Title: From Land to Foam – epilogue (one)
Pairing/Characters: Kaburagi Kotetsu / Barnaby Brooks Jr.
Rating: R (M for Mature)
Genre: AU
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters (of Tiger & Bunny).

Kaede finished lacing up her right skate and slowly lifted her head to stare at the frozen lake before her. Rarely was there a winter cold enough to freeze even a droplet of water, so she would enjoy this moment. With a smile and the rising sun at her back, she stepped out onto the lake. The first large body of water Kaede ever experienced hadn't been frozen, and was very refreshing despite its saltiness. Thinking of the ocean sometimes brought her heartache and happiness; back then, they'd still been a family.

Kaede made confident strides around the edge of the lake, building up her speed to execute a simple toe loop jump. Compared to Isaac, she was still a novice, and could only do so much. At least, that's how she felt. All of her friends always said she looked like a pro on the ice. Kaede executed another toe, but with three rotations. Her landing was shaky, but she remained upright, a wide smile on her face. She continued in short, concise circles, picking a spot on the ice, and begun to spin.

Leaning backwards, her arms curved elegantly above her, Kaede begun her layback spin. The free leg, her right leg rose behind her, but she knew it would be several years of practice before she could get her skate even remotely close to her head for a pro move. Slowly, she straightened back up, but kept spinning. Kaede lowered herself into a sit spin, her right leg extended forward. She was losing momentum, and stood after several rotations, easing across the ice in gentle glides.

Being near the water was always a comfort, especially the beach. The memory of her first trip to the beach had started getting fuzzy around the edges, but she would always remember the pride and overwhelming joy her parents had for her. Because of her father's job, he always invited them to the beach under the pretense that he would be researching. He always did, but never for too long.

"Spending time with my baby girl is better than spending time with some mollusk!" Kotetsu laughed as he lifted his squealing daughter high into the air.

Kaede's strides slowed, but she suddenly increased her speed, her lips into a thin line as she fought to escape the memory. She couldn't, but choose another to replace it. Kaede never remember learning how to swim—it just came naturally. Her father was always there with her in the water, his arms hovering and curved into a protectively half-circle, but she never grabbed hold and always tried to paddle away from him. Their antics always had Tomoe laughing and chasing after them.

Kaede slowed to a complete stop, panting softly as she attempted to catch her breath. Her mom was the obvious center of their universe; the foundation of the family. After her dad began traveling from home to Sternbild—no longer able to escape to the beach under the guise of 'work'—Tomoe took it upon herself to take her daughter whenever she could. Her father would find time to visit, but these trips became less and less, until they finally stopped. Then Tomoe became sick and the visits to the beach ended altogether.

Kaede shivered, suddenly feeling the cold that had always been surrounding her. She turned, gliding slowly back to where her belongings were stacked. Stumbling onto the snow bank, she reminded herself why she had listened to her friends and taken up skating: she did it for the moments of freedom and also because the competitions took place in Sternbild. Every time she traveled and arrived in the city where her father worked, the choice to contact him had always been hers. She knew her grandmother would never tell him—Anju didn't want to hear her son's excuses—but Kaede didn't have enough strength to shoulder both of their pain.

With her skates tucked away, and her bag strapped over her shoulder, the young girl plodded through the snow and to a waiting van down on street below. Kaede grinned, her cheeks flushed from the cold, and carefully hurried down the incline. She opened the passenger's side door, tossed her bag on the floor, and climbed into the warm cabin. "Sorry," she rushed out.

Muramasa started the engine, waiting until the noise had died down before addressing his niece, "Don't apologize. You have to practice, and this is the perfect winter to do that."

Kaede rolled her shoulders, trying to shrug off a bit of the cold, and held her hands close to the air vent. The warmth it blew out caused her cold fingers to tingle. Her smile widened as they began moving. The choice was no longer her own. Kotetsu reached out to his daughter during a grievous moment of his life; Kaede took his hand. It would be a struggle, but they would be there to support each other.

Kaede walked out of her room, letting her nose guide her feet to the kitchen. "Grandma, that smells great. Is there a... special..." Kaede's shocked expression softened into a teary-eyed smile. "A special occasion," she finished, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kotetsu Kaburagi grinned where he stood at the kitchen counter. Before him, a table filled with food. "You were supposed to be here last night. Uncle told me not to wait up for you. I did, but only because today's not a school day." She'd walked into the kitchen as she talked, and was close enough to the table to notice there were only two place settings. "Where's Barnaby?" Kaede wanted to meet the gentleman that had won her father over. She knew about him thanks to the phone calls that had grown constant, but hadn't met him face to face.

Kotetsu grinned. "He's meeting us later. The morning is between me and you." His grin waned, but didn't disappear. "Do you still... like hugs?"

Kaede rolled her eyes, scoffing softly. She walked around to the table, towards the fridge, but feinted right, right into her father's arms. "I'll take a hug from you."

Kotetsu laughed, tightening his hold. "I owe you so many of these," he sighed. Kaede responded with a soft hum. Soon, they parted ways and breakfast was underway.

Kotetsu told her about the many adventures he and Barnaby had recently; the tales she hadn't already heard. Even after breakfast was finished, they continued to sit around the table, catching up on school and on Kotetsu's actual job. Anju made a reappearance, chasing her granddaughter and son out of the kitchen to get cleaned up.

"Kaede. When was the last time you've been to the beach?" Kotetsu stood at the open shoji, staring out into the garden.

Kaede was seated on the couch behind him in the living room. She looked to the ceiling for her answer. "It's been a while," she finally stated, her voice softer.

"We're going," Kotetsu declared, never turning around.

Kaede didn't need to see him; she could hear the grin in her father's voice. "Alright," she agreed.

X X X

The drive to the beach was in silence; a silence to remember Tomoe, since the last time they had taken this drive, everyone had been excitedly chatting away. "She's still here," Kotetsu whispered, trying to keep his voice from breaking. "She'll always be here, watching over us."

"I know," Kaede whispered back, smiling as she stared out of the window, watching the rest of the world fly by.

Kotetsu's phone vibrated, but he didn't need to check it to know it was a text from Barnaby. His smile widened into a grin when they stepped out of the SUV at the beach's parking lot.

Kaede froze after stepping out onto the pavement. A wave of emotions and familiarity that reminded her of her mother washed over her. She lifted a hand to her chest, fingers curled into a fist, as she forced her heart to try and calm down. "Dad...?"

Kotetsu didn't stop grinning. "Meet Bunny—aka Barnaby."

"My name's not Bunny, old man."

Kotetsu hummed, reaching back to curl his hand around the back of the blond's head. He brought him forward, pressing his nose against Barnaby's cheek. "Hi," he laughed.

"Hi," Barnaby whispered with a smile. He managed to extricate himself from Kotetsu long enough to reach the stunned young girl. He sank to one knee in front of her.

Kaede laughed, the sound muffled by the hand covering her mouth. "You're...?"

Barnaby smiled handsomely. "I am. Your mother was my best friend, my sister... She was just as much my everything as she was yours."

Kaede threw her arms as far around him as they could reach, laughing and crying into his neck. "I knew there had to be more of you out there, but I've never met any. Leave it to my dad..."

"I'm a supernatural hotspot," Kotetsu laughed, leaning against the side of the SUV closest to them.

"So I've heard," Kaede said, lifting her head. Barnaby gently wiped away her tears. Her smile turned shy and she blushed. He already knew her question before she asked it. "Can I...?" Barnaby nodded and stood, swiftly scooping her into his arms. Kaede giggled, her arms instinctively going around his neck. They walked down the beach together.

Kotetsu smiled as he watched them go. He pushed away from his car, but froze, staring off to the left. His brow furrowed, but he shook his head and continued after his family.

X

Kaede kept her back turned, listening for the splash that informed her that Barnaby was in the water.

/Can you hear me?/

"I can, but I can't talk back. My mom tried all the time, but it never worked."

/I can still read your emotions, so I can guess what you might want to say./

"I can read emotions, too, but only if I'm really listening... With you, though. Everything just came rushing through." Kaede turned and found the blond head bobbing as he waited for her. She smiled. With her bathing suit already beneath her clothes, she stripped down to it and ran to the edge of the rocky ledge, diving into the water. Kaede wanted to cry; she probably did, and the ocean merely accepted her tears. It felt great being in the sea again.

/It's an amazing feeling, one I could never go too long without experiencing./

Kaede laughed, bubbles escaping; she had no troubles breathing. Barnaby appeared before her and a wide grin split her face. He smiled, obviously understanding her unstable emotions: "You're beautiful." Kaede released another stream of bubbles before swimming for the surface. Once there, she took a deep breath of fresh sea air. "My mom..." she panted, blinking water from her eyes. " Mom showed me hers one time, but... she got even sicker after that."

Kaede started to sink, wanting to drown the guilt she started feeling, but Barnaby was there, enveloping her gently. "Your mom—I love her and miss her—was stubborn to begin with, but after falling in love..."

Kaede smiled, nodding in agreement. Her smile widened into a grin. "Would you mind, showing me around?"

Barnaby shook his head, droplets of water flying. "I'd love to show you half the things I've shown your father, but we'll need his permission for some of those would-be adventures."

"That's in the future. Let's live in the now."

"You are definitely Tomoe's child," Barnaby laughed, the sound fading as he slipped beneath the surface. With a grin, Kaede followed.

X

Kotetsu knew he was forgotten, but it didn't faze him in the least. He had been walking the seashore since the pair's disappearance, collecting unbroken shells that he thought looked cute. The lower side pockets of his khaki shorts rung lightly as the shells within them clinked together. He was at the end of the beach and deciding it was time to head back when something caught his eye; something moved in the water near the rocks. Kotetsu took off in a jog down the beach, splashing into the water. The closer he got, he saw it was an animal, carefully moving across the rocky platform. Knee-deep in the water, he slowed, finally stopping after the animal stopped.

A seal. Kotetsu breathed out, wondering what such an animal was doing so far from home. His eyes widened when the seal suddenly rose onto its tail fins in a perfect imitation of standing, the creature now larger than it would normally be. One flipper went to its chest. Kotetsu had no idea what feeling coursed through him, but there were several as the spotted skin of the seal was removed as though a zippered article of clothing. The chestnut head that rose, and the gold-tinged brown eyes that focused on him had Kotetsu laughing in disbelief. He waded through the water to reach the rocks, carefully hoisting himself free.

Now completely naked, his seal skin spread across a dull rock, Vaughn extended a hand to the marine biologist. Kotetsu accepted it, grinning at the young man whose face was now mere inches from his. "I seem to have a penchant for attracting handsome, naked men."

Vaughn smiled warmly, the golden ring around his iris shining brightly. Any other Selkie, spurned by humans, would have taken advantage of such a situation: such a close proximity to the ocean; an easy target to get to cry into the sea. But Vaughn only wanted to see this man keep smiling. "You smell of fish," he murmured, nose suddenly pressed against Kotetsu's collarbone.

Kotetsu laughed, tilting his head away. "It's been almost two years, but you've obviously forgotten my job."

"No. This is... a special fish." Kotetsu saw Vaughn's smirk after he stepped away, but it was obscured by the wave that crashed through them. Vaughn tilted his head with a laugh, "That's right! This smell was faint on you when you first visited. Mr. Kotetsu, you really are a marvelous man to have befriended us sea folk."

Before Kotetsu could comment, gone was Vaughn, replaced with the harbor seal, and Barnaby was leaping onto the rocks. The blond brought another surge of water, but the seal merely used it to guide himself back into the water. "I know a Bull shark that would love to have you!" he shouted, standing protectively in front of his lover. Kotetsu should have been worried, but he was far too amused. Barnaby wasn't. He spun, directing his glare at the brunet.

His rant was cut short by Kotetsu's question: "Where's my daughter?"

Barnaby exhaled deeply, his anger waning like the water over the rocks. "She's waiting for us by the lifeguard tower. I didn't want her by herself in the car."

"Good boy." Kotetsu lifted a hand, combing his fingers through Barnaby's damp hair. "Kotetsu—"

"Bunny?" Kotetsu chirped.

Barnaby rolled his eyes, but instinctively leaned into the touch of gentle fingers scratching along his scalp. "Was that the Selkie from Alaska?"

"Mm-hmm," Kotetsu hummed. "I have no idea what he's doing here, but from the looks of it, he got his skin back." Barnaby curled a hand around the back of Kotetsu's neck, drawing him forward to chastely kiss his bottom lip. "You're worried that I'll still cry." Kotetsu wrapped his free arm around Barnaby's bare waist; his other hand remained tangled in the blond tresses. "I have everything I want and more." Barnaby smiled against Kotetsu's lips, his heart soaring. "Let's go collect my daughter," Kotetsu declared. He frowned. "Actually, let's get your clothes first." Barnaby chuckled softly, agreeing.

X X X

"I'd like to meet him," Kaede stated at dinner that evening.

"No," both Kotetsu and Barnaby chorused. They shared a glance before turning back to the pre-teen at the table.

Kaede glared at them both. "Why not? Maybe I need to, so I can mentally prepare myself in case I encounter my own Selkie."

"Why do you always make a good point?" Kotetsu sighed, hanging his head.

Kaede smiled triumphantly. "Tell him, Barnaby."

"Tomoe is her mother," Barnaby said without hesitation.

It no longer hurt to mention her name; it actually felt natural. Maybe because he knew she was still out there, watching over them. Both Kaede and Barnaby reached for his hand and Kotetsu shook himself from his surprise with a laugh. "It's nice to feel so loved." His statement set off a chain of overlapping comments thrown his way, all protests and declarations that he's always loved. Kotetsu waved his hand, chuckling softly, "Yes, yes. I hear ya. Let's eat, hmm?"

X

Kotetsu left the task of tucking Kaede in to Barnaby, and was half-asleep when his lover finally joined him. Barnaby climbed in behind of the older man, slipping an arm around him. He began humming a soft tone and Kotetsu smiled, recognizing the lullaby Tomoe used to sing to both him and their daughter. "Love you," he murmured.

"I love you, too, old man."

Kotetsu chuckled sleepily before drifting off.

Kaede was reluctant to go to school the following morning, but Barnaby managed to coerce her with the promise of walking her to, and picking her up from the institute of education. As they were leaving, the blond shot Kotetsu a glare that spoke volumes. Of course, Kotetsu ignored the look, and was on his way to the beach within half an hour's time.

When Kotetsu saw Vaughn again, he was fully clothed in jeans and a sleeveless t-shirt—a messenger bag strapped across his chest. The Selkie obviously saw a question in his stare. Vaughn patted the bag fondly. "My skin."

Kotetsu wrinkled his nose, shaking his head with a laugh, "I don't think I'll be able to fully understand Selkies as well as sea folk."

"Well, we can go over it again, after I tell you how I found it, and who had it."

Kotetsu grinned. "We can go to the beach cafe. They have a few tables located outside on the sand itself, set further apart from the others, if you wanted privacy." He rubbed the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. "I'm a bit hungry, actually." He left before breakfast—before Barnaby could come back and stop him.

Vaughn smiled handsomely. "That's fine."

Kotetsu groaned, moving his hand around to thumb across his beard. "How many people have you charmed to tears with that smile of yours?"

"None as interesting as you." Vaughn nodded down at the cement path and they began walking. "I've actually never drowned anyone before," he sighed, curling his fingers around the strap of his bag. "I was angry—at first, and always misled people into the sea. I rescued those that couldn't swim, leaving them somewhere to be found, but... I had to leave Hawaii once they figured out it was me and not some evil spirit. Though... some people think of us as spirits."

Kotetsu nodded as he took in the information.

"I traveled the world," Vaughn continued, an empty smile tugging at his lips. "But always stayed the longest on islands or in the smaller countries, so I could be surrounded by water. I've been around longer than that guppy of yours." Vaughn's smile twisted into something a bit more dark. "Has he told you yet? How long he's going to live after you're gone?"

Kotetsu nodded, smiling as he remembered the teary-eyed young man during that talk. "He said he was going to go with me—was going to ask his Mother to return us both to the sea."

Vaughn stopped, wide brown eyes following the older man that took a few more steps ahead of him. When Kotetsu turned around, he uttered a stunned, "Wow." Vaughn shook his head, laughing, "That's love. Sea folk practically live forever."

"Haven't you ever been in love?" Kotetsu asked, eyebrows arched questioningly.

Vaughn chuckled and started walking again. "No. I heard all the stories people created about my kind and decided to make them true. Instead of leading people into the sea..." He turned to stare at Kotetsu, the gold slowly taking over the brown of his iris. "I lured them into my bed." Kotetsu smiled at him, seemingly unaffected. That spurred on the Selkie's desire to win the human over even more, but he was already claimed by another. Vaughn exhaled deeply. "You've spoiled me."

Kotetsu laughed sheepishly, ducking his head to stare at his sandals. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine." Vaughn could see the little shack up ahead; its planked walkway was extended to accommodate six more tables, only one of which was occupied. "I'm actually an Alaskan Selkie," he stated when the silence threatened to overtake them. "So I decided to head back home." Kotetsu lightly touched Vaughn's wrist as they neared the cafe. The young man nodded, holding in his words so they could place their orders and get organized.

Once seated at the furthest table, Kotetsu smiled broadly at his companion. "Do continue. I love learning new things and hearing such amazing stories."

Vaughn chuckled, leaning back in his seat. Kotetsu noticed he kept the bag strapped across his chest and in his lap. His gaze must have been noticeable, because Vaughn patted said bag with a grin. "After going back home, and realizing I stood out too much among the other seals without my skin, I stumbled across Janice on an expedition. That woman had no regrets." The lingering gold in Vaugn's eyes receded. "I decided to join her and her extended family, since mine had long since moved on."

Kotetsu sat back. "Then the seals we saw...?"

Vaughn shook his head. "Friends. None were—" He cleared his throat, smiling up at the waiter that brought them their drinks. "Thank you." The young man smiled almost shyly in return, hugging the empty tray in front of himself. He nodded before hurrying back into the shelter of the beachside shack. Vaughn glanced at the man across from him, shrugging his shoulders. "I didn't do anything."

Kotetsu rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his iced tea. Vaughn combed his fingers through his hair as he continued, getting right to the point, "Janice had my skin."

Kotetsu almost choked on his tea, but he kept his coughing in check, staring at the other with wide eyes. "...how?"

"She didn't steal it," Vaughn sighed, his hand resting gently atop the messenger bag. "She found it as a kid and kept it. It was in her home in California." He shot Kotetsu a quick glance—he was still wide-eyed, and leaning forwardly eagerly—before looking almost longingly out at the sea. "We went to check on the seals there. She offered to let me stay at her house, no strings attached—said I wouldn't be imposing. I cried, Kotetsu... So many years... I was finally able to go home." Vaughn laughed, lifting a hand to wipe at his eyes. "But I didn't just yet, because I had an obligation to her and my work."

Kotetsu sat back in his seat, his grin slowly becoming a small smile. "So... she knows what you really are?"

"Yeah." Vaughn grinned. "And she wasn't surprised at all. She did want to know how I fit into my skin, given how small a seal is."

Kotetsu waved a hand, wanting to stay away from that conversation. He noticed the faraway look returned to his younger companion's eyes and tucked his hands beneath his chin, elbows resting atop the table. "Would you like to go for a swim?"

Vaughn had to bite back his excitement, but his eyes were an enthralling golden color that captivated Kotetsu. "But... you're hungry," he ground out, forcing himself to calm down.

Kotetsu lifted his hand, signalling to the waiter. "Well, we're not supposed to swim right after eating, right? I'm not one for breaking the law. Check," he told the young man that appeared at their table.

The waiter looked at the half-empty glasses and smiled politely. "It's on the house."

Kotetsu raised an eyebrow at Vaughn, who lifted his arms in a shrug, before turning back to the young waiter with a wide smile of his own. "Thanks. I'm starving, really, so we'll be back after I take this big kid for a swim. He needs someone to hold his flipper."

The waiter blushed shyly before nodding. He took a step back, bowing slightly at the waist. "We await your return, sirs."

"So cute," the Selkie purred, reaching out.

Kotetsu slapped Vaugn's hand out of the air, curling his fingers around his wrist to drag him out of his seat. "C'mon, Casanova."

X

"People might begin to wonder about me," Kotetsu groaned as he pulled his shirt over his head and set about folding it. Vaughn stood a few yards away, closer to the water, and was already naked. "I'm sure there's someone that's noticed me always walking away with a dashing young man."

"Dashing," Vaughn snorted, lowering the empty messenger bag back onto the sand. He moved closer to the water, glancing over his shoulder. "And if anyone's paying such close attention to you, and they're not the police, then you should be worried." He stepped into the water and stepped into his skin.

Kotetsu stood motionless, watching in fascination. The same way he'd seen Vaugn remove it, the young man pulled it back on with a shrug like it was a jacket. Up close now, though, he was able to see that the spotted fur effortlessly melded to Vaughn's skin. With every twist and tug, , he became less of a man and more of a harbor seal. Vaughn reached both arms over his head, fingers curling into the loose fur hanging behind him. He pulled it up, and a wide-eyed harbor seal stared back at the marine biologist. Kotetsu let out a huffing laugh, rubbing his bare arms. He gave himself a quick pinch—it stung—to remind himself that the world was more than he would ever know.

Vaughn turned away, diving into the waves. Kotetsu reached out a hand to him, but a shout stepped him from running to the water. He turned and saw Barnaby running down the beach towards him.

"Why do you always do this?!" Barnaby shouted, still yards from the older man.

Kotetsu's grin dimmed, a confused look crossing onto his face. "What... am I doing, Bunny?"

"My name's not Bunny! And you keep running off with that Selkie. Kotetsu, you don't know what they're truly capable of. All of our kind have been convicted of luring men and women alike to the sea—sinking ships, but I've heard from my kin that they did indeed do all the horrible things history has accused them on. He's no different—"

The waves fell silent, creeping onto the shore rather than crashing. Green eyes wide, Barnaby lifted a shaky hand to his throbbing cheek. He gaped at Kotetsu. "Why...?" he choked out. "I'm just worried about you..."

Kotetsu sighed, shaking the hand that had slapped the young man. "I understand that, Barnaby, and I'm very grateful for it, but you're still a kid."

Barnaby took a step back, his eyes shimmering with tears. "Ko...tetsu."

Kotetsu rubbed the back of his neck. "I won't take it back, but I'll explain. You're twenty-four now, and still relying on your empathy. You say you trust me and love me, but when you behave like this, I feel like you're trying to keep me from making friends other than you." Kotetsu glared when Barnaby made to speak, and the sea folk snapped his mouth shut, his hand still covering his reddened cheek. "Vaughn is different from other Selkies." Kotetsu shook his head, chuckling softly. "I'm saying that, and I don't even know if it's true, but I know him, and he's not like them. When we met in Alaska, he did approach me with the intention of making me cry, but maybe he was also looking for somebody that would finally understand him. I understand him, and I know you would understand him, too... if only you gave him a chance!"

Kotetsu dragged his fingers through his hair with a deep, ragged sigh. "I've been here longer than you, Bunny, and I'd like to think I'm a good judge of people. If anyone else had stumbled across you at any one point, they would have reacted worse than Antonio did." He lifted his head to smile weakly at the blond. "I'm sorry for hitting you, but use your eyes and your empathy together. Did it seem like I was in any danger?"

Barnaby worried his bottom lip between his teeth, reluctant to answer for fear of saying the wrong thing. "No," he whispered, his voice hoarse from holding back his tears. "But I thought you might have been, and I let my emotions get the better of me."

"Your emotions are just as important as logic, but sometimes you have to know which to listen to." Kotetsu walked towards the young man, slowly reaching up to the cheek he'd struck. "This was an act of logic, backed by a little bit of emotional frustration." He gently removed Barnaby's hand, replacing it with his to gently cup the bruised area; it still felt warm. "I'm sorry, Bunny, but you need to have more faith in me. I would never deliberately hurt you—emotionally or otherwise. Did we not make a promise to stay together, even in death?"

Barnaby nodded, biting his lips together, the tears back in his eyes.

Kotetsu chuckled and removed his hand. He leaned forward, pressing a chaste and gentle kiss to the red mark. "I'm going back to the house. I'll be the one to pick up Kaede. You... You're going to talk with Vaughn."

Barnaby released his lips to grit his teeth, but Kotetsu's warning glare had him tumbling over his words in his head before spitting them out. "I'll talk to him," he mumbled.

Kotetsu grinned, heading back to where he'd left his shirt. He picked it up, shook it out, and pulled it back on over his head. "Vaughn! I guess we have to put a rain check on your flirting with the waiter. Bunny's gonna keep you company!" Kotetsu patted Barnaby on the chest, stealing a kiss from his thinly pressed lips. "See you back at the house." With a grin, he started back to the populated side of the beach.

Eyes narrowing once Kotetsu was far enough, Barnaby turned, his deadly glare directed at the sea. "Let's get this over with, Selkie..."

X X X

Kotetsu wasn't too surprised when more than one voice could be heard after Barnaby announced his return that evening. His hunch for setting an extra place at the table was—hopefully—being proven true. Kaede couldn't contain her excitement and rushed out to meet them. Vaughn laughed as the energetic girl crashed into him and bombarded him with questions. He crouched down so he was at her level, and tried to answer as fast as they came.

Kotetsu watched from the entrance of the kitchen, noticing that there was no golden ring in the Selkie's eyes. He shifted his gaze to the young man heading for him and grinned. "Told ya," he gloated.

Barnaby scoffed softly, but smiled, slipping an arm around Kotetsu's waist. "Yes, you did tell me." He kissed the tawny locks before heading deeper into the house.

Kotetsu could hear Anju welcoming him back. He cleared his throat, drawing the attention of his daughter and their guest. "Vaughn needs to get cleaned up before we eat. Set him free. He'll come back on his own."

Vaughn rolled his eyes at the biologist, but smiled warmly at the daughter. "It's as he says." Kaede took his hand, offering to show him the way.

Kotetsu let them walk off, returning to the pot he left simmering on the stove. As he stirred the contents within, he realized his extended family was still growing, and there was no telling when the newest relative would arrive. Kotetsu would welcome whoever it may be.

A/B: I've given up my soul to Fire Emblem: Awakening... *has been playing for weeks on end* ~
I have no idea what this is... it came out of my head, though. Yes, that "one" means there's another one coming *sobs* ...I just wanted one.