

"Ha, great..." Soma groaned out sarcastically. "Any idea how many we're dealing with?"

"All we know for sure is that there is 13 Yaksha." Alisa answered.

"Charming." Rangi smirked.

"Sounds like a party!" Nina and Lynn cheered together.

"Any orders you got for us?" Blaise asked, hoping that this would end up being a free-for-all.

"Nope." Fia answered with a sadistic smile.

"Only one," Azar said, taking charge. Cocking his pistol as the first Yaksha popped its head into the arena. "Make it rain."

"Yes sir!" They all responded back, getting ready for one hell of fight.

It was glorious battle filled with many sonic booming shots, charging claw attacks, and satellite homing the will of a Gods Eater burned through both of the teams, and after a long 15 minutes the mission had been completed. All a little banged up, all a little messy with Aragami blood.

"Is that (huff) the last one?" Kota tiredly asked, slightly out of breath.

"Looks like it." Soma answered, looking around the arena to see all the fallen Yaksha Rajas and Yakshas lying around like a brutal battlefield. "Ugh, how many did we kill anyway?"

"13 Yakshas, 5 Yaksha Rajas, and 1 Hannibal!" Azar happily answered with a sadistic grin.

"You seem to be a stickler about the causality number." Rangi pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you even know me, Rangi?!" Azar rhetorically asked, shocked that his son would even have to point out that information as if it wasn't a given.

"(Sigh) Of course." Rangi tiredly sighed out, sliding a hand down his face in exhaustion. "Why do I even bother asking?"

"Yeah, I wonder that too." Fia pointed out. "You should know this stuff by now. Come on, let's be honest."

"Save it, Sis. Ugh, let's just get out of here."

"Yeah... let's get the hell out of here so we can get the rotten meat smell out of our clothes." Soma said, looking down at his coat covered in Aragami blood before looking over at Fia. "For God's sake, woman, clean up that damn cut."

His words were rough but his hand was soft as he gently cupped her injured cheek. "It'll scar if you don't take care of it."

"Pfft, please." Fia waved off, taking a Recovery Pill to leave only dry blood behind. "God Eaters don't scar, you know our fast Oracle Regeneration won't allow that. If it did that would be so cool."

"Woman."

"What? Battle scars are hot." She pouted out, causing Soma to squish her lips together with his hands out of irritation.

"Save it, fetish nut-case." Soma told her with a teasing smirk. "Let's just head back before the stink sinks into our clothes."

"I rather like the smell, Soma." Azar commented with a whiff. "It reminds me of happy occasions out on the field."

"You can savor the sensation some other time. We would all like to call it a night." Soma suggested as he started to head back with the others before a thought came to his mind to make him turn back to Azar. "And don't wonder around now."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you fun killer." Azar groaned out, but surprisingly complied.

*** A week later ***

It had been a long week with many crazy missions, tea parties, and surprised dress up attacks. Sometimes the First Unit would willingly go with the flow, and other times they would fight it. But the Slades didn't mind it, they usually liked challenges, especially the girls. And through it all Soma went through it with patience and all the dignity he could muster. He did it all, for the strange girl named after a raven.

But like all things, the Den's time with the Fia's final had to come to an end. The new breeds of Aragami's numbers had come to a manageable size and the missions had finally eased up to a normal amount. Their task was done, so now they had to return to their Branches. All the better for Azar, he felt that this Branch didn't need him anymore... or pose him a challenge.

So there they were in the Entrance, saying goodbye to Fia and the three top units as their Choppers came down.

"Well, this is it, Sis." Blaise spoke first, breaking the awkward melancholy silence. "You going to miss us, Fia?"

"Tst, as if, Beast." She huff out, slightly mumbling as she crossed her arms and turned her face away from him to hide the blush and pout on her face. "It'll be quieter without you guys. And it looks like you'll have fun without me."

"Aw," Blaised chuckled out, bringing his sister in for a big bear hug. "I'm going to miss you too, Fia. Try to stay out of trouble until the holidays."

"Pfft, you big cuddle bear." She teased with endearment as she relaxed into the hug. Once Blaise let her down, Fia moved to Rangi to affectionately rub his head. "Try not to lead too many God Eaters into depression with your attitude or mind fuck them, Rangi."

"Hmph, only the weak and the foolish break under my tutelage." Rangi huffed out, smacking Fia's hand away from him only to place his hand on top of her head. "Try not to break too many fighters too while I'm gone. Grown adults crying is a disgusting sight."

"Heh, I'll do my best to keep that in mind. But that still doesn't mean I'm lessening my tea parties."

"Of course..."

"Nina, Lynn, come on now. Leave Soma alone and come give your big sister a hug." Fia called out to the twins. It appears they had taken a liking to Soma over the course of their stay at the Den. Over the many courses of tea parties they had become attached to Soma, seeing him more as a brother figure and a play buddy. And so here they were, hugging into his sides much to Soma's annoyance.

"Noooo." They whined out, giving Soma an extra squeeze. "If we go, Soma-nii-san will revert back to his dark and moody ways. He needs us as a fashion police."

"Grr, you brats." Soma growled out in annoyance. It would always be a mystery to him as to why children always got so attached to him.

"Yeah, but you have a responsibility to monitor and secure the fashion back at your own Branch. I bet they slipped up to a wore drove malfunction without you."

"!" The thought of their Branch falling into a fashion malfunction had them in a panic, but leaving their new brother figure behind also had them in a conflict of interest. "..."

"Come on, you can't stall your Branch any longer and Soma will be here for visits. So..." She opened her arms wide in invitation. "Come here and give your sister a goodbye hug before she gets jealous."

Finally letting go of Soma, the twins ran off into Fia's who grinned in victory at Soma as if this was a competition to her.

"Make sure he doesn't just wear that blue hoodie." Nina and Lynn insisted.

"Of course, that's a given." Fia whined out in fiend disappointment that they would even ask. Then she gave them an extra hug with endearment. "Take care over there, you firecrackers. I'll have an extra cup of tea for every tea party, just for you two."

"Bye, Sisy." The twins replied with watering eyes that they tried to hide.

"See yah guys on the next holiday..." She let go of the twins and pushed them toward their brothers so they could give them a proper goodbye as well. Then all got nervous in the Entrance as Fia and Azar had a stare-off. "Daddy..."

"Fia..."

"!" That's when it happened, both of them threw the first punch, right in the cheek.

"Don't go dying out there on me, you crazy old man."

"What? Please, you're the one I should be worried about croaking out there. So don't be hate'n on my swagger."

"Ha!" She laughed out, pulling brass knuckles from her pocket. One had engraved the word 'HATE' while the other had 'LOVE' on it. She went for the combo punch. "I love to hate and hate to love."

She quoted out as she punched his cheeks to imprint on his cheek 'love hate' under each other and 'hate love' on the other cheek.

"Ahh, classy." He sighed out in praise before bringing a fists down on her head. "But don't be step'n to the original Hater."

"A title you can certainly have, Daddy." She replied, tossing off the brass knuckles. "I just want the awesome quote."

"It is pretty awesome!" He commented rushing his fist up for a mean upper cut as she was doing the same.

"Damn right, old man!" They were going to kill each other.

"!" But the units were shocked as their fists missed each other in vouch for grabbing the others shoulder to bring them in for a hug.

"Love you Daddy."

"Love you too, Sweetie-bird."

"..." The normal fatherly-daughter moment of affection was so unexpected by the others, they found it disturbing.

"Don't die on me..."

"I'm too stubborn to die..." He let her go to take a step back. Then he brought his attention back to the three units. "It's been fun shooting Aragami with you all. I hope that I'll have the pleasure of doing it again in the near future. Soma..."

"!" Soma was caught off guard by the civil gesture from Azar as he held his hand out for him. Not one to show the man any disrespect, Soma took the hand in a solid shake. Giving Azar a firm grip as their hands shook. But he was brought back on guard when Azar pulled him in closer to whisper something in his ear. "!"

"I've got a OC bullet with your name on it if Fia ever gives me the call that she's got a bun in the oven."

"Ugh! Oh come on, sir!" Soma growled in embarrassment and annoyance that they were bringing this topic up again. His shouting and his blush made the others nervous and curious as to what they were talking about.

"Juuuuust making sure." Azar stretched out before pulling back away from Soma. "Make her happy, kid."

"Grh, must we revert back to this?" Soma growled out, irritated at the lack of address to his proper name.

"Only a little. I rather enjoy your reaction to the names."

"Jerk."

"I know." Azar smirked before him and his other kids started walking out to their respective Chopper. "Peace out."

"Bye guys!" "Bye!" The Den and the Slades waved back to each other.

Then they were, leaving all quiet with only the sounds of their Choppers flying off. Peace had finally returned to the Den, for the most part. Oddly enough... they were already starting to miss the chaos.

*** Later that night ***

Soma was looking up at his ceiling, resting his hands behind his head as he lied in bed. The whole Slades business had thrown his days way over the loop. He would never take Fia for granted when it came to her family. She was a familiar insanity to him, they were like a chaotic essence that made his head ache.

But now that they were gone he began to feel strange without that nagging headache in the back of his head poking at him. Its was eerily quiet now... boringly quiet. It felt weird actually finally getting some peace and rest without disturbance.

As if hearing his awkward distress, Fia barged in to save the day. Moving around Soma as she crawled into his bed beside him without care.

"(Sigh) And what are you doing sneaking into my room again?"

"Technically, it's not sneaking if I blatantly walk in within your plain sight."

"You're dodging the question."

"I was kinda getting lonely." She finally admitted. "It's never been easy for me seeing them go..."

"..." She looked so pitiful with that I'm-not-sad-you're-seeing-things pout on her face. "(Sigh) Fine..."

"?" She looked at his with skepticism as he lifted up an arm to invite her into his embrace. It could be a trap for all she knew to get her guard down then toss her off the bed.

"Get over here already." Soma tiredly ordered her. Not wanting him to take back his offer, she leaped into his embrace to cuddle into his side. He slightly flinched as her cold feet sought out the warmth of his. But all in all, once he gave in to her affection, it actually felt kinda nice. She'd snuggled close to his collarbone as he returned to looking up to the ceiling. "You know... your family's kinda nice... to an extent."

"Hm, yeah... to an extent..." Fia tiredly agreed with happy content. "But then again... so am I..."

"I'll take your kind of insanity anytime of the day." Soma smirked, looking at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Heh, sap."

"Giant brat."

"Softie."

"Cuddle-bug."

"Sweetie-pie."

"!" Soma was caught off guard as she moved to take a lick at his neck. Making him heat up and blush. "H-hey!"

"Hm... hey, Soma."

"What?" He growled out.

"How come your taste reminds me of hot fudge sundaes?"

"?!" He stiffed at the question and his heart began to beat faster.

"I think I might call you Hot Fudge from now on."

"If you so much as try it I will burn up all of your dress up costumes, destroy all the FLJ in the Den, and lock you out of my room for months."

"No, don't do that!" She whined out at the last part. "Can I at least call you that when we're alone?"

"Hmph, only when we're alone."

"Deal!" She happily cuddled closer to him. Slowly she began to fall into a slumber beside him. "This means, you've gotta think of a name for me."

"I already have one."

"Oh?"

"Yeah... Trigger-happy." Soma grinned at her.

"That's not creative... that's not creative... at all..." Fia pouted out as she finally fell asleep.

Soma admired her sleeping figured for awhile as sleep was starting to take hold of him. She look so peaceful, the sadistic grin on her face or the plotting expression long gone as she dreamed of things that he could hardly imagine. Such a massive bundle of chaos she was, in such a little thing.

He brush some stray bangs out of her face as he leaned to give her forehead a kiss. He cupped her head under his chin as he was about to fall to sleep when suddenly his phone began to ring. Annoyed, he reached over to his hoodie's pocket, hanging on top of his dresser. Pulling his phone out he drowsily answered it.

BANG BANG!

He shot wide awake in shock at the gun shots on the other line. His heart beating fast in the startle as the adrenaline rushed through his body. Fia remained asleep and undisturbed.

"Remember, don't make me into a grandpa." Came the voice of Azar in a chime-tone way before he hung up.

"..." Soma just stared down at his phone, startled and too shocked to be able to go to sleep now. "How the hell did he get my number?"

~ The End ~