After (Magics Oneshots) *requests open!!*

Origin

This oneshot takes place about six or seven months after the defeat of The Dark Lord, so it's been a while. 

~

Kai hadn't been through an ordinary day in some time, and he was almost unaccustomed to the feeling. For the past several months, everyone had been trying to get back to normal, but all of the homeless former Darks had made that hard. For a few months, it was only Shintaro trying to figure out what to do and how to help them out; but eventually, the others had to pitch in, including Kai. 

But today was a relaxing day, and Kai was very close to uncomfortable with how... ordinary it seemed. In his heart, he was grateful for a quiet day with just his family, but his head was telling him that there were things to do, that he had to get up and busy himself. 

Not that he wanted to do any of that. He was happy to sit down next to Abby and Falte, to let the relaxing air wash over him as he settled into one of the couches in the library. Abby was to his right, leaning her head on his shoulder and toying with her large sweater's strings. Falte was beside him, a book that he'd written and published himself in his hands. 

Everyone else was doing their own thing, but they were all in the library, which made Kai feel at home. In the aisle to the left of the couch, Shintaro was standing idly with a book in his hands, while Gabriel and Zeke were conversing quietly in the same aisle. Rachel and Nanami were sitting together on the new rug in front of the couch, taking turns reading to each other with small giggles. Linda and Cynthia, who had become a good friend of everyone's, were leaning against the wall across from the couch, smiling about something that Kai didn't know. Ozai had placed himself on the floor at the foot of the couch, a thick book resting on his lap. Moon, who had become a trusted friend some time ago, was laughing with Ruby in the aisle behind the couch - Kai could hear her genuine laughs that used to unsettle him. 

A small smile crept onto Kai's face as he absently cracked his knuckles. He was with his family, which meant he was home. This didn't match the home he'd had when he was little - not even slightly - but that didn't matter to him. All that mattered was that his friends - his family - were there with him. 

Then any place could be his home. 

Kai looked up at the sudden movement of a person weaving through the aisles to get to the open area. For a moment, Kai expected to see one of the previous Darks, but that wasn't who was coming toward them. When the tall man stepped through the last aisle and into the open area, Kai realized that he had never seen this man before. 

As the mysterious figure stopped a few paces away from the couch, Ruby, Moon, Shintaro, Gabriel, and Zeke all peeked curiously out of their aisles with skeptical expressions. Shintaro was the first to react, sidestepping out of the small aisle and walking toward the couch cautiously. 

"Hello," he said in greeting, his voice welcoming but guarded with a hint of skepticism. 

"Good afternoon," the man said in a heavy Japanese accent, nodding politely as he spoke. His appearance was strange to Kai - the man wore a black fedora hat casting a shadow over his brown, almond-shaped eyes and a large, dark brown trench coat that reached his thighs. Thick brown pants covered in dozens of pockets were tucked into black combat boots, and a belt was hooked into the loopholes of the man's pants. The belt reminded Kai of Amy's belt - it was lined with pouches and pockets that were undoubtedly full of many trinkets. The man's left hand was shoved into the pocket of his coat, but his right hand was revealed and covered by a black leather fingerless glove. Underneath the hat, his hair was black and thick, just passing his ears with a slight wave. He was lean, yet Kai could tell that he was a strong person. His head reached Shintaro's nose, which meant that he was taller than Kai (and everyone else).