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Yami removed his cigarette from his mouth and tilted his head up to shoot a stream of smoke towards the ceiling. He placed it back with a sigh and kept a watchful eye on his rambunctious crew as they all loitered around the front room, his large arm flung across the back of the couch he was residing on. It was a slow day today and he was secretly glad - he wanted the kids to get some rest.
Grey eyes watched half lidded as Magna and Luck fought, Zora was brooding against a wall, Asta ate snacks with Charmy, and Vanessa and Noelle tucked themselves into a corner to gossip. All was as it should be. Or maybe not.
A sudden chill ran up the large man’s spine as he sat up straight out of nowhere, suddenly alert. Grey and Gordon gazed at him with alarmed expressions from where they were perched close by and watched as the Black Bulls captain rose to his feet.
“The hell is that sound?” Yami murmured to himself before calling out, “Everybody shut the hell up!”
The Bulls stilled at Yami’s sudden outburst except for Luck who decided to use the distraction to land an attack on Magna but was grabbed mid-dive by Yami. “You can’t hear, dumbass?”
“Boo!” Luck exclaimed while giggling, swinging his feet as he was suspended in the air.
“Captain, what’s going on,” Noelle whispered as she creeped up next to him. Yami patted her head and then rested it there as he shushed her.
“There’s a disturbance in the woods, I can hear it. Something’s coming.”
His squad assembled themselves and got into fighting stances as they faced towards the massive doors of their castle. Yami dropped Luck and took a few strides towards the front so he was now ahead of everyone else. His head was buzzing. What the hell is that?
Yami tilted his head and his eyes widened as he could suddenly place what he was sensing.
Oh.
The man chuckled and threw down his cigarette, crushing it under his boot. He brought up a hand with his back still turned to his crew. “Stand down. I know what this is.”
His squad looked at him in confusion but put their grimoires away as they muttered among each other at what could possibly be going on. Their questions were answered seconds later as the front doors suddenly burst wide open, letting in the early afternoon light, and standing there was…
“A little girl?” Finral said, perplexed.
“Hmph. She’s not cuter than my darling Marie,” Gauche huffed in the background.
The child blinked and rubbed her eyes to adjust to sudden change in lighting but her entire demeanour changed when she finally laid eyes on Yami.
“Daddy!” she yelled and ran towards him, clinging to his legs. Yami laughed loudly and picked the kid up, swinging her around. The girl giggled and clung to him as he hugged her against his body.
There was silence in the base before a cacophony erupted among the present members.
“Did she really just call you ‘Daddy’?!” Asta yelled.
“Captain, what’s going on?” Noelle shrieked.
“You’re actually getting laid!?” Magna snarked.
“I can’t believe there’s another woman!” Vanessa lamented.
Charmy just enquired if the kid liked desserts.
Looking at the child, they could all see the resemblance to their captain. But there was an unfamiliar mix in her too.
Yami ignored his squad and held the child in his arms as she babbled at him about something or other, stroking her hair. Then he froze again. Because if his daughter was here then that meant-
“Sora, what did I tell you about running off by yourself? You know you don’t know this area so well!”
The Bulls stopped freaking out for a moment to gaze upon the latest person to infiltrate their base and saw a woman none of them recognised. You breezed past them and walked up to Yami and the little girl, the latter of whom looked at you sheepishly. “Sorry, Mommy.”
“Brash, just like your father,” you said which made Yami click his tongue at you. You made a face back at him. “That was one of the nicer things I could’ve said, you big oaf.”
“‘Oaf?’” Yami responded with mock offence. “Well, that’s no way to speak to your husband.” He bent down and kissed you as the girl in his arms giggled.
The Black Bulls were inconsolable. A collective screech of “Husband!?” resounded from the onlookers as they expressed their bewilderment. Their aggressive, boorish Captain Yami had a family? Inconceivable. Impossible. This couldn’t be happening. Someone had actually married this man? Someone had conceived with him? Him?! Willingly ?
It truly beggared belief.
Luck was the only one brave - or maybe just stupid - enough to voice what they were all thinking. “Are you being held hostage, lady? I can’t think of anyone who would actually marry the captain on purpose,” he giggled.
A vein popped in Yami’s neck. “Maybe it’s just me but it’s soundin’ like you’ve got a death wish, kid,” he snarled.
Luck just grinned back at him with a clueless expression. “Ah?”
“Daddy, don’t bully your friends,” Sora mumbled as she put her small hands on his face. He turned to her and tickled her tummy gently which caused the child to laugh.
“He’s my employee, that’s different.”
“That changes nothing, Yami. He’s just a kid so be a little nicer,” you chimed in, poking his side.
“Oh, yeah?” the gruff man responded almost contemplatively before coming to pat your head. “I think it builds character,” he decided. You rolled your eyes.
“And you do know that you’re all employed by Julius and these lot work under you but not for you?”
Yami made a face at you. “Uncle Julius said to tell you hello!” Sora piped up. Yami made an even longer face into the air.
Zora stalked forward with a hostile expression on his face and squared up to you. You turned and put your hands on your hips, facing him with a pleasant expression. “Hello, there!”
“So,” he grunted. “Who the hell are you?” Crude as ever.
You instinctively put a hand on Yami’s free arm, knowing him well enough by now. You could feel the irritation rolling off of him in waves at the insolent tone of his subordinate towards you. It almost made you want to laugh knowing that he would usually shrug it off and say something even ruder if you were anyone else. Your husband had never been one for manners.
“My name is ___. I’m Sukehiro’s wife as I’m sure you’ve guessed by now!”
You giggled at the way some of the Bulls gaped at you. “And this is our daughter, Sora.” You gestured at the little girl who had managed to scale her way onto her father’s broad shoulders, tugging on his hair. Yami barely reacted and just supported her back with a large and steady hand.
“We’ve been here a few times but never while everyone else is around, coincidentally. Where’s Henry, by the way?” you asked while looking around the room before seeing a tuft of bright hair peeking at the gathering from around the corner. You waved and did a little run over to the man who had unfolded himself from the wall he’d hidden behind.
“Hello…Mrs Yami,” he said in that slow voice of his with a smile on his face and you reached up to pat him on the head.
“Hello, my dear,” you replied and the frail man let out a little laugh.
“What the hell even is this?” Magna said faintly. “Captain! You’re not gonna explain yourself at all? How long have you had a wife and kid? And why does Henry know before we do?” The last part came indignantly.
“And why’s she so beautiful? It isn’t fair,” Finral moaned.
Yami stood with his hands on his hips as Sora now climbed her way down his body to stand and cling to his trouser leg as she stared down Charmy. “They come here a lot, you guys just have bad timing. And Henry knows ‘cuz he’s always here while you dumbasses run around the Clover Kingdom doing whatever the hell it is you do.”
“Y-You mean our jobs?” Grey stuttered. Yami lit another cigarette without responding.
“What, you’re just not gonna answer the other question?” Magna complained.
“Tch. You mouthy brat. Been married six years and Sora is five. I’ve known my wife since I washed up in this sorry country, she was my best friend when we were kids. Also, it’s two children. Got another one baking in there,” he finished smugly. Finral nearly choked on his shock and jealousy.
Yami released a puff of smoke and glanced down at his daughter. “She won’t bite you, sweetheart.” Sora nodded while taking a step forward and her hand was immediately clutched by Charmy who then whipped out a sweet treat seemingly from nowhere. Sora’s eyes glowed as she took the snack in her little hand and took a bite before making a high-pitched noise.
“So yummy!”
“And there’s way more where that came from!” Charmy giggled. “Sheep cooks!” she called and her trusty chefs materialised.
“So fluffy!” Sora exclaimed while being led towards them. She had already been ensnared by the vertically challenged glutton.
You made your way back over with Henry trailing behind you before he also got distracted by Charmy’s dishes. You snatched the cigarette out of Yami’s mouth without missing a beat and stamped it out. He grunted at you in annoyance.
“What do you mean ‘what was that for’? Look at all the kids here! No smoking around children, Sukehiro! Don’t tell me you do this regularly?!” you nagged. The man just turned his face away. “Look at me you oversized chimney! Blegh!” you called and made a face at him.
“How did she know he said that when he didn’t even speak?” Asta questioned in the background.
“You ‘blegh’!” your husband retorted. “Are we still sixteen?”
You yanked Asta and held the boy in front of you, squishing his face from behind. “Do you really think a sweet baby like this deserves to get sick?” You aimed your puppy eyes at Yami as you cuddled the boy to your chest.
The boy blushed a little under your motherly affection and Yami blanched.
“Don’t get too comfortable there, pipsqueak, she can be a menace when she wants to be.”
Asta tilted his head. “She seems pretty nice to me!”
“If that’s what you think,” Yami snorted.
You ceased your mother henning on Asta and turned to level a glare at Yami. “Oh, yeah?” you seethed, taking a few steps forward.
A nearly imperceptible flash of panic crossed over Yami’s face. “...Kidding.”
The Bulls were amazed. You had managed to intimidate the likes of Yami just like that and with no fear at all?! Maybe they should start calling you Captain! Just then, a shriek sounded out.
Everyone turned to see Sora on Grey's shoulders pulling her hair, just like she had done with her father earlier. The child laughed as Grey cried pitifully for help, having had her fill of Charmy’s food and ready to cause some trouble. Yami bellowed raucously. You stared at him in disbelief before exclaiming, “You can’t be serious!”
“What? She’s having fun!”
You let out a squawk of “Sora Yami!” before rushing to save Grey from the titanium clutches of your kid. She leapt off of the shy woman’s shoulders and tried to run but didn’t get far before colliding with Gordon’s legs and falling on her rear. He startled a little before picking her up where she sat in front of him. Gordon held her up by the armpits a little awkwardly before quietly muttering, “Hi.”
Sora stared at him in silence with her large grey eyes, so much like her father’s. Then the child broke out in a happy grin. “Heh, you’re super weird. I like you!” she declared before clutching onto Gordon and clambering onto his own shoulders before stealing his hat and placing it on her head. The pale man looked happy and played with his fingers shyly; he was glad to have the approval of the captain’s family even if it was a little unconventional.
You sighed as you wiped the tears of a whimpering Grey and suddenly felt extremely tired. “What am I going to do with that girl?”
“Better figure it out fast because there’s about to be two of her soon,” Yami chuckled.
“Don’t even say that you freakin’ enabler!” you groaned in reply with a hand over your stomach.
“Lighten up,” Yami drawled before strolling towards you and throwing an arm around your shoulders. “Look how well she’s getting along with everyone.”
You turned from your husband back to your daughter and saw what he was seeing. Sora, with Gordon’s hat still in her possession, had now transferred to Magna’s shoulders and was chatting animatedly with him and Asta. The rest of the crew was surrounding them and were already looking at the girl fondly.
“You’re not bad, kid,” Zora told her. “You gonna come back soon?”
Sora stopped for a moment and suddenly looked shy before giving a little nod with a bright smile on her face. “Yeah! I wanna!” Vanessa squealed about how cute she was and pinched her cheeks.
Out of nowhere, Sora grabbed one of Noelle’s twin tails and the girl let out a scream.
“Excuse me?” the princess cried.
“Hey, big sis! I wanna look like you!”
Noelle let out a grumble. “Is that how you ask?! You’re so lucky you’re cute! And the captain’s kid. If you let go of me, we can do whatever you want.”
“She really is just like Captain Yami,” Finral laughed.
A high-pitched cheer was heard as Noelle collected Sora from Magna and walked her over to a chair. Charmy appeared once again with a platter of desserts as Sora kicked her legs while her hair was being done.
You bit your lip and smiled. “Do you think they’ll protect her? Y’know, in case we can’t?” you asked quietly.
“There’s nothing to worry about,” Yami told you with a smile. You believed him. Lacing your fingers with the ones that were still over your shoulder, you held on tight as you watched your family grow a little bigger.
The two of you watched Sora bounce over to where Gauche stood in a corner staring at pictures of his sister with her newly Noelle-ified hair and swished the twin tails around.
“Don’t I look cute?” she asked as she bounced on her toes.
“Tuh, no,” he scoffed.
A scarily familiar shadow fell over Sora’s face as her eyes practically glowed and she let out a menacing, “...Huh?”
Before anyone could stop her, Sora aimed a swift kick to Gauche’s shin and the boy keeled over as he clutched his leg in agony. Such strength in such a tiny body! Luck whooped in delight at the violent display. Gauche groaned that something might be broken.
Sora ran over to Yami and clutched his trousers with a pout and a pointed finger in Gauche’s direction. “Daddy, your employee called me ugly!”
Yami practically had tears in his eyes from how hard he was laughing. He ruffled Sora’s hair which caused her to whine that he was messing it up. "That's my girl!”
You put your head in your hands.