in preparation for tomorrow {Kay}

Radiant rays beam bright beacons of orange over mangled mess of Kirito's desk. Outside day drowns into darkness as the eyes of night begin to sparkle across the tapestry of space. Inside the cold confines of an office pen passes over papers. Plans strung together by sentences in his penmanship lay prepared for the final press of a stamp. A model mirroring the soft shine of sunlight sits as a silently flickering flame. A face filled with broken bitterness exhales a breath sending smoke and submerging light into darkness. 

Beneath the cold caress of the moon Kirito's steps send small clouds of dust into the air. The ground brutally burnt from the summer's sun has settled as decaying dust. Kirito's eyes trace the lingering lights dipping and dancing through the capitol's crops. Sounds of snipping and planting ring softly on the backs of cool breezes bringing the smells of sweet strawberries to Kirito's nose.

The dust and breeze fade from focus as a body suddenly spurs from the shadows of the swaying stalks. For a moment Lily Hope hangs in view before true facial features deny the memory. The girl no more than fourteen clings to a small basket brimming with a bounty of berries stolen in the shadowy stalks. Her face freezes before the mayor bound by duty and law to see that her punishment be painful and swift. Only understanding arises in Kirito's eyes. 

"You can't put them back now that they're picked." He says soft, cautious to keep from attracting attention. "I'm sure you need those berries since you stole them, but other people rely on the amount of berries we give to the Capitol." Her face remains fixated with fear as the mayor with a past of murder continues to talk below the sounds of a nearby patrol passing. "Get home fast and safe, make those berries last." A nod and the girl becomes a far away figure fading into dusk. 

Dusty dirt becomes cold-cut concrete as the Victor's Village draws into sight. Beams of bright light filter out from within the heated hearts of two homes while one which should still be lit lies quiet and dark. Tempting is the thought of Sonja's soft skin pressing against Kirito's if he ventures through his own door. But tonight his feet follow another path to a door to a house he also considers home. 

Two taps is all it takes for a figure filled with familiarity to answer the door. Wisdom and motherhood mold her face and instinctively a smile spills across Kirito's cheeks. In a voice as tempting as the idea of going home, he offers her something surely just as nice. 

"Care for a break? There's something I want to ask you." 

As wonderful as the amazement of raising children is, a break from the crying and the complaining can be just as loved. Besides, tonight Kirito knew he needed his best friend for something no one else could do.