Enjoy.
It was early in the morning when Seiji sat outside enjoying the quiet. He was waiting for the others to show up. Although he was eager about talking about what to do against their now known enemy, he wasn't too happy about having Shin around. He was still angry at him for ruining his wedding reception and that the warrior of water seemed to be having other problems. Deciding it was not worth bringing up, Seiji had other things to do. Touma was also on his way along with the Masho to discuss how to finally stop the terrorizing of their families. That was the priority. Or maybe Nasuti sweetly working her way onto his lap was the priority. Oh man. He wasn't going to fight that.
"Morning." She said, "I'm not disturbing you, am I?"
"No." Seiji smiled, "You never disturb me."
He soon heard the honking of a car horn.
"That disturbed me." Seiji growled, seeing Ryo's car pull up to the house.
"Yo Seiji!" he heard Shu sing, "We're starving, man."
Seiji cursed under his breath, causing Nasuti to laugh.
"I'll get breakfast started." She said.
"You have Shin and Shu now. Put them to work."
She didn't have to because both Shu and Shin were already in kitchen arguing about what to make. Yayoi was standing silently, laughing as they duo argued.
"No Shu, we're not using the entire fridge."
"Big breakfast Shin. That's what we all need to start the day."
Watching Shin throw his arms up in defeat, he walked out.
"Morning Nasuti." He said.
"Nice to see you're doing fine." Nasuti smiled.
"I could be better. I'll be at the dock if anyone needs me."
She nodded. Turning to Shu, he already pulled most of the fridge's food out.
"Aww, did he leave?" Shu asked.
"Yes he did."
At the dock Shin, Jun, Ryo and Seiji were talking. Three of them were talking about Suiko, as Shin stood by silently, smoking.
"Do you want Suiko back?" he heard Ryo ask.
"I don't want Jun to be stuck with it anymore than what he's had to." Shin responded.
"It wasn't a problem, Shin." Jun said, "It was getting easier to use."
"It's not your burden to bear." Shin said a bit harsher than he expected to, "You shouldn't have to pick up a weapon at your age."
Jun gave him an angry look as Seiji was interested about what Shin said.
"You were my age when you took it."
Ryo interrupted, "Jun breakfast should be close to being served. Can you check on it, please?"
Jun nodded.
"Shin, what's up? You've been avoiding him."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"That's part of the reason you're here is that you won't talk." Ryo said, "You're worse than I am. How are you going to get better if you don't open up?"
"Ryo, it's not something I want to share."
"It wasn't disgraceful was it?" Seiji asked.
"No. It…" Shin sighed, "It's just something that I don't need to share."
"Yes you do."
"You're as bad as my sister and brother-in-law, Ryo."
"They did ask me to get it out of you. They both said that it wasn't just your mother's passing that was bothering you. And after you avoided Jun on that one night into town, I can see there's something else. Spill it." Ryo said, starting to lose his temper.
"It's not going to hurt you to let us know." Seiji said, "You need help, and we're here to listen."
"Fine." Shin growled. He pulled another cigarette out, "I had a boy about Jun's age pull a weapon on me and I had to kill him. We were on a mission to collect weapons, when some of the rebels fired on us. He came out of his family's house or something like that. I think he was just trying to protect his younger siblings. That was the only time I ever had to use a gun on someone. So went I hear Jun talk about using Suiko, I immediately think about the boy."
He paused to fight tears, "I can't let Jun keep Suiko."
"No wonder you smoke like a chimney."
"That's not the reason I started, but it certainly added to it."
"What else?" Seiji said.
"In July, there was a school that blew up after I just finished helping the kids. That one was the snake-men's fault." He paused again, "Please don't tell the others. They can't know."
Seiji was about to argue it when Ryo interrupted, "Your secret is safe with us, Shin. Let's go eat."
Grabbing Shin before following Ryo, Seiji gave him a warning, "Don't let this affect you and my sister being together. I will still kill you if you hurt her, armor or not."
"I get it." Shin said, taking back his arm.
The sound of laughter surrounded the table as the food was laid out. Everyone had a comment about Shu's eating habits, and Jun even mentioned the man's gut that had started to show. The rest knew, but Shin gave Shu a look.
"What, you work in a restaurant. You should actually, because you make Seiji look fat." Shu said.
"Hey."
Shin pointed a finger at him, "If you didn't eat everything during the day, you wouldn't gain weight."
"I don't try the food during the day. Most of the time." Shu said standing up, "When we have the new restaurant, the kitchen will be bigger. I'll be further from all the food."
"Shu, sit." Shin laughed, "You look like an ass."
"Fine, but I'm not fat. I'm just not growing like I used to."
"It's called getting fat." Seiji added.
"Training session anyone?" Ryo asked.
He received a bunch of okays and a grunt from Shu.
"Shin, can you help us with the dishes?" Nasuti asked getting up.
He nodded, following Nasuti and Yayoi into the kitchen. As the others were out making a mess of the yard, the trio in the kitchen successfully made one in the kitchen. Once the water hose became a weapon, Nasuti quietly escaped the kitchen with a grin leaving the other two. Realizing that they were left in a wet kitchen, they both laughed.
"She left us on pur-" she was interrupted by Shin's kiss.
"I'm sorry for ignoring you the past month. It was lousy of me and disrespectful. And I didn't even thank you for the gifts."
"Apology accepted. But for next time, talking about the weather is not a good I-haven't-seen-you-in-months conversation."
"I realize that, and Shu's right. I do owe you a candle light dinner with the way I was treating you."
"Well, that'll have to wait. I have to get back to Sendai. Some of us have jobs."
"Right, a job. Something I seem to be lacking right now."
"Well, help me clean the water off the floor. You can come when Nasuti takes me to the train station."
Shin was standing on the porch watching the others beat each other up. He felt nervous about joining them later. He worried that Suiko would not let him retake the armor. Three years ago, he would have jumped at the chance to leave Suiko with Jun.
Yayoi joined him leaning on the rail, "Ready to rejoin them?"
"Yes. I feel useless standing here." He started laughing, "I'm free from Suiko, and Jun seems to handle Shu pretty well."
Jun had knocked the warrior of rock into the lake.
"I've noticed he's a quick learner." Yayoi turned to face him, "You have something on your face."
"Where?" Shin said, ready to get it off. Instead she kissed him.
"Go get a room." They heard Shu yell.
"Please don't." was Seiji's reply soon after, "It's not funny Yayoi!"
"You did that to tease him?" Shin laughed.
"Anyway I can mess with my brother I will. We're about to go anyways so finish that cigarette you've been hiding from me."
The two women in front were talking about a quick run to the mall before Yayoi got on the train. Even though Yayoi declined, she thought it was funny to mention that Shin could be the bag guy. He scoffed in disapproval.
"Why the change of heart, Shin?" Nasuti asked, "You'd normally jump at the chance to."
"He's angry that I caught him smoking before we left."
"I am not. I wasn't even trying to hide it."
Glancing back, Nasuti could see that Shin was blushing, "Liar."
"Okay, I was. But that's not the reason."
"What is it then?" Yayoi asked.
"What if I don't feel like it?"
Both women laughed at him.
"What?"
Nasuti calmed herself, "I've never seen a selfish Shin. Have you Yayoi?"
"No. He was always kind, helpful and such a gentleman. Opening doors, and offering me a cup of tea when I show up."
"Yes he was. There was one time he jumped into the lake to recover a rowboat for me after a storm. It was cold and raining that day. It was so sweet."
Shin sat up in the chair, "You two are mean, evil women like my sister."
"And he never said anything bad about women." Yayoi said, "Yes, your sister told me about the car thing."
"What did he do?" Nasuti asked in surprise.
"'Drive the damn car woman!'" Yayoi said.
"Shin!" Nasuti gasped, "You didn't really say that?"
"I got what I deserved."
"Still." Yayoi said, "What are we going to do without the kind Shin?"
"I guess we'll have to expect Seiji to fill in."
"I was hoping Ryo would. He could make a good gentleman."
"His temperament has calmed down recently."
"Fine." Shin interrupted, "We can go to the mall, and I'll gladly carry everything."
Yayoi shook her head, "We already said we were not going."
"What was the point of this then?"
The both laughed, before Yayoi spoke, "It was a test, and you failed."
"What was the test?" Shin was now sitting back in his seat, arms crossed, and aggravated.
"Kayura told us about you not having the armor to block certain feeling and memories. So when Sayoko told me about the incident with her, I had to try it out. And it seems that you are now just another man with an anger problem." Yayoi said, trying to not laugh, "But seriously, you should go see a head doctor. It's a typical reaction from people coming home after something tragic."
"Seiji and Ryo didn't talk to you, did they?"
"No, and I guess you told them to not tell us."
"I did. It's just, I don't know." Shin spoke softer.
"It's okay Shin. We just want to make sure you're getting help." Nasuti said, "And if you don't mind, I'd like you to tell me about the differences of not have the armor so I can record it, since you're one of the only few Samurai Troopers to give the armor up."
"Alright."
The rest of the ride was quiet. Nasuti said her goodbyes, before leaving them alone. She was in the old red jeep when Shin came back. He got into the jeep and didn't say anything for the first ten minutes of the drive back.
"Am I really that different?" he finally asked.
Nasuti sighed, "Yes. With the few hours being around you, I've noticed you carry yourself differently."
They both felt the jeep jump, and a loud noise came from the back. Getting out, Shin noticed a flat tire. They were on a small road miles from the city.
"I'll get it." He said.
It started to snow lightly. Nasuti stood outside her door, watching the jeep lift. As the snow started to come down harder, she thought she saw a few people in the distance. They looked to be walking towards them.
"Shin," she said walking around to him, "There are a few people coming."
Leaning out to look for himself, he too saw them.
"Nasuti, help me." He said in a worried tone.
Shin would often check to see if they were still coming, and they were. He couldn't make them out very well, but he had a bad feeling about them. After lowering the jeep, Shin looked up to see a fist come at him. Moving out of the way, he brought the tire iron up at the man. He knocked the snake-man down, before pushing another out of the way. He heard a snap, and a cry out of Nasuti. Looking, he saw that she had punched one of them in the nose and was holding her hand in pain.
"Nasuti, leave." He said.
She nodded, and got into the jeep. It slid into a couple of the men from the snow.
Standing there with the iron tool in his hand, Shin counted five more standing around him. All of them heard a loud roar from the trees. Shin didn't know what to expect, and the snake-men didn't either from the looks on their faces. After the first snake-man was tackled from the white beast, Shin grinned. The others ran off, yelling something about tigers.
"Byauken," Shin smiled, "Can you give a guy a lift?"
Nasuti was going through her bag trying to find her phone. She was hoping that the others were done being outside to pick up. Looking at her rearview mirror, she saw the tiger.
"Shin, I was worried." She said after stopping the jeep.
He laughed, "I was saved by a shining knight in white fur. Those guys didn't like him at all."
The tiger grunted, before taking off into the woods toward the house.
"Something must be up though." Nasuti said "No one's seen him in a few years."
"Then we should go."