●・○・●・○・●
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE,
good old times

-

༇ TWO hours later, the room has dimmed slightly. A nurse adjusted the lights after noticing Kaoru kept squinting at them. They've stopped asking questions for now.

He doesn't sleep. He doesn't blink much, either.
Every now and then his body jerks, like it's is trying to remind the world it's still here, though Kaoru himself is miles away.

A soft knock comes at the curtain, and a nurse peeks in. "Still no parent contact?" she whispers to another.

"No. We're searching, but no confirmed match yet. He doesn't have his phone or ID with him."

"Any signs of self-harm?"

"No. The burn looks accidental. The rest of him's clean."

Kaoru hears them, but he doesn't process it as real. Another hour later, the pain starts changing.

It's not distant anymore. It sharpens. Kaoru starts breathing faster again, short little gasps that don't quite make it to his chest.

"Kaoru?" the nurse says gently. "You're in pain. That's normal. We're going to give you something stronger now."

As soon as the IV drip starts, his body shudders violently. His jaw clamps shut so hard that his teeth ache. His eyes squeeze closed and his legs jerk under the blanket.

"It's okay, Kaoru. The discomfort only lasts for a little while," the nurse assures.

His eyes are wide now, wild, even dilated, shining with something close to panic. "I want my mom," he whispers.

Dr. Okabe, who walks in right then asks, "Do you remember her name?"

Finally, a breath. "She calls herself 'Baya' to most."

There is a visible change in the doctor's composure. "Baya?" She repeats, blinking at Kaoru. "Wait, is your father Chishiya?"

He slowly nods.

"Oh." Dr. Okabe sounds-and looks-shocked. "I guess the pills were expired after all, then," she mutters. "Alright, Kaoru, thank you for telling me. We'll contact them right now. You're doing really well."

It doesn't take long for Baya and Chishiya to arrive. Kaoru is still half-curled in the hospital bed when the door opens. Baya walks in first. Her hair is pulled back hastily. She sees him and covers her mouth with her hand, breath catching. Chishiya is right behind her.

Kaoru doesn't say anything. He turns his face toward the wall, embarrassed.

"Kaoru," Baya says gently.every part of him twists. Shame burns hotter than the wound now. It wraps around his chest, squeezes his lungs. His body feels heavy and stupid and childish in the worst way. Sixteen year olds are supposed to be independent. They're supposed to handle burns with ice and dignity, not show up at a hospital without a phone, a name, or a clue. He blinks hard. Keeps his face turned away.

The bed dips gently. He dares a glance. It's his mom. Her hands are folded on her lap, waiting for him. "Do you want us to leave?"

Kaoru swallows. "No."

Chishiya stands at the foot of the bed, arms crossed, expression unreadable, but Kaoru doesn't miss the way his gaze flicks to the bandaged arm, then to his face. He doesn't say anything about the injury. Or the idiocy of spilling a water over his arm like a clumsy little kid.

"I didn't mean to," Kaoru says suddenly, too fast. "I wasn't- it was boiling. And I- my brain didn't... it just- I forgot your name. I forgot Dad's name. I forgot numbers. I couldn't even tell them who to call. I read books about emergencies, and I couldn't even- it was water. It wasn't a gunshot. It wasn't even that much water. I should've been able to-"

"Hey," Baya interrupts. "It's okay. We're proud that you even thought of going here, alright? And everything will be fine."

"You were in pain," Chishiya adds. "Shock messes with memory. It happens to adults. It happens to doctors. It happens to everyone."

Kaoru clenches his jaw and shuts his eyes tight. "The burn- they said it damaged my nerves, Dad," he whispers.

In the angle of Chishiya's shoulders, something tenses. "Is it your dominant hand?" he asks after a moment.

Kaoru nods once. He feels the shame crawl deeper. "They said they don't know yet," he mumbles. "But if the nerves don't start working again in a few weeks, it might be permanent. My fingers... they might not move the same. Or at all. And they said sometimes when you lose sensation, you don't notice when it gets worse, and then it gets infected. Or my hand gets amputated. That's what they said. They said it might be better if I don't get my hopes up."

Baya's face twists. An involuntary movement, like her body remembered something before her mind had the words for it.

A sudden silence thickens around them. His father glances toward the window. His mother stares at his bandaged arm like it offends her. No, not like that- like it scares her.

Kaoru doesn't know why, but for some reason that expression guts him more than anything else. He hates the tears he sees balancing in her eyes like they're afraid to fall.

"It's probably not that bad," he quickly adds. "Don't cry, Mom."

"It's not that," she mumbles, real low. Then she stands up, wiping her eyes. "Is the doctor here? Or a nurse?"

"There." Kaoru points outside, at Dr. Okabe, who's visible through the window of the door.

"Okay. We'll talk to her." Baya places a long kiss on Kaoru's forehead. "Try to get some sleep, okay?"

"Okay."

Chishiya and Baya make their way outside. Baya clears her throat to get the doctor's attention, and when she turns around-

"Oh."
"Oh!"
"Oh."

Three 'oh's at the same time. The three of them stare at each other for several seconds before Baya clears her throat once again, "Eh, hi. Long time no see."

"Hi." Dr. Okabe looks just as baffled, even though Kaoru already told her about his parents. "Yes. Eh, how is everything going? I see everything... evolved well."

"Certainly," Chishiya confirms. "How bad is his burn? He's panicking about the consequences."

"A third degree burn," Dr. Okabe explains. "Might've damaged his nerves, but so far, no signs of paralysis. It's very possible he loses feeling in the upper layers of his skin, though. Healing process will be tough, but I think it's safe to say he'll be alright."

A deep, relieved sigh escapes Baya. "Thank God. And thank you. It seems you knew how to treat his overstimulation very well."

"Of course." Dr. Okabe nods. "Does he have sensory issues?"

"SPD and level one ASD."

"I figured. But he did very well and showed us his boundaries. I'm glad he's feeling better now, too." The doctor gifts them a soft smile. "How are you guys? It's been, what? Eighteen years?"

The biggest grin forms on Baya's face. "We're good. Really good, actually. We're married and have three kids. One boy, two girls. Kaoru's the oldest. He's sixteen. Hana's fifteen and Sakiko's three. What about you?"

"My husband and I got a daughter. Seika's fifteen, too."

Baya gasps and blurts out, "She should meet Hana."

Chishiya raises a brow. Dr. Okabe, thankfully, looks excited as well. "She should! And we should catch up. I'd love to meet your kids. Sakiko's a lovely name."

"Thank you." Baya somehow looks happier than ever. She grabs Chishiya arm, shaking it roughly. "I love this. Okay, when are you free? And when can Kaoru be dismissed?"

"He's already dismissed. We have to discuss the healing process, but after that, you're free to leave. We'll also give you medication, of course. I'll also give you my personal number- since we've apparently just decided we're friends."

"Okabe, we have been friends for eighteen years," Baya says dramatically. "We just all forgot."

●・○・●・○・●

Back home, Kaoru immediately disappears in his room to rest. Hana is, as always, also in her room, and Baya and Chishiya know better than to disturb her peace.

However, once they walk down the stairs, they can already hear her door creaking open, footsteps padding to Kaoru's room.

Sakiko wears pajamas with little cats on them, sitting on Baya's lap on the couch. Her eyes are narrowed in concentration. Her eyebrows are drawn in a way so precise and dry it's alarming how much she resembles her father. But where Chishiya is careful with his words, Koko is... not.

Chishiya sits beside them, barely looking as his phone, as though waiting for something far more interesting to unfold. Which it does.

"Mama," Koko begins, her tone overly sweet.

"Yes, baby?"

"Why do you always talk so loud?"

Baya blinks. "I don't talk that loud."

"You yell a lot."

"I don't yell," Baya insists, offended but holding it together. "I have a... projecting voice."

"That means yelling," Koko says flatly.

"It does not!"

Koko just blinks at her.

Baya looks over at Chishiya for backup. Chishiya doesn't even look up. "She's not wrong."

Baya narrows her eyes at both of them. "Are you... are you teaming up against me?"

Koko turns her head slowly toward her father, then back at Baya. "Me and Papa are on the same team. You're on... the other one."

"Oh, wow."

Koko pats Baya's chest. "It's okay. You can be on the other team. It's still a team."

"I gave birth to you, and now you're abandoning me?"

Koko tilts her head. "Did it hurt?"

"Yes."

"Hm."

Baya sighs heavily, adjusting her grip around Koko's little body. The toddler smells like baby lotion and some kind of candy.

"You know, some kids are nice to their mommies," Baya mutters.

Koko peers up at her. "Some mommies are good at cooking."

Baya looks like she's been shot. "Excuse me?"

Chishiya exhales through his nose. Quietly. But there is unmistakable joy in it.

"I make you dinner every night!"

Koko shrugs. "But Daddy fixes it."

"All he does it add salt."

"Because you forget!"

"I'm going to cry."

"You cry a lot," Koko says seriously.

"I do not cry a lot!" Baya glares at both of them. "I can't believe this. My own child. My own husband."

Koko perks up. "Papa is the best."

Baya narrows her eyes. "If Papa is so great, maybe he should braid your hair tomorrow."

"I already asked him to," Koko announces proudly. "He said yes."

Chishiya doesn't deny it.

Baya gasps. "You betrayed me?!"

"You pulled too hard last time," Koko says.

"You're three," Baya says to her. "You're not supposed to be this... this sneaky."

Koko whispers, "Papa teaches me things."

Baya turns, wide-eyed, to Chishiya. "What are you teaching her?!"

"How to get the good snacks before you notice they're gone."

"We hid the cookies," Koko adds.

"You what?!"

"In the bathroom cabinet. Behind the towels."

"You're training her!" Baya cries. "You're turning her into a you!"

"She has potential," Chishiya murmurs.

Koko folds her arms and mimics his tone. "Potential." Then, she taps Baya's shirt. "You don't really match your clothes good. Papa says you look like a cheap couch."

Suddenly alarmed, Chishiya looks up. "I did not say that. Ever."

Koko grins widely. "Made you panic!" Her little hand pats Baya's stomach absently. "But it's okay. Some moms don't know fashion. Papa has pretty hands. Yours are full of scratches and your nails look weird."

"I do housework!"

"Daddy doesn't have to do housework. Daddy has a job."

Baya lets her head fall back against the couch dramatically. "Why are you even sitting on me if I'm so awful?"

Sakiko climbs up her torso until they're eye to eye. "Because Papa said I had to do reconnaissance."

"I don't know what that means," Baya whispers, terrified. "Why can you even pronounce that?"

"It means spying on a situation before taking action," Chishiya explains.

"I'm supposed to ask you questions and collect information," Sakiko whispers, cupping her hands around Baya's ear. "Like how long you take in the bathroom. And if you remember to turn off the stove."

"Are you kidding me? You're using our daughter as a spy?"

"She offered."

"She's two! How is her vocabulary even this expanded?"

"I'm starting to believe she's intellectually gifted," Chishiya responds. "That would mean only one of our kids is alright in the head."

"I know everything," Koko says. "Like where you hide snacks you think Papa doesn't know about."

"You told him?"

"He said if I tell him all your secrets, I can stay up past bedtime one night."

Baya glares at Chishiya, then at Sakiko. "I gave birth to you. I made you. From scratch. In my body. You can't love anyone more than me."

"Like a project?"

"Yes."

"Papa says he was the blueprint."

Baya groans into her hands.

Sakiko continues happily. "Papa is just sweeter."

"This is the most brutal evening of my life."

"I doubt that," Chishiya mutters.

Sakiko pats her cheek gently. "You're doing your best, Mama. You're just not the best."

"Sakiko." Her father's voice sharpens. "That's enough. Don't talk to your mother like that."

There's a look in Baya now that Chishiya notices. The corners of her mouth aren't fighting to smile anymore. Her gaze is fixed on the wall. Sakiko pulls her face away slightly and looks up. Her eyes scan Baya's face, the downturned lips, and the sadness hiding in the corners of her eyes. Her eyebrows pull together.

"Why're you sad?"

"I'm not," Baya says too quickly.

Sakiko frowns. "Yes, you are."

"I'm fine, Koko."

"You're lying."

Baya hesitates, then lets out a tiny breath. "Just a little sad. That's all."

"Why?"

Baya shrugs. "I dunno."

Sakiko reaches out with two small, warm hands to hold Baya's cheeks. "Mama," she says seriously. "You're pretty."

Baya's eyes widen a little.

"You make good noodles. Even if they don't have salt."

A tiny laugh escapes Baya.

"And you... um... you hug good."

"Thanks, baby."

"I didn't mean all the mean things."

Baya blinks. "You didn't?"

"Well, I did," Sakiko says honestly. "But I didn't mean them mean. Don't be sad, Mama. You're the only mama I got. And you're squishy. That's good."

"I'm squishy?"

"Very," Sakiko confirms, nestling her face into Baya's shoulder. "But you're still sad."

Baya gives her a weak smile. "No, Koko, I'm okay now."

"You're lying again."

"It's okay to be a little sad sometimes."

"But you're not allowed to be sad if I'm here. That's the deal."

"What deal?"

"The deal I made when I was a baby." Sakiko's voice is steady. "I saw you cry once when you were holding me in the hospital and I said, 'I'll fix it when I get big.'"

"You said that?"

"Yes. In my baby brain." Sakiko touches her own forehead. "Right here."

Baya closes her eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply. Her arms come back around Sakiko and hold her closer, tighter, and she nods slowly. "Don't say mean things, okay? Not to anyone."

"I'm not mean," Sakiko insists. "I just say what I see."

"And what do you see now?"

Sakiko puts a hand on each side of Baya's face again. "A pretty lady with sad eyes and long arms. But your arms are good for hugs. Your face is kinda confused, but it's getting happier."

Baya bites her lip to keep it from trembling. "That's a nice description."

"You're my favorite squishy. Don't tell Papa."

"I heard that," Chishiya calls lazily.

"Sorry, Papa," Sakiko says, "you can be second best for one day."

"I'm flattered."

"And I like Mama's belly. It's warm."

"Well, you lived in my belly for seven months."

"I did good."

"You did amazing."

"Did it hurt?"

"More than anything."

"Thank you for getting hurt."

Baya's breath catches. For a moment, her throat tightens too much to speak. She just looks down at her daughter, blinking hard. "You don't have to thank me for that."

"I do, because I love you more than strawberries. And I promise I don't love Papa more. I just love you different. Mama, don't be sad anymore. If I ever get rich, I'll buy you a castle."

"A castle?"

"A big one. You and me will live in it. Daddy can visit if he brings snacks."

Baya can barely breathe through the mess of emotion in her throat. She presses her lips to Sakiko's forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Mama. But you do dress weird." A pause. "Mama?"

"Yeah?"

"Was I planned?"

"Planned?"

Sakiko nods. "Hana says Kaoru wasn't planned. Was I planned?"

"Yeah, you were planned."

"Was Kaoru really not?"

"Even though we're very happy with Kaoru and would never trade the way things happened, yes, he wasn't planned."

"What was it like to find out?"

●・○・●・○・●

The test sits on the edge of the sink. Two bright pink lines. Baya stares at it, crouched on the bathroom floor, knees pressed to her chest. Her hair is a mess. She's in one of Chishiya's shirts, the hem brushing her thighs.

She hasn't moved in ten minutes. Outside the bathroom, the world continues like it doesn't know her entire life has changed. There's the sound of Chishiya typing on his laptop in the next room.

She takes a breath, but it shakes. They've had the 'what if' conversation before. She remembers his exact words: "I wouldn't be thrilled. But I wouldn't be gone." It had been said while he brushed his teeth. That sums him up perfectly: casual, clinical, and honest.

They're twenty-six. Not kids. But not... these kinds of adults either. She picks up the test again and squints at it like maybe the second line is a prank. It isn't.

Another minute passes before she stands. Her legs feel heavy. She opens the door, moving down the hall.

Chishiya sits at the dining table in black sweatpants and a loose shirt, staring at his screen. There's a bowl of half-eaten cereal next to him. It's been there for two hours.

He looks up when he hears her. "You okay?"

She doesn't answer. She just walks up and holds the stick like it's radioactive.

Chishiya blinks once, then looks at the test. Then at her. Then back at the test.

Silence.

More silence.

"Is it yours?"

She smacks his arm with the back of her hand. "Chishiya!"

"Sorry," he says dryly, pushing his laptop shut.

She sits down across from him, dropping the test between them. "I'm pregnant."

"I gathered."

"Are you going to say anything else?"

Chishiya stares at the test. "How long have you known?"

"Ten minutes."

"Have you thrown up yet?"

"No."

"Do you want to?"

"A little."

He nods, then leans back in the chair and exhales slowly through his nose. There's no panic on his face. Just that deep, unreadable thinking expression he always has.

"Say something."

"I'm thinking."

"I know you're thinking. Say something human."

He rubs the back of his neck. "It's not... the worst thing that could've happened."

"That's your bar?"

He shrugs. "It's a high bar."

They fall into silence again. The test stares at them.

He meets her eyes. "Do you want to keep it?"

"I think so." She hesitates. "Do you?"

He taps his fingers against the table once. Twice. "I don't hate the idea."

She bites her lip. "We're not even married!"

"Do you want to be?"

Her heart jumps. "What?"

"Do you want to be?" he repeats.

"I didn't say that to get you to propose."

"I know. I'm not proposing. I'm asking a question."

"Well, yes. Obviously I want to get married. I literally wanted to get married the second we left the Borderlands, but someone's taking his time." She peeks at him through her fingers. "You're being very calm about this."

"I have to balance you out."

She breaks. A small laugh slips out. Then a sob. Then both at once. She turns sideways and buries her face in his chest. His arms come around her instantly. He rubs her back, fingers tracing small circles like he always does when she cries.

"I hope it's not an idiot."

Baya groans. "Oh my God, we're going to raise it together, and it's going to have your personality."

"And your chaos."

"That's child abuse."

They laugh. It's a strange, nervous kind of laugh, but it helps.

●・○・●・○・●

Inside Aguni's house hangs the smell of vegetables, meats, and cinnamon. The long wooden table is covered in dishes, and everyone-Baya, Heiya, Chishiya, Ann, Kuina, Aguni, Arisu, and Usagi-moves easily around each other in the kitchen and dining room, the natural flow of old friends with years of chaos behind them.

Baya's smiling as she pulls a tray of cinnamon rolls out of the oven, her cheeks flushed from the heat. Kuina hoots in approval when the smell hits her.

"You've outdone yourself," Kuina says, leaning against the counter with a wine glass in hand.

"I helped," Arisu adds, though he very much did not.

"You tasted one raw potato and then wandered off," Baya says, setting the tray down. "Sit back down and stop pretending you're useful."

He laughs and raises his hands in mock surrender. Kuina snorts and downs another sip of her drink. Arisu grabs the second bottle of wine and waves it her way.

"Want one?"

Baya opens her mouth to say yes, then she blinks and waves a hand. "Oh. No thanks. I'm not drinking."

Kuina pauses mid-sip. The room seems to pause with her.

Arisu frowns a little. "You're not?"

Baya freezes just slightly. "Just not in the mood."

Kuina doesn't blink. She doesn't look away. Not from Baya's face. Not from her hand, which rests lightly on her lower stomach without her even realizing it. Not from the way Baya's smile twitches.

"You're not in the mood," Kuina echoes slowly. "Or... you can't drink?"

Baya swallows.

Arisu's eyes go wide. He stares at Baya, then at Kuina, then again at Baya.

It hits both of them like a slap. They drop their glasses at the same time.

Wine spills across the counter and down the cabinet doors in dark red streams, glass exploding in every direction. The sound of it is loud.

From the other room, a chorus of voices instantly responds.

"Hey?!" Aguni's voice.

"Is someone hurt?!" Usagi.

"Yuzuki?" Chishiya.

Footsteps thunder against the floor.

Chishiya is first. He bursts into the kitchen like something might be on fire. Before she knows it, he's by her side, holding a hand against her stomach. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Baya says quickly.

Ann is close behind, stepping carefully through the broken glass, followed by Aguni and Usagi. Arisu is still gaping beside the sink. Kuina has one hand over her mouth, her eyes now huge.

"What happened?" Ann asks calmly.

"We're fine, it just fell, I mean-" Baya starts, and then Kuina interrupts her, voice somewhere between a squeal and a gasp: "Are you pregnant?"

Everything stops again.

Aguni's eyebrows rise a full inch. Usagi lets out a tiny 'ohhh' under her breath. Chishiya blinks once.

Kuina grips the countertop and points at Baya with both hands. "You're pregnant! Aren't you? That's why you're not drinking!"

Baya exhales. "...Yes."

A beat of pure, stunned silence.

"WHAT!" Kuina finally screams.
"Congratulations," Ann says at the same time.

Usagi claps her hands to her mouth. Aguni leans back against the wall like he saw this coming somehow. Heiya squeals. Arisu seems like he doesn't know how to respond and is literally copying everyone's movements.

"You were gonna hide this from us?!" Kuina cries. "How far along?! When were you gonna tell us?! Was I supposed to find out when you went into labor on my carpet?!"

"We were gonna tell you after dinner!"

Usagi pulls her into a hug. "I'm so happy for you. Both of you."

Chishiya finally comes to his senses and announces, "She's eight weeks."

Everyone turns to him.

Kuina narrows her eyes. "You knew?"

"I'm the father," he deadpans. "At least, I hope so."

"Okay, but you knew and still didn't say anything?!"

The room erupts into talking, laughter, overlapping congratulations. Arisu attempts to clean up the glass and immediately cuts his finger. Ann takes over. Aguni opens another bottle of wine and pours large glasses, and pours Baya a glass of sparkling water. Usagi takes photos. Kuina makes a speech. Arisu keeps asking if the baby is going to inherit Chishiya's 'terrifying lizard eyes.'

●・○・●・○・●

"Ohhh!" Sakiko gasps once the story is told. "Cute! And then with Hana? And me? What was it like?"

"I was pregnant with Hana six months after Kaoru was born. Usagi was pregnant at the same time. She announced it, and your father ruined the moment with 'Oh, us too'. With you, the announcement felt different, because no one was expecting us to get any more kids. I mean, Hana was twelve and Kaoru was thirteen."

"But I was planned, yeah?"

"Yeah." Baya smiles. "You were."

Then, slowly, Sakiko turns to Chishiya. The sweetest smile grows on her lips. "Papa?"

"Mhm."

"Kaoru says-"

"No."

"Kaoru-"

"No."

"But-"

"No."

"He said-"

"No."

"-that you-"

"Sakiko."

"But Kaoru said-"

"No."

"Kaorusaidyoufaintedatthewedding!" Sakiko yells. "Is that true?"

"No," Chishiya denies. "It's not."

"It is! He even showed me the pictures! What went through your mind, Papa?"

●・○・●・○・●

They got married in a typical Japanese garden, with blossoms and wooden huts, and flowers and wiggly paths.

The very small amount of guests chatter quietly. Aguni, Ann, Heiya, and Usagi sit in the crowd, Kaoru planted on Usagi's lap and Hana on Aguni's (yes, the crowd consists of six people). Kuina happily agreed to be Baya's maid of honor.

Somehow, Arisu became Chishiya's best man.

No one knows how.

Some of them guess that Baya made it happen.

Some guess that one day, Chishiya was like, 'I need a best man' and it just... got decided.

Whatever.

Chishiya stands like a statue. Baya forced him into a baby blue suit, brown belt, and white shirt, and he looks like he's hating every second of this, though he also looks half-happy (probably for Baya's sake).

Kuina, next to him in a sleek red dress, whispers, "You good?"

"I am fine."

"You're vibrating."

"It's called standing."

"It's called panic."

Chishiya ignores her. His eyes are locked on the corner that Baya will walk past. Any moment now.

The blossoms flutter like confetti in the soft breeze. Sunlight filters through the trees. The air smells faintly of green tea, moss, and flowers.

Chishiya's hands are cold. He won't admit it, of course. Not even to himself. But they are. Cold and slightly trembling and tucked neatly behind his back so no one can see. He has the distinct sensation of being too aware of his own bones.

"Still standing?" Kuina murmurs beside him.

Chishiya doesn't answer. His eyes are fixed on the winding stone path that cuts through the garden.

The music starts. Soft and traditional before Baya appears from the corner. The moment she steps into view, a pause seems to roll over the entire garden.

She wears white. Not hospital white, but a warm, creamy white that glows in the natural light. The gown fits like it was sewn onto her body by someone in love with every inch of her. The bodice is covered in tiny hand sewn petals that glimmer when she moves. Her arms are bare. Her veil is long, covered in pearls.

Her eyes are on him the entire walk. He can't look away. He tries to count his heartbeats to calm down. It doesn't work. His heart is sprinting. Partly because he never expected to be in this position. Partly because he doesn't like all these eyes on him. Partly because he realizes how dumb he must look next to such an ethereal person.

When Baya reaches him and takes his hand, her fingers are warm and steady. He's not sure how. His feel like paper.

"Hi," she whispers.

"Hi," he says back. It comes out a little hoarse, which embarrass him even more. Never in his life has he felt this much pressure.

The officiant clears her throat with grace and begins. "We gather here today, in the presence of family and friends, to celebrate the union of these two hearts-"

Chishiya only half-hears it. His focus is on her thumb, brushing over the back of his hand. On the smell of something sweet that clings to her skin. On the tilt of her head as she listens. ,

"These two have prepared their vows."

Baya goes first.

"You're the most impossible person I've ever met. You don't speak unless it's necessary, and when you do, you're usually saying something infuriating. You spend too much time thinking, and not enough time sleeping. You steal the blankets. You eat cereal like it's a ritual. And somehow, I love you so much it makes my heart hurt."

When we met, I didn't think either of us would ever kindly communicate. And I never imagined a future after the Borderlands. But I kept living, and you were there. We're both stubborn. And difficult. And bad at being vulnerable. But I love you, and I know you love me. Even when you pretend not to. Even when you roll your eyes. Even when you say you don't care, but you're already taking care of it."

"I trust you with everything I am. You're my peace, my quiet, and the only person I'll never get tired of being angry at. I love you in a way that rewrites my past and makes the future look survivable. I love you more every time you sigh and say I'm being irrational. And I will love you when we're old and yelling at each other about grocery lists. I will love you when you're silent. I will love you when I don't know what to say. I will love you through everything."

There's a beat of stunned silence.

Chishiya swallows hard. His face is still blank. Baya is full on sobbing and laughing at once.

"Your vows, Shuntarō," the officiant says.

He turns to Baya. The moment his eyes meet hers, something in him folds.

"I thought I would die alone. Not sad or dramatically, just alone. My entire life, I had that mindset. I would have never guessed someone like Yuzuki would interfere. I always thought the safest place in the world was behind glass, where no one could touch you. Then you walked in. And you broke the glass."

"I have never wanted anything the way I want to stay near you. You are the only person who scares me, because if I lost you, I'd feel it forever. You taught me how to stay. And even now, I don't know if I deserve you. But I want to."

"If you died tomorrow, I would forget I ever existed and join you. Just because I pushed you away doesn't mean I didn't want you there. I care about your thoughts, your hopes, and your dreams. I love you more than I thought I could love anything."

"And if I forget to say it, just know... my bed is cold without you."

Kuina is weeping behind him. Arisu is openly sobbing. Heiya is gulping. Usagi has her head on Ann's shoulder. Aguni looks like he might be actually feeling something.

Chishiya, meanwhile, is doing his best to hold himself together. The world is tilting. His ears are ringing. His knees feel like syrup. Something about the sunlight, the crowd of people, and the unbearable weight of what he just said is too much.

"Shuntarō Chishiya," the officiant says, smiling now. "You may now kiss the-"

A stiff, sudden collapse straight forward.

"Oh my God!" Kuina yells, already diving toward him.

"PAPA!" Kaoru screams.

Baya lunges, too late to stop it. He's out cold.

"Did he just... did he actually-" Usagi is halfway between gasping and laughing.

Ann crouches beside him, checking his pulse. "He's fine. He just fainted."

Baya is trying not to laugh as she gently taps his cheek. "Shuntarō. You didn't even make it to the kiss."

"YOU KISSED THE FLOOR INSTEAD," Kuina yells.

Chishiya groans faintly.

"I knew he was vibrating," Kuina then mutters.

Aguni grumbles, "He survived the King of Spades but not a wedding dress."

Baya breaks into laughter so hard she has to bend over. "He fainted! Over me!"

Chishiya blinks up at them all, looking vaguely betrayed. "...it's the heat."

"You saw me and died," Baya beams. "This is the best day of my life."

"You look... alarming," Chishiya mumbles.

"Alarming?"

He slowly blinks up at her. "You had sparkles."

Kuina wheezes, "We've lost him again."

Baya shakes her head and kisses his forehead. "Okay. Water. Breathe. Let's stand up together and try again."

"Just... just kiss me. Roll me to the afterparty. Roll me to our honeymoon."

"No."

"Drag me."

"No."

"Wheelbarrow?"

"Get. Up."

Aguni hauls Chishiya up with such ease that it's honestly more embarrassing than fainting.

●・○・●・○・●

"What's a honeymoon?" Sakiko asks.

"A holiday for the bridge and the groom. For after they get married."

"Ohh! Where did you go?"

"Sri Lanka," Baya replies.

"How long?"

"Two weeks. I still thank Aguni, Kuina, and Ann everyday for watching Kaoru and Hana."

"What did you do?"

Baya pauses. "Well," she says slowly, "we did a lot of... relaxing. You know, Kaoru and Hana were exhausted to handle."

"Relaxing?" Sakiko echoes.

"Yep. Lots of sleeping in. Naps. Rest. Very, very restful trip," Baya nods with a deeply exaggerated smile.

Sakiko squints at both of them, suspicious. "What else?"

"Oh, swimming," Baya adds quickly. "Lots of swimming. We had a private pool with a fancy wall- like, colorful stones."

"A very sturdy wall and a waterfall feature," Chishiya says between innocent coughs.

"I like waterfalls," Sakiko says. "Did you go on adventures?"

"Yes, we explored. I literally stole every single free piece of soap in the bathroom, and I explored the kitchen cabinets, and-"

"The balcony, the hallway-"

Baya side-eyes him. "We also had room service," she says louder. "Lots of delicious food. And massages."

Sakiko gasps. "I want massages!"

"Oh, you would've loved it," Baya says, smoothing Sakiko's hair. "We didn't have to cook or clean or get anyone juice. Just relax."

Sakiko leans in closer. "Did you kiss?"

"Once or twice," Baya says with a wink.

Sakiko covers her mouth and giggles. "Did you see monkeys?"

"Yes! We saw monkeys, and elephants, and even a baby turtle."

"And crabs," Chishiya adds. "Which your mother screamed at."

"They moved weirdly! Like... sideways."

"You threw a shoe at one."

"It charged at me."

"It was six inches wide."

"That's big for a crab!"

"But the bruise on Papa's forehead after he fainted was bigger!"

Chishiya's amused expression fades. "I think I'm going to ask Kaoru if he wants to make me some pasta."

"Shuntarō!" Baya gasps.

"Or maybe I should remind him of something he once did..."

"What did Kaoru do?" Sakiko peeps. "Was it weird?"

"Oh, yes. It was disgusting."

●・○・●・○・●

It's a Sunday afternoon.

Sunlight pools across the floors of Chishiya and Baya's living room. Kaoru, now a little over a year old, toddles around.

He's wearing nothing but a loose yellow onesie with ducks on it and a single sock and his hair is a mess. His cheeks are plump and flushed from all the running around, and he keeps humming tunelessly to himself as he wanders with a plastic spoon in one hand and something sticky on his chin.

The adults are scattered around the house. Baya is upstairs changing out of the shirt that Kaoru wiped yogurt on. Chishiya is feeding Hana outside, and Usagi is holding Kaede- both of them are newborns. Kuina, Ann, Heiya, and Aguni went out to buy snacks.

Which leaves just one person in charge of Kaoru.

Arisu is lying on the rug in the living room, attempting to build a tower of blocks that Kaoru completely lost interest in about three minutes ago. He thinks he hears a strange noise from behind the couch, but he assumes it's just Kaoru knocking things over again.

Until the smell hits.

Arisu blinks. Sniffs. Pauses. He slowly rises to his knees, cautious. "Kaoru... buddy?"

Silence.

Then a happy squeal.

Arisu rounds the couch and stops dead.

There stands Kaoru. Face radiant with pride, standing next to a pile of poop. On the floor.

"Oh, Kaoru..." Arisu breathes. "Okay. That's-that's okay. We'll clean that up. It happens. It's normal. You just didn't make it to the potty, huh? It's okay."

Kaoru nods solemnly. Then, without breaking eye contact, he waddles into the kitchen.

"Good, yeah, go get someone," Arisu mutters, stepping over to grab a tissue or something.

Except Kaoru does not get someone.

Kaoru returns with a dishwashing brush.

"No, no, no- Kaoru, wait-!"

Kaoru plants the brush into the poop. Then begins to scrub. In circles.

"Kaoru!"

Arisu lunges forward but slips on a foam block, flailing, arms outstretched in horror as Kaoru, now giggling, swirls his poop across the floor.

"This is not fine. Stop. Please stop. MIKI?! OH MY GOD, HELP-"

From the balcony, Chishiya appears in the doorway, chewing lazily on a biscuit, a towel slung over his shoulder.

He takes in the scene.

A long silence passes.

Chishiya chews. Then, "Well. That's disgusting."

"DO SOMETHING!"

Chishiya sighs and walks over like this is all terribly boring, plucks Kaoru gently under the armpits, and lifts him off the floor.

Kaoru screeches in delight, waving the brush like a weapon. "Victory," he yells. (Or possibly "wictowy," but it's hard to tell through the giggles.)

Chishiya holds him at arm's length and stares.

"...You're absolutely your mother's child," he mutters.

Just then, Baya comes down the stairs, drying her hair with a towel.

"What's going on-" she stops. Sniffs. Then shrieks. "I was gone for five minutes!"

"Five minutes too long."

Kaoru, still dangling in the air, proudly slaps his brush against Chishiya's leg.

Chishiya, without even flinching, lifts the child higher.

"Arisu, floor. Now."

"I don't wanna touch it."

"You babysat. This is your fault."

"Baya left the diaper off-!"

"Don't you dare blame me for this," Baya cries.

Kaoru grins.

●・○・●・○・●

"Ewww!" Sakiko screams. "I'm going to bully him forever!"

"Yes," Chishiya insists. "Every second of the day, remind him. Every time he goes to the bathroom, tell him to not poop on the floor. Tell every person he ever meets that he pooped on the floor once."

"I never did that, right?"

"No, Koko. You only almost killed your mother."

"Ah, thank gosh," Koko sighs out.

"Anyway, time for bed!" Baya jumps in. "Because tomorrow, we're visiting friends."

●・○・●・○・●

The drive to Dr. Okabe's house takes a little over twenty minutes, though Sakiko makes it feel like an hour. She's kicking the back of Chishiya's seat, humming loudly and asking, over and over, if this is the house where they're getting a puppy.

"There is no puppy," Chishiya says for the fifth time.

Baya twists around from the passenger seat and shoots her daughter a grin. "But there is a new friend. Seika! She's around Hana's age. And maybe she has a cat?"

"Does she?" Hana asks, instantly alert.

"I don't know," Baya admits.

Kaoru is in the backseat with his arm rested carefully in a sling, earbuds in, gaze glued to the window. His face is unreadable, still a little pale, but he doesn't object to the trip. His painkillers have kicked in enough to keep him still.

The house they pull up to is warm and charming. There's ivy climbing up the side of the brick. Baya gasps and clutches Chishiya's arm. "It's so cute. I'm going to cry."

The door opens before they can even knock. Dr. Okabe greets them. She looks ten years younger than she did in the hospital.

"Come in!" she says brightly, stepping aside. "Ignore the mess. Seika had a breakdown about her art portfolio this morning."

Inside, the place is exactly what Baya expected: shelves and shelves of books, mismatched furniture, and walls dotted with art and family photos. There's a faint smell of coffee and paint.

Okabe's daughter is on the floor when they enter the living room, surrounded by sketchbooks, torn papers, and a black cat.

"Oh," Baya breathes. "You do have a cat."

Seika looks up. She's wearing wide pants and a tank top. Her hair is short, just past her ears. She blinks at the newcomers. "Oh, hi."

Hana lifts a hand. "Hey."

"Hi," Baya says too cheerfully, "this is Hana, and this is Kaoru, and this is Sakiko, who might ask to live here by the end of the night."

"I will live here," Sakiko corrects, heading straight for the cat.

Seika finally stands up and dusts off her pants. "I'm Seika," she says to Hana, then glances at Kaoru. "Sorry about the arm. Third degree?"

"Yeah."

"Oof. My friend got one on her leg from a motorcycle accident. She said it felt like fire under the skin. Is that true?"

Kaoru gives the faintest nod. "Worse than that, actually."

Seika grimaces. "Sucks. Hope you'll heal well."

As the parents disappear into the kitchen to make tea and talk loudly about people whose names none of the kids recognize, the teenagers settle on the living room floor. Seika offers them juice boxes and weird cookies she made last night.

"I love this," Baya peeps. "I love her house. I love her daughter. Can we move in?"

"No," Chishiya says flatly.

Okabe laughs as she pours tea. "You haven't changed a bit."

"Thank you," he replies.

"I didn't mean it as a compliment."

Baya beams. They talk about the Borderlands and everything that happened (Chishiya setting Banda and Yaba on fire, glitching the system, and the purple joker).

Kaoru secretly listens. Ever since the parents got upset because Kaede mentioned that 'Shirabi' name, he's gotten more and more curious. They're all hiding something.

For the rest of the afternoon, they catch up while Sakiko gets attached to the cat, and Seika shows Hana her artwork in her bedroom.

The walls are lined with posters of movies and mangas, and her desk is piled high with sketchbooks. There's a bean bag in one corner, a long window, and a wall covered in her own artwork.

Hana doesn't really know what to do with it all. She stands at the doorway, arms crossed loosely, and says, "You're, like, really good at art."

Seika shrugs, dropping onto the bean bag. "It's the only thing I'm good at, so I have to be." Then she looks up at Hana. "You do anything?"

Hana hesitates. She thinks of every time her parents asked if she wanted to join a club. She thinks of the time she tried fencing for two weeks, or the time she joined the school newspaper and wrote exactly one article about cafeteria food. She thinks of all the things she almost likes, but never enough.

"I read sometimes," Hana says finally. "And I run. Kind of. But... I don't really have any hobbies. I still need to figure it out."

Seika taps her fingers against her sketchbook. "That's still something. It's a way to feel stuff."

Hana leans against the doorframe. "You talk weird."

"I get that a lot."

"No, not bad-weird. You're just... poetic.

Seika tilts her head. "Thanks."

Later, they sit on the floor with a bag of dried mango slices and an open sketchbook between them. Seika's drawing Hana. She didn't ask, she just looked at her, said, "Hold still," and started moving her pencil across the page.

Hana lets her. She rests her chin on her knee, watching the lines form.

"You're not even looking at me," Hana says.

"I looked enough." Seika doesn't stop moving the pencil.

"Creepy." Hana pretends to roll her eyes but stays exactly where she is.

After a while, Seika flips the sketchbook around. It's a rough profile, sharp but unmistakably Hana.

"You made me look cooler than I am."

"No, I didn't," Seika replies. "You always look like this."

Downstairs, the front door opens and closes.

"I'm home!" Calls Dr. Okabe's husband. "Sorry I'm late, the students wanted to discuss something."

Earlier, Okabe explained her husband works as an English professor at a university. And he looks exactly like it. Brown pants. Navy blue sweater. Glasses. Brown, traditional bag.

"Hello," he greets. Baya, whose back is facing him, turns around. "Nice to-"

Immediate silence.

Okabe fills it without noticing. "This is my husband: Yuto Satoshi. Honey, these are Chishiya and-"

"Yuzuki," he whispers.

Baya is so shocked that she stands up. "Satoshi," she murmurs back.

More silence. Every wheel in Baya's head turns and twists, making her nauseous, while Satoshi drops his bag. It lands on the floor with a thud. Okabe and Chishiya simply just stare at the strange interaction.

"You didn't get my letters?"

"I didn't respond to them," Baya corrects. "Or... or open them at all. I was angry at you. For leaving."

Satoshi barely makes eye contact. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," she adds. "I was too young to understand. You couldn't do anything about it. But... I guess you came back to Tokyo."

"I heard about the meteorite on the news. I came back to see if you were alive, but the orphanage told me you left when you were nineteen, and they didn't know the address. I couldn't find you anywhere. Instead, I met my wife," he nods towards Okabe, "and I've been living here ever since."

"What are your parents like?" She asks quietly.

"They're alright, but I never truly felt connected to them. I was too old when I got adopted, I guess."

Swallowing, Baya nods. She blinks a few tears away. "I'm sorry I didn't respond."

"Excuse me, but what, exactly, is going on?" Okabe asks.

"Yuzuki and I were in the orphanage together," Satoshi explains. "But I got adopted after a few years of knowing her. We never spoke again."

"I thought no one was allowed to call you Yuzuki," Chishiya points out, out of a sudden.

"When I was younger, I forced Satoshi to call me that, but then he left, and pronouncing my own name hurt, so that's why I didn't like it," Baya explains. She tries to smile. "Satoshi, this is my husband Shuntarō Chishiya."

They very curtly shake hands.

"And I have three kids," Baya continues, "Kaoru, Hana, and Sakiko."

"Lovely." Satoshi's gaze softens. "I'm glad to hear everything worked out for you."

Okabe clears her throat loudly. "Does anyone want tea?"

Suddenly embarrassed, Baya sits back down. "Oh, I'm sorry- this is so strange. Sorry, I was just shocked."

"It's okay," Okabe assures. "I think we're all a bit shocked."

●・○・●・○・●

🂱 A/N: credits to my little cousin for the poop story #basedonreallifeevents