Fitting Back Together

Thieves and Wine

A/N: So I've been wrting this fic whilst suffering from brain fog, severe all day every day migraines and months long sleep deprivation (among other things) - suffice it to say that it's not my best writing as a result. I tried not to be too perfect with it and only give it like eight proofreads, rather than my usual eighty lol. I can't really allow myself not to be perfect with my other fics and that's why I haven't updated them yet, sorry. But after episode 10 I couldn't not write this so here we are.

So whilst this isn't set in the same universe as my other yumagna fics, it does build on the same backstories that I use in that one (except for the fact that in this universe, Yumiko obviously has a brother and isn't an only child). You'll understand this fic better if you've read my other fics but for quick reference: Brian Lawson is the man Magna killed, Maisie is her cousin (the one Lawson abused) and she also had a younger brother called Morgan (they had a tense relationship and he died of an overdose when she was in prison). She lived in Yumiko's apartment for a month when she first got out of prison. Nicole is Yumiko's ex-girlfriend from law school who cheated on her. Magna's last name is Carter (she hates it) . . . I think those are the main things?

P.S. I'll be including easter eggs in here for future fics in my other yumagna series if you read those.

. . .

The sound of her brother clearing his throat tore Yumiko's attention from the harpist near the entrance. "Your wife's coming our way again. No wine this time, though. Does that mean you're in her bad books? Because if so, I'm going to need you to reverse that in case she decides to hold the wine hostage for the rest of the evening."

"Seriously?"

"What? It's good wine. And if we absolutely must participate in this farce, I'm determined to make the most of it."

That much was obvious.

Tomi seemed to have set himself the goal of drinking as many glasses as possible without drowning himself in the process. Thankfully, there was a limit on just how much wine was available at the end of the world. Even in a place like the Commonwealth.

Yumiko's mouth pursed as the rest of what he'd said finally caught up with her and she resisted the urge to spin around, to look. She'd been doing her best not to look at Magna all evening. To watch her.

Talk to her.

Honestly, Yumiko deserved a goddamned medal for how well she'd done so far. Or one of those sparkly stickers the teachers used to put on her workbook every time she achieved proper spelling and grammar in school. Stickers she'd carefully, painstakingly peeled off - don't tear the page - to place on her face instead. Always in the same place, center forehead, no deviations - she'd used the bathroom mirror to check, spending all recess working to get it exact.

She'd wanted to be as right and perfect as those sentences.

Something that could be granted a sticker of approval without question.

(had never quite managed it)

Yumiko took a slow sip of her wine, which she'd barely touched since Magna had handed it to her.

The liquid tasted bitter in her mouth. Overly sour for the fact that she wasn't sharing it with the person she most wanted to. "She's not my wife."

Legality aside, Yumiko would bet all the money she now had again that Magna was allergic to the term. Or more accurately the entire concept.

"When you're in love with each other for over a decade, you automatically become husband and wife. Or, well, wife and wife." His brow furrowed. "Is that right? Doesn't really have the same ring to it. Lawyer and wife? Lawyer and prison wife? Lawyer and waiter? No, wife and wife."