001. one year later

[hanikamu]

[The trees are clouds of pink and purple in the spring, wisps of petals whisked into the air by gentle winds as three of Karteria's foxes look for a spot in the park. Niki said today would be a good day for a picnic, and the other two were more than eager to have a nice picnic under the city's blossoming canopy. After Rinne lays down the mat and Niki lays out their meal, Takasugi plays a nostalgic song or two before Rinne applauds him with a loud,]

Gyahaha! Woooo! [The white wine in his cup sloshes around, spilling off the paper rim.] That's our Prez for ya! You sure know how to set the mood under the cherry blossoms, huh?

[The mood that Rinne ruined with his drunken cheering, probably.]

S'too bad Niki can't join in on our fun... I bet he'll like my super Rinne-kun surprise, though!

[He hooks an arm around Niki and gives him a tight hug! Or chokes him, if we're being honest about it.]

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[hanikamu]

You bet your ass I will. Everything that's yours is mine, remember? [Rinne punctuates that very thought with a lift of his chin and a satisfied smirk. He doesn't hold it for long; his smugness turns into fondness, and he claps a hand on Niki's shoulder to reassure him.] And everything that's mine is yours... I paid it off myself, so don't even worry about it.

[Niki's not surprised. Rinne figured. It's not food that's hard to come by, but Niki looks pretty happy all the same, and in this moment, that's all that matters to him. If his luck ever ran dry and Niki never came with him to this world, he wouldn't know who else to share his happiness with.

He ruffles Niki's hair.

As for Takasugi... He looks more than happy. Shocked, too. That means Rinne's the only thing on his mind now, right? Not dying or the people who left him behind.]

Shinsaku needs help with his, too. He had a lotta piercings on when we first met. He wanted to change himself — just like me.