"Koyurei? Where are you, sweetie?" Nemuri's voice sounds to me, I come scuttling out of the bathroom, making sure the water's right and she's got her favorite bath bombs and candles and all that. 

I smile, "Nemuri, I made you something really special for you." I say, opening the door to the bathroom, she steps in and marvels at it.

"Aww baby..." she breathes, "A bath?"

"Yeah, I figured you'd need it. Mostly just because you work so hard and..." she smiles and wraps her arms around my shoulders.

"Honey..." she leans down, "Strip down."

"Wait, why?" my cheeks go red and she kisses me, her costume already on the floor. She pulls back with a happy smile.

"Because, I want you to help me." she takes off her glasses and sets them aside, her lithe body and cascade of dark purple hair, almost black in the low light, spreads before me.

She stretches, "Mmmfh..." she walks towards the bathtub, big enough for the  both of us, stepping into it and lowering herself into the warm water. I take off my clothes and lightly step my way towards her.

She looks at me with a teasing grin, "Aww, I won't bite you, baby." she holds her arms out, "C'mere."

I settle into the water with her body pressed to mine, "There we go... god, you look hotter every time I see you."

"Really?" I ask.

"Yeah, of course!" she wets down my hair, "Such a pretty boy..." her hands run down my neck, brushing against a couple of burn scars. She kisses me on the jaw.

"It's okay, baby boy, relax. I'm not out there anymore." she lets me wet her hair down and lather it. Rinsing it and she then takes me into her arms and does the same. As I let her wash me, I close my eyes and think about how two months ago I was unhappy. Flickering blue flames and just trying to survive. Clawing for some kind of relief from the torture of just being a sidekick that my father didn’t even want. But here in this tub, here in this apartment, I found someone I could have a purpose with. Someone who wanted me. Someone who cared. I smile and kiss her on the cheek. It’s going to be alright, no matter what happens. 

Because I won’t let this end. My life is beginning. It’s not glitzy or glamorous and it certainly won’t be easy, but it’s something. It’ll always be something. I’m just happy it ended up this way. Just a calm, gentle morning before the end. Before the rest of our lives.

It’s all going to be wild times from here on.