Professional Integrity

Inked

Mitsuhide started his day the usual way: cleaning out the abusive comments on her social media.

she just ditched the house I'm telling you She didn't even let the fans in the funeral He would have wanted us to be there She hasn't even released a statement I hear she's partying it up in china and spending all his money

Click, click, click. They all disappeared.

"How are you this morning?" Shingen asked with a smile, putting a plate of eggs in front of her. She half-laughed and shook her head.

"I think I went one drink too hard."

"Lightweights," Kenshin huffed. "All of you."

"Look," Yuki argued, "We can't all drink like alcoholics."

"I don't drink like an alcoholic."

Sasuke lifted a piece of toast to his mouth, eating gingerly. "Everyone is being too loud."

The Princess tittered and pet her friend's head. "I'm sorry. Let's be quieter. Thanks for the breakfast, Shingen."

"No problem. Least I can do for an angel like you."

"Oh, God." She rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless.

It looked like Kenshin was prepping a sharp-tongued barb to fling at his friend, but the Princess took his hand and he fell silent. "Thank you, guys. I'm so glad I got to see you all."

"We're glad we got to see you, too," Shingen answered.

"Yeah, um," Yuki stumbled through his words before pointing at his dog, "Kuro liked having people over."

"Oh, sure. 'Kuro' did." Shingen smiled a smug little smile.

Kenshin finally freed his hand from hers and set it on her shoulder. "Let us know if you'll be coming back through."

"I just might."

They dropped Sasuke off at the Phoenix Airport. He and she hugged, long and hard at the security checkpoint until she cried, and then he had to catch his flight. Mitsuhide put his own, dark sunglasses on her to hide her tears and guided her gently back to the RV.

"Alright." She settled into the passenger side, looking small and fragile, eyes locked forward and still wearing his circular sunglasses. "Where to next?"

"I don't know." He adjusted the seat, shoving it way further back than it had been. "Has anything 'told' you yet?"

A moment of pensive silence. She glanced up at him. "Anyone you wanna see?"

"Me?" He took a moment to check his surprise. "Friends of mine, you mean?"

"Yeah? Why not."

Mitsuhide chuckled. "My friends are a handful. Plus, they live in New York."

"That's fine. That works for me. I can work with 'handful'."

He snickered and delved into his pocket, pulling out his cellphone. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"If they're anything like you, I'm sure they'll be great."

The smile slipped off his lips for one long moment, trying to register what she was saying. At last, he decided not to think too deeply into it and pressed the dial button, gunning the RV powerfully onto the highway.

Hideyoshi picked up on the second ring. "Speak of the Devil."

"It's Mitsuhide, not Nobu," he joked thinly. "What are your plans for this week, or anyone else's?"