I chuckled. “Well. . .I don’t believe that, Hiro.”
Grinning, Hiro looked down at me and took in the braids again. "I hope you know that my brother is going to destroy every single one of those braids."
"I'm aware."
"Tonight."
“Well, I was hoping for a few more days.”
Hiro held up a finger. "He won't even make it to tomorrow."
Kenji said nothing, and that silence confirmed everything.
The Claws started filing in along with some of the other men.
Kaede came first. His platinum-blond hair was wet and tied back, but a few damp strands had come loose and hung around his face. A bandage wrapped his left forearm, and he moved with a slight limp. His expression was calm as always—the kind of calm that made you wonder if he'd been born without the ability to panic.
"Hey, Nyomi." He dipped his head as he passed and then slowed when his gaze caught the table. “Huh?”
Daisuke followed with his sharp black mohawk still perfect despite everything. Both eyes were bruised purple, and he held his side like his ribs were screaming at him. He didn't acknowledge the pain. Just walked in, scanned the room, and stopped at the table too.
Shock covered his face.
Toma came in grinning, even though his bottom lip was split and swollen and long gashes stretched across his neck. He spotted the food and his whole face changed. "Oh shit. Is this for us?"
The twins were last. Aki had a bandage wrapped around his hand. Yuki had a cut along his jaw. They moved together in perfect sync like always—same stride, same tilt of the head, same quiet sweep of the room.
Then they saw the table and both of them went still too.
I watched them all standing there—battered, bandaged, alive—and the sight hit me somewhere deep.
Hiroko should be walking through that door too.
The thought came fast and sharp like a blade slipping between my ribs and stabbing my heart. I could see her so clearly. The way she would have surveyed this table and smiled. The way she would have touched my shoulder and whispered something about how a woman who feeds warriors owns their loyalty forever.
I still can’t believe you’re gone. . .
My eyes burned. I blinked it away and straightened a plate that didn't need straightening.
Later. Not now. Not in front of them.
The room was quiet. All of them staring at the food, the candles, the chairs arranged for every single person.
Even Kenji finally looked around. "What is this?"
"I just thought we'd need a good dinner." My voice came out lighter than I intended. "All of us together. Just to kind of get our minds off things. . .just, you know, after everything. But. . .you all don't have to stay too long if you're exhausted."
"Exhausted? We’re Claws. Not Fangs.” Chuckling, Toma headed to the table and sat down. “I’m just glad the Dragon’s Heart is in charge now. I thought I was going to have to eat that old slice of pizza in my bedroom’s fridge.”
I blinked.
“Thank you, Heart. I’m definitely eating.” Kaede limped to the table and lowered himself into a seat. “I almost died three times today. Let’s just say this meal is in honor ofmeand my new sword."
Toma grumbled in annoyance.
"Thank you, Nyomi." Daisuke sat down, pulled a bowl of miso toward him, and inhaled the steam with his bruised eyes closed.
Aki grabbed two chairs and slid one toward Yuki. "If this is what happens when we go to war. . ."
