A/N: I've managed to get a brand new computer! The old one crapped out on me and it's taken me a while to save up for this thing but it was worth it. It has been a very long time, I know but when you're out on your own with bills and whatnot to worry about, life just eats up as much time as you let it. Plus I've been in a dark place for a few years, where the joys of writing just left. But enough of that, to the fic! Also, Dead or Alive 6 announced. Yay!

Disclaimer: Dead or Alive owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo. Tramps Like Us owned by Ogawa and Tokyopop.

Kunoichis Like Us

Chapter 25

Insomnia was not new to Alex, but it had been a while since it sank its' fangs into him. His eyes ached with sleeplessness and he felt like someone had managed to stuff a wet rag into his sinuses.

I'm being invaded. Alex thought groggily.

It had been four days since his kunoichi's sister 'temporarily' moved in. Four days of Ayane walking around in Daisy Duke-shorts and white shirts with no bra. Four days of having to picking up after her messes that he swore she left on purpose. And four days of that damn kitten that turned his head into sludge.

Alex cast a weary glance at the fuzz ball that it had its head in a bowl of cat food, gobbling it all down like a starving man. As much as it seemed pitiful to despise a baby cat, Alex could not help himself, just being near her made him feel like crap. With a groan he returned to his sugar frosted cereal.

"Good morning." Kasumi beamed in her pink pajamas. Ayane was next to her, less than chipper. The youngest sister showed up with disheveled hair, a crumpled up shirt, and probably muttered a similar greeting, though her speech was slurred with sleep.

"Oh, you already fed Wakana?" Kasumi asked innocently.

"He did what?" Ayane startled.

"Well it was either that or let her scratch through my door. She woke me up at four in the fucking morning." Alex said with clenched teeth.

"Yes, she has been quite needy." Kasumi sounded ashamed and bowed deeply. "But thank you for kindness."

Ayane scooped up the purring bundle of fuzz and rubbed her cheek against her. "Was Alex mean to you girl?"

"If the freeloader has a problem the freeloader can leave!" Alex snapped and rose from his seat.

"What my sister meant to say," Kasumi jumped between the two, "is that she is grateful for your consideration and apologizes for the inconvenience she and Wakana have set upon you." She bowed again, this time placing her hand on the back of Ayane's head and forcing her to genuflect with her elder sister. "Right?"

Ayane grumbled something. Alex returned to his chair with scowl firmly intact.

Ayane's nose crinkled as she held the new coat at arm's length like a dirty rag. "Baby blue? Are you serious?"

"You can't be picky." Kasumi said as she checked the tag of another hideous coat. "The money you have left can't replace everything you have and we can't spend it all on clothes. We must prioritize."

The sisters had gone shopping to replace Ayane's clothing. The youngest wanted to go all the way and get an entire new wardrobe, blouses, skirts, dresses, pants, jeans, the works. Instead the eldest decided that, due to present circumstances, it would be best to 'only get the essentials' and 'inconspicuous' clothing. Although the selection of styles her half-sibling picked out seemed so gaudy that Ayane believed that people would pick her out in a crowd anyway.

"After this I want to swing by the pharmacy." Kasumi announced. "Alex is running low on his anti-congestion medication."

"How can you stand to be around him? He's so…" Ayane had dozens of words to describe Alex, but few were Kasumi appropriate so she chose one that was closest to the truth, "grouchy."

"I wouldn't take what he says at face value." Kasumi sounded amused. "He's just surly because he isn't feeling well and…" She paused. "Well, you did leave a bad first impression."

"Oh, boo hoo." Ayane rolled her eyes and pitched the coat to a pile on the floor. "That was months ago. He needs to learn to let go…" Ayane trailed off for a moment. She shook off the hypocrisy of her words before her sister saw. "Anyway, I'm not gonna hurt him, you need to get that through his head. And you need to stop hovering over him like a hawk. If you keep trying to protect him from every bad girl, person, place, or thing you're just gonna turn him into a helpless baby."

"Are you saying I should just renounce my oath?" Kasumi replied coolly.

"I'm saying that if you take care of every little problem that comes his way you're just going to make him weaker. 'Overcoming challenges gives you strength'. That's what Genra told me. And you being his guardian kunoichi will rob him of that. Plus it'll be a blow to his guy…pride…thing or whatever." Ayane waived off the last part as if it were only barely relevant.

"Perhaps."

Ayane knew what she meant. Alex had boasted that he was more than capable of living by himself, but it came at a cost. His family was absent, few friends, no school clubs, or hobbies. No real reason to ever leave the home aside from school and groceries. Self-isolation. Perhaps it was some half-baked notion that he was stronger because he took care of himself without help…aside from someone else taking care of the bills and the rent.

It can make you stronger. She thought. But strength always comes at a cost.

"Hey, hey! Welcome back, ladies." Seiji said exuberantly as he could. Across from him at the dinner table was an obviously less enthusiastic Alex cradling a steaming porcelain tea cup in his hands.

Kasumi and Ayane took a moment to take in the scene, not sure on how to act.

Alex broke the silence with a grumble. "He knows."

"Knows what?" Ayane asked despite already knowing the answer.

"Hello Seiji." Kasumi stepped forward with her pleasantly polite side on at full blast. "What brings you here?"

"Me? I'm here to lend support to my best pal." He brought Alex in for a man hug with one arm. Alex's gloomy look seemed more prominent compared to Seiji's wide smile.

"We appreciate your company, Seiji." Kasumi bowed. "Would you like some tea?"

"Nah, that's alright." Seiji waived off the offer. "You lovely ladies need help with your bags?"

"We just came from the mall and up the stairs. I think we can make it from here to my room." Ayane sarcastically replied.

"You mean Mayu and Rika's room that our host is graciously allowing you to use?" Kasumi said in her disciplinarian tone.

"Yes, I do." Ayane rolled her eyes and sighed. "And for that I am thankful." The younger kunoichi sister's tone held the same amount of energy and joy as an old man on his deathbed.

As Kasumi and Ayane went into his sisters' old room, Alex caught Seiji watching their posteriors intently with a pervy grin. "God…damn. What I wouldn't give to…" He trailed off in a dream like trance.

"Seiji." Alex snapped his fingers in his friend's face. "Earth to Seiji. Do you roger?"

"Yeah, yeah. One moment." Seiji pushed Alex's hand away without breaking his line of vision. It was only after the sisters entered the bedroom did Seiji turn back to his friend. "That's what I love about women. Just as hot going as they are coming."

"Nice." Alex grumbled. "Very mature."

"And here I thought that you couldn't be any gloomier." Seiji's smile and tone relaxed. "Those cat allergies really take a number on ya, huh?"

"I think it's mostly the pills and nose sprays and whatever the hell is in this tea Kasumi gives me." Alex scrunched his face. "I feel like I could drop on the floor and go to sleep right now. But at least I won't have to worry about suffocating in my sleep."

"See? You're seeing the bright side of things already." Seiji patted him on the back.

"Now if only I could felt that way." Alex wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "So now that you got an eye full are you gonna head out or stick around?"

"Are you kidding? And leave my best-est bud to suffer alone?" Seiji cranked up the drama. "Not happening. Thought I'd cook you guys a real Shimono dinner. Pork Ramen with all the fixins'. Veggies. Tofu. And ice cold beer for all."

"I think well stick with soda tonight." Alex murmured as the memory of the drunken night at Nanako's came flooding back. His stomach gurgled in pain.

"More for me." Seiji replied. "You know, Ayane. You definitely should be careful around her."

"Believe me I know." Alex sighed. "I try to not be alone in the same room with her."

"No, not that. Good idea, though. I meant, like, what she has inside her. She's, like, toxic, but…." Seiji furrowed his brow as he tried to come up with the proper words. "She's damaged man. Girls like her, they don't act like that for shits and giggles. I'm willing to put money that something bad happened to her. Real bad."

Alex nodded slowly as he pondered his friend's words. He had dealt with girls with attitudes before but it was all just bluster and ego; Spiked bandages wrapped over a throbbing ball of pained nerves. Ayane however had her bandages wrapped over a bomb.

"By the way, since I got you here." Seiji looked around cautiously. "I was wondering if I could ask ya somethin'."

"What?" Alex returned to his tea.

"Right." Seiji leaned forward and lowered his voice. "I've met this girl, she comes in the shop sometimes, and we've kinda hit it off."

"Congratulations, you scored with another chick and I'm still a virgin." Alex said bluntly as he took a sip. "I stopped caring when we were fifteen."

"No, it's not that." Seiji said, waving at Alex to keep his voice down. "Ya see, she's into me too. Not like going out or anythin', but, you know, 'trying things out'." Seiji smiled. "Man, one time, she went down on me in a changing room at the mall. Now, I'm not a noisy guy but…shit she's good. Almost got busted."

"Right." Alex said uncomfortably. "Good for you."

"And we're thinking about making a…'special video'."

"Lemme guess. You need to borrow my camera?"

Alex wondered just how his friend was putting in long hours at work and still found time to find his little fuck buddies.

"Well, yeah, that too." Seiji said reluctantly. "But we also need a cameraman. You know, so we don't have to fumble with it and get some good angles."

"I'm sure you can find some-" Alex let his thought fall when he noticed Seiji's look. "Oh, God, no."

"C'mon, man." Seiji pleaded. "I'm not gonna ask ya to be in it, just point and shoot. Ok? We won't tell a soul."

"You're not doing this to me, Seiji." Alex groaned and rubbed his eyes. He could feel the heat in his face skyrocket.

"You're the only one I trust with this. Wait, at least have a look at her." Seiji dug out his cell phone and thumbed the screen rapidly before flipping it around to his friend.

Alex turned away and brought up his hand to shield his vision. "Yeah, I've seen your homemade porn."

"Relax, man." Seiji said. "This is PG-13 at best."

Alex, despite his feelings on the matter, took a peak. It was a selfie of Seiji and the girl arm in arm. The girl was pretty. Her face was done up with eyeliner and blush and her breasts were practically spilling out of a shirt far too small for her. The wide, goofy grin on his friend's face said he approved of her wardrobe.

Alex did not know why he hesitated with his answer. Maybe it was the allergies, the stress, or Ayane.

"I'll think about it." Alex mumbled out.

"What are you two talking about?"

Both young men nearly jumped from their skins at Kasumi's innocent question. The kunoichi sisters stood by the duo like they had been there the whole time. Ayane had changed into her new clothes; a yellow blouse with white pants that ended just above her ankles. Alex could only guess what other gaudy things they had bought.

"Oh, you know, just guy stuff." Seiji replied slyly. "So, you gals hungry? I'm making my world famous ramen!"

Kasumi's eyes lit up like Alex never saw before. "Pork flavored?"

"Is there any other kind?" Seiji smirked.

"Yeah!" Kasumi bounced. Alex felt his jaw almost drop before she regained her composure. "That sounds lovely." She turned to Ayane with the sparkle renewed. "His pork ramen is the best. He uses two types of hot sauce that…I don't know what it does but its soooo good."

"And they say it's only men with the stomach to heart thing." Seiji laughed and nudged his friend. "Hey why don't you take Alex to the kitchen get things started, I'm gonna…see what Ayane likes with her ramen."

After an awkward moment Kasumi exchanged a worried glance with Ayane before she took Alex's arm and hauled him to the next room.

Ayane waited half a minute before cocking an eyebrow at Seiji. "I like Ramune with my ramen. Melon flavored. It makes it feel all festival-y."

"So, you're the famous Ayane." Seiji replied sardonically. "You know, I thought you looked familiar that day you dragged my friend off. But I said to myself 'Nah, big time star like that wouldn't be down here with us normies', so I brushed it off. Course when I found out you and Kasumi are sisters, A lead to B and all that." He took a single step toward her. "There's just two things I gotta say. One, Alex filled me in about your date." His smile disappeared. "At knife point. That ain't gonna happen again."

"And the second part?" Ayane asked amused.

The smile returned. "Does the carpet match the drapes?"

A moment passed before she put a hand on her hip and answered with a smile of her own. "You wanna find out?"

Seiji's smile wavered for the briefest moment. "Nice try." He said and left the room.

She got to him. Her body language had sold it. Still it was sweet for him to stick up for his friend.

Ayane's jaw popped as she yawned. The bath made her a bit sleepy but a nap now would only keep her up all night. She stretched out after taking a few steps into the living room. Joints popped and her wound burned slightly. It was healing nicely but she still had sometime before she could say she had returned to one hundred percent.

She dropped her hair brush, settled into the sofa and grabbed the Xbox controller. She had wanted to replace her lost video game console with a new system, a Playstation 4. The man at the electronic shop said that she could restore all her saved game data and trophies through the online service. Unfortunately her cash reserve did not allow any frivolous purchases. Fortunately, Alex had his Xbox. Now she could finally finish Final Fantasy XIII-2.

"It's only been almost five years." She grumbled.

"What has?"

She almost jumped out of seat. Alex had somehow snuck up on her. Maybe he had started to pick up a few things from Kasumi. Or more likely she had not been paying attention to her surroundings.

I'm getting soft. She thought and returned her attention to the television. "Nuthin'. Where's Kasumi?"

"Out. Shopping I think." Alex leaned on the sofa and watched Ayane flip through the menu screen. "Never pegged you as a gamer."

"There's a lot you don't know about me." She bit her tongue. That came out too flippant than it should have. "I got laid up once after the second tournament. Played a friend's old Nintendo to kill time. Guess you could say it was my gateway drug."

"Yeah." He sighed in sympathy. "Kasumi had me at Street Fighter. I'm hooked, but she always wins."

"That's 'cause you're a fuckin' button masher." She smirked.

"I'm learning and…" He trailed off for a moment. He was ogling her. She bared her teeth with a wolfish grin. She got him again. He whipped his head away with a sour face. "I'm sorry, can you put something on?"

Ayane looked down at her attire. A low cut top and shorts. "I'm wearing clothes."

"I meant…can you wear some more?"

"What'd ya want me to put on? A Parka?"

"Some underwear would be nice."

"Oh…I'm not used to living with-" She caught herself from feeling ashamed. Why should she be ashamed? "I mean whatever."

"Seriously?" Alex flustered. "I'm the one who has to explain why…I mean you…" He forced himself to look away. "You have no tact."

Alex's tension and grumpiness was starting to wear on her. At first it was amusing to pick at his nerves and watch him flail about like a wound up pup. Now it had become old hat. Normally she would not care what others thought of her but she had sworn to her sister that she would make an effort to get along…as best she could.

She remembered her brush that had sat unused beside her. On pure impulse she thrust the item in his hand."Brush my hair."

He looked at the brush in bewilderment before the venom came back."Why? Your arm broken too?

"Please?" She tried her best at her patented puppy eyes.

A growl came from the young man's throat before he moved behind her and started brushing.

"Was that so hard?" She chirped. It felt like winning a fight to get him to do what she asked. Well not so much the effort but the thrill. Her…position in the clan and her very selective social life left her without any real friends and less people she had influence over. To have someone do what she told had a delightful feel to it.

It dawned on her that Alex's touch seemed…nice.

"You're…good at this." She said, almost catching her voice.

"I grew up with two sisters. They made me do all sorts of girly things."

"Like what?"

"Like…" He trailed off in embarrassment. "Never mind."

A smug smile grew on her lips. An interesting development. Further investigation could prove…entertaining. But she filed that away for another time.

After a moment time began to melt away. She stopped using the controller and drifted off. Feelings and images came drifting in her mind. Years ago, when she was still a child. Playing in the river with Kasumi. Splashing and laughing. Chasing one another. Dragging themselves out of the gentle current, exhausted but happy. Letting their clothes dry on low hanging branches as they did each others hair. Weaving Kasumi's hair into braids. Kasumi brushing the wet tangled mop on Ayane's head. Gently. Smootly. Like a sister. An irony.

A bitter irony.

She startled Alex as she choked on the glob of emotions trailing down her throat.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked. "What'd I-"

Ayane rushed into her temporary room and slammed the door behind her without replying. She swallowed the lump in her throat before it could grow into something she did not want. With controlled breathing, the pressure in her chest subsided. The panic retreated from her heart but remained at the edges, waiting to invade and jump start the terror.

"Ingrate." She heard Alex mutter from the other room.

Alex growled as a he picked up the shattered remains of one of his mother's porcelain figures. "Now I gotta put the rest in a box and put it in the closet or something before that damn cat commits another porcelain homicide."

He turned to the offender fidgeting in Ayane's grasp. The kitten looked as pure and innocent as only a kitten could, but in Alex's mind it had tiny devil horns and was cackling maniacally. A bit melodramatic perhaps, but Alex was too angry to care. At least her owner had the appropriate look of shame.

"I'll pay for what's broken." Ayane barked back. "And her name is Wakana."

"I don't care if her name is Her Kitten Highness, Queen Pukes-In-My-Laundry the 4th. I'm sick and tired of cleaning up after her and you." Alex's head was mush. Between the cat allergies, the drugs Kasumi got for him, and Ayane's…Ayane-ness, his temper had reached the boiling point thanks to his muddled mind.

"I thought you liked taking in strays." Ayane's playfulness was barely there. "Besides Kasumi said it would be ok for-"

"Kasumi's word is not law, got it?" Alex snapped. The aforemention sister was taking a shower and could not add her opinion on the matter."So just because my parents let her stay here doesn't mean you get to…to…sponge off what she earned!"

"I'm not sponging off anyone!" Ayane yelled back.

"You're living under my parents' roof, eating my food, sleeping in my sister's bed." Alex counted off on his fingers. "And that damn cat of yours has shredded the curtains, puked on the laundry, and now this! I swear to God you're useless!"

The hurt in her eyes was genuine as was the silence. Without a word she set Wakana down, walked to the door, yanked a coat off the rack, and left. The door slam nearly made Alex jump. Alex stayed planted and his gaze glued to the door. He felt far away, like he was looking through another person's eyes.

What just happened? Alex thought. What did I say? Did I really hurt her?

"What happened? I heard yelling." Kasumi yanked on his sleeve. "Where'd Ayane go? Alex?"

He turned to her, still dazed. Kasumi had a cream colored towel wrapped around her frame. Her hair was a tattered mess and dripped. Such a sight might have played havoc to Alex's heart but he was too shaken. "She…left." He managed to say. "I…got angry. We yelled. I called her useless and she left."

"I'll go get her." Kasumi ran into her bedroom to change. "Stay here in case she comes back."

Alex did not answer. Instead he stared at the door even after Kasumi left.

Ayane moved with the other pedestrians, her eyes lowered and shoulders hunched. The wind whipped up and passed through with a chilly sting. The sun was blotted out by thick gray clouds that filled the entire sky. Specks of snow glowed in the street lights before vanishing into the night.

She did not know where she was going, only where she was leaving. Her teeth were clenched tight, but not due to the cold. Her mind was a mess. She was used to people looking down on her, muttering insults under their breath or behind her back, and even the occasional backhanded compliment. 'You're pretty good for someone of your low birth' someone once said to her face.

But Alex's words had cut into her. She did not know why. Someone like him, his opinions should matter little to nothing to her. Yet here she was, walking alone at night because he had driven her off.

After the third person bumped into her Ayane realized she had to make a decision where she was going to go. She hung a hard right at the next alleyway entrance to gather her thoughts…and fell…hard.

When the world stopped shaking a few things clicked into place. One, the alleyway entrance had roadblock signs and reflective tape put up. Two, the distance she fell was more than just a tumble to the pavement. The fall had to have been over ten feet, easily. Three, a new sharp pain had appeared in her left foot.

No way. She thought. No fucking way!

The type of pain she could identify. A prognosis she could attain. Accepting it was another matter.

"I sprained my fucking ankle." She chuckled sadly. "Unbe-fucking-livable."

She kicked off the reflective tape that had snarled on her leg and looked around only to take in darkness. With a look up she saw the horizon of the pit she had fallen in. She calculated the top to be at least ten feet high, naturally. A sign had fallen into the pit with her. CAUTION: UNDER CONSTRUCTION was printed on it face along with WATCH YOUR STEP PLEASE!

"Shit" Ayane murmured.

"Shit." Alex murmured as he paced the living room. "I can't take this."

The teen fell into the couch, overwhelmed with emotion. Guilt, worry, and anxiety filled his senses to the brim. He wanted to turn back time and stop himself from exploding. He wanted to telepathically locate Ayane to bring her back with her sister. Anything to stop feeling like shit.

Something jumped onto his stomach. Wakana purred and pawed at his belly. "No, stay away." Alex said. "You're walking misery for me."

The kitten ignored him and hunkered down on his stomach, feet tucked underneath her and tail curled around her body.

"Whatever." Alex chuckled and scratched the top of her head with a finger. "Man, I wish I were you. No worries, no responsibilities. Just have to be cute and someone else takes care of everything else for you."

Life had gotten more complicated since he found Kasumi. Keeping secrets was one thing but now dealing with her family just added more to his stress. Sometimes he wanted to crawl into his bed and just disappear from life. Still, the thought of being without her made him feel…tense. Like his innards would constrict into a knot. Maybe that was how life was supposed to be. Tension and relief balancing each other, one taking more then the other.

Maybe he needed to stop thinking into things so much.

For a moment it was so peaceful. Alex just let himself stare at the ceiling and pet Wakana.

His sneeze broke the silence.

"Hello?" Ayane called out before yelling. "Hey, anyone there? Hot girl in distress!"

No response came. "Well my self-esteem is at an all time low." She backed into the side of the wall and sat down. With a groan she felt her side, her old wound had flared up. The fall had jostled things around and made the old pain come back. That plus her ankle meant she was not leaving on her own.

No. She thought as she fought the tears. I will not fucking cry. Not about this. Not about a boo-boo. Not about a stupid tumble. And not about that fucking…bratty... She wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand and bit her lip. Fucking hell I fought monsters! I won't cry!

She stuffed her hands into her pockets and felt something hard and plastic. She dug the object out to discover an old, pre-paid cellphone. Kasumi's burner phone. The violet haired kunoichi felt incredibly stupid to realize that she had grabbed her sister's coat when she stormed out.

She thumbed through the menu and found two numbers saved in the memory. One she recognized as a number used by her brother Hayate. The other was the landline for the Kane apartment. Two choices, neither felt appetizing. Either call the jerk or call crying to her older brother. She shuffled between the two numbers, toying with the dial button. The cold was growing sharper and aside from her coat, she was not dressed for winter.

She pressed call.

"Ayane!" Alex called out. "Are you there?" His eyes adjusted to the dark and say a pair of trembling auburn eyes glaring back at him.

"About time, asshole." She replied.

Alex carefully climbed into the pit by lowering himself from the edge and dropping down. Ayane sat huddled in a corner, shivering from the cold.

"Are you ok?" Alex asked. A stupid question, but he had nothing better. There was no snarky comeback or backhanded answer. There was no answer, only a sob before she fell into Alex's arms.

"I gotcha." Alex whispered. He knew of nothing else to say and felt that there was nothing else that needed to be said.

It took only a few minutes to hoist Ayane up on his shoulders and to the top. Even injured she seemed to climb up with ease. She almost pulled his arm out of his socket when she pulled him up. After a moment of awkward maneuvering, he picked her up for a piggy back ride home.

"I'm…very sorry about what I said to you." Alex finally worked up the nerve to speak. "I never…I mean I lost…God I can't think of anything but dumbass cliches." He shook his head clear. "I know nothing I say can make it right, but I apologize…for what its worth."

"I've had worse." Ayane shrugged. "Got hit in the kisser by a right hook from Bass once. But apology accepted."

"Thanks." Alex sighed gratefully. "I still feel like shit though."

"Well, you get to touch my ass, so that should make you feel better."

Alex groaned. He almost blustered about only holding on to her upper thighs until a thought entered his mind.

"Well its not that good of an ass."

She snorted in jest and rested her face on the back of his head. "Ass." She muttered.

"I'm still not sure about this." Alex said.

"Oh c'mon. This should be a dream come true for you. A slumber party with two hot sisters?" Ayane struck a pose. The violet haired teen had on a white tank top with shorts that did not even come down to her thighs."What's not to love?"

"Because I know what you'd do to me if I did try something." Alex crossed his arms. He had decided to dress more conservatively for the occasion and wore pajama bottoms and a T-shirt.

"Oh, so you know what would happen?" Ayane taunted. "Well, what would you try?"

"I'm not falling for that." Alex huffed uncomfortably.

"All right you two, that's enough." Kasumi smiled while she dumped an armload of pillows on the floor. His kunoichi had on her full pink pajamas."And this isn't a party, we're doing this so we can keep an eye on Ayane."

"Yeah, I got an owie." Ayane lifted up the leg with the bandage ankle.

Alex pressed his lips together. He had many questions to poke holes in the kunoichi's logic but had decided against it. For once he was willing to go with the flow. "Fine."

"Should we watch some T.V.?" Ayane asked and grabbed the remote. "A hundred yen says I can find something about Tina Armstrong and a wardrobe malfunction."

"No television, you need your sleep." Kasumi scolded.

"Oh c'mon, have some fun." Ayane suddenly had a sly smile. "Hey, I know what we can do." She gabbed the Xbox controller on the coffee table. "How 'bout some Street Fighter. You can show me how you thrash Alex."

Instead of a sharp reply, Alex only heard hesitation in Kasumi's voice when she spoke. "Well, I suppose a few rounds won't hurt."

While Kasumi trounced both of them, Alex could have sworn that the youngest sister was taking far more enjoyment out of his defeat than she should. He had a better chance with Ayane, at first, but after a while she adapted. The term 'button-masher' was uttered.

After Kasumi had her fill of victory she made her point clear that is was time for bed.

"Yes, mom." Ayane rolled her eyes.

The trio got settled in although Alex had a difficult time getting comfortable with the idea of a group sleeping arrangement. While each had their own futon with ample space between them, he still felt like he was crossing a line. Kasumi probably felt the same as she took the spot between Ayane and himself with her front to her sister. It made him wonder if the others were as worked up as he was.

"Good night." Kasumi said like she was half asleep.

Apparently not.

A minute passed before Ayane whispered, "Hey Alex."

"Yeah?"

"Uh…Thanks. For coming to get me."

"You're welcome." He replied.

As painfully awkward as it was, Alex drifted off.