Chapter Text
Akari stared out the window, watching the familiar buildings pass by. It felt weird being passenger of a taxi, only because she hadn’t ridden in one before. This was her second time in the past week. The car slowed, stopping in front of the bar that she knew as home. She reached over and gave her companion a tap to wake him. Mikoto opened his eyes; he still took any and all opportunities to nap.
The two hopped out. Akari retrieved their bags from the trunk. Neither of them packed much only one bag a piece. She slung one over her shoulder and grabbed the other by the handle. The over head sky was cloudy. Not snowing yet but a defiant bite in the air. Mikoto shlep up the steps as the car pulled away and she followed suit.
It was good to be home again.
The bell announced their arrival. Homra changed only in little details in the past year. A few decorations; Tatara’s guitar was displayed on a wall mount near the door, along with the bonsai tree, and there were more framed photos lining the wall by the bar. But aside from that, it was the same.
Kusanagi was behind the bar polishing glasses as usual. Anna had been sitting on the couch, however when she saw them she jumped up to hug her favorite two people.
“Welcome home.” Izumo set the rag over her shoulder and set the Champaign flute down, “How was the honeymoon?”
“It wasn’t a honeymoon.” Mikoto groaned, already have had this disagreement numerous times.
Akari dropped her bags to squeeze and lift Anna off the ground, something that was becoming harder to do these days.
“Well you two never took one. You seem to be missing some of this marriage stuff.” Izumo teased.
“It was just a week away.” Akari rolled her eyes. “When you get married you’ll find you need to get away from all you idiots every once and a while.”
“Missed you too.” Izumo smirked at her. ”So how was the mountains?”
“Quiet.” Mikoto stated. He grabbed the discarded bags and moved to the stairs. He was focused on taking a shower and nothing else.
Kusanagi turned back to her, “Your husband is quite the conversationalist.”
“It’d be easier to read his mind instead.” Akari joked back.
Izumo chuckled, moving to the couch to sit while they chatted. “So did you enjoy your little runaway to the mountains?” He asked when he got settled.
“Yes.” Akari crossed her legs. She was, of course, the one who pushed for the trip. Mikoto enjoyed his routine of no commitment to any thing all day. Normally she did too, however as they shifted towards winter again, she found herself feeling the need to get away.
It had only been a year since everything transpired. The loss of their friend, the battle at Ashitaka High School, and the death of the Silver and Colorless Kings. In fact they were nearing the anniversary day of Tatara’s death/Anna’s birthday. The wounds were still fairly fresh for most of Homra. Akari herself, while always on the surface put together, started struggling with feelings of depression when the weather changed. She figured there’d be some with all the trauma she had survived through. But it still caught her off guard. So she told Mikoto she wanted a week away from everything and her stubborn persistences won out.
“Was it nice?” Anna asked. She would have liked to go with but understood there were times that Mikoto and Akari needed to be alone together.
“Yeah. We had a cute cabin that was out in the middle of nowhere and saw no people for six days.”
“What did you do out there?”
“Mikoto napped a lot, I went for a couple of hikes. Mostly relaxed. It was nice to have a change of scenery.”
“Any ‘romantic activities’?” Izumo lifted his eyebrows suggestively.
Akari knew what he was inferring. “I wonder what ever gave you the impression that Mikoto or I are the romantic types? Have you been watching those sappy shows again?”
“No, but I think the idea of the Red King being one is amusing.”
Akari snorted at his remark, yes that would be funny. She turned to the child sitting by her side, “How about you Kiddo, did you keep everyone in line while we were gone?”
Anna nodded, even though she knew Akari had been joking when she said ‘Anna’s in charge’ last Saturday. She had thought about bring the kid with as she also was struggling with missing Tatara.
“Things were pretty quiet while you two were gone.” Kusanagi shared. “Hell, we’ve had a relatively quiet year. Unless Yata and Nari are in the room.”
Akari kicked her shoes off, “Don’t, your tempting fate to jinx you by saying that.”
“Didn’t know you were superstitious.”
“I’ve had enough weird shit happen I’m not taking an chances.” She fished out her smokes.
“Are we still going to the beach?” Anna’s voice was still soft as ever.
“Of course sweetie. We made a whole plan and everything. Snow or sun we’re going.”
The girls were planning a trip to the beach on the 7th. Anna wanted to do something to honor Tatara, more so than celebrating her birthday this year. It just, wasn’t the same without him. Akari hadn’t celebrated her own birthday since she was 15. But she knew he would want Anna to still celebrate hers so she made a deal with the Strain child that they’d do both.
They turned their heads to the door at the ring of the bell. Rikio, Yata, Akagi, Bandō, and Nari came through.
“Hey, mom’s back!” Nari Moriyama was the newest member of Homra, 17, and the only other girl.
“Watch your mouth! Call me that again and I’ll burn your hair off.” Akari puffed smoke into the air. “What’s this I hear about you causing Kusanagi trouble?”
“Wha-? Trouble? Me?” Nari feigned innocence.
“Don’t listen to the act, kid’s trouble on two legs.” Bandō took a seat at a table.
“Well when you put her in a room with Yata,”
“Hey! Don’t drag me into it.” The young vanguard told the bartender.
“I don’t need to, you run into trouble without any help.”
Akari and Rikio laughed at Yata’s expense. It was all in good humor; they were always joke picking on someone. That’s how the guys were, and the girls (aside from Anna) were just as ready to jump in.
“Where’s King then?” Akagi adjusted his cap as he put his feet up.
“Shower.”
After chatting and hanging out for a bit, Akari retired upstairs. They still lived above the bar, but now she shared Mikoto’s room. Moving her stuff in wasn’t a big deal since she didn’t have much and was already sleeping there most nights anyways. She opened the door and found Mikoto smoking on his couch.
“You should go downstairs.” She told him.
“Why?”
“You should spend some time with Anna.”
“Hn. Fine.” He grumbled.
Akari put on a sweet smile, “atta boy.”
“Now your pushing it.” His hand reach out and pinched her ass as he walked by. The Red King didn’t display much PDA especially around others but he had his moments when they were in private.
Akari snickered as he left. She turned to the bag and dumped them out. She tossed the dirty clothes in the hamper. One of the few things she brought to the room. The hamper, a mirror on the back of the door, and some smaller personal touches. One of which being a photo on the nightstand of their wedding.
They got married at the end of June on a Wednesday. No particular reason for the date. At the courthouse. Afterwords they went back to the bar for drinks to celebrate. Anna was the only one who really dressed up. She had a cute pink and red dress on. She did convince Akari to go step up jeans and a t-shirt. A nicer blouse and Anna did her hair a bit different into a small braid on the side. Kusanagi somehow convinced Mikoto to trade his signature jacket for a black suit one but that’s as far as he got. The picture was of all of them at the bar after the informal ceremony. The way it was captured felt a lot like one of Tatara’s photographs.
Akari glanced at the photo as she finished putting stuff away. Her hand reached up to clasp the tooth necklace she wore. It used to be Tatara’s. It still didn’t feel right him being gone.
“But, we persist.” She thought as she turned back to the door to rejoin the group.