Corrin looks down and nods. "I understand, Anankos."

Anankos's eyes never stay in one spot for more than a handful of seconds. It's almost as if he has more than two eyes, constantly searching for danger.

"But... what about..." Anankos says, straining to remember. "Mee... Meh..." He struggles to find the words.

"Mikoto?" Corrin offers with little warmth.

Anankos nods rapidly. "Yes yes yes!" He tenses, eyes glancing to the window. "How is she..."

"Good." Corrin sighs. "Mikoto is doing good."

"And my son?" Anankos asks, looking at Corrin harshly for a moment. "His birthday is coming up... he's..." Anankos thinks for a moment. "Four... He'll be turning four in a few weeks..."

"Right." Corrin nods. "I'll be sure to let your son, Corrin, know."

"Your name is Corrin as well!" Anankos reels back, bracing himself on the chair. "Did you hurt my son!?"

"No." Corrin shakes his head. "Your son is doing quite well for himself."

"Right." Anankos says, still suspicious.

"Listen, Anankos. I have to go, but keep taking your medicine, okay? The nurses are saying you keep spitting them out." Corrin says as he leaves the room.

Anankos glares at the stranger as he leaves.

()()()()

Corrin leans against Azura, staring straight ahead. Azura runs a gentle hand up and down his arm.

"Is he any better?" Azura asks softly.

"No change." Corrin sighs. "I don't think he'll ever get better, Az. He's almost sixty. I think they're just keeping him alive... until..."

Azura stays silent for a time, both laying in the comfort of their bed.

"Tomorrow Mother is coming by to pick up Kana." She finally speaks.

Corrin smiles, happy at the bit of good news. "Great!" Corrin adjusts his pillows and falls back onto the mattress. "How long is Kana going to stay with her?"

Azura follows Corrin into the mattress. "The weekend. Mother says she has two whole days planned, just her and her granddaughter." Azura smiles widely.

Corrin's heart melts at the sight and he cannot resist the temptation to squeeze his wife. "Kana'll love it."

"So..." Azura smiles, her eyes becoming more mischievous. "What about the weekend? What are we going to do?"

"Oh, I hadn't thought of it." Corrin teases. "But how about this; brunch in bed, courtesy of yours truly. Followed by an entire afternoon of laying in bed watching movies and making out. Then we get dressed, drive out into the country, and see what kind of adventures we can get into."

Azura nods and kisses his collarbone. "I like all of it..." She pulls back a bit. "But I am not eating your brunch."

()()()()

Corrin's barely taken a bite of his toast before the front door explodes in frantic banging. He hears Azura open the door, a few words spoken, and then he's assaulted by his 'Sister,' Camilla.

"Where is my Nina!?" Camilla says, the usual teasing and warmth vacant from her words.

"I... what?"

"Nina disappeared!"

Corrin stands and grabs Camilla, leading her to the chair opposite him at the kitchen table. He grips her tightly, flashing a look at Azura. Azura nods in understanding, retreating upstairs to intercept Kana before the girl can come for breakfast.

"Deep breath." Corrin instructs. "Now, tell me what happened."

Camilla takes a tense breath in through her nose, clenching her hands against the table. "Nina wasn't home for curfew two days ago. I called her, she said she was over at Soleil's house. I drove over in the morning to get her but she had never spent the night there."

Camilla took another shaky breath, tears in her eyes. "Nina wasn't answering my calls, not until late yesterday. She said you drove her to Shigure's art camp." The last words were said with venom, making Corrin tremble. Camilla had never taken such a dangerous tone with him before.

"Camilla." Corrin begins. "I swear I did not drive your daughter to art camp. It was just Shigure and I."

Camilla stares at him for a moment, her eyes hard. "Call him."

"What?"

"Call him." Camilla repeats. "I want to talk to Shigure."

Corrin nods. "Alright, if that makes you feels better."

()()()()

Shigure groans and runs a hand through his hair. He was never good at waking up, a trait he wishes he did not inherit from his father. Though it also did not help it was one of the most uncomfortable sleeps of his life.

The bed was far too hot, Nina was elbowing him constantly, and she snored. He wished that Nina had spent the night in her own room, but she had insisted. Shigure wondered just how overheated Nina was, considering she hadn't even removed her favourite sweater before curling up under the covers.

Shigure blushed, it was the first time he had ever slept beside Nina. Not that they did anything other than talk and kiss a little, but he felt his heart skip a few beats at the memory.

His phone vibrates against the floor, and Shigure reaches down to grab it. He fumbles a few times before finally grabbing it and answering without checking to see who was calling.

"Hello?"

"Shigure?"

Shigure clears his throat. "Ahem- Morning Father."

"Hey, sorry to call you so early, but Camilla is here and wondering if you know where Nina is."

Shigure tenses. Of course Nina didn't tell her parents her plans. "Erm, actually she's at the same art camp as I am."

Beside Shigure, Nina groans and rolls over. Shigure tenses and gets out of bed, moving to the other end of the small room.

"What?"

()()()()

Camilla groans and tents her arms on the table. "Dusk Dragon..." She curses. "Nina will be the death of me."

Corrin smiles. "I thought Niles would be the death of you." He stands. "Anyways, do you want anything? Breakfast?" He holds up his mostly-intact piece of toast.

Camilla stands and hugs him. "No thanks, sweetie. Sorry for barging in like this..."

"I get it." Corrin says. "Nina was possibly in trouble. Don't worry about that kind of thing."

"Thank you, but I'll go." Camilla says, adjusting her purse and walking to the door. Corrin follows, taking another bite of toast.

"Oh, one more thing."

Corrin raises his eyebrows.

"Shigure better not propose."

()()()()

Arete smiles as Kana flips through the photo album.

"Whoa! Mama was so small!"

Arete grins and runs a hand through her granddaughter's hair. "You were that small only a little while ago."

Kana nods and flips the page. A few old photos dot the paper, mostly of Corrin and Azura together. In fact she had little pictures of them alone.

In one photo both are wearing swimsuits in a small kiddie pool, Azura looks happy, though not as excited as Corrin. Arete can practically hear Corrin screaming in joy like he always used to.

"Aww!" Kana grins and points at a picture. "Were my parents always in love?"

Arete leans forward and examines the picture herself. It shows a picture of both Azura and Corrin in pink and yellow onesies, respectively. They are both asleep on the floor of the old playroom at Mikoto's house. Azura lays on her back, hair splayed in every direction. Corrin is holding tight to Azura's midsection, his head resting on Azura's tummy. A half-fallen blanket fort surrounds the two.

"Well..." Arete begins. "They were almost always together when they were little, so it was no surprise when they told us they were in love. Although Mikoto and I knew long before they told us. It was quite endearing, actually."

()()()()

Azura laughs as Corrin belts out the chorus, his voice horribly off-key.

"Crocodile rockin' was a-a outt of siiight!"

Azura holds back a laugh, just managing to get out her own line. "Laaaaaa la-la-la-la-la-laaaaaa," She tries to continue, but falls into a fit of giggles.

Corrin opens his mouth but the only thing that escapes is a squeaky laugh, and Corrin pulls over to the side of the road. He laughs and laughs, Azura actually wiping tears from her eyes.

Corrin takes a deep breath and relaxes back into the car seat. He takes a look around the empty countryside. Fields stretch to his left, bordered by forests. To his left is a small copse of trees, and faintly he can spot a lake glistening in the dying sunlight.

"Hey, Az." He says, motioning towards the lake.

Azura clears her eyes and looks over, gasping at the sight. "I can't believe you drove us here."

Corrin smiles and runs his hands around the steering wheel. "Well, I wasn't actually planning on coming to this place, it just... sorta happened."

Azura giggles and kicks off her shoes. "Let's go!" She cheers, already halfway out of the car.

Corrin chuckles and kicks off his own shoes, only to regret it as he plants his bare feet on the painfully rocky road. Azura was lucky enough to have grass on her side.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Corrin chants, stepping quickly to the safety of the grass. He grabs Azura's outstretched hand and they take off into the woods, laughing like they did so many years ago.

()()()()

Arete grins as Kana struggles to stay awake. "Past your bedtime?" She teases, pausing the Disney movie.

"Nu-uh!" Kana argues, though she can hardly hold herself up. "I was just so excited to spend the weekend with you that I didn't sleep last night..." Her voice trails off, and before Arete can get another word in Kana collapses onto the couch.

Arete smiles and collects Kana in her arms. The girl is surprisingly light. Arete takes her to the guest bedroom, Azura's old room, and tucks her in.

Smiling, Arete clears her throat and sings a soft lullaby to Kana.

I haven't sung like this in years... Arete thinks. How... wonderful.