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Chapter Text

Miri sits down to eat her favorite meal-
anything her papas make with love.

As she is about to chat with the chef , a group of older kids come in with skateboards. Her papa takes their order and she overhears them as he goes into the back area.

“Look at this place! It has American based food too! It is gonna be awesome. I wonder if they stay open late?” A cheery redhead talks to a tall blue haired kid.

“I bet it has American piles of grease.” A small younger kid sneers.

Miri crosses her arms, “ The food here is delicious and nutritious! You will be dying for more.”

The rude one rolls his eyes. “Wow, really glowing review from the totally not paid kid.”

“Hey! I am not! It is my favorite food.”

The redhead nudges him. “Dude , chill. You literally have paid sponsorships. Not everyone hates good food like you.”

The taller boy had a dazed look in his eyes. “Were you thinking about food again?” His friend asks.

He nods. “You think they can make me poutine here?”

The redhead laughs, “You can’t just demand a specialty dish the first time you come to a diner.”

“Papa Kazuki can make anything!” Miri cheers.

The blonde man comes out of the kitchen, “What about me?”
“You can make anything!” She repeats.

“I mean I can try. What do you want, sweetheart?” He smiles. “Not me, him.” She points at the blue haired kid. “Can you make a poutine?”

He tilts his head, “What kinda dish is it?”

“It is Canadian. It is a amazing blend of fries, cheese curds, and gravy.” He says excited.

The blonde man puts his hand on his chin. The redhead shakes his head. “Please don’t worry about it sir. We can go to A&W. You don’t need to whip up a new dish for him.”

The man slaps the counter, “Give me 2 weeks and I will serve you up some great poutine!” He says determined.

The blue haired boy has stars in his eyes. “Yes! I look forward to it!”

A dark haired man quietly stands next to him. He brings the group’s drinks. “What is happening?”

“Papa Kazuki is gonna perfect a new dish!” Miri declares. Kazuki explains the dish. “Can we do a taste test?” The other man asks.

The blonde man chuckles, “Yes.”

As the food comes out they talk to the boys. The redhead is lively. “So, how long have you guys been here? I haven’t seen this place before.”

The blonde man smiles, “We have been here about 2 years. The diner has been open for about 6 months.”

He notices their friend eating a lot of food
quickly. “Are you guys new here too? Students from Canada?”

The redhead laughs, “He is . I have been here my whole life. So has Miya.”

The kid just nibbles on a salad silently. The chef shrugs, “Well do you know of any fun spots in the area? We could always use a new family activity.”

The redhead smiles, “Well I mainly know about skating. You should definitely try it.
I know of a few skateparks or it is fun to just skate across town. Me and Langa work at a skate shop. Dope Sketch.”

Miri’s eyes brighten, “I have never skated before! It looks so cool. Can we learn to skate together Papa Rei and Papa Kazuki?”

He sighs, “We are too old. And skating is dangerous. Biking is good exercise though.”

“Actually, I believe any age can learn to skate with enough passion and determination. Our manager is like 50 and says he still skates.”

Langa tilts his head, “But we have never seen him actually skate.”

The other shrugs, “I think he still can. I mean look at Shadow. He is in his mid-life crisis and still skating.”

Miri smirks, “See papas! Even you can skate. Maybe we can learn together,” She turns to them, “Will you teach us ?”

He is about to respond when Kazuki cuts in. “Miri, you didn’t even ask us if we wanted to skate, plus you can’t ask random teens you don’t know to give you skating lessons.”

She smiles, “Hi, I am Miri . This is Papa Rei & Papa Kazuki. What are your names?”

“Miri! That’s not what I—“ The stoic partner places a hand on his shoulder.

“Oh, I am, uh Reki, this is my best bro Langa and that is Miya. But I don’t wanna go against your dads. Also , it is a bad idea to teach someone who isn’t having fun with it.”

Kazuki nods, “Thank you Reki. Sorry about her.”

Rei shrugs, “It doesn’t sound too hard.”
His partner groans, “But we could get hurt! Cuts, bruises , broken bones. Plus, have you forgotten your injury?!” Kazuki raises his voice.

He lowers his gaze, “It is not that bad.”
“What happens if you break your good arm? How will you make your specialty dish? Or play video games?”

The younger boy looks up at that then back at his game.

Miri gives him puppy dog eyes, “Please papa?!”

He caves, “Ok. . You can start learning but you have to wear a helmet and all the gear. And we must be there watching.”

She cheers! “Thanks papas!”

They all finish up and give them thanks for the food. As they are paying , Kazuki notices Miri get up. He leans in closer to the boys.
“Do not try anything with our precious girl. She will not become some rebel skater punk’s chick. You don’t wanna know what I will do , if you or your punk friends even look at her wrong,”

Reki gulps, “Understood sir. I would never, I have three sisters and worry about them too. Would you feel better if I brough my older sister along? They are about the same age.”

He shrugs, “She could use more girl friends.”
Reki nods nervously, “Ok see you next weekend?’l”

Kazuki smiles and waves, “Have a nice week!” He switches up his attitude.

Reki sighs as he exits the diner, “Geez. Thanks for stepping up back there guys. Why was I the only one being grilled?”

Miya smirks, “Cuz you are a delinquent slime.”
“Am Not!”

He sticks his tongue out at Miya. “What about you Langa? Why didn’t you say anything?”

He shrugs, “I thought you had it, What was I gonna say?”

Reki crosses his arms. “At least back me up.”
Langa gives him a blank look. “I have never been part of the shovel talk before.”

“The what?!”

Miya chuckles, “The protective parent intimidation speech. Ya know when they think you are gonna go out with their kid. It is a whole American thing. Some dads have guns.”

“Oh God.” Reki yelps. “Wait, why did he do that to me? She is like Koyomi’s age. I am not a creep!”

Langa nods, “Maybe he is just protective with everyone she meets?”

Miya chuckles, “I can’t imagine it is good for business.”

Langa shrugs, “I wanna go back. They had good food.” Reki nods, “We should tell Joe.”

“Aren’t they his competitors?”

“The diner isn’t italian.”

“Whatever,” Miya skates ahead.

Chapter Text

The skating lesson comes fast. Reki told them to meet at the local skate park. He is joined by Langa, Koyomi and Miya. 

He has one of Koyomi’s first boards and her gear. He has a plan to start off with balance and basics to see how  she takes to it. He is a little nervous about teaching in front of Miri’s parents. He only ever taught in front of his own parents with the twins. Never someone else’s kid with the parents watching and waiting for him to make a wrong move and hurt their child. 

Langa reassures him he is the best teacher ever. Miya & Koyomi scare  him by reminding him not to let Miri skate into moving traffic or do an ollie over her. 

He has to bribe them not to mention S. He is sure Papa Kazuki would kill him if he even took Miri to the unhinged deathtrap of S. 

Miri smiles as Kazuki glares and Rei looks uninterested. Reki decides to go with a polite bow. He has to pull Langa’s sleeve to get him to join. “Greetings Mr Kazuki, Mr Rei and Miri. I have a safe, yet fun day of skating planned!” 

Miri claps to herself as her fathers look unamused. Reki coughs, “As you know I am your instructor Reki. I will be having my skilled friends — and Koyomi — help me with teaching today. Miri, may I show you the protection for skating?” 

She looks back to Papa Kazuki . He crosses his arms and nods. Reki asks Koyomi to demonstrate how to put on the pads and helmet. Thankfully, Miri manages to put

on the gear with no help from Reki. 

The redhead instructor then explains the mechanics of the board and skating. “Now your first lesson starts before you set a foot on the board, let’s learn how to fall.” 

He demonstrates on the grass how to fall with minimal injury. Miri starts to get the hang of it. Then they move on to the basics of standing on the board, pushing off and balance.

“Ok. Take it easy and trust yourself,” Reki stands about a foot away. , “Do you want ,” He holds out his hand, then he hears Kazuki cough loudly, “Kiyomi! You can hold Miri’s hand if she needs it!” 

Miri actually does fairly well. She is able to stand a little . Koyomi is able to distract her when she starts getting nervous. Reki gives pointers off to the side. 

Then he instructs her how to push off. She tries and makes it a short distance. She then gets excited and does a little hop. She loses balance and scrapes her knee. 

Miri is rushed by her papas. “Miri are you hurt?!?” 

She winces “ it is just a scraped knee.” Langa hums , “That is nothing ,” He points to his bandaged hand. Reki shows him. Reki makes eye contact with Kazuki, “I have a first aid kit. I can tell you what will help.” 

Kazuki scoffs, “I know how to clean a cut!” Rei gives him a look. Reki nudges his disinfecting wipes at them. They get her patched up. Koyomi suggests a strawberry bandaid. 

“Alright! I say we take a break. Do you wanna grab some lunch? Maybe we can see Joe!” 

They end up at Sia La Luce. It is fairly crowded but they get a table. Kazuki eyes the place curiously. “An Italian shop , interesting location.” 

Miri nods. Rei shrugs then chomps on a breadstick. Kazuki tells his family  to order something small. The boys get a modest amount of food. Except Langa. That kid is an eating machine. 

He had spent the last week perfecting cheese curds. He had a hard time keeping them away from Rei. That confirmed they were ready. 

Rei is sitting with Miri on his left and Miya on his right. He eyes the pre teen as he pulls out a switch. “What game are you playing?” 

“The new Sonic Game.” 

Rei nods. Miri looks over, “Do you have Morio Kart?!” 

Miya nods. , “Yea.  but I am not gonna play with just anyone! These slimes can’t get on my level.” 

Miri and Kazuki look at Rei and share a look. “I bet Rei can beat you!” 

Miya sizes him up. “What is your fastest run?” 

Rei tells him. “I have also unlocked all the courses in 2 hours.” 

Miya huffs. “When we get back I challenge you to a race. Rainbow Road.” 

Rei nods. 

Reki then changes the conversation to food. “This is one of our favorite stops after skating. He even threw Langa a party for… a really good race.” 

Langa nods then smiles softly at Reki. “I couldn’t have done it without Reki though.” 

Reki blushes. Miya and Koyomi roll their eyes. Just then the food arrives. Kazuki pouts as Miri and Rei compliment their meals. “Why don’t you like my food this much?!” 

“I love your food Papa! But I also like this food and Papa Rei’s french toast.” 

Rei puts on a sly grin. “You guys know the chef? Maybe we should thank him for this great meal?” He teases. 

“I am sure Joe would be excited to meet another chef! I will go find him!” Reki gets up. 

Kazuki crosses his arms. “ Why is this guy so special? Who is chef Joe?” He grumbles. 

A large man in a white coat appears. “Hello! Reki tells me he made some new friends. I hear you are also owners of a small business.” 

Kazuki straightens up “We are the owners of The Diner Nest. This is Rei and our daughter Miri. It is a homestyle diner that gives comfort to both locals and tourists.” He says proudly. 

Joe smiles, “It sounds great. Do you have a business card? I will have to stop by soon. I try to shop small as much as possible.” 

Kazuki warms up a little. “We do too. I never realized how much work it is owning a business until we started out.” 

Joe nods, “It is hard work but I love it. Good food with loved ones makes some of the best memories.” 

Kazuki looks over to Rei and Miri, “Yeah, It sure does.” 

“I am sorry but I gotta get back,” He pulls out a notepad and scribbles on it, “Here is my number if you want any tips or need any help finding suppliers. I would like to stop by as soon as I can.” 

Kazuki thanks him as he leaves. Reki smiles, “See I told you Joe is cool.” 

“Why does a chef have so much muscle?” Rei mumbles. 

Miri giggles. Reki shakes his head, “He is a beast on a skateboard. He tries to get lots of chicks with his looks.” 

“It’s  gross. He is always shirtless.” Miya scrunches his nose. 

“But he planked while skating!” Langa adds. 

“How would that work? He has such a large body mass?” Rei ponders. 

“That just sounds excessive. You don’t need that much muscle and strength.” Kazuki says flatly. 

“True. Langa is half his size but beat him in a race. He is athletic but lean.” Reki nods. 

“Papa Rei is like that too. He is skinny but works out and has like secret muscles.” Miri says excited. 

Rei grins at that. Kazuki huffs, “I used to carry Miri and you at the same time!” Rei shrugs. 

“Reki can carry both of his sisters.” Langa hums. Reki blushes and Koyomi snorts, “They are tiny so can Mom and I.” 

Miya laughs and Reki frowns. “Whatever,” 

Langa frowns too but then looks at Kazuki. “Will you still have the poutine ready next week?” 

“Yeah. I  got the cheese down. Just need to whip up some gravy and fries. Is your family stationed here for long?” 

Langa looks confused. “He means the military base.” Reki explains. 

Langa shakes his head, “I am half Japanese. My mom is from here but we lived in Canada most of my life. “ 

Reki smiles, “That is why he is such a natural at skateboarding, he is a snowboarder. Ever since he was little.” 

Langa shakes his head, “I would be lost without your help.” 

Kazuki nods, “Was it a comfort food from back home?” 

Langa nods, “Me and Dad would eat it after a long day on the slopes.” 

Kazuki pats his shoulder, “You should bring him by too!” 

The other skaters look at him in shock as Langa looks down at his plate. “I wish he could, but he passed,” He says softly. 

Reki puts an arm around his friend’s shoulder as Kazuki’s eyes widen in horror. “I am so sorry! I didn’t know. But I will try my best to bring back some of that love when I make it.” 

Langa gives him a small smile. “Thanks.” 

They share a moment of silence before Reki suggests they head back to the park. 

Miri keeps learning from the skaters. Either Kazuki or Rei join her ,  sometimes both. Miri starts to get more comfortable on the board. Reki gives her pointers while her and Koyomi skate around. 

Today Rei is watching her from the top of the ramp. He wants to make sure he can see the whole area . He can’t shake some of his old habits. Miya silently practices his tricks while Rei watches his daughter. 

He managed to beat the kid 2 out of 3 rounds in Morio Kart the last time. He notices the younger boys phone case as he takes a break. “Do you like cats?” The man softly asks. 

Miya laughs, “Cats are awesome. They are my favorite animal.” He  puts his cat hood up. 

Rei’s eyes sparkle, “Cool. Do you have a cat?” 

Miya then shows him a bunch of pictures of him with various cats. “I have emotionally adopted over a dozen cats but my parents will finally get me one if I win my next championship. This is my grandma’s cat Bernard. And that is the cat who hangs out in the mochi shop— Mochi.” He rambles off about the neighborhood cats he is friends with.

Rei crosses his arms, “Kazuki never let me get a cat.” 

He lets out a huff, “Honestly I wouldn’t go out with someone who doesn’t want cats.” 

Rei blinks, Miya tilts his head , “What? I would not marry someone unless they let me have as many cats as I want.” 

Rei lowers his eyebrows, “Me and Kazuki aren’t married.” 

Miya stares for a second than chuckles, “Yeah. You just have a child together and own a diner as bros.” 

“We aren’t related.” He says, confused. 

“No like, best bros, buddies, friends. Business Partners, some might even say,” He smirks. 

“But we are business partners.” Rei says. 

Miya realizes Rei is being serious. He gets up and speeds down the ramp. “Really?! Again?” He mumbles as he skates off. 

Rei just shrugs. 

After school one day Miri asks if she can go skating. Kazuki gives her a stern  look, “I told you I don’t want you skating with those boys by yourself.” 

“But it is just Koyomi and Miya!” She crosses her arms. Rei comes up next to her. “Miya seems like a good kid.” 

Kazuki scoffs, “You are only saying that because you have the same interests as a 14 year old.” 

“Cats and video games aren’t just for kids.” He mumbles. Miri nods, “Please papa? Miya cares more about sports and games than girls. Plus Koyomi will be there.” 

Kazuki sighs, “Ok. But be home by 4:30 and finish all your homework after dinner.” 

She hugs him and Rei before running out. 

Kazuki lets Rei run the diner for a little while as he runs to the supermarket. By now he can trust him to reheat prepped ingredients and not burn the place down. 

As he makes his way down the aisle two girls run past as a mother gently scolds them. He notices one of the little girls dropped a stuffed animal. “Excuse me, you dropped this.” 

As the woman turns to thank him he almost does a double take. She has a striking resemblance to Miri’s teacher Ms. Anna. 

“Nanaka, you are gonna lose that one day. We gotta look after our toys.” She reminds her daughter. 

“Ah, They are so lively at that age.” He sighs. 

The woman chuckles, “Yea. But they are a handful at any age. My other girl is in her stubborn phase and my son doesn’t take school seriously enough.” 

Kazuki smiles, “They grown up so fast. Our Miri is becoming a fine little lady. I hope she doesn’t go wild as she gets older.” 

The woman smiles. “We can only try our best and hope they stay true to themselves.” 

“That sounds like you have more experience than me. It was a mess our first few years. I still don’t know if I am doing it right. I mean, I let her start skating. I hope she doesn’t fall for some punk. She is actually skating with a nice girl and some other guy. He seems harmless but I won’t let my guard down. I can’t imagine going through that with more than one girl.” 

The woman laughs, “These two are still too young for that. My oldest girl is only starting to gossip about guys with her friends. She is actually skating right now too. Her brother taught her. Even the twins hop on the board and ride along with them.” 

Kazuki’s eyes widen. “But, they are so small!” 

She laughs, “But he is so gentle with them, and I make sure they have helmets and such.” 

Kazuki smiles, “They make helmets that small? That sounds adorable.” 

She chuckles, “It is precious.” 

Kazuki looks back down at his list, “Well I better get moving. It was nice talking with you. I am Kazuki by the way.” 

“Nice meeting you.! I am Kyan Masae. See you around!” 

………….

Meanwhile, Miya and Koyomi help Miri skate. “So have the slimes confessed yet?” He asks Koyomi. 

“I don’t know. Would they be any different if they did?” She scoffs. 

“True. Gross.” He rolls his eyes.

“What’s gross?” Miri asks.

“The slimes- Reki and Langa- are so mushy together. They keep looking at each other with lovey eyes.” 

Koyomi nudges him. “Dude,” She whispers, “What?!” He nudges back.

“It is not gross because they are boys. It is gross because they are so in love but, too stupid to make a move,” She clarifies.

“Yeah, duh.” He adds. 

“Hey, I wanted to make sure we didn’t sound ignorant. We aren’t homophobic.” She explains. 

“I didn’t think so. But I can totally see the tension with those two.” Miri nods. 

Miya then  raises his brows, “Hey Miri, are your dads like Reki and Langa?” 

She tilts her head. “What do you mean?” 

“Are they together, together?” He adds.

Koyomi laughs, “They are so married dude.” 

“I mean, they aren’t actually.” Miri says. 

“But only because of legality right?” Koyomi asks. 

“I don’t think they ever mentioned it.” She shrugs. 

“But are they like other couples right? You know mushy and in love and  stuff?” Miya continues. 

Koyomi gives him a look. “Why are you being so weird about them?” 

He ignores her. “Miri, are your dads dating? Like romantic together?” 

She lets out a long sigh, “I don’t actually think so. But I have been trying to get them together for years!” 

Koyomi gasps, “No way! They haven’t even kissed and stopped when you walked in?” 

“Ugh.” Miya groans. “All parents do it Miya! I mean if they are dating at least.” Koyomi shushes him. 

Miri shakes her head. “It is so confusing! They look at each other like they are in love but aren’t affectionate like that.” 

Miya frowns, “You don’t need to be making out and feeling each other up to be together.” 

Koyomi nods, Miri continues “ I am glad they don’t do PDA - or at least not in front of me. But, they do this weird thing whenever someone assumes they are a couple. Papa Kazuki just laughs and emphasizes they are buddies, or business partners. And he still tries to hit on women!” 

The others let out a dejected “oof!” Koyomi asks “What does Papa Rei do when Kazuki says stuff like that?” Miri chuckles, “He nods, silently. But he only smiles around me and Papa Kazuki.” 

Miya chuckles, “That tracks. I kinda assumed he and Kazuki were married. Rei had no idea what I was talking about.” 

Miri smirks, “Why were you talking about marriage with Papa Rei?” 

“He was complaining about Papa Kazuki not letting him have a cat. So I said why would you marry someone who doesn’t like cats?” Miya scoffs. 

Koyomi smiles, “Such mature, romantic men.” 

“Hey, I am not an adult like him!” 

Miri chuckles, “That is why Papa Rei is fun. He acts like a kid sometimes.” 

Chapter Text

The next week is time for Kazuki to give them the poutine dish. Reki , Langa and Miya stop by the diner. Langa has a focused face when he sits down. “One poutine please.”

Reki laughs, “Dude! It is a new meal not a showdown.”

Rei pokes his head in. “Who is having a showdown?”

Kazuki rolls his eyes. “No one is having a showdown! I will have it ready for you in a couple minutes.”

Miri comes downstairs and greets them. “Hey! Can I have one too papa?”

Kazuki sighs, “Yes dear. But don’t order it all the time , yet. It is not an official menu item.”

Miri smiles, and looks at Langa, “Well maybe it will be!”

Reki sighs, “Please don’t change your menu based on his tastes. He will work you all day and night. Bro is always hungry.”

Langa shrugs. Kazuki chuckles “You are growing boys. If you are hungry then that means more business for us.”

Miri smiles mischievously, “Maybe you will come here so often we can get fun new stuff! Like a new house with a pool.”

“MIRI?!? What is wrong with our place? And look where we live! We don’t need a pool!” He scolds her .

“You can’t expect broke slimes to pay your bills.” Miya says monotone.

“I would like a cat at least.” Rei mutters. Kazuki sighs. Miya looks up to Kazuki and shakes his head in disapproval. Rei blinks then a look of realization briefly hits him before he turns away.

Miya and Miri share a knowing look. Minutes later the poutine is ready. Langa inspects it for a second then digs in.

He evaluates a piece if it, nods then begins his rapid eating. “Uhh dude? Can I get a bite of it before it is gone?”

Langa swallows, “Yes.” Reki scoops some unto a plate. He bites at it. “Hmm. Not bad.”

The blue haired boy nods before going at the meal once more. He finishes it in record time.

Kazuki laughs, “So did you like it?”
Langa nods with a small smile. “It was delicious. Almost like back home. If you stayed open later I would eat it after S.” Reki kicks his ankle. “What?”

“SSkating he means.” Reki stutters.
“You can come by in the afternoon or for dinner.” Kazuki smiles. “I am sure you work up an appetite.”

Miri notices the odd interaction and decides she will ask about it later.

A few weeks later, Joe makes it to the  Diner Nest! He asks what is the best dish. Kazuki pipes up “Well it is hard to pick, I would recommend the Tendon,” he smiles “and the french toast.” 

Joe chuckles, “Well the chef knows best. Joe also orders some Omurice to pair with the french toast. 

Kazuki starts the order. He taps Rei and shows him the ticket. His partner nods then begins to focus on preparing the toast. 

Joe takes a look at the place and menu as they make his meal. He tries to make a little bit of small talk as they cook. 

“This is a nice spot. Very cozy.” 

“Thanks! I think we lucked out. Our gamble actually paid off.” 

Joe smiles, “Yea. But you stuck it out. I know many who were too quick to give up.” 

As Kojiro eats the first meal , Kazuki waits in anticipation for his review. He is not used to those with refined taste commenting on his cooking. 

Kojiro smiles , “That was great ! It is well balanced and good portions. The flavors are solid. But do you want to know my favorite part?” 

Kazuki nods rapidly, “I can tell the chef has a passion for his food.” 

The blonde man blinks in shock. Then he beams, “See! That is a true compliment! Unlike some people , who complain about wanting less vegatables.” He glares at his partner. 

Rei just looks up from his toast and shrugs. As Kojiro finishes the Tendon, Rei brings out the French Toast. Kazuki brings out the Omurice as well. 

Kojiro hums while munching on the food. “So what do ya think?” 

The large man swallows than smiles, “It is good. A sweet comfort food for sure.” 

Rei slightly  grins at the praise. “Thank you chef Kojiro.” Kazuki puts his hand on his chest in fake shock, “He can be polite!” 

The other man just rolls his eyes. “I am gonna walk Miri home from school. Nice meeting you Chef.” Rei nods at Kojiro.

Kojiro chuckles at their interaction. “So, what is the story behind the french toast?” 

Kazuki smiles softly, “You know it took him a decade to perfect it? He and Miri are a mess in the kitchen together. But it is his specialty dish. I let him have one thing.” 

Joe laughs, “ My— My old friend, Has not changed his routine much over the years. Every night he comes in for wine & carbonara. It was the first dish I made for him after I finished my apprenticeship.” 

Kazuki sighs, “Some habits stick with people I guess. Miri used to beg for her mom’s hamburg steak. I never told her but her mom was struggling, she just used premade , easy food. I even made her gourmet hamburg steak but she wanted her mothers’!” 

Kojiro hums, “I assume that is Misako’s Hamburg Steak?” 

The blonde nods, “I actually try to use the same brand she did, but I elevate it.” 

Kojiro smiles, “Hey, we all start somewhere. What drew you to cooking?” 

The blonde sighs, “Well let’s see, growing up I just had whatever the group homes gave us. Then I started stealing more food from convenience stores when I was hungry. By the time I was a teen I started working at a diner. I was a bus boy but one of the line cooks let me watch him when it was a slow day. He even told the owner. I was so scared they would fire me! But then they gave me a chance to learn from them. I was a line cook a year later. I tried to find cookbooks and videos to try on my own too. By the time I aged out I learned a lot.” 

The other chef nods. “Do you still remember the diner name?” 

“Yea. But it doesn’t matter,” He sighs, “They closed down years ago. There was a fire and they could not afford to rebuild. It wasn’t even the diner that started the fire. It was the place nextdoor.” 

Kojiro looks down , “Well they helped you when you needed it and had passion. I can imagine how it shaped your dreams for this place.” 

Kazuki smiles with teary eyes, “Well yea. That is what I am trying to do. What is your story?”

Kojiro smiles , “I have a family who loves to cook. I am part Italian actually. My grandparents on my father’s side love cooking Italian meals. I took a lot of cooking classes in school and I was fortunate enough to land an apprenticeship in Italy. It was life changing. So I worked really hard to start up Sia La Luce. Now it is my baby I can share with everyone.” 

The chef then leans in, “But do you want to know a secret?”

Kazuki nods. “I like the people almost as much as the food.” The large man chuckles. 

Kazuki laughs with him. “I am starting to enjoy the customers as well.” 

It is at that moment Miri and Rei come back. How was your day?” He instantly cheers up when he sees his family. 

Kojiro leaves shortly after. He invites them for a drink whenever they are free.

Chapter Text

The next time Miri has a lesson, only Kazuki joins them. He warms up a little around the skaters as he sees Miri improving. He even cheers as she manages to pop the nose of her board without falling. Miri grins as she gives Koyomi a high five. Reki looks like he is about to go for one too but looks at Kazuki and decides to fist pump in the air.

Miya has the audacity to initiate contact. He gives her a “friendly” fist bump. Kazuki glares at him. He just holds his hands up after and backs away. That little brat. He needs to watch himself.

They continue the lesson with no more mishaps. He makes a note to keep an eye on the boy.

A little further off Miri takes off her gear and chats with Koyomi. “Oh what is S? I think Langa mentioned it at the diner.”

“I dunno.” She shrugs. “What about you Miya?” She narrows her eyes.

“I believe it is a letter.” He says smugly.

Miri groans, “Langa said something about eating after S. Do they skate late or something?”

“The airhead is literally always hungry. He probably just wanted a midnight snack.” Miya rolls his eyes.

Miri pouts “You guys are being weird. I will just ask them.”

Koyomi and Miya share a look. Kazuki makes it to them before Miri continues.

They all go back to the diner. Miri strategically sits with Langa and Reki to her right and Koyomi and Miya to her left. Rei nods at the group before giving Miri a hint of a smile. “How was the skating today? Did you do well?”

Miri smiles “I did the thing where the front of my board was off the ground but the back was on the ground.”

Reki nods, “Yeah! She popped it and was able to nail it without falling by the end.”

Kazuki smiles at her, “It actually was pretty cool.”

Koyomi giggles, “Reki was so surprised when I did that.”

“I thought you never even used your board! When did you learn?” The redhead asks her. “You were out with Langa most of that summer. I wanted to see what the fuss was.” She quips.

Reki blushes, “Well.Yeah.”

The blond man looks at them. “What do you all do besides skate? Are you two graduating soon?”
Reki puts a hand on his neck. “We already graduated.”
Kazuki look’s surprised, “Well do you have a plan? A university you are gonna go to or a good job?”

Reki laughs nervously, “We work at the skate shop. Me and Langa are doing a year of work before we start anything. Gives me time to think of what I want to do and I can help the family.”
Kazuki nods, Langa looks over. “I can also help my mom out if I work more. And college is expensive.”
“That is thoughtful.” The older man says. He realizes he may have been too hard on them.

“I am on the National Skating team already. . Then I will get a scholarship before I go to university. I might study something that will help with my career like business or sports management.” Miya says casually.

They all look at him. “How old are you ?” Rei asks.

“14.” He smirks.

“Well aren’t you a little genius.” Koyomi huffs. “You could have some humility, tho.”

He sticks his tongue out at her. There is a beat of silence before Kazuki takes everyone's orders.

Miri sees this as her chance. “So, do you guys race against each other? Or do a bunch of tricks? I wanna do cool stuff like that someday.”

Reki smiles, “Yeah sometimes. Langa usually wins.”

“Where do you race?” She asks.

“We usually meet up and race to school, or to work.” Reki says looking at his friend.

“That sounds fun. Maybe me and Koyomi can race each other.” She smiles. Koyomi smirks, “I can probably beat you.”

Miya looks up, “I could inniliate you both, on the way to school.”

Reki looks over to her papas, “But you need to finish the basics before you start doing stuff like that. Especially turning and stopping.”

Miri frowns, “But that is boring!”

Reki laughs, “Langa ran into a wall when he tried to skate away in school. Even a natural like him needs to know the basics.”

Langa frowns, “I could have pulled it off if I knew.”

Miri chuckles, “Is there anywhere else you guys skate?”

Langa looks at Reki then shakes his head. “Nope.”

Chapter Text

The next morning Kazuki and Rei get ready for breakfast as usual. A beautiful woman with brown hair comes in. She orders bacon and eggs.

Kazuki plates the food to make a smile. He gives her the food and greets his next customer.

As he gets back to the kitchen he hears sniffling. He looks over and sees the woman looking at her breakfast with tears in her eyes. He quickly walks over.

“Excuse me ma'am, is there something wrong with the food? Are you alright? Are you allergic to something?”

The woman wipes her eyes with a napkin. “I am sorry I must look like a mess. It is nothing like that. My husband used to make us breakfast like this.”

Kazuki knows that look. He smiles, “You know what? This meal is on the house.”

The woman wipes her eyes again, “No! That isn’t necessary! I can pay!”

The chef gives her a soft smile. “It’s okay. I know the feeling.”

She smiles sadly, “You do?” “Unfortunately , yes.” He fishes a business card out of his apron. “If you want to talk, here are the business hours. Come stop by after hours. We can grab a coffee or a drink.”

She nods, “I will see. I have to get to work soon. Thank you.”

She comes in a few weeks later and asks for him. Miri eyes them suspiciously as they leave.They go to a small coffee shop nearby. She laughs “I don’t think I ever introduced myself. How rude! I just cried during breakfast and left! I am Nanako.” He waves her off, “I am Kazuki. If I may, how long has it been since he passed?

“It had been almost 3 years. I still think about him all the time. I even talk to him when I am alone. It has been hard. For me and my son.”

Kazuki sighs, “It has been over 10 years since I lost my wife. And our future child.”

He hears Nanako gasp, “My condolences. I don’t know what I would do if I lost my child too.”

The blonde looks down, “I was in a really bad place for a while. But I met my best friend shortly after and started a new family. We have a little girl. Well…not so little anymore.”

“I am glad you were able to find more family. Does it get any easier? Over time?”

He sighs, “It does a little , It just becomes different. I still cherish her memory. And I had nightmares about the accident for years after. But I think the pain slowly healed after I tried my best to move on.”

She nods with a sad smile. “I don’t know if I could find anyone else besides him.”

Kazuki shakes his head, “You don’t have to move on to a new relationship. My daughter is the light of my life. Even raising her with my partner brings joy that I never thought I could have again.”

Nanako nods, “I am trying to stay strong for my son. We moved here after my husband’s passing. It took a while to adjust but he has found some new friends. I think he even has feelings for his best friend. But I try not to pry.”

Kazuki laughs, “You are doing better than me in that department. I am paranoid about our girl. She has been making new skating friends. Mostly boys.”

Nanako looks at him. “What is your daughter’s name?”

“Miri. What about your son?” He responds.

“Langa.”

Kazuki chuckles, “I think he and his friends have been teaching Miri how to skate. He is part Canadian right?”

Nanako laughs, “Yes. That is such a funny coincidence. He told me about the diner.”

“He asked me to make him poutine. I was surprised but he mentioned his dad liking it too.”

Nanako takes a breath, “Yes. They would get it after hitting the slopes.”
There is a moment of silence. Then she smiles, “I assume you have met Reki?”

Kazuki nods, “I hate to admit it but he is a good teacher.”

Nanako smiles, “He got Langa into skating. They are almost inseparable . He must be a good teacher.” She sips her coffee.

Kazuki then laughs, “You know Miri tried to convince me and my partner to try skating too? I am way too old for that. But Rei is crazy. I had to convince him not to.”

Nanako smiles, “I would not advise it, as a nurse. How did you meet your partner?”

“We , um, worked together and became roommates. He actually let me crash at his place when things got bad for me. I kinda never left. He was a mess though. I literally had to teach him how to take care of himself.
But , he had an intense childhood . And then came Miri , she was unexpected but he stuck around and he even warmed up to her.”

He pauses then widens his eyes, “That sounded bad. We love Miri , she wasn’t an accident. She just had some unfortunate family issues and we found her at the right time.”

Nanako chuckles, “I won’t judge. Langa was not planned. But Oliver and I made it work. I don’t regret it for one second.”

“Neither do I.” Kazuki smiles.
“I don’t mean to pry, but how long have you and your partner been together? I am glad you were able to find new love. Your eyes light up when you talk about Miri and your husband.” She chuckles.

Kazuki blinks then laughs nervously, “Husband? OH! He is my business partner. We own the diner together.”

Nanako raises an eyebrow, “Just business partners? I lived in Canada. I will not judge you. I know some people here have traditional values but I think they should be more accepting of all families.”

“Haha, nope just business bros.” He says.

“Business bros. Who co-parent a child? That is sweet.” She smiles then sips her coffee.

“Gotta get back to Miri and the best buddy. But this was a nice.’Let me know if you need anything.”

“You too. Have a nice week!” She smiles then Nanako sighs. /Did she misread another relationship? She didn’t want to assume things again like she did with Langa. Was this similar? Are friends that close usually?/ 'Oh Oliver! I should just mind my business.' She concludes to herself.

The next skate lesson goes well. However, Kazuki has a feeling something is off with the boys. Kazuki tries to ask Rei but he did not notice anything different.

“Alright, you guys wanna come to the diner?” He asks the group.

“Actually, I want to go to A&W today.” Langa says coldly. “Sure, dude?” Reki asks confused. Langa nods.

“Ok, What about Miri and Rei? Diner or A&W?”

“A&W. They don’t have vegetables.” Rei answers. “I wanna eat with my friends.” Miri says sweetly.

“Ok! Let’s go!” the man cheers after snickering at Rei.

They all get a table. Kazuki swears Langa is glaring at him in small bursts between eating. He wonders why. Then he thinks back to the conversation with his mom. Oh ,maybe he misunderstood his intentions.

“So Langa, I met your mom the other day. She is a nice woman.”

“Yeah. She is.” The boy says sternly. He opens his mouth but Miri gasps, “Is that the pretty lady you ran off with the other day?”

Rei looks at him and shakes his head. “Wait! It is not like that!”

Langa crosses his arms, “What was it like?”

Kazuki lets out a sigh, “She came to the diner, and I saw she was upset. So I offered to chat with her later. A friendly chat. That’s it.”

Langa raises an eyebrow, “What are your intentions with my mom?”

“What are your intentions with my daughter?” Kazuki counters.

“Oh my god.” Miri groans.

Langa blinks, “I want to help her to skate with Reki.”

“You don’t want to date her?” Kazuki asks.
“I don’t like girls.” The boy responds. Miya snickers.The blonde gets even more angry “So you are a MISOGYNIST?!?”

Langa looks at him seriously, “I am gay. Do you want to date my mom?” He deadpans. Reki chokes on his drink.

“Oh,” He pauses, “No! We just had a chat.” He says frantically.

“What about?” Miri wiggles her eyebrows.

“ I didn't wan to bring it up, but she was upset about his [Langa's] father. I made a cute bacon & eggs dish that looked liked a smiley face;
She said he used to do that. She started tearing up at the diner. So , I offered to talk to her about it. I lost my wife as well.”

Langa looks down. “He did like to make breakfast fun. I guess she has been having a hard time too. I am sorry about your loss. And for being protective about my mom.``

“It is understandable. Thank you.” The blonde man says.

Chapter Text

All right, Miri, we are heading out! Be good. Call us if you need anything!” Kazuki calls out as they leave. 

He arrives with Rei at the bar of Sia La Luce. He takes a minute to look over the menu before ordering a cheap red wine. Rei orders a beer. Kazuki notices someone with long pink hair in fancy traditional clothes sipping a red wine. 

Kazuki talks to Rei about Miri and the boys. “I am still suspicious about those kids. And that little brat dared to touch our little girl!” 

Rei lowered his eyes, “What did he do?” 

“He gave her a fist bump!” Kazuki shouts, then looks around before whispering. “He is getting too comfortable around our little girl.” 

Rei shrugs, “Maybe it was just a fist bump.” 

“Just a fist bump?! Next they will be making out at the skatepark! Or running off together!” 

Rei sighs, “Or maybe Miri is making friends. I wouldn’t know the difference.” 

Kazuki softens a little. “It is good she has new friends but that is how some guys try to get to girls. They call it the friend zone and get mad when the girl isn’t interested.” 

Just then Kojiro greets them. “Hey! Kazuki & Rei! Glad you could make it!” 

The pink haired patron looks over to them then at Kojiro. “You knowingly associate with this man?” 

Kazuki is taken aback by the comment and the beauty of this man. If not for the voice he would assume it were a woman.

“Yeah. Chef Kojiro came to our diner.” The blonde answers. 

Kojiro laughs, “See ? People like me. Not everyone is an antisocial priss.” He directs at the other man. 

Kazuki looks at Rei, “He  actually had to be dragged here.” 

Kojiro laughs, “Oh Kaoru, this is Kazuki & Rei. They run the diner I told you about.” 

Kaoru gives them a polite smile. “Hello, forgive his undignified manners. I am Kaoru Sakurayashiki.” 

The larger chef crosses hid arms, “Oh my bad your highness. Meet Mr. Sakurayashiki. The esteemed calligraphy extraordinaire!” He does a mock bow. 

Kaoru grits his teeth. “Smartass.” He mumbles. “Why did you come here to have a night out?” 

Kazuki smiles, “I hear the young people call it a wine wednesday!” He raises his glass. 

Kojiro chuckles, “See  you can have a wine buddy.” 

“Lovely, how dare I have a moments peace around here.” The calligrapher rolls his eyes. 

Kazuki looks between the two, “Do you want us to grab a table?” 

Kaoru shakes his head, “Forgive me. That buffon gets on my last nerve.” 

Kazuki smiles awkwardly, “Hey I get it, some friends are easier to deal with than others.” He looks at Rei. 

“What?” The stoic man grumbles. “Nothing!” Kazuki whistles. 

Rei just sips his beer. Kazuki turns to Kaoru , “So you are a calligrapher? What kind of pieces do you do?” 

Kaoru puts on a fake smile. “I do anything from personal art pieces to murals. My clientele are typically businesses and  art collectors. 

“Oh wow. So you really are fancy.” The blonde man jokes. Kaoru groans, “Art is a gift and a curse. High profile clients have the most asinine demands and critics.” 

“Master, blood pressure spike.” A robotic voice speaks.

“Thank you Carla.” Kaoru responds as he takes a large sip of wine. 

“Sorry, man. I know work can be stressful. Also what was that ? Is it a fitness

watch?” 

Kojiro snorts in the background. Kaoru ignores him. “That is Carla. My sophisticated personal AI assistant.” He shows them a watch like device with a purple ring around it. “It syncs to all of my professional and personal devices” 

Kazuki stares wide eyed. “Hey Rei, have you heard about this?Is it like a video game?”

Rei is about to speak when the pink haired man responds, “It is not for sale. I designed it myself. I started her from scratch back when I was a teen.” 

“Wow! So you are a tech wiz?” Kazuki gasps.

Kojiro butts in as he refills their glasses. “he is just a control freak with an unhealthy attachment to the robot.” 

“She is not a robot!! You fool!” Kaoru smacks his head with a fan. 

Kazuki laughs, “Hey Rei, maybe that will help you remember to go to bed instead of playing games.” 

“I have you to nag me about that” He grumbles. 

“Does it work with a roomba?” The blonde asks, “Maybe then I won’t have to pick up after you and Miri all day!” 

“He has it hooked up to everything. It is so creepy.” Kojiro adds. 

“Whose place is cleaner? Last I saw, yours is a mess.” The pink haired man sneered. 

“Without your robot wife, you would be just as messy.” He quips. 

“Your mancave is a mess! Fit for an ape like yourself.” Kaoru responds. 

“Well at least , I don’t have to make a girlfriend for myself.” 

“She is not my girlfriend! You whore!” 

Kazuki stares between them in shock. Rei has a neutral expression. “Uh guys?” 

They both simmer down. “Anyways. It is my design for personal use.” 

Kazuki nods. “Very cool. Also, speaking of girlfriends, I gotta say I am worried about those skater boys hanging around our girl.” 

Kaoru looks at him and sighs, “The boys got another kid into skateboarding?” 

“Yeah, our daughter , Miri, is learning. The boys act all nice and helpful but I am not sure if I trust them not to break her heart.” 

The pink haired man smirks, “Kojiro is more likely to break hearts than those boys. He only wears a shirt when he is working. If it wasn’t a health violation he would be shirtless right now.” 

Kojiro laughs, “Hey, it would be dinner and a show,” he winks. 

Kazuki blushes, “Do you see what I mean?” Kaoru snips. 

“But that cat boy! He was trying to put the moves on Miri! I saw it!” 

Kojiro and Kaoru look at him in confusion, “Miya?!” 

Rei sighs, “He gave her a fist bump.” 

“Oh!” The other men sigh in relief. “Miya is not a casanova like this one. He is dedicated to his skating goals.” The calligrapher states. 

“But, kids try to act cool and get girls. He won’t be able to sway Miri that easily!” 

The larger shakes his head  “He barely likes people in general. He could survive by himself with cats and video games.” 

“Huh, he sounds like you, Rei. But still! He is a growing boy, interests change!”

Rei gives him a blank look. “Have I changed at all?” 

“Well, no,  but I don’t like it! The redhead and pretty boy are suspicious too!” Kazuki grumbles. “ Are they trouble? Do they shoplift? Do they have a record? Do they bully other kids? Sell drugs? DO drugs? Have they gotten some poor girl pregnant?” 

Kojiro shakes his head, “They wouldn’t hurt a fly. The most mischief they get into is skating instead of doing homework.” 

The blonde grunts, “How are they with girls? Are they players? Are they looking for a score? Some pretty girl they don’t care about? Breaking hearts? They better not lay a hand on our little girl!!” 

The green haired man gives a hearty laugh. “Yeah, no need to worry about them. Reki & Langa already like someone.” 

“I bet Reki is real friendly with the girls and Langa has that mysterious new kid thing going on.” 

Kojiro sighs, “From what I hear, Reki didn’t have many friends until he met Langa. He doesn't have the best self esteem, so he doesn’t try. You know rejection is hard and all that. 

Sure Langa is cool and mysterious but he doesn’t go on any dates. Even if the girls like him.” 

Kazuki hums, “That is odd. I wonder why.” 

Kojiro smirks, “The person he likes hasn’t had the stones to ask him out. I assume.” 

Kazuki crosses his arms, “Guys change their minds and cheat with multiple girls! I know teenage boys. They are probably thinking about how to pounce on our precious girl when we aren’t there.” Kazuki raises his voice.

Kojiro lays a hand on his shoulder. “Trust me Miri is fine around these boys. They are good kids.” 

Kaoru points his fan at Kojiro “Yes, you are the prime example of what not to do. How many women did you disappoint this week?” 

Kojiro gets red in the face , “Two words- Robot wife.” 

They move on to talking about their family and the diner. Kazuki does most of the talking. By the end of the night he isn’t sure if he should trust the boys,  or Kojiro around Miri. 

Chapter Text

Kazuki decided that the diner needed something to liven up the place. So he wanted to get some flowers. He found a small little shop that he has been curious about.

He hears a cheerful greeting and is a little bit surprised to see a muscular man in a flower apron. “I will be with you in a minute.” He sprays some plants.

“What can I help you with?” He asks politely.
“I would like some flowers for my business. Something easy to taken care of but pretty.”

The man nods with a bit of his orange hair flopping. “What kind of business is it?”

“A diner!” It is called the Diner Nest!”

The man smiles, “Lovey. You have a theme for decor or color scheme? Is it traditional japanse style or have a more western influence?”

Kazuki scratches his head, “Huh I never thought about all that. We cater to both locals and tourists. There is a good mix of the two including military families.”

The man chuckles, “It can make a difference but is not super important. Just don’t want to clash with any decor. Do you have any pictures of the outside and interior?”

Kazuki cheerfully shows him the diner and they discuss some options. The florist brings him out a selection of flowers and plants. Kazuki looks at his watch as he purchases them. “Oh wow! I rambled for a while today. Sorry, I didn’t mean to take up that much of your time.”

The florist shakes his head. “It is no problem.
I have a few friends who own businesses as well. The ambience can help draw customers in,” He grunts, “However they have two very different styles. And expectations.”

Kazuki nods. “I noticed at my new friends resturant the flowers added to the look of the place.”

“Which resturant? Maybe they got flowers from here?” The larger man asks.

“Sia La Lux? La Lace? The Italian place.”
The orange haired man stifles a chuckle, “La Luce. So you know Joe?”

“You know him too? He is popular. Yeah he gave some good tips about small businesses. He even stopped by our diner.”

“The man is something else but he knows food. And his personality helps his customer service. That showoff.” He rolls his eyes.

“He has a big personality. Is he always that flirty with everyone?” Kazuki asks.

“Hah! He has eyes for everyone. That smooth jerk. He just smiles and unbuttons his shirt and the ladies go wild. I hate that it works. Yet guys who try to be caring and get to know them don't get a second glance.” He crosses his arms.

Kazuki frowns, then the florist’s phone goes off. He looks at the phone, around the shop and then whispers, “One second.”

“Hey, I am at work, what do you want?,” Kazuki is surprised at the tone change.
“No, I can't come tonight. Because I have work. Yes we close at that time but I have clean up. Then I have adult responsibilities. Hey! I am not old you little punks!” He gets increasingly worked up in a harsh whisper. “Yeah. I will come by tomorrow.”

The blonde blinks at him. The florist blushes. “Sorry about that. Some neighborhood kids wanted me to take them somewhere. Apparently they think I am a taxi. They should just get their licenses so they can drive themselves.”

Kazuki chuckles, “Yeah. My partner has a motocycle but most days we are in the car with our daughter and sometimes her friends tag along.”

The man crosses his arms, “Joe has a motorcycle too , it gets him out of carpool duty. And makes him seem cool to some people.”

Kazuki chuckles, “I am trying to be the cool Papa ,but, I end up being the housewife. Rei is quiet and that makes him seem mysterious. He just hates talking to most people. “

The florist sighs, “I know the type. Why is dating so hard? If you come on too strong you look like an asshole, but if you don’t talk you can also still look like an asshole.”

Kazuki laughs , “Hey you just gotta find someone who is your jerk and you will be fine. It will balance out. Speaking of which I gotta get back to my antisocial buddy and Miri. Good luck. Thanks for the help.. ?”

“Hiromi.” The man smiles.

The next time the boys & Koyomi hang out at the diner they notice the flowers. “I like em.” Reki casually approves. Langa nods, “Did you get them from Shad-ow!? He whispers the last part, Hir..oni?”

“Hiromi.” Miya coughs out. “Hiromi! From the flower shop.” Reki adds in an odd tone.

“Yes. Do you guys buy flowers there?” He asks, confused. Miri leans in “Who are you guys buying flowers for?” She winks.

Miya gags, “Lame.”
Reki flicks his hoodie, “my grandma gardens a lot. I sometimes help.”

“I have never seen it.” His sister mumbles.

Miri sighs, “That is nice but I was hoping for a romantic story. Giving someone you like flowers is so sweet.”

Kazuki glares at the boys quickly and shakes his head. Reki nods, “It is only romantic if you want the flowers. Otherwise it can be creepy.”

Miya shrugs, “Why would you want something that dies in like a week?”

“You guys have no romantic skills. Don’t you agree, Koyomi? Flowers are so lovely especially from an admirer.” Miri looks to her friend.

“Yea. They kinda are. Even if it is a little cliche. But they have to put some effort into it. Not just do it to look like they care.” The girl explains.

They continue their usual conversation and enjoy the food. By bedtime Kazuki calls Rei into the bedroom.

“Rei, there is something I am worried about.”

His roommate nods, “What?”

“The flower shop guy was very nice but suspicious. And it made me think of something weird those boys do.”

Rei huffs, “I don’t think they are gonna date Miri.”

Kazuki sighs, “That is an ongoing investigation still. We have only eliminated one suspect. But this is serious. He knows the skaters right?”

“Maybe he is a skater too.” The tired man adds.

“Ugh, let me finish. When would they have time to skate together? He and Kojiro work long days and some nights. The boys have work, and even Miya has training. He mentioned how he couldn’t give the kids a ride one night. It sounds like he gives them car rides a lot. And he said he couldn’t meet after work this time. Why would he regularly meet up with teenagers, often after work?”

Rei narrows his eyes, “Hmm. That is a bit odd. Could they be eating at Kojiro’s place?”

Kazuki nods, “It is possible, but I noticed something else off. Sometimes Langa will begin to say something but Miya or Reki stop him. It sounded like he was about to call the florist Shadow. Why would they use code names unless they are up to no good? Also Langa has hinted at wanting to stop by late at night. Why would he even be up?”

His partner takes in the information. “What is your theory?”

“I think they are mixed up in some bad stuff. Maybe drugs or some sort of petty theft group.”

Rei huffs in acknowledgment, “What is your plan?”

Kazuki smirks, “We are gonna do surveillance and then tail Hiromi & Kojiro one night. We have to make sure they don’t drag our baby into a life of crime!”

Kazuki begins his research. He manages to hack into the flower shop pretty easily. He downloads Hiromi’s schedule. They visit the flower shop again to ask for tips. Rei is able to install tracking software to the man’s phone while Kazuki distracts him.

They then eat at Sia La Luce a few times a week. They even linger behind after they leave and watch him. It appears he lives above the restaurant. He mostly goes straight up after closing for an hour.

On Friday night things get interesting. They both go out around 11:30 PM . Kazuki trails Hiromi and Rei trails Kojiro on his motorcycle.

They call each other for updates using an earpiece. They soon realize both men are headed the same direction.

“Fall back some.” Kazuki tells Rei.

They watch them park from a distance and wait about 5 minutes before parking farther away. Kazuki takes out his binoculars.

“It appears there is some sort of symbol needed for entry. I will snag two. Take the high ground.”

Rei takes his backpack and climbs up the rock formation. He finds some brush and crouches down. “In position, should I load my weapon?”

“One second.” Kazuki spots two ladies.They have bright hair and are wearing revealing streetwear under jackets. He notices a pin on each. He smiles brightly. “Hello, Ladies.”

He manages to distract them long enough to get the pins. “Alright, see you out there. I should make sure I locked my car.”

Kazuki winds back. “I have the pins. Will wait in line for entry. Stand down until I get more information.”

“Affirmative.” Rei answers.

The blonde father is a bit concerned how naturally the routine comes back to them. Even after a decade.

He makes it in. Kazuki pulls his red hood up and tries to stay alert without drawing attention to himself. He has to avoid being run over by skaters multiple times until he leans against the rocks in a less crowded area.

“Any surprises from above?” He asks his partner.

“The terrain is mainly rocky. But there appears to be an old warehouse furthur back. Watch out for security. They are wearing plain jackets and have red caps.”

Kazuki peers around. He can see there is a big screen. He is not sure what it’s use is.

He hears a crowd of mostly women screaming, He wips his head around.

Kojiro rides in on a skateboard. He is wearing an open jacket and loose white pants. Two women rush over to him and he puts his arms around them.

Kazuki realizes it was the women he knicked the pins from. They must have agreed to be Kojiro’s harem in exchange for entry! The audacity!

“Are you seeing this REI?!? HE USES WOMEN AS ACCESSORIES?!”

“Hold on, someone else is approaching from the east side.” Rei keeps him on task.

Just then a mysterious skater with a high pink ponytail , a black mask and a sleek traditional style outfit.

“Oh look the pink menance actually showed up.” Kojiro taunts.

A separate gaggle of women scream, he thinks he hears them shout ‘Cherry’.

“Did someone miss me?” He coos.

Kojiro rolls his eyes, “As if I would miss your uptight ass.”

“At least I have a sense of decorum, you disheveled floozy.”

They trade taunts for another minute before the larger man challenges the smaller. “Let’s settle this on the mountain.”

The screen lights up to show a list of nicknames. It appears to be a showdown lineup for the night. He grunts when he sees Reki , Miya and Shadow on the board.

“I KNEW IT! THEY ARE IN A SKATING GANG! KOJIRO AND SAKURAYASHIKI ARE IN ON IT TOO!!” He shouts,

“Do I set up the shot? I can get a clear shot when they start the race.” Rei asks ready to take care of business.

“Not yet. Besides, there would be too many witnesses at the front. I am gonna get a closer look.”

Just then the first race starts. It is between a man and Shadow. “IS HE PART OF A CLOWN GANG?!?!? THAT HAS TO BE THE FLORIST?!? HE LOOKS LIKE A THUG. I WILL NEVER BUY FLOWERS AGAIN!!!”

“We should cut up all his flowers,” Rei mumbles angrily, “Wait. Is the race being broadcast on the screen? That must mean there are cameras around the course.”

Kazuki begins looking around, “There could be more I will keep an eye out. Also I like the energy but am conflicted about hurting a small shop.”

Rei just grunts. Kazuki then spots a familiar group. “I have spotted Miri’s delinquent /former/ friends.”

He manages to sneak up they are all watching the race. Shadow pulls out foreworks and throws them at his opponent.

“He always uses the same dirty tricks,” Reki scoffs.

“What a boomer.” Miya snickers.

He makes his way behind them. “Hello kids,” he says firmly in a moment of silence.

Reki screams when he turns around. “KAZUKI-SAN?!?!”

“Hey.” Langa answers nonchalant.

Miya facepalms. “You idiot slimes. Did you tell him?”

Kazuki crosses his arms. “My methods are not important. I was right to be suspicious of you guys. What is this place? ARE PLANNING TO INITIATE MIRI INTO YOUR SKATING GANG?!?!!”

“No! That’s not what this is!” Reki waves his hands erratically.

Kazuki frowns, “You know this place is pretty loud and crowded. No one would hear if something unfortunate happened.”

Just then Rei huffs in his ear, “I am coming down. A drone camera found me. But I took care of it.”

“I will meet you at the entrance.” The boys start trying to slink off.

“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE! YOU BOYS ARE GONNA STAY RIGHT THERE UNTIL I COME BACK. I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS! I SWEAR I WILL SHUT THIS WHOLE PLACE DOWN, AND CALL YOUR MOTHERS IF YOU LEAVE!!!”

They all nod as he walks off,

Rei and him meet at a hidden pathway. “What happened? What about the drone?”

“I shot it down.”

“Do you think security will investigate?”

Rei shrugs. “I will shot them too. He gestures to his bag.

Kazuki sighs, “That is a last resort. Only injuries — non fatal . We can’t have any casualties. We are civilians now, we can’t take care of Miri from prison.”

(Rei only has tranquilizer darts he can shoot from long range. And a crossbow. Nothing too violent ) 

Rei pouts but nods.

“Speaking of keeping our daughter out of prison, we have some friends to interrogate.”

Rei nods and follows him to the boys.

Kazuki leads them into the secluded area. Rei is hiding in the shadows. “Alright, start talking. What is this place? What are you all planning?!”

Reki is the first to speak up. “This is S! It is like extreme skateboarding. You challenge other skaters to races called beefs. You can do basically anything to win.”

“What about killing?” Rei whispers as he emerges

All three of the boys screech. Reki hides behind Langa. “REI-SAN?! How long have you been there?”

“Irrelevant. Has anyone ever killed their opponent?”

“N-No! That is too extreme.” Reki gulps.
“That would be the easiest way to win.” The former assassin shrugs.

“What?!” The redhead panics.

“Well, Cherry did get a concussion.” Langa adds.

“So it is a dangerous , illegal skating ring, late at night , with no rules.” Kazuki summarizes. .

They all nod. “How old do you have to be to get in? Were you planning on challenging Miri to a death race?!”

“No! We tried to keep it from her! I won’t even let Koyomi come watch.” Reki defends.

Kazuki then turns to Miya, “He is a child and competing!”

Miya smirks, “More like Winning.”

“Dude! Now is not the time!” Reki groans.

The two men cross their arms and glare at them in sync. Kazuki shrugs, “I am sure there are other concerned parents who would love to know all about this place.”

“No!” Langa and Reki shout. “What else do you wanna know?” The redhead asks.

“How do you get those entrance pins?” The taller man asks.

“You ask for them at the skate shop.” Reki explains.

“The skate shop? The same one you two work at?” He pushes.

They both nod.

“Do you have to do any initiation tasks to be approved? Such as hijacking a car or robbing a bank?!?!”

“What?!? No ! It is just skating! Nothing else going on!” Reki defends.

Kazuki lifts an eyebrow. “Then why is it a secret?”

Reki looks down. “It isn’t exactly family friendly fun. It is nothing too crazy, just extreme skating! Not many people understand skaters. We also don’t have many places to race. It is like an emotional or physical outlet for a lot of people.”

“Is that why Hiromi is a psycho clown?!?” Kazuki raises his voice.

Just then Shadow trudges to the group. He is sweaty and energized from his race. “I am the ANTI-HERO OF S!”

He sees the two newcomers. Kazuki stands tall and Rei has a hand ready to reach into his bag of defense. Reki makes eye contact and shakes his head trying to get Shadow to back off.

Shadow grins and places a hand on his shoulder. The blonde gives Rei a standby hand signal. “I suppose I will take it easy on the fresh blood.”

He then leans in closer and whispers, “It’s Shadow here. Don’t blow my alias. Not cool man!”

He huffs, “I am sorry I am not cool with all of .. this!” He gestures wildly. “This place looks like a hideout for a gang! There is even an old warehouse to perform backdoor deals at! Who knows what stuff these skaters have on them. Where do you even keep fireworks?! What else do people throw at each other?! What kinda beef deals are people making? What is that code for? Drugs? Money? Gambling?”

Shadow sighs, “If you don’t like it you can leave. No one is making you stay. Why did you even come?!”

Kazuki runs his hands through his hair. “To make sure our daughter was not hanging out with the wrong crowd! Which it looks like she is!!”

“Is Miri here?” Langa asks confused.

“NO! I WOULD NEVER LET HER COME HERE!” The man shouts angry.

“Neither would we!” Reki and even Miya shout. Miya rolls his eyes, “It would be a secret if these slimes weren’t so obvious!!” He crosses his arms.

At this point a few people have started paying attention. There are whisper’s wondering if someone new is gonna beef.

Kojiro steps in “Hey guys what is up? Oh ! Hey guys?! How did you end up here?” He notices Rei and Kazuki.

“Oh my god. We followed you!! And the Clown King or whatever he calls himself!”

Kojiro laughs, “You didn’t have to follow us. You could have just asked.”

The pink haired man comes up beside him. “How did you not know you were being followed?! How could you be so stupid! Anyone could find this place!”

“Why don’t you want people to find this place?!? Is it a drug ring?!?” Kazuki raises his voice.

The bystanders closest to them look over glaring. Joe chuckles , “No man . We just skate a little dangerously.”

Kazuki glares at him, “Just skate?!? I saw you fondling those women! I knew something was off with you guys!”

Kaoru coughs, “Man whore.”

Kojiro turns toward him ready to fight but Kazuki, continues. “It’s not just Kojiro! Why are all of you here? I thought you were more dignified Sakura—“

Kaoru leans in closely and firmly grips his hoodie. “Do not call me that here.”

“Why not ? Are you up to criminal activity too?” He smirks, Rei shifts his body a little to get ready to fight if needed.

Kaoru glares, “I assure you I would not do anything to harm my image. However, I keep my personal hobbies private. My clients are very traditional. I am Cherry Blossom on the mountain.”

“Cherry Blossom,” Kazuki laughs. “Hey , why don’t we all take a minute to cool down. This is just a misunderstanding.” Kojiro tries to help.

“Shut up Kojiro!” Cherry snaps. He turns back to Kazuki, “Don’t let the atmosphere fool you. We are just ordinary people trying to express ourselves in a way we see fit. Away from societal norms. Without outside judgment.”

Kazuki is about to respond when Rei appears next to him. “Kazuki.” The blonde softens a little. “But Miri—“

“You are drawing attention to us.” Rei says calmly. A small crowd is looking at them.

“So what? We can take them.” Kazuki grins.

“We don’t settle things with fists here. You have to race.” Joe explains.

“You kinda sound like a cop man. People think you are gonna snitch on us.” Shadow adds.

Kazuki gasps, “Ok. I will be chill. But we are not finished here. I don’t trust any of you.”

Reki frowns then has an idea. “Please, just watch us race! It is exciting. People do a lot of cool things. Maybe you will understand after.”

Kazuki crosses his arms but agrees. He watches Reki & Langa’s run first. He has to admit it is exciting to watch. He winces each time it looks like they are gonna trip on a fallen rock or broken rail. He is caught off guard when he sees the difference in Langa. He is so determined and confident. He wins the race but Reki does some impressive maneuvers. Reki pats him on the back, . Langa, surprisingly, responds with a big smile.

The others around him cheer for Reki and Langa. Then Joe and Cherry are up.

They watch them taunt each other before the race. Then they begin. They watch the two as they try to get ahead of each other.

Rei tilts his head, “Is that his personal assistant in a skateboard?”

Reki nods, “Yeah! He uses it to calculate angles and adjust his moves.”

Joe flexes his arms as he rounds a corner. Kazuki crosses his arms, “Why is he so flashy? That doesn’t help his skating right?”

Miya huffs, “He is just showing off . Trying to get girls. It is weird.”

Cherry wins the race. He looks smug even under his mask. Kojiro frowns at him “One day I will hide your charger, then we will see how great you are.”

“You underestimate my skill level.”

Kazuki sighs, tired of their game. “What did you bet? Something illegal or scandalous?”

They both turn to him, Joe shakes his head, “I have to burn some of my shirts.”

Kazuki looks baffled,”What? Why?”
“They are a crime to fashion and to my eyes.” Cherry says sincerely.

“I know you just want to see my shirtless more often.”

Cherry then elbows him in the stomach.
Kazuki looks at the kids again. Then he pulls Rei to the side and they whisper to each other.

Kazuki then looks to Reki , “Do you have any extra skateboards?”

“Yeah! I always keep one on me! Why?” He says excited.

“We challenge you to a race.” Rei says seriously.

“WHAT?? You guys can skate? Since when?!?”

Chapter Text

“We can adapt! We are very athletic! We weren’t always papas! We can both ride motorcycles , are quick on our feet, and can juggle being parents & owning a business!!” Kazuki defends.

“I was raised to adapt to any situation.” Rei says flatly.

“That is cool, but I only have one board! You can’t both share it!” Reki says flabbergasted.
Joe snickers, “Why don’t you borrow Carla? Maybe she has a buddy mode?” Cherry Blossom kicks him in the shin. “I would NEVER let inexperienced skaters take a joy ride on my precious CARLA you imbecile!!”

Langa tilts his head, “What about that one board you were gonna test? The Langa Reki Super Long Infinity Duo ?”

“The L2i∞?!?! That is just a prototype! And it is meant for us , bro!”
Langa nods, “But they can test it, and then you can improve your design. The are together for infinity too, like legally”
“Bro, that is so dope for them. I have no idea what you mean by that , but it is barely structurally sound.” Reki explains.

“It means they are married. Like the ultimate infinity promise. And you can make anything!” He says mesmerized.
“Whoa dude. That was kinda profound.”
Miya facepalms, “you two are so stupid.” He mumbles.
Kazuki gets red, “We are not married! We are co-parent papas.” He says exasperated. Rei nods by his side.

“Can you guys just beef already?!? Get them on the board and demolish them already!!” Shadow gruffs impatiently.

Reki gets the board and hands it to them. “You will have the best chance if you try to distribute your weight evenly. I still think this is a bad idea but it is your choice.”

Kazuki sneers at him “Don’t try to get in our heads!”
“What are your terms?” Cherry Blossom asks.
Kazuki smiles, “When we win, you will stop teaching Miri and never talk to her again.”
Reki lowers his head, “If that is what you want. But she has a lot of potential for skating. But, if I win ,” he looks over to his friends, “you have to throw a dinner party every month for us. Free of charge.”
“What about every day?” Langa whispers. Reki shakes his head.
“That will not be happening! Right Rei?” The other papa gets on the board with a determined stare, “We will win.”

Kazuki decides to “drive” the front end of the board while Rei is behind him. Rei is about to strap the bag on his back , “NO weapons! Too many witnesses & we will be recorded” Rei frowns and hands the bag to Cherry. “Carla, scan the contents in 2 minutes.” He whispers.

Kazuki and Rei start off a little wobbly. But they eventually find their flow. Kazuki calls out when they are entering turns or obstacles. Reki looks worried as he skates ahead of them.

The pair quickly approach a rock formation that is narrow on the sides. Kazuki mumbles a curse. “Rei, get on my back.” He commands.

“What?” The smaller man falters.

“I will give you a piggyback ride. Come on! On 3!” Kazuki says frustrated.
Kazuki manages to slow down just enough to get Rei secured then maneuvers through the section with his partner on his back.

There are startled grumbles from the crowd. Rei is able to hold on for a while longer. They can now see Reki a couple hundred feet in front of them. They try gaining on him. Rei still has not gotten off Kazuki’s back.

They make it through the stretch of track. “Oh shit!” Kazuki sees the warehouse. “I don’t think you can be on my back, there could be low hanging beams.”

“Ok. Slow down i will get back on the board.” Rei responds.
“Actually, I have an idea. It is easier to make quick turns with only one of us on the board.I am gonna carry you.”

“No.”

“DO YOU WANT TO LOSE OUR DAUGHTER TO THESE PUNKS? SHE WILL BE SMOKING CRACK AND TAGGING THE DINER WITH GRAFFFITI!”

Rei furrows his brows. “Ok. Like when we had missions with Miri as a toddler?”
“Yes!”

They slow down to get into position. Reki is to their right on a separate path. He looks over in shock. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? THAT IS INSANE! YOU ARE GONNA GET IN AN ACCIDENT!” He warns.

“We are gonna win! Don’t try to intimidate us now!” Kazuki says from the left.
Rei points at a gap in the path. “Kazuki , look ahead. Can you make it?’
“Eaasy.”

He shifts Rei so he is supporting his legs in a bridal carry. He somehow manages to jump with the board over the gap. They almost fall during the landing but stay upright.

“THAT WAS AWESOME!” Reki yells as he exits the warehouse.
“Rei get back on the board and push with me. I have been doing all the work. We can’t let him win!”

They push hard and gain speed. Reki crosses the finish line just as they finish the last turn. They come to a stop. Kazuki pants while resting his hands on his knees. Rei wipes off a bead of sweat from his forehead.

“THAT WAS SICK DUDES- I MEAN SIRS!” Reki puts his hand up for a high five.
Kazuki pouts and kicks the board ignoring him.

Reki jogs to them. “Hey! Don’t do that! I gotta make sure it is still in one piece! It is not the board’s fault. I am not even sure how you survived that race!” The redhead says, amazed.

Reki looks over the board to see how it held up. Kazuki crosses his arms and Rei huffs. “Obviously we are skilled.”

Reki nods, “I thought you never skated? Where did you learn to ride like that?”

Kazuki thinks for a second. “We were very athletic when Miri was young.”

“I still try to be.” Rei mumbles. Kazuki sighs, “You literally workout as physical therapy—“

“YOUR ARM! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!”

Rei shrugs, “I didn’t use my arms much. See.”
He slightly lifts both arms to shoulder level.

“Oh thank God!” Kazuki breathes out.

“Honestly, I would not recommend skating on one board like that. You got lucky. And some guys here race really rough.” Reki winces.

“But ! The L2i♾️ held up! Now me and Langa can try it together!”

Just then Langa jogs to Reki. “Wasn’t that crazy man?!”

“It was cool! We should try to skate like that. Maybe you can be on my shoulders.” Langa says. Reki turns red, “Huh?! Why not just us on the board?”

“But it looks fun. I can carry you!”
“Geez, man. You are so weird. We still gotta do some more tests on it.”

Langa nods, then he gets a dreamy look in his eyes, “Reki! We get free food now!”

Kazuki facepalms, “Damn it! Not tonight! I need to prepare.”

“We can do it after Miya’s race.” Langa answers.

“Langa! It is after midnight. We are not making them cook us a dinner party. It takes hours to make food for all of us.”

Langa frowns. Then he smiles , “What about for your birthday?”

Reki groans, “I don’t need all of that for my birthday. We were planning to go to Joes’s anyway.

“What about both?”

“Not everyone can eat two full course meals in an hour Langa.” Reki says teasing.

“Kazuki, makes good birthday dinners. Maybe you could make it like my birthday party.” Rei says sincerely.

Kazuki tilts his head, “What birthday party? You don’t like parties?”

Rei slightly smiles, “Remember when Miri helped you and stayed up until I got home.”

Kazuki wipes his eyes, “Yeah man. I remember,” He says fondly. “She wanted you to smile.”

The others have made their way to closer at this point. “Kinda gay dudes.” Miya smirks.

“Miya!!” Cherry scolds. Miya huffs,  “What? Not in a mean way?!”

“Showing affection does not always make something gay.” Shadow says , “Emotions are manly!”

“You really are an old man.” Reki says.
Shadow groans.

Cherry sighs and turns to Rei, “Your bag.”
Rei takes it back.

“Make I ask why you brought a crossbow and tranquilizers to a race?” Cherry folds his arms and holds him with a glare.

“In case you all planned to initiate Miri into a gang or a fighting ring.” Kazuki says seriously.

“You have WHAT?!?” Reki yelps.
Rei puts it on his good shoulder. “I had to adapt weapons, can’t lift bow and arrow.”

“Are you fucking Legolas?!?” Shadow gasps.
“He has great aim. He never misses.” Kazuki glances over to the boys. Reki and even Miya look a little scared. Langa has a blank look.

Kazuki groans, “I guess I have to let you keep teaching Miri. I will be watching you though.”

Chapter Text

Kazuki’s dreaded fear has come to fruition. Miri was asked to go to a sleepover.

Now, Kazuki is not cruel . She has had sleepovers at their house. After the fallout of the organization; they made sure to not have any weapons in the house and that everyone was safe. They researched all the little girls’ parents before they stepped foot in the house.

However, she has never slept at a stranger’s house. The idea is a recipe for disaster. He has no idea the security measures and hazards at a stranger’s home! Kazuki would have suggested that they move the sleepover to their apartment, but it is Koyomi’s birthday. She is inviting all of their other friends to the Kyan household.

Kazuki was about to refuse but Miri begged him to at least think about it. She did not want to miss time with her new friends. Kazuki is in a tight spot. He does not want his precious girl to be ridiculed by her friends. Especially, at such an age where teenage female friendships can explode. (He has been preparing for her teenage years ever since she could form complete sentences.)

Rei in his no nonsense logic, thought of a compromise. They would interview the Kyan’s. They agreed to meet Ms.Kyan at the diner. Her husband was working. He still plans to thoroughly check his history as well. He found nothing alarming in Ms.Kyan’s records.

Ms. Kyan agrees to meet him at the diner. They even plan to close early for the interview.

He sees her come in, and smiles. She orders a sub and some french fries. “I don’t usually eat this kinda food. It is nice to try something different.” He chuckles and gets to work.

As Masae is waiting she sees Nanako in line. “Nanako! Hi! What brings you here? Isn’t this place lovely?”

The younger woman smiles, “Masae! How are you? I am grabbing some coffee, I just finished the day shift.”

“I am good! We are planning Koyomi’s birthday party! I am gonna talk to Miri’s parents about the sleepover. They own this comfy diner. Maybe Miri can come!”

Nanako smiles, “I hope so too! How old is Koyomi gonna be?”

“She is turning 14! Time flies doesn’t it? I feel like she was just a toddler!”

Kazuki then comes to her table with the food. “Here you go , enjoy,” He looks over, “Hello , Nanako! I will have your drink in a few.”

“Hi, Kazuki ! Can I add a salad? Are you guys closing early today?”

Kazuki nods, “That won’t be a problem. I am just closing up the kitchen early so me and Ms Kyan can talk about Miri.” He pauses for a second, picturing Langa’s cold stare when he met with Nanako, “A professional parent meeting! Nothing more! I have no other motives!”

Nanako and Masae laugh, “Thank you for the clarification. I am sure with Miri’s mama here it will be nothing too scandalous.”

Kazuki blushes and Nanako raises her eyebrows. “Um, I will get your salad Nanako.”

Masae looks at Nanako, “What was that about?”

Nanako shrugs, “Maybe he is nervous. It is good he does not want us to get the wrong idea.”

Masae smirks, “Are you two on first name basis? Should his wife be worried ?” She teases.

Nanako shakes her head, “He actually had a nice conversation with me when I was missing Oliver. He lost a spouse too. It is nice to have someone who knows what it is like.”

Masae nods then frowns, “Is this a second marriage? Not that I care , but I do not want to misspeak. Maybe a step-mom? Have you met her?”

Nanako looks at Kazuki chiding Rei on the grill. “I haven’t , but Kazuki speaks fondly of Rei. . It is a unique family situation. But I can assure you Kazuki loves Miri and his partner.”

Masae smiles, “Wonderful! I hope Miri and Koyomi will have fun.”

Kazuki comes over with her salad. “You can stay to finish it if you want. I am just waiting for Rei to finish up and we can get started Ms Kyan..”

“You can call me Masae, since you call her Nanako!.”

Kazuki scratches his neck,”I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea.”

Nanako tilts her head, “Did someone say something?”

Kazuki sighs, “Uhh Langa kinda chewed me out. I mentioned we had coffee and he thought it was a date.”

Nanako’s eyes widen, “Langa was upset? I thought he wouldn’t mind me dating,”

“He was just being a good son! Making sure I was not mistreating you. I explained that I wouldn’t do something like that.”

“Something like what?” Rei creeps behind him.

“God, Rei!” He jumps, “Why are you still so sneaky?” He than gestures to the table of women.

The former assassin just looks at Kazuki. “Remember? The meeting?!?”

Rei nods, “Hi,” He waves shyly.
“Ugh, Rei! This is Ms Kyan. Miri’s mother. She agreed to talk with us . You can be a bit more friendly!!”

Masae tilts her head , looks between the two men , then at Nanako. She blinks then smiles. “Hello Rei! It is alright. My husband is still quiet around new people as well.”

Rei makes a small smile and sits down. Kazuki sighs, “Well , ugh , never mind. He is still being socialized. Anyways, thanks for coming here. We just have a few questions.”

He proceeds to pull out a tablet.
“First, how many people are living in the home ? And please give their names, ages and gender.”

Masae nods, “Um, there is me.. and my husband…
Woman and Man , aged 48 & 45. Also my mother aged 75, Miri’s grandmother.”

Kazuki hums. “You have met Reki , 19 , young male. Koyomi will be 14 year old girl. Nanaka & Chihiro are the youngest, 6 year old girls.”

Kazuki smiles, “Wait , did we run into each other at the supermarket a while back?”

Masae smiles, “Oh right! You were talking about Miri and skating! We should have known!!”

Rei peers over the tablet, “Are there any weapons in the house?” He asks bluntly.

Masae is taken back, “Nothing I can think of, unless you count Nanas knitting needles!” She laughs nervously.

“I guess anything could be a weapon. Does she have any violent tendencies?” Rei asks.

The woman laughs,”Oh no! She spoils the kids and is pretty docile.”

Rei shrugs, “Any firearms?”
“Oh heavens no!”

“Knives?”
“We have kitchen knives..” She hesitates.

Kazuki narrows his eyes, “Reki usually carries tools on him. He works on skateboards right? What kind of tools does he have at home?”

“Oh , I don’t know the specifics, his father handled that part. But I can double
check Reki locks it before anyone comes over.”

“I see.” Kazuki looks over to Rei who is typing.
Kazuki leans over to see the tablet.
“Do you have any alcohol in the house? Where do you store it?”

Masae gives her answer. She ensures the kids will not have access to it.

“Follow up question - Are there any drugs in the house ? Narcotics, Prescriptions, Recreational substances? Edibles?”

Masae explains some of the medicine the family takes. She emphasizes they are in cabinets away from the kids and there is no marijuana in the house.

Nanako takes a sip , “You two are very thorough.”

“we have to make sure Miri is in good hands.” Kazuki says seriously, Rei nods.

They ask more questions for another 5 minutes. Then Kazuki gets refills for them , Rei follows him.

Masae sighs, “They are so intense! I feel like I am being interrogated.”

Nanako chuckles, “They are stricter than I expected. Kazuki seems so cheerful most of the time.”

Masae nods, “Rei is kinda scary. He does not talk or show many emotions.” She whispers.

“I would say that is not abnormal but , paired with the questions they were asking it is a bit unsettling. I am sure they are watching out for their daughter.” The younger woman says.

“We barely asked each other anything before Reki & Langa started staying over. Now I am worried I should ask more questions before letting the girls go to a sleepover.” Masae chuckles.

Nanako nods, “I just assumed Langa would make good friends.”

Rei and Kazuki come back. Kazuki sets down their drinks. “We have a few more concerns to discuss.”

Masae smiles uneasy, “Ok, I assure you everyone will be safe in our household.”

Kazuki sighs, “I just don’t feel comfortable having men in the house with Miri.”

Masae thinks for a second, “Let me check something.”

She looks at her phone. “My husband does have a business trip that weekend! That just leaves Reki..”

“Can he stay at a friends house?” Kazuki suggests.

Masae looks to Nanako, She looks at her confused. “Oh! No problem! Reki is welcome anytime. I am sure the boys would be happy.”

Masae laugns, “Reki would rather not be surrounded by teen girls. He already says there are too many girls in the house with his sisters and nana.”

Nanako looks at Masae, “So Reki will stay at our place and your husband is away, that works out!”

Kazuki and Rei nod. Then Kazuki looks over to Masae, “Wait. You will be hosting a bunch of teen girls by yourself?!”

Masae sighs, “Oh I hadn’t thought of that! Well Nana is there too. Would it be alright if I have some help? I can text my sister.”

Kazuki and Rei look at each other , “Does she have a criminal history?”

“No! Our family is all fine!” She insists.
Nanako smiles, “What about me? I am off that day! You know me well enough right?”

Kazuki furrows his brow. “I suppose. It could be helpful that you are a nurse.”

“Are you sure Nanako? There are going to be a house full of teen girls, and the twins!?!”

“I have babysat for Olivers family! I can help.” She adds.

“Ok. I guess it is settled.” Kazuki smiles.

Reki smiles when he enters Langa’s apartment. They finish their dap and then plop on the couch.

“Dude, I am so glad I am here instead of back home. I would have to hide in my room all night from the teenage mania.” Reki sighs.

“Is it that bad?”

Reki nods, “They had a karaoke session when Koyomi turned 12.”

Langa smirks, “I am sure they sounded fantastic.”

“Langa, I would not wish the sound of preteen screeching and singing on my worst enemy.” Reki says in horror.

“So Adam?”
“Oh god, he would join them.”

“He would steal the mic.” Langa agrees.

Reki shakes his head, “Please no.”

They fall into laughter imagining it. “So , are Canadian sleepovers as wild as the American ones in movies?”

“Huh?” Langa asks, tilting his head. “You know they do wild stuff, share secrets, play pranks, eat a bunch of junk and play games. I saw it in the movies.”

“Eh, I didn’t go to many sleepovers before.” Langa said casually
“We should make it a fun sleepover!”
Langa frowns, “We haven’t had fun sleepovers before?”

Reki sighs, “Ok our sleepovers are pretty fun. But I mean like new fun.”
“What new stuff do we add?”
Reki thinks, “I guess you have some snacks here. Popcorn is popular in movies to eat while watching tv. OH! We should make a fort with couch cushions and blankets!”
In ten minutes they are cozied up to skating videos stuffing their cheeks with popcorn.
After the video finishes up , Reki turns to Langa. “See! That was fun!” He flicks some of the leftover kernels at him.

“You mentioned games. What kind?”
Reki nods, “I think they were group games. One had a bottle I think .”
Langa tilts his head “Spin the bottle?”
“Yea I can’t remember what happens when it lands on you.”

“It works better with a group.” Langa says shyly. “We should play it with the S group then!”
Langa shakes his head, “No!”
“Why?”
“It involves kissing the person who the bottle lands on. I don’t wanna kiss Miya.”

Reki makes a weird face, “Dude , what?!?”
“The game is supposed to be with a mixed group at parties.”
Reki blinks, “Oh.”

“Have you ever played at a party?”
“No. I haven’t been to many parties.”

“What?!? I bet you were super popular! Why didn’t you go?” Reki asks, surprised.

Langa shrugs, “I didn’t want to. I would be bored.”

Reki shakes his head, “If you get any invites we gotta go. We can hang with the cool kids and kiss some girls!”

Langa just munches on more popcorn. Reki sighs, then pauses, “Wait? Have you had your first kiss? I haven’t. What if I am bad at it?!?”

“You are great at everything!” Langa refutes.
“Kissing is different! What if my breath smells? What if I use too much or too little tongue? What if I forget to close my eyes?!?”

Reki heres Langa mumble something. “What?”
“We can practice.” Langa blushes.

………..

Nanako shows up to the Kyan household about 30 before the party. Masae welcomes her in with a smile.“Nanako! You look so cute!! You could be one of the girls. ”
She arrives in a cozy pajama set, some fluffy slippers and low pigtails.

Masae is wearing a nightgown and sweatpants. She ushers the other woman in.

“Koyomi! Come say ‘Hi’ to Ms Hasegawa.
Koyomi comes over with Miri behind her. “Hello Ms Hasegawa.”
Miri smiles brightly, “Hello Ms Hasegawa! I ‘m Miri ! You are the pretty lady who hangs out with Papa Kazuki sometimes right? I like your hair! Can you do our hair tonight?”

“Miri!” A male voice scolds her. Nanako peers into the kitchen to see Kazuki preparing an array of snacks. Rei is looming around him.

“Oh, Hello Kazuki and Rei.”

“Hello,” He smiles, “Miri , Ms Hasegawa is a friend. Don’t say things like that in front if the other kids. Their parents will talk. Also, you can’t demand people to do your hair.”

Miri sighs, “Ok. I can’t have them think you are cheating on Papa Rei.”

“Thank you— What?” He sputters as Miri giggles.

Nanko smiles, “I would be glad to do all of your hair! I have not had much chance to practice. I did my niece’s hair when they were younger. I could even do nails! I don’t do too much on my own because of my job but could help you all.”

They spend the time chatting . Kazuki attempts to casually ask about the slumber party plans as he preps the food.

Masae answers politely then gently pushes them out the door before the guests arrive. “Thank you so much for the help! Miri will have so much fun. We will keep her safe!”

………..

Kazuki and Rei make it home . Kazuki insisted they wait 10 minutes before leaving in case Miri needed anything. Rei just wanted to have some food. 

Kazuki is still frantically rambling and reconsidering his choices as he made their dinner. 

Rei sighs, “You need to relax.” 

“But it’s our baby! What if something happens?” 

Rei shakes his head. “We took all necessary precautions. And there are two parents with her.” 

Kazuki lets out a breath. Then he widens his eyes, “Rei! Both of those mothers don’t know their kids sneak out regularly. Reki does it often, what if the girls can sneak out too ?!?!?” 

“How would a group of girls sneak out unnoticed?” He asks. 

Kazuki gasps, “What if boys sneak in? Or a robber ? Or a murderer?!?” 

Rei narrows his eyes. “We need to talk to that boy.” 

…………

Langa and Reki stare at each other. The blue haired boy starts to lean in Reki blushes and follows. 

There lips meet softly, Reki gasps, he feels a flutter in his stomach. He then turns away. “Was that alright?” 

Langa’s eyes are glassy , he blinks, “Yes! You were good. It was awesome.” 

Reki snickers, “Awesome, you were too.” 

Langa puts a hand on his shoulder. “Your breath was not too bad.” He teases. 

Reki smacks his hand. “Hey!” 

Langa pauses, “We didn’t really open our mouths though. So it is hard to tell.” 

Reki looks over, “Oh um, we should try it a different way. So I can get better.” 

Langa nods with a sparkle in his eyes. Reki leans in with his mouth lightly parted. Langa joins him. It is hesitant but warm and welcoming. Langa hums into the kiss. 

Reki becomes less hesitant he begins to move his mouth a bit more . Langa puts his hand on Reki’s cheek. 

A loud ring is heard . They both jump away. “What is that? Is someone calling me?” Reki feels around his pockets. 

“Hello?” 

“Reki! I need you to answer some urgent questions. Or I will let your parents know about S!” 

“Kazuki-San?!?” 

Langa frowns , Reki puts him on speaker. 

“What is wrong? I swear I am not near Miri right now! I am with Langa!” 

“Why do you sound out of breath? Are you running from someone?” 

“What ?! No ? You scared me!” He says frantically. 

“Sure. Anyway! How do you escape to S? Can anyone else get in or out that way?!” 

Reki sighs, “I climb out my window. But!! My room is locked and so is the window! I lock it after I get in every time! I don’t want weirdos coming thru my window.” 

Kazuki grunts, “Are you certain it is locked tonight?” 

“Yes. I didn’t want to leave my mom and the girls alone unprotected. Also my room is locked I don’t want those brats - not Miri , course! - snooping through my stuff.” 

“I see.” He sounds unsure. 

“Langa can confirm.” He looks over, Langa is mid pout. 

“I have to knock on his window before he lets me in. He sometimes forgets I am coming to pick him up.” He grumbles. 

Reki nods, “See! It will be fine. I am sure Miri and Koyomi are doing their nails and watching cheesy movies by now.” 

Kazuki sighs, “Ok.” 

Langa grumbles, “Hang up Reki.” 

“Don’t be rude man? Why are you so grumpy?” Reki scolds. 

“We were in the middle of something.” He frowns.

Reki blushes, “OK ! Are we all good Kazuki and Rei san? We have sleepover activites to attend to.” 

“Yes. Goodbye.” Kazuki answers. 

……… 

Soon enough Masae and Nanako are becoming hair stylists. 

Miri is looking cute in two short pigtails. Her friend Yuki is getting a fishtail braid . 

“How do you know all these new styles?” Masae asks.

Nanako smiles, “I have been looking them up online for a little while. The young nurses at the hospital always have pictures of their daughters in cute styles. It is a bit harder to find time to practice on myself but I am learning!” 

The girls then have their snacks and settle in for a movie. 

The two ladies clean up and chat in the kitchen. “They seem to be having fun!” Nanako smiles. 

“Yes, I am glad all her friends could make it.” Masae says. 

Eventually they ask the girls to settle down and get ready for bed. Masae wrangles up the twins who wanted to play with their big sister. 

Nanako smiles as she hears soft whispers. She sits on the edge of the bed. “I remeber those days. Whispering about crushes , fashion and our favorite groups before all these new idols came around.” 

Masae chuckles, “Wasn’t that not too long ago for you?” 

She shakes her head, “Stop it! I am old enough to have an almost grown up son. They grow up so fast!” 

“So true, the twins will be having their own slumber parties before I know it.” 

Nanako sighs, “I hope Langa doesn’t study too far away or move out too quickly.” 

Masae sighs, “I hope Reki visits a lot wherever he ends up. But we still have a little time.” 

Nanako exhales, “Yes! They are still our  boys.” 

Masae nods. Nanako shifts, “ Can I help you get out a spare futon for me?” 

Masae frowns, “Oh no. The girls are using them all. I could go share a room with my mother. You stay here.” 

Nanako waves her off, “No I don’t want you to wake your mother! I can go back home. This was nice.” 

Masae frowns, “It is no problem! Stay! Aren’t the boys at your place anyways?” 

Nanako has a conflicted expression. She is fairly sure Reki is Langa’s crush. Who else would it be? He only talks about the boy. She does not want to intrude on them. But she can’t impose on the Masae.

“Unless you want to share? There is plenty of room since Mr Kyan is away.” She jokes. 

“ You wouldn’t be uncomfortable? I don’t want to make things strange for you and him.” 

“Honestly, I don’t like having it all to myself.” Masae says shyly. 

Nanako smiles, “I guess adults can have girls' nights too!” She and Masae settle in under the covers. 

“You are really good with the girls. Did you want a girl when you were expecting?” She says to Nanako. 

The woman ponders it for a minute, “Honestly, It never mattered to me. As long as my child was healthy. I love Langa to pieces. Although, it would be fun to do girly stuff with my daughter.” 

Masae smiles, “Maybe you will have a granddaughter. Or a daughter in law you could take to the salon.” 

Nanako hesitates. Of course she would love a granddaughter but the second part was kinda unlikely. Unless, she misinterpreted their conversation a whole back, Langa will not be bringing a girl home. She does not want to disclose his personal information to Mrs, Kyan. However, it can’t hurt to practice politely challenging these ideas. Thank goodness she found a gay parent support page online! 

“It would be great to have a granddaughter to spoil, do hair and dress up with. But I don’t want Langa’s spouse to do stuff just for me.” 

Ha! She did it! She used a gender neutral pronoun in a casual way! Oliver would be proud. Oh Oliver…

Masae sees her face drop. “Is everything alright?” 

“Yes.” She smiles half heartedly

“Do you think Langa likes someone?” Masae asks shyly. 

Nanako tries to be calm, “He has mentioned someone a while back but did not tell me who.” 

“I can’t tell if Reki likes this person as a friend or more.” Masae says. 

There is a moment of silence, “Do you think Reki and Langa…?” Masae starts. 

“You see it too?!” Nanako blurts out, then covers her mouth. 

Masae laughs, “Am I crazy? I don’t know much about these things..” 

Nanako gets serious, “Please never let Langa know I told you this. But, when they had the big fight, I told him to let this special girl know how he felt. He was baffled and asked ‘What girl?’ , it had to be Reki right?!” 

Masae gasps, “Oh we shouldn’t speculate but I think so. Reki was so sad before they made up. But I have no idea if they ever made anything official.” 

Nanako nods, “I have no idea. I don’t know if Langa does not want to tell me they are dating or if they aren’t there yet.” 

Masae sighs, “This is complicated. I don’t want to assume wrong or say anything that makes them uncomfortable around each other again.” 

“Maybe they are afraid of losing their friendship since the fight! I know I was scared about telling Oliver before I went back home . It worked out but it was so nerve wracking!” 

“Ah young love! I hope they figure it out on their own.” Masae smiles warmly. 

They talk quietly for a few more minutes ans then settle down to sleep. 

A few hours later Masae turns a bit in her sleep. She feels a bit of resistance.She has only a quarter of the blankets. Nanako has claimed them in her sleep. 

She gently takes some covers back. The brunette grunts, “Give me a minute Oliver.” 

Masae stops. Her guest moves closer nudging her head against her shoulder. The redhead makes a startled noise. Nanako blinks awake. 

“I am so sorry!” She jerks away. “It is alright! It happens. Nanako nods, “I haven’t slept in the same bed as anyone else since my husband..” 

Her eyes get watery, and she sniffles. “Come here, honey.” Masae opens her arms. 

They embrace in a hug, “I just miss him so much, I miss him teasing me cuz I take the covers. He would always have a joke or know what to say. He was one of the few people who could get Langa to open up.  He would know how to help Langa with relationships, He won’t ever help him with his first date. He will never meet his partner or be at a wedding. He won’t be there when he graduates. Langa is gonna grow up and I will be all alone.” She sobs into the warmth of her friend. 

“There , there dear. You have his memory and you can help Langa with that or you can ask for help when needed. Our family will be here for you and Langa. He is a good kid he won’t just leave you.” 

The next morning Masae is already making breakfast before Nanako wakes up. She feels a little silly about her breakdown last night. But, she will try to brush it off. 

The girls begin to wake up when the smells of bacon, eggs, waffles and rice waft in. Nanako ponders leaving after some breakfast but reconsiders. Masae will need help cleaning up and making sure all the girls take everything with them. 

They have polite conversation while they clean up and then help the girls pack up. “I can’t thank you enough Nanako. I owe you dinner and a drink . We should have ladies night more often. 

“I would like that! It was a nice night, I enjoyed having some girl time.” Just then there is a knock at the door.

Masae opens it “Miri!!!! How is our lovely little girl?!?” Kazuki sings , Rei rolls his eyes but follows him in. 

“Paappa! Don’t be so silly. You are gonna embarrass me.” Miri teases. 

He pats her head and scans her. “Are you alright? What did you get up to? Did you have breakfast? Did you sleep well?” 

Miri sighs, “I am safe and secure. I had a great time! We had fun!!” 

Masae smiles, “She was great! I have some more food if you two want any. I doubt it would compare to the diner though.” 

Reki wakes up feeling warm, he almost screams when he realizes he is cuddled up to Langa’s side. The other boy is sleeping soundly , Reki gently pushes Langa’s arm off his shoulder. 

Reki is so embarassed! He kissed Langa- for practice! But they practiced a lot last night. They even slept in the same bed after watching funny videos. 

He feels odd. Like excited and nervous. Was it just practice? How does Langa feel? 

Chapter Text

Kazuki & Rei really started to settle into their new friendships with the skater group. Kazuki even stopped being suspicious about the boys - he was learning to respect Miri’s privacy !

Nanako gently suggested giving her more room to be independent and told stories from her childhood and her childhood friend acting out because her parents were too strict.

Kazuki , Nanako and Masae have regular wine nights or brunch depending on their schedules.

Rei had even started skating lessons along with Miri!

But Kazuki noticed Rei still seemed on edge in their new home. He tries to understand. Kazuki even catches himself being on alert anytime they go somewhere new. But Kazuki feels like he needs something thrilling & a sense of control he has yet to find.

Kazuki sighs and decides to be a bit reckless tonight. He drags Rei out after Miri was put to bed being extra quiet. Rei just goes along and they end up at S again.

They swiftly con their way through security again. “Why are we here again?” Rei asks.

“I wanted to liven up our night a bit. See the action again. You are becoming a skater & I thought you would enjoy it.” The blonde explains.

“Do you want me to start a beef? Is someone dangerous around Miri?” He says seriously.

“NO! Miri is fine! We are fine!” He screeches. Rei blinks at him.
“Please no more beefs. I just thought you were bored with our domestic life.” He sighs.

Rei shakes his head. Kazuki takes his hand. “It is ok. I admit I miss the thrill sometimes too. And I know there are nights you can’t sleep.You are present but on edge a lot still as well. Which I get you were raised that way. But we can take a breath and relax a bit.We are safe now.”

Rei is silent, but Kazuki understands he is trying. They stay in the corner and watch the races. Cherry and Joe see them but thankfully don’t alert the kids. Kazuki sees Rei looking at a man in a red cap with a tablet. “We should be fine.” The blonde whispers.

The man meets eyes with them. Rei gets into a defensive stance. The man slowly walks towards them. “Be cool.” Kazuki whispers. “Hello, may I see your pins?”

“We were checked at the gate but ok.” Kazuki chuckles and begins looking around his outfit. “I swear it was on here. Is this inside out , Rei?” He turns to his partner.
“While you look for your pin.. How did you hear about S?”
“Our new friends! Joe and Cherry Blossom! Oh, and Reki ? He is teaching our daughter to skate.”

The man is silent for a second, his face unchanging, “You know Cherry Blossom, Joe ,and Reki?”

“Yeah.” Kazuki says firmly.
The man waves the two men over. “Oh hey Kazuki and Rei! Joe looks over to Snake. “What is up?”

“Did you give these men their S pins?” Snake asks.
Joe looks over at Cherry. Cherry nods, “Yes.They came with us last time. ”

“When was the last time they were here? It seems they have misplaced their pins.” Snake asked.

Joe smiled, “About a month or so ago? They own a diner that is real cozy. The boys teach their kid how to skate. Langa let it slip that he was going to S one time and we explained it to them.”

“Interesting.” Snake quips.

Cherry crosses his arms. ‘Is there a problem?”

Snake looks at him, “Two men matching their descriptions can be seen acting suspicious around S.” He shows them the footage on his tablet.

“That could be anyone here.” Joe shrugs.

“Is that not the same outfit this man is wearing?” He looks over to Kazuki. Then he stares at Rei “and this man has very distinctive body language.”

“Well, actually …” Kazuki stumbles.

“That seems like more of a flaw in your security if they could - theoretically- surpass it so easily.” Cherry says.

“Yea. i thought this place was locked down tight. That could be a problem.” Joe adds on hesitantly.

Snake’s jaw locks slightly. He turns to Rei, “Have you done any military or security training? You have very calculated mannerisms.”

Rei looks over to Kazuki, who elbows him, “Yes. My employer a long time ago trained me to make sure everyone was safe.”

Snake narrows his eyes ever so slightly, “Would you be willing to discuss the vulnerabilities at crazy rock so we can improve them?”

Kazuki nods, “Yes! Rei and I can definitely help.”

Cherry Blossom sighs, “I can add some insight. I have been meaning to have a discussion with Adam but he refuses to meet. The security of your network can be greatly improved.”

They spend another hour going over gaps in the security at Crazy Rock. And how the pair would “theoretically” be able to make their way in.

“Would either of you consider becoming security here? We do have strange hours but you will be compensated.”

Kazuki sees that mischievous look in Rei’s eyes. “We will discuss it and let you know.”

They go over it the next evening when Miri is asleep. They decide to give it a try. Only when are up for it and can either have a shift together or alone as needed. Sometimes one of them is tired or has a pain day or they want to spend time with Miri.

They go together on their first shift and are given their “uniforms” of a red cap and a bomber jacket. Snake gives them the run down. They are not given any weapons and brute force is discouraged in favor of de escalation or removal of the intruder or vagrant.

It involves watching the security cameras on the tablet and surveillance of the area. They take sections of crazy rock and are instructed to alert Snake of any issues before interfering.

The first issue they alert Snake of is a guy following a lady who looks pissed.

He alerts Snake and they begin to follow.
As they get closer they see him grab her wrist. They share a look and sprint over.

“What are you two leaving so early for? There are still some great races happening.” Kazuki says in a stilted tone.

Rei silently appears in front of them.
“She was being bitchy so I said why don’t we just go home?!” The gruff man scoffs.

She frowns, “This asshole had too much to drink and has been all over me tonight!”

Rei gets closer, “Oh come on ! Can’t a man love on his lady?!”

“First, you are in public and there are others who can see. This place is crawling with reckless teens. Second, if she doesn’t want to sleep with you tonight she has every right to refuse.”

“Oh, just stay out of it! If you are such a gentleman, where is your bitch?!”

Kazuki ignores him and looks to the woman, “Do you want to go home with him?”

She scrunches her nose. “Not until he doesn’t smell like cheap beer and sweat!”

“You whiny slut!” He tries to lunge at her. Rei swiftly locks the man’s arms behind his back.

“What the shit?You damn cock blocks! I just want to get lucky with my chick!”

Kazuki rolls his eyes, “She don’t want your deadbeat ass!” he turns to her , “Do you have a ride home?” She shakes her head.

“Hey! Don’t take her for yourselves!” The man slurs. Rei bends his arms even more , he groans in pain.

“We can call a cab if you need it. You have a friend you can stay with?”

She looks hesitant, “What’s the catch? Am I gonna be in your debt? I am not having a threesome with you .”

“Whoa! No , no! We are new security at S! Trying to make the community a bit safer. No tricks. You can stay here if you want as well.”

She sighs, “You can order me a cab.”

After she is settled they take the man to Snake. He blinks at them and they explain the situation.

“I meant any external security issues like people trying to sneak in, or police presence.” He says simply.

“Well we should look out for the community as well!” Kazuki argues.

Snake sighs, “I suppose. But let him go. I will think of a suitable punishment.”

Rei drops him and the man slumps over. He is now passed out on the ground.

Kazuki puts his hand up and they high five. Rei does so without changing his blank expression.

The next shift Snake announces they will need to fill out incident reports for every instance they report to him. He looks so tired as he explains it.

A few times a month they go either together or seperate. There is an occasional person trying to be sneaky and get in but it is mostly minor altercations that get heated after a beef.

They have even stepped in to deescalate some brawls between Cherry Blossom and Joe.

They have stopped a few reckless kids from stealing someone’s board or wallet as well.

One day as Miri is hanging out with Miya and Koyomi the catboy mentions something that he did not hear before or maybe he wasn’t listening. “Yea the expansion pack on Morio Cart is so cool have you tried it yet?”

“What expansion pack?”

“I told you this last night in the Crazy Rock server - you know S” He whispers.

“I wasn’t in the crazy rock server last night.” He says confused.

“Yea right, nice cover up, real smooth.” Miya smirks.

“We watched a movie as a family then we all fell asleep on the couch.”

“Even your alibis are lame.” He scoffs.

Rei pulls up a movie ticket and then a picture of him, Kazuki and Miri on the couch that he took as his partner and daughter were mid sleep. The time was when S started.

“You actually weren’t there?” He tilts his head , “Why did you take a picture?”

“They looked silly.” He tries to hide a smile.

“You are so domestic, wait a
minute […] Did I tell Snake about the expansion pack?!”

“You didn’t realize when he didn’t respond?” Rei asks.

“You barely respond! You and your partner take security super seriously. It is freaky. I thought you were just distracted.” Miya hisses.

“Are we that similar?”

“You wear the same uniform, have the same hair color, are pretty close in height and have that spy stance.”

“Spy stance?” Rei asks with a bit of a concern for his actual past.

“Yea, you are really quiet and can be still as a statue. Silent but deadly. It would be creepy if I didn’t know you are a sap.” Miya rolls his eyes.

He then stands up straight with arms by his side and frowns. “You and Snake stand like that at your shifts.”

“What are you doing?” Koyomi asks him.

“I am imitating Rei when he is in focus mode.” Miya laughs.

“That is pretty good.” Miri chuckles.

The kids decide to be in Rei mode for a few seconds before laughing. Rei just shakes his head.

It all comes to a head when the self proclaimed ‘Matador King of S’ decides to visit his queendom.

The two former hitmen watch in utter confusion as a man dressed as a matador propels unto a stage via aerial silks.

He gives a sultry but surprisingly inclusive greeting.

Kazuki is drawn in but Rei is just looking around as always. “Who is this guy?” The blonde asks bewildered.

The man - Adam- introduces himself and declares he will be scouting tonight for the next person to have a beef with. He speaks with an air of theatrics and has an unsettling way about him. He mentions only the best will be worthy of a race with him.

Throughout the night Kazuki has a bad feeling. He seems to be gravitating toward teen skaters. He looks at the boys like a prey waiting for a bite.

“Rei, the second this clown touches a kid we are on him.” Rei just nods.

Adam circles around Langa then mimes caressing the boy’s arm. He then squeezes his shoudler. Reki looks pissed , Langa indifferent and Miya disturbed.

“We are moving in on a creep.” Kazuki radios Snake.

They swiftly but silently get closer.
Kazuki goes to throw a punch but the man laughs and dodges. Rei comes up behind and kicks the back of his knees knocking him down.

“Who the hell do you think you are?!?!” He wails.

“We have watched you be creepy toward kids all night!” Kazuki shouts.

The man looks at their uniform, “Snake! Why did you hire such fools?”

Kazuki and Rei look to their boss confused.

“Damn it Adam,” He mutters, “They have actually made many of the young people and woman feel safer at S.”

“They obviously saw your antics as a safety concern,” Cherry Blossom clicks his tongue.

“There is some misunderstanding here.” Snake begins.

“Actually what is there to misunderstand? He has been getting away with creeping on kids and even beating up both kids and adults for too long,” Joe grits his teeth.

A small murmur begins in the crowd.
Snake sighs. Adam scoffs, “You are all forgetting who I am . I have been keeping this place funded and out of the public eye for a decade at least! I am the founder of S!”

Kazuki looks at Snake who nods. “I don’t care who you are! Harassing people is a terrible standard to set!”

“There are no rules at S sweetie.” He laughs.

“Maybe not during a race but people shouldn’t be afraid of creeps and bullies on the mountain.” Kazuki stands up straight.

The crowd begins a slow wave of claps.

Adam gets up , “Just who do you think you are?”

“A man who isn’t afraid of childish bullies.” He grins.

Rei nods behind him.

Adam laughs, “You are gonna regret those words.”

He dramatically turns to the crowd, “I challenge this brave hero to a beef!”

There are gasps all around.

“Not without me.” Rei steps forward.

“Aren’t you a little guard dog,” Adam coos, “Fine I will do a double beef! You won’t have an advantage. Maybe I can be in the middle of this menage a trios?” He winks.

“What?” Rei asks , “No! That is not even — Gross!” Kazuki stammers.

“Be at the start in five minutes.” Adam growls.

The entire skate crew immediately crowd them and try to convince them to back down or use one of them as an alternate.

“Why? Is he that good?” Kazuki asks confused.

“He has some fucked up methods.” Reki grumbles.

Miya looks at them panicked, “He put Cherry in the hospital!”

Cherry grits his fan tightly, “It is true. He is a ruthless opponent who gets close to distract you and then attacks. But I have a feeling you two can make it out with minimal damage.”

“Don’t let him see you favoring your one arm. He will exploit any vulnerability.” Joe whispers.

“Oh loverboys! Our love triangle beef starts soon!” Adam croons.

“Eugh. Let’s get this over with.” Kazuki groans.

They line up together “When I win, you two will be banned from S.” Adam says seriously.

“When we win you will never put your hand on a child again.” Rei speaks up with a death glare.

This actually makes Adam blink in surprise. “Ha! He speaks.”

They start off with Adam far ahead. He then comes back around for a ‘love hug’ .The men give each other a look . Then Rei veers out of the way as Kazuki faces him head on. He turns his torso enough to wedge his elbow into Adam's ribs. This distracts him enough to break out of the love hug.

Adam grunts then sets out after Rei. He gets close enough to start an embrace with the man from behind. Rei effortlessly flips Adam over his shoulder. Adam narrowly avoids falling over and decides to skate ahead.

They give each other a few nods and gestures before heading his way.

“A was wondering when the grandpas would catch up.” Adam taunts.

“We are not old!” Kazuki squawks, Rei gives him a warning look.

Adam smirks, “None of you will dance with me. Have the old men forgotten how to dance?”

“Dance?” The blonde asks confused.

“Kazuki!” Rei shouts.

Adam circles back and begins to embrace the other man. They begin spinning rapidly. “Are you two into a bit of swinging?”

Adam jerks Kazuki until he is almost hitting the side of the rock. “I would love to join.I can even set a new tempo.”

He begins to spin them and swing around with even more speed. Just as they do another rotation Adam quickly takes his hands away.

Just as Kazuki spins out Rei is right next to him and catches the man. His partner smiles up at him. “Thanks man for always saving my ass.”

“Let’s finish this.” Rei responds.

They try to make it to Adam but he is already in the warehouse. “Be careful up here!” Kazuki reminds Rei.

They maneuver pretty well until in the middle they are getting closer to Adam.
Kazuki is in front and Rei is slightly behind.

Adam begins running toward Kazuki , “Kaz ! Get down!” Rei whispers harshly

Adam picks up his board to hit Kazuki but he lowers himself and avoids it.

Adam shouts and turns around to aim for Rei. The hitman has his hair suddenly down . Adam begins running with his board, “Rei !” Kazuki shouts.

As the man is a few feet away, Rei moves his hands. A mere seconds before it is too late Adam is hit in the eye with a hair elastic.

This trips him up , he falls back onto his butt.

Rei smirks and rides on past.

Adam lets out a piercing yell and swiftly gains speed. Before they know it he is next to Rei.

“Do you think this is a joke?!?!” He grabs him by his collar . They begin spinning , Adam keeps pushing Rei farther from him and closer out to the cliffs.

Rei frowns, as soon as he brings him in again, he stomps on Adam’s foot and elbows him hard in the face.

Adam yelps and brings his hands to his nose. Rei quickly catches up to Kazuki . They look back and see Adam speeding behind them with blood over his face.

Seconds away from the finish , he grabs the back of Kazuki’s bomber jacket. This allows Rei to make it across the finish first.

Adam finishes a second after with Kazuki behind.

The crowd erupts into cheers. “The capmen won?!?!” Someone shouts.

“WHAT?!?” Adam bellows , “He finished behind me!”

Snake appears, “Rei was in front of you,” He shows the photo, “We never specified which of them needs to beat you. One of them passed you first.”

Adam glares, then he turns ,with blood still running down his face, “Who even are you people?!?!”

“Fathers who are trying to keep away creeps like you from our daughter.” Kazuki crosses his arms. Rei nods.

“I don’t even know your daughter!” Adam screams.

“But you are toying with too many people’s kids!” Kazuki spits back.

“Please it is all just racing and theatrical.” Adam wipes the blood from his face with his hand then waves them off.

“You broke Reki’s arm.” Langa says.
“You almost made Langa fall off the mountain! Reki shouts.

Cherry and Joe step forward, Joe frowns, “You have been breaking kids for years. Take some responsibility and make amends or don’t act surprised when someone fights back.”

Adam groans, Snake comes up to him “Sir, maybe you should get that checked out.”

Adam sighs, “Whatever, people don’t appreciate my vision,” He turns to the
two men , “You will be dealt with in due time.”

Many skaters congratulate the pair. Joe offers a celebratory dinner at Sia La Luce. They say they may meet them there.

When they walk back to their car together Kazuki begins laughing. “I can’t believe we did that! The hair tie shot? So resourceful. But is your arm OK? Did he hurt you at all?”

“No. I kept him out of reach from my weak arm. He was such an ass.”

“Ha! I think you broke his nose though.”
Rei shrugs.

“We should be more careful but I don’t think we will be asked back to S as security anymore.” Kazuki laughs.

“Damn.” Rei sighs.

They are surprised to get a call from Snake apologizing for Adam’s behavior. They are still employed if they would like to continue.