A phone rings. Takano picks up, "Hello?"

"Hey there. How's your dainty old shack," Yokozawa jokes. Takano knew he would hear from the guy eventually. About an hour ago, he walked into the living room to find a sleeping Shiro sprawled out on the sofa. It wasn't just funny that he had a pillow over the top half of his face, but the real kicker was his little buddy. Sorata laid on his back snuggled between Shiro's arm and side, white furry belly facing up. It was too good not to take a picture. He sent the it to Yokozawa to show his replacement as Sorata's daddy.

"You know. Sturdy walls and a roof overhead. You've seen Sorata? Jealous?" There was a grunt over the line.

"Speaking of which, how are the new roommates? Italians, right?"

"Actually, they're full-blooded Japanese moving back from Italy. Said they moved around all over… Also… They're sort of… Oda clan hunters."

"WHAT!? All of the Oda clan left Japan over fifty years ago… I don't understand why two would come back after - Wait… Don't tell me. It's those two from two hundred years ago."

Takano rolls his eyes. So like Yokozawa to freak out. "Yes, it's them. And before you jump to any conclusions, they aren't going to cause problems."

"The hell they won't! They started that whole disaster! Something is surely bound to happen!" His voice grows gradually louder from aggravation and slight worry.

Takano is losing patience, "Give it a rest. Shiro explained as best he could. Turns out, they're deserters. They went under the radar a couple of years ago. You know full well that not all hunters serve their association voluntarily. The point is they are going to live like normal people." He waits for a response, but there is only a chain of soft breaths. "I know. It sounds stupid, but it seems serious to them… Honestly, they don't seem bad. One is a bit of an idiot while the smart one can be craz–" He pauses from an uneasy feeling. He peeks over to the opening of the kitchen where the smell of lunch was coming from. Probably beef. Shiro is bent over backwards where he can look back at Takano. You didn't need to see his eyes behind his hair to know that he is leering. "… Full of personality. Anyway, don't bother trying to negotiate with me. No way in hell I'm going back to the main house. It may take effort, but I'm quite fine with how it has turned out."

"None of that bullshit. Just come to my place until you find somewhere new. You can just leave Haitani there." Takano knew it would come to this. Ah. This is what this is about. I'm sorry man. That's in the past.

"I can live in my own house, thank you. And it's going to be this one. They're not going to do anything bad to me, that I know of, so drop it."

"…Fine, you want to stay. Go ahead. My door will be open when this blows up in your face." Suddenly a large explosion. Gun fire was sounding. Women and children are screaming. What the f***! Takano turns around to Shiro standing right behind him. His stretched out hand held a small square speaker that the voices of chaos are springing from. Yokozawa can't comprehend the madness he is listening to, "What the f*** is going on over there!"

"Nothing! Just a war film on tv. Gotta go. Bye." He hangs up, Shiro's cue to cut off the speaker. "Why did you do that?"

"I just thought you really wanted to end that phone call." He could have helped in a better way, but Takano admits it was funny. "Also, I want a second opinion on this soup. Ritsu is outside setting security and Haitani is… not in a good mood, so you're the man for the job." It's not he had anything better to do. The speaker disappears into Shiro's clenched hand and he starts back to the kitchen with the werewolf behind him. The soup was steaming up. The oven had some dish inside. Counters were covered with various vegetables and a cutting board. A sauce simmers in a pan.

"Wow. You're going all out." Not that he was complaining.

"Ritsu and I missed breakfast. When there's so much to do that you forget to eat. Ritsu is more guilty of that than me. Plus, it's been awhile since I cooked for more than two people. I just want to make an effort." He rolls the sleeves of the grey button-down shirt up to the elbows. Takano eyes widen from the collage of marks on muscled flesh. A burn scar below the left elbow. Bullet wounds throughout the arms and one on the back of the left hand. Torn jagged lines over the right ulna. The ones rather heartbreaking were the faded slit scars over the wrists. Shiro takes notice of his expression, " It's rude to stare." It is hard to tell if he sounds sad or angry.

"Sorry. I didn't–"

"Don't make a big deal out of it… Comes with this kind of life." He begins stirring the ladle around and pours out a small saucer to sample. "Here " Miso soup. Takano takes a sip. Wow. It is amazing, but there is something new. Mildly spicy. "What's your opinion? It needs something? Needs less of something?"

"…It's just– Good. I can say I've never tasted miso like this before." A roommate who can cook–Bonus. "Can I expect something like this from Onodera?" Shiro was quiet for two seconds. Then, he clenches his ribs as he laughs hysterically. Takano actually felt his eardrums rattle. Sorry I asked.

Shiro finally collects himself, "Okay… Sorry. I love the guy, but he can't do anything housework related. A real lazy ass. The only thing he puts effort in is his job."

"By the way, what are you two going to do?" He should at least learn that about them.

"Oh–Well, Ritsu has a friend that hooked him up with a job as an editor. It sort of what he has always wanted."

"Really? The two of us are actually editors in publishing companies."

"Whoa! Small world!" Shiro turns back into the overexcited goofball he was after the battle a few hours ago. "Oh! You should know that we know Hatori."

"What? How?"

"His boyfriend has been our pen pal for the last twenty years. Chiaki talks about him all the time. He even wrote to us a couple of times. He probably doesn't know that we're hunters; he must think we're two old men who were childhood friends of Chiaki's grandfather… Geez, I hope that meeting goes better than what happened this morning." The goofiness was gone. "…Listen Takano. You don't how much I appreciate that you are trying to make this strange arrangement work… After everything that has happened, it's going to be difficult to earn each other's trust; just know that you already have mine. I think I can trust you." Shiro gives a smile and turns to the vegetables.

This was what Takano was hoping for – a chance. "Good. Same here. Believe it or not I-. What you did back then – I respect what you were trying to do. You took a big risk. The so-called calamity– It wasn't your fault. Many monsters feel that way. They know you did the right thing. It's good to have a hunter like you here again."

Those words made an warm impact on Shiro. He goes on washing the salad greens. "I going to be busy for awhile. Why don't you go outside and get acquainted with Ritsu." Takano feels uneasy. He sees it's not going to be easy to make friends, but they are going to be living together.

"I don't know. He doesn't seem to want to be friends. Wasn't his exact words about it, 'Not a chance in hell?'" Shiro flinches at this. He shuts off the water.

"How–How much of that conversation did you hear?" Comically, sweat was running down his face.

Takano smirks, "From the start to the 'GAAHH' part. I would love a rematch to pay you back for the 'Pow' to the face."

Shiro was flushed from embarrassment . However, he straightens up and takes a deep breath. He says, "Very well. I accept your challenge. We can talk about the terms later. Right now, you have another quarrel to deal with." He points to the front door. Takano rolls his eyes knowing Shiro is still on the subject of Onodera.

"Okay. Okay… I'll go make nice. I look forward to lunch, Kimura."

"My friends call me Shiro. You're no exception." His grin was welcoming.

Takano chuckles as he walks to the exit. He response, "Sure thing, Shiro. Shout when it's ready." He goes through the door. The outside is warm and refreshing. Sunlight is beaming straight down on the midday. The light radiates the trees and grass. The rustles of the creatures travel like wind in every direction.

A smell comes to Takano. Ritsu's sweat. It trails off to the south side of the house; it goes past the trees. He treads further to find two figures ten meters ahead. One is human and the other rectangular on thin poles.

Takano finds himself following Shiro's example to observe everything. The trunk standing on its weird legs. The trees have some kind on alarm box attached to them. Ritsu on his knees tearing up dirt with his bare hands. His coat is gone, leaving him in a tight, white undershirt. Something scrawny but muscled is a paradox. It shouldn't be possible yet he is looking at it–and it sure is beautiful. Beauty that was decorated with the same kind of collage that cover Shiro's arms. There are fewer on these arms, but they are still hard to look at. Bullet wounds are as noticeable as moles. His hands are covered in dirt; the dirt lays on top of the small cut scars over the fingers. An impalement scar goes through each palm like nails were driven through them. Ritsu twists his body to grab a disc-like object beside him. The right arm came into view; so did the pink line that runs around his upper arm–an amputation reattachment scar that is now faded.

There was so much to these wound. Takano was not sure what he was feeling. It could be pity, sorrow, or… anger. Why would he feel angry? Because he doesn't know what happened? Or is it because of how painful they look? So many questions.

He walks closer. Ritsu raises his head now paying attention to the footsteps. He looks irritated. Takano assumes it's because of him, but Ritsu merely hates digging. At one moment, their eyes meet. Takano couldn't look away from the emerald color. His feet keep moving as he is lured in by the wonder before him.

Ritsu's eyes lower to Takano feet. Suddenly, his expression turns to fear. He shoots up to his feet and throws one hand out, "Stop!"

Takano needed a moment to snap out of his concentration. It was too late to react to the 'click' under his foot.

Ritsu presses one foot against the tree behind him. He locks his glimmering green eyes on his objective, Takano. He kicks off and the tree under his foot blows to pieces. Takano is thrown back. The spring trigger he stood on comes up. A white flash of electrical sparks fills his vision.

Shiro jumps from a familiar noise outside. What the heck…Shit. I knew I forgot to tell Takano something. He knows they will be okay, but what else could possibly go wrong today. He stops stirring the soup and clenches the ladle. Come on Universe. We've had enough disasters. Give us a break.

Footsteps made it to the bottom of the stairs toward the kitchen. Haitani walks in with a new t-shirt on, muscles still being shown off. He looks over to the nutcase that gave him a K.O. just an hour ago. He was done sulking in his room. It was time to face this issue; even if blood was necessary. He merely says, "Hey."

Shiro flinches at the voice. The ladle bends to the impression of his curling fingers. Rose red flushes over his entire head. Thoughts of what happened fought for attention with the thoughts of what to do now. Drawing blanks, Shiro looks up to the ceiling.

Universe? STOP BEING A BITCH!

Note from the Author: Hello. Sorry it has been so long. This chapter supposed to be longer, but I'm in a bit of a pickle. Too many things are going on right now and too many things are on my mind. It's messing up my writing process. Thank you for your support. Please review. Hope you enjoy the story so far. I'll update as soon as I can. Til Then.