Grand Tour storyline

==Café et baisers==
Raleigh and Mako end up in Portland on their way to another place and explore for a bit.
===Meta===
Grand Tour the Third
-April 12, 2025-
===Text===
They showed up fifteen minutes early to the requested interview and watched as exactly three interns (identified by red badges) tripped trying to get them a decent cup of coffee. Raleigh laughs into his take-away cup he brewed himself and Mako gives a sweet smile as he shares his coffee with her.
"Thanks but we're good." Mako's busy sipping liquid heaven to much care for the fluttering interns so Raleigh pulls out his old pilot routine. He's going to revert to his usual, quiet self when they get back to the nice B&B they're staying in but Mako hadn't been in the spotlight as often.
"Oh. Umm, can we get you anything else, Rangers Becket?"
"It's Mori and Becket." he states with a raised eyebrow. "We're not married."
"Oh. Oh. Excuse me for a moment?" The flustered tech started jogging away at a quick pace as the interns scatter, leaving them alone in the waiting room.
I thought they'd never leave. the relief in Mako's voice is echoed through the link from his side.
Yeah. Yan was better with the crowds than I was; I might end up flipping someone if they touch me. The sensory overload is... bad. I can control it but I get super fidgety.
Her eyes soften as she look up at him. How can I help?
Like this. He gives her a smile as he laces their fingers together. Contact from people I trust and no sudden movements into my field of vision. It's not easy to live with Asperger's or anything on the autism spectrum.
I think I'm beginning to understand that. Mako says as she cuddles close to him.
"Rangers?" Raleigh presses his face into Mako's hair as he draws strength from her presence.
"We need a moment." Mako points out with a warning look. "Please knock next time." Better?
Mmm. Raleigh slows down his breathing which quiets his mind and squeezes Mako's hand. Okay. They walk to the doorway and wait to be announced.
"You've all read about them, seen social media pictures and tweet about 'em but here they are in person! The Rangers that saved the world, everybody!" They go out hand-in-hand; Raleigh shoves the urge to run aside as quickly as it comes to the fore. "So how are you liking Portland so far?" The wink at Mako has him bristling slightly but Mako sends a memory of some idiot doing the same thing in a bar and her knocking the guy's lights out.
"Good coffee." he says with a warm grin, leaning into Mako's space as she gently squeezes their laced hands. "Great company."
"Oh? Are you two together?"
"Yes. He's quite sweet." Her fond smile is aimed at Raleigh, who's entire expression softens and he smiles back while sending warmth down the link.
"That's interesting. Do you Ghost-Drift?" The question doesn't reach him at first because he's sending affection down both sets of links he shares with Mako and Gipsy.
"Huh? Yeah. It stays for a while." Raleigh pulls his attention back to the host of the talk show and the women in the audience coo at him. Mako giggles softly as he turns back to her first before continuing, "At least a year and that's with not Drifting for nearly, what, four months? Wow. Time sure flies." Everyone laughs and Raleigh slips behind Yancy's tactics; a pretty boy with a witty line for nearly everything. Mako notices the shift but goes with it when he presents the last interview he did before Knifehead.
As if calling it to attention, the man asks seriously, "It's been a while since you were in front of the cameras, hasn't it?"
Raleigh's smile falls as his lips thin. "Yeah, it has."
"If he was here, what would he say?"
"I guess he'd say that family's important, whether or not it's by blood. That your choices make you who you are and that everyone has a different path. Yan was... Yan was a slice-of-life kinda guy, y'know? He lived in the moment. He probably woulda told you no, gone sight-seeing around the city and then swanned in here laughing with an intern." Raleigh was honest with his reply and the man sat back in his chair when Raleigh was done. The studio was quiet as people took it in.
"Well, something new for you folks. Have you seen this?" The caption under the tweet was #CutePilots and Raleigh chuckled at the amount of retweets.
"It's only shown up on my Tumblr a grand total of eight-hundred times." he quips and the audience gasps. "Oh yeah, Maks an' I share one. Ever hear of Adventures of Gipsy and the Dangers?"
"I thought that blog was run by J-Techs!"
"The amount of engineering alone-"
"The spec runs were awesome!"
"So that last update on V-K-Day was you?!" The audience reaction has Raleigh bursting into laughter that he can't even hide because Mako starts and then they're done. He can barely get in another breath before he starts giggling again. Finally he sniffs and closes his eyes tightly while taking a deep breath.
"Whoo! Okay. I'm sorry about laughing but pilots have to know how to deal with all the stimulation. The massive amounts of readings we have to pay attention to is nuts." The micro-phone is passed to one of the gaping audience members, "So what you're saying is that all those-They were smart?!"
"We train as J-techs to know our Jaegers in case there's a shortage or a team gets sick. Many of the pilots who are now deceased fought with predictable patterns that were taught in tactics classes. You do not become a pilot overnight and there is no such thing as an instant success." Mako calmly stated as she took a drink of Raleigh's coffee as she raised one manicured eyebrow in challenge.
"We're learning a lot from the Rangers, folks, but we have a commercial break!" The host sighs as the camera light flicks to standby. "I thought they handed you a script."
"No? Unless one of those interns who tripped tryin' to get us coffee was supposed to do that. It's cool. We'll read it through real quick an' stick to it. Promise." Raleigh hums as he steals his cup back to find it empty. "Umm, you have a French press? Maks drank all my coffee and I prefer makin' my own."
"In the staff room. Why?"
"... I've had no less than six Kaiju cultists try ta poison me an' Mako." he snaps sourly as he crushes the paper cup in his hand, the Drivesuit scars standing out against his skin.
"Oh. Lorriane?! The Rangers need to use the coffee-maker in the staff room." the man shouts off the raised dias under the spotlights.
"Okay. Hi. I'm Lorraine and I'm what keeps this studio running. Did you need anything else?" she's bright as well as reasonable: Mako likes her immediately because she's efficient and to the point. Raleigh likes her because she doesn't leer at him the way the Jaeger Flies used to do when they thought he wasn't looking at them.
"No thank you but we will keep your offer in mind, Ms. Lorraine." Mako remarks with a slight bow. The woman returns it with a small smile as she leads the way. Raleigh washes everything down before he allows Gipsy to the forefront.
All clear, my Rangers.
Good. I need more than one cup to deal with how this day is turning out. Mako groans over the link, leaning heavily on Raleigh as he measures everything out methodically into the percolator (the man obviously doesn't know the difference between a French press and a regular European percolator).
Hell yeah. They wait for the water to boil and the coffee to be made. The curious staff scoot closer as Raleigh practically cuddles Mako on the couch. As much as I like poking fun at our adoring public, I will be so happy to get on that island with Hermann and Tendo.
I am starting to think that Gieszler-senpai had the right idea after all. Mako snorts dryly over the link as the timer Raleigh set meeps insistently.
He somersaults off the couch, snagging the timer and turning off the noise as he pours the coffee in one smooth motion. The staff giggle nervously at his move. When he doesn't chide the behavior, they start genuinely laughing.
"Coffee?"
.
When they settle back into their seats, Raleigh's a little more relaxed after the small talk he shared with the studio staff. He's always been better at person-to-person interactions because it's more comfortable when the person's working-class.
"Alright, folks, we're back with the heroes who saved the world. You mentioned that you had a Tumblr?"
"Yeah. I started it way back in, huh, 2016 but it's drawn a lot of people in. It was blank for a while after my brother passed on but I worked on entries when I couldn't sleep."
"Insomnia?"
"I worked on the Wall for a long time an' met some damn good folks working really hard."
"Now that the Breach is closed, what are you doing aside from touring the world?"
"We'll be moving to a private location and helping the real heroes clean up the coastlines." he shrugs as the audience mutters and mouths 'real heroes?' "Oh yeah. We may have closed the Breach but Dr. Gieszler and Dr. Gottlieb told us how to do it. Without their help, well, we wouldn't be sitting here."
"The two remaining Kaiju scientists who were assigned to Hong Kong Shatterdome?" the host asks to make sure.
"Yup. That's them. Dr. Gottlieb's a good friend of mine too." Raleigh brags with a smile at Mako and the crowd.
"How did that happen?"
"He slipped on some black ice and cracked his tailbone but I brought him in for some tea. The rest is history." he answers as he sips on his coffee.
"We're just now hearing of this."
"True. Ask anyone who was at The Icebox 'dome though an' they'll tell you that I spent a lot of my time with either Yan, Tendo or in the science division with Dr. Gottlieb."
"There's a rumor going around, and honestly, for quite some time that suggests you had a relationship with Dr. Gottlieb." Raleigh tries, God help him does he try, but the laughter that bubbles up has him in tears as he slaps his thigh. Mako starts giggling, especially as she understood their relationship to be purely one of brothers.
"Ahaha... Whoo. You crack me up. He's like my older brother. There's nothing sexual about it. We talked about airplanes and predictions and World War II, for cripe's sake. I've got a good three quarters of his model airplanes in a storage unit." he says after he's done being amused. Raleigh hopes Hermann is watching this interview because he'd be laughing too. "Next rumor?"
"Your first and only relationship was with a woman named Naomi."
"Alright, Naomi an' I shared one conversation. Yancy took her out on a date before I could and we fought about it. He and I made up but neither of us dated afterwards. Yan did the Becket special but so did I."
"The Becket special is what, exactly?" the man leaned forward for the explanation. Mako took over as Raleigh literally curled around her and pillowed his head in her lap.
"It's where a member of the Becket family falls head-over-heels in love with just one person for the rest of their lives. It only happens once and there is no changing said person's mind. Perhaps it could be equated to love at first sight." Mako's warm tone when she speaks means that Raleigh's chosen well and he knows it. "If all the other can offer is friendship, that's perfectly alright."
"And he chose you."
"Mmm-hmm. Maks is special an' not because she's beautiful. It's because she's my equal." he hums as he floods the link with deep affection.
"Isn't that sweet? Well, folks, that's all the time we have; there'll be an autographing session live. Good afternoon and we'll see you next time!"
The autographs are a blur for Raleigh as he's literally going into sensory overload. He smiles, says witty remarks but his heart's not in it. Raleigh's so utterly pleased with the silence of the car that Mako just smiles and drives for him.
When they reach the B&B, the silence has shifted from welcoming to oppressive in the blink of an eye. Mako takes his twitchiness as a cue to start humming a tune that's strangely familiar before his over-worked mind connects the dots. Oh. Utada Hikaru.
I'm surprised you're even awake after all of that information, Raleigh. Mako scoots back on the bed and pats it with an inviting smile. Come here. Raleigh moves on literal auto-pilot, shucking his shoes at the door and laying next to Mako with a happy hum. I think the Jaegers are right when they call you a cat.
That so?
What do you call the ability to squeeze under the PPDC beds and curl up in the tightest corners of Gipsy Danger's Conn-Pod? Mako says that with Yancy's knowledge and he huffs quietly into the crook of her neck.
Well when you put it that way, I suppose I am a cat. Did they say what breed?
Something about a fire-point Himalayan/Maine Coon mix.
Huh. Raleigh stretches and his feet hit the bed board. Sometimes I forget I'm taller than you an' Yan together.
It's amusing, especially when you forget to duck plants that smack you in the face. Mako presses a memory down the link and he rolls on top of her, bracketing them both as he places gentle kisses along her jawline. What are you doing now?
Mmm, just wanna kiss you. Raleigh hums as he cradles her in a warm cocoon.
Oh. By all means, saiai, go ahead. she laughs into their next kiss and the knock has Raleigh on high alert as both of them shift to their Jaeger battle stances. He barks out a soft laugh but motions that Mako relax her stance a little.
He peers through the peep-hole but it's just the owner of the B&B on the other side. 
Raleigh asks as he opens the door and leans on the doorjamb, "Can I help you, ma'am?"
"Dinner's just about ready. Thought you might wanna come down and tell me about those Gage boys." Raleigh's polite smile widens a little at the memory of the Gage twins.
"Sounds like a good plan. C'mere Mako." She rolls her eyes and slips on some house slippers. Raleigh's good with his socks on the tile floors and the owner doesn't seem to mind. Their fingers are laced together as they walk down the stairs. Mako laughs when Raleigh scoops her up so that she doesn't have to walk. "What?"
"You are incorrigible." she points out even as her eyes are full of amusement. He sets her down with a hum that she returns with a playful swat on his arm. They set up the table as the other guests shuffle down. There's a married couple, a kayaker and a journalist who's also on vacation. Various topics come up but Mako nor Raleigh are bothered about their day.
"Do any sight-seeing lately?" The journalist looks strangely familiar but Raleigh dismisses the thought as soon as it appears; Naomi's back in Alaska.
"Not yet. The paths are pretty relaxing though." he answers with a shrug.
"Oh. You were going to tell me about the Gage boys, weren't you?" The owner of the B&B may be old but she was shrewd as well.
"Yes ma'am, I think I was. Hmm. Trevin was the trouble-maker. Bruce was the calm to his storm and you could definitely tell them apart by temper..." His smile grew as he described the twins as he and Yancy remembered them, Mako throwing in memories of her own that sounded familiar.
By the time dinner was done, the journalist volunteered to do the dishes with him. Mako sent confusion down the link and Raleigh returned it. The woman looked vaguely familiar but his memories refused to tell him who this woman was to him. Find out. I don't like not knowing who she is.
Agreed.
Can I help? Gipsy asks softly, her warmth flooding the bond they shared with positive emotions.
You can run her through whatever database you think necessary, Gips. How are your Jaeger siblings, by the way?
Striker's still crushing hard on Coyote. Coyote's been crushing on Striker since zher woke up. It's complicated, especially since we're not actually siblings it's just that we just like calling our creator Dad. Gipsy points out with the mental equivalent of shrugging shoulders.
Oh. That's new.
Go before the journalist thinks you don't want to do dishes with her. Mako's warning snaps both of them back to reality. The woman's tapping her foot now and Raleigh slides into the kitchen with his socked feet. You can always chat about the Jaeger babies later.
Okay. I'm holdin' ya to it, Gips.
Dame's honor, my Ranger. she gives him the impression of a salute with her old frame doing the motion.
Raleigh washes and she rinses for a while before she carefully nudges his scarred leg. He hisses as he pulls his leg away from her knee, shutting off the water to check on the still-healing scars pulling his sweat pants up carefully. They're red but no longer as painful as they could be even with the warmer weather.
"Oh my-I'm sorry. Do you need anything? Warm towel, maybe?" she flutters back and forth between wanting to be useful and finishing the assigned chore.
"A warm towel would be nice. Maks an' I got the rest." Mako rolls her eyes but comes over to rinse the dishes as Raleigh concentrates on them as opposed to the dull throb in his lower leg.
She is not what I expected from a woman of her caliber.
I doubt she realized what exactly she hit. Hell, a lot of people in this B&B pretend or are oblivious to the fact that our faces are plastered all over the magazines and on TV. It's why I picked the place.
She's coming back. The click of the low-heels the woman is wearing signal her return and Raleigh just leans back on the counter as she stops short of him.
"Raleigh?!" Her eyes widen as they flick over to Mako's blue hair and back to his face.
"Naomi. I thought you were in Alaska." It's been years but Raleigh's memories are crystal clear with the exception of his years alone. Most of those blur together, especially his first year without Yancy.
"I was; Pentecost sent me down to Hawaii to collect the other half of Coyote Tango's story. I... I asked after you. He didn't give me anything."
"Sensei was not sure of your intentions." Mako states cooly as she wraps some ice in the towel hanging limp from Naomi'z grip and ties it gently around his calf. "You tell anyone we are here and we will be gone by morning." Raleigh preens subtly as Mako's stance places her in front of him.
Meow, Maks. You're extra pretty when you're kicking ass an' taking names. She reaches behind and slaps his good arm with affection washing over the bond. What? I'm only tellin' you the truth.
You are a terrible influence, saiai.
Glad to know. He hums as he wraps around Mako, placing his head on top of her hair and listening to her talk to Naomi.
"Raleigh can speak for himself."
"The Raleigh you knew and the one I know are the same but different. He prefers the background, not the spotlight." Mako points out.
"That interview looked like he was perfectly fine with it but he was shy when I met him. Look, I'm sorry about hitting you Raleigh and I won't bother you again." Raleigh nods once in acknowledgement as she leaves the kitchen. Mako turns around his arms and reaches up to cup his face with her hands.
Raleigh.
Hmm?
You do not have to fall back when I speak.
I know that Maks. I want you to shine. Your work and the way you do things needs to be encouraged. I want the world to see you how I see you; beautiful and smart and incredibly well-rounded with a love that burns bright. Raleigh counters as they slowly climb up the stairs like children, giggling when one of them hugs the other.
Then I want the rest of the world to know you're mine as much as I am yours. That you are kind and sweet and love with everything you are. Mako replies as she pins him to the bed, both of them locking gazes as she perches on top. She's careful with the leg that has the towel wrapped around the calf. Deal?
Deal. He reaches up and meets her in the middle for a warm kiss. So can I get a t-shirt that says 'Property of Mako?' She laughs and shakes her head at him, just like he knew she would.
As you wish.
==Curious Minds==
Mako Mori is spoiled for a day.
Grand Tour the Fourth.
-April 23, 2025; Santa Barbara, California-
Mako wakes to a sweetly smiling Raleigh, the circles under his eyes a little puffy and darker than normal. She smiles back.
「Morning, saiai,」 he hums in Japanese, affection pouring from him as he offers a traditional Japanese breakfast: rice with umeboshi and dashi.
Her smile becomes a grin when she sees the smiley face formed by the plums. "Morning, Raleigh," whispers Mako. She floods him with tenderness and sweetness as she sits up.
He gives her a soft kiss, settles next to her on the bed.
"Where did you get this?" she asks as she picks up her chopsticks.
Raleigh ducks his head, rubs his neck. "Had a bad dream so I woke up early an' drove down to L.A. Didn't have much trouble getting the food since the port's opened back up. 's pretty busy." He looks up through his eyelashes. "Your smile was totally worth the line an' the weird looks I got for speakin' fluent Japanese."
She clucks her tongue as she caresses his cheek with her free hand. "You should have woken me."
"Y'looked so peaceful, Maks. I didn't wanna wake you up for—"
Knifehead flickers between them.
Raleigh shakes his head.
"I mean it," Mako insists as she gently lifts Raleigh's face. "We do this together and the feelings flow both ways, saiai."
"'kay." Raleigh buries his face against her neck and exhales with a sigh. "I'll remember."
"That is all I ask, Raleigh," she murmurs as she digs into her breakfast.
Mako feeds Raleigh bites of rice.
He feeds her bites from his omelet.
They giggle when the occasional bit escapes to hide in Mako's rice bowl.
"C'n I take you out? Dinner? Wherever ya wanna go?" Raleigh asks as he absently scratches at his old Drivesuit scars; the new ones are still too fresh to scratch, even if they do itch fiercely.
"Hmm .... Anywhere?" she challenges.
He chuckles as her fingers dance lightly over his ribs. "Yeah." Raleigh kisses her jawline and peppers tiny kisses along her cheek until his lips meet hers. "Maybe some research while I go take this back to the kitchen, hmm?"
"Of course." She pats his butt as he moves to leave.
They blush.
"Was that alright?" she asks.
"Yes. Completely, totally alright." He presses their foreheads together. "Really wanna stay in bed and kiss you until you're dizzy, but then we'd never get anywhere."
"Shoo." Mako shoves playfully at him, then pushes the blankets from her legs.
"Okay, okay." Raleigh floods the link with teasing-tender-joy as he leaves the room.
Mako straightens the sheets, leaving the bed is neat and tidy before she digs through their suitcase for an outfit to wear.
Familiar affection enfolds Mako as Gipsy wraps her in a mental hug.
Morning, Mako! Happy birthday! Gipsy chirrups.
Good morning to you, too! Mako glows with happiness that echoes Gipsy's. Thank you.
Didja get it yet? Didja? They promised it'd get there in time ..., Gipsy whines.
On cue, Raleigh returns with a package. "Looks like it's from our dame. You wanna wait or ...?"
Mako makes a show of brushing her teeth.
Aww, c'mon! I ordered it extra early, too, pouts Gipsy.
Impatient, are we? she teases as she pulls on her Coyote Tango t-shirt, resolutely ignoring the ache in her chest, and the vest Raleigh crocheted for her.
Pretty please? Gipsy sends a visual of Raleigh using the puppy eyes.
Mako laughs and pulls on tights under her knee length skirt. Her ankle boots will coordinate perfectly.
Raleigh's wearing his blue sweater—the one that brings out his eyes—and a pair of faded black jeans with Gipsy-logo socks.
Mako takes the box from Raleigh, turns it to and fro.
Raleigh hands off his carving knife without so much as blinking, taking it back as she digs through golden crepe paper.
She gasps and swipes at the tears when it reveals a Gipsy Danger jacket in exactly her size.
I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure you—
Mako cuts Gipsy off with an deluge of tears-joy-belonging. I love it. Thank you.
Raleigh supports her as she tears through the rest of the paper to take it out.
She slips it on with a shrug and she turns to her reflection in the mirror. How did you sneak this past me?
Well, Raleigh sheepishly scrubs a hand across his nose and settles it on his neck, we can lie through omission. Not telling isn't the same as an outright lie.
Hmm. I will have to remember for your birthday, remarks Mako cheekily. She leans up for another kiss.
Raleigh obliges and wraps his arms around her.
After a long moment, they break. They slip on their boots and wave to the desk concierge on the way to their nondescript rental car.
"So, where're we goin'?" Raleigh starts the car.
"Two places."
"Just two?" he teases lightly.
"Plus dinner, but I would like to start with a Wine Country biking tour, which we must finish by two to see the whales," Mako recites.
Raleigh's face lights up. "That sounds great, Maks. Address?"
.
They park in the gorgeous hills and walk to the winery's front door. There are a few other couples and a few single people but they don't stand out too badly. There are a few speculative glances at their jackets but no one comments on them. Raleigh goes into the winery and comes out with a small basket that gets strapped onto the wire frame behind the seat of Raleigh's bike. He won't tell her what's in it, only giving her a mental raspberry when she asks.
They ride companionably for a while with the group and then take a small trail that leads them off the beaten path and up a hill. Raleigh stops just short of the top, laying the bike down after he removes the basket. Mako sets down her bike as well with her lips pulling up into a smile as she sees the wide view it offers. There's a tree overhead as Raleigh spreads out a thick, checkered cloth in light blue and white.
Mako and Raleigh sit close, trying different cheeses and meats to go with the two mini bottles of wine. He keeps shooing her away from the basket he brought along with but she wants to know what's in it.
"Raleigh, you can't keep the basket away forever." She chides with a wry grin.
"No, you're right, I can't." He teases but pulls it closer so she can open it. Mako bounces in place when she sees the strawberry cake. "Good choice?"
"Yes." She kisses him and then huffs as the basket blocks her from kissing him the way she wants. "We eat that and then I get to kiss you into dizziness."
"Hmm. What a way to go." Raleigh sighs with a nudge. Both of them burst out laughing at that, Mako sharing her fork with Raleigh. He tugs on the plastic tines with his teeth when she tries to pull it back after the fifth bite of cake, his gaze soft and happy. "Mako?" He lets go and looks down, a slight blush turning his cheeks pink.
"Yes?"
"Love you." She pulls him close, barely remembering to push the cake to the side before she kisses him repeatedly.
"Love you too." Mako sighs in Japanese, raising up onto her elbow to see his dazed face.
"Mm, didn't expect it to go that well." He murmurs as he glances up at her through his lashes. "Wanna play hooky an' not go see the whales? Scar some poor old couple?"
"We have plans, you. Stop trying to distract me." Mako pokes at Raleigh's cheek as she kicks her feet back and forth in the air.
"It's my favorite thing to do though." Raleigh leans up to kiss her again, pressing thier cheeks together as they bask in each other's presence. "Umm, did you move the cake?"
"Yes," she laughs as he turns to see it perfectly safe. "Would you like to finish and go on the whale tour?"
"Mm-hmm."
.
They barely make it on the boat, Mako having to snag Raleigh's sleeve to pull him on board. Kaiju Blue is a major concern so the California waters are still considered poisonous. They'll have to go out much further if they want to see any whales today.
"Made it! Wow, how fast were we goin'?" he asks as they lean on the netted rail.
"I may or may not have been speeding." Mako offers quietly with a nudge.
"I don't wanna know." Raleigh admits with a shrug that gets his arm over her shoulders.
"The old yawning trick?" she questions with laughter in her voice.
"Yup." The unrepentant grin makes her roll her eyes but they're in waters that are extremely familiar. "Hey, wait a sec. Isn't this where Yamarashi..."
"Mm-hmm."
"Right. Don't tell me they put the crane wire-" Both of them look at the memorial statue of Gipsy Danger holding the crane wire with matching expressions of irritation. Raleigh groans and buries his face in her hair. She can't blame him; that kill was thier first and messy to boot.
"On your right, you'll see the memorial statue the city commissioned of Gipsy Danger after the fight in 2017 against Yamarashi." The tour guide states in a cheerful tone. "The wire with the statue is what was used by the pilots to take down the Kaiju."
"Cool. I heard they cut off it's head."
Raleigh barely keeps from face-palming. Mako understands, especially when Raleigh tugs Yancy's scarf higher over his face.
The thought comes over the link. Maybe I should've worn a hat.
We should be alright. They're more interested in the whales than us, saiai. she reassures as they stand as close as possible.
Sure hope so. Raleigh sighs as the boat turns to open waters and the guide starts describing the surrounding area. He tenses up when he hears a noise and then there's a spray of water off the left side.
"Would you look at that, folks! We're surrounded by an entire pod." The water sprays up against thier side, Mako awed at the enormous mammal in front of her.
They're amazing.
Yeah.
The whales are jumping, splashing and generally showing off for the boat they're on. She coos at the smaller whales that bump the boat and laughs when she gets sprayed with a fine mist.
The rest of the whale-sighting tour is wonderful. Mako thoroughly enjoys herself on the way back as she stays pressed against Raleigh's side.
.
Dinner's a quiet affair on the waterfront. They'd Skype'd Tendo as well as Hermann before changing to go out again. The service is quick, fairly quiet and the violin music is soothing. Mako holds hands with Raleigh as they talk about the places they might want to go to on their trip.
They steal bites of each other's food, laughing when Raleigh looks like a chipmunk with noodles in his cheeks.
Her heart aches something fierce without Sensei this year, seeing how he'd always take out to dinner with just them.
"Saiai?" Raleigh looks at her with a fair amount of concern but she shakes her head.
"Sensei used to take me out. It's... different."
"Yeah, I know," Raleigh's fingers gently squeeze her own before he signals for the check. "You wanna go back?"
"Not yet," Mako allows quietly as they watch the sun go down. The last few minutes are bright and she can blame the sun for the tears that slip loose. Raleigh wipes them away and presses soft kisses to her eyelids.
"'M here, Maks. Promise." He remarks after they pay and are walking towards their car.
"I know."
==Resquiescant en Paix==
For those who have fallen, in Athene verse or in real life.
Grand Tour the Fifth.
-May 26, 2025-
It's raining when they pull up to the memorial in the rental car. Mako glances at Raleigh, his expression near unreadable as he stares out at the ocean veiw. He knows he's not the best company on days like this but he can't help it.
So many people after his brother's death had been vicious in their cut-throat assessments. It was Raleigh's fault, it was the Kaiju slinking past Romeo Blue undetected but never was it Yancy's; Raleigh had at least driven that point home during his trial even if he'd been numb to everything else. He shook his head and unbuckled his seat-belt as he got out of the car. The rain is practically a fine mist and Mako snaps open the same umbrella they met under to shield them from the wind. Raleigh wrapped himself around Mako, burying his face into her shoulder as he shivered slightly.
"Do you want to leave? We can always try again." Mako reassured quietly, lacing her fingers into his much longer hair. There is no shame in waiting.
"I waited five years, babe. If I wait any longer, I won't ever see him." he croaked out. Gotta do this Mako.
"Then we set a foot on the ground and see where it goes from there saiai." Mako tells him as she cups his chin, kissing him on the lips. "I will be right here." Raleigh takes in a deep breath of misty air and squares his shoulders, not wincing at the tug on the scars now running the entire length of his body. "That is the Raleigh I know."
"One step at a time." he repeats softly, lacing his fingers with her hand. The first few steps are cautious and painful in more than one way as the rest of the memorial becomes visible. Soon he's running but Mako keeps up, three steps to his one as he screeches to a halt in front of the one name that means everything to him. He's shaking and Raleigh can't tell whether it's from the bite in the air or his crying. Leaning forward onto the cold marble, he starts telling Yancy everything that happened in rapid-fire French.
Mako pipes up helpfully in Japanese when his voice grows hoarse from speaking for so long. Raleigh pillows himself on Mako's thighs as she pets his hair and tells Yancy of Pitfall with a steady cadence to her warm voice. His breath stops hitching and Raleigh catches when Mako can't go any further because Stacker's death hurt her still. "I'm sorry, saiai."
"It's okay Mako." He cradles her in the circle of his arms, pulsing soothing feelings down the link they now permanently share. Picking up the slack, he finishes with blowing up the Breach and their plans to explore the world now that it's no longer in danger. "I gotta tell ya, Yan, I miss your sorry ass more than I can ever tell. Mako's the most beautiful girl an' I just know that you'd love her. Hell, I fell in love when she said she restored Gips. Fuck if that didn't pan out into something I never expected. Wish you were here to tell me I did good. Dad too even if he was a pile of shit. Mom probably already knows cause, y'know, Mom. There's not a lot of us left. Mémé joined you guys not too long ago. That's okay though. I got my equal, our lady, my best friend and his partner, Herc Hansen plus our good ol' LOCCENT tech and his personal crew. We'll make it anywhere we damn well please. Fuck what the universe says, right Yan?" In the silence that was the memorial Raleigh swore he heard familiar laughter and he shot up from Mako's lap.
"You heard it as well." her statement rose a half-octave as she spoke, making it more of a question.
"What a shit." he complained to the empty air, swearing up and down that his brother was right there. "Yan I know you're listenin' now. I'm gonna have a baby with this amazing woman right here. You better believe your name is on our kiddo if it's a boy."
"Sumako if it's a girl." she hums as she presses a kiss the back of his hand. "I get to name them too, Raleigh."
"Or Chuck. Hell, anyone that deserved a second chance but didn't get it." he counters as they sit in the wet grass until the sun burns away the clouds. They close their eyes and murmur a prayer for all of the fallen buried in the memorial graves.
"Sir, ma'am-Oh. My apologies for disturbing you." He realizes his hand is on Yancy's marker and the grip is white-knuckled.
"Nah. Just doin' your job." he replies with a raspy tone. Raleigh's pretty sure he looks like he battled with hell and didn't win.
"You're-Oh man. You're the pilots who saved the world." the teenaged girl sits down next to them with a thump.
"Yeah." Raleigh's not gonna deny it now that she's figured it out. "Just here visitin'."
"I clean that one more. The pilot markers are always the dirtiest for some reason." she remarks carefully, "You, uh, know the guy?"
"He was my brother." he answers as Mako allows him to lean on her. They'd done the exact opposite when they visited Stacker and Tamsin's paired graves. "We're alright."
"Take all the time you need, sir." She stands with all the grace of a new-born foal but manages to remain upright.
"Thanks." he mumbles as he holds his family close, strange as it would seem to anyone else.
"Sir, I think it's us that should be thanking you. My parents remember the day you saved us. We were stuck in Anchorage and then, well, you know. So thank you for your service Rangers." The girl snaps out a sharp salute that both Raleigh and Mako return.
They have faith that history will remember them the way they are; simple people with simple needs. The faint shadows of six people slowly vanish as Raleigh looks towards a bright future with his equal by his side.
==Trompe-l'Oeil==
Please see "Trompe-l'œil". 
Grand Tour the Sixth.
==Work of Heart==
Grand Tour the Seventh.
-August 4, 2025-
Raleigh hums 'La Vie en Rose' as he scrolls through the posts on his dash and likes certain things while reblogging others as he sips his coffee in a café. Mako's off arranging things for their next trip, claiming that Raleigh had organized most of it and that she wanted to surprise him. They're in England now, tracing through all of Stacker and Tamsin's old stomping grounds with Coyote's input. Raleigh feels for the Jaeger because those memories are from before his existence and he hates the thought of causing more pain for the eldest.
He enjoys the thought of someone retracing their footsteps, my Ranger, especially his older sister. I share everything with the rest of my brothers and sisters so we all get the full experience. Still you worry for us. We'll be getting our permanent bodies shortly. Cat finally managed to get most of them operational and then we'll all have to tour with her in the proto-types before they can move us to the island. Shaolin's doing a lot better with Romeo and Typhoon backing her up and explaining things slowly. I think Romeo likes her. Gipsy laughs at the last bit, showing him coding that turns bright red when the second set (which is curled differently and looks pretty) brushes past with a vaguely Chinese symbol coding that Raleigh knows is Typhoon.
He looks like he's blushing.
He is; Shaolin either is ignoring his crush or she knows and likes him back. Maybe Brawler would know... Him and Romeo talk all the time. The older ones are closer together for some reason.
Cause they grew up together. The flash of memories is subconcious; Yancy and Raleigh playing with superhero toys along with Mako's kendo practices and laughing with her friends.
Of course. Alpha and I are like that. We woke up within the same year so it wasn't as strange speaking with him as it was with some of the other Jaegers at first. Gipsy's memory flares and shows Alpha laughing at something she points out.
Oh. How does that work though? About the AIs liking one another? he's curious and wonders if Gipsy's been attracted to one at some point.
You'd have to ask them. I've never... I've never felt attracted to the... Gipsy's hesitant voice has him enveloping her in a hug.
Nothing wrong, my dame. Lots of people are like that. Bastien's one. Her sigh over the bond makes him change directions.
No. I mean I like Echo but... She's so bright. She likes everyone. I don't know if I can measure up. Gipsy's waivering tone has him cradling his girl close.
Oh, Gips, don't think like that. You're worthy of anyone you choose doll. he soothes with a gentle tone.
Promise?
Promise.
Okay, Rals. she laughs wetly but genuinely. I'll collect myself and tell her of my affections.
Good ol' Becket charm. Don't use Yan's tactics.
Of course not; she's too good for that sort of thing. she huffs, sounding more like herself. He feels her slip out of her bond with him and Mako's mental presence gets louder.
Raleigh? He looks up at her saying his name through the link, standing up to help her balance the basket and thermos she brought from the guest house where they're staying. Thank you.
Welcome, petite. he croons, interest flickering along the bond as he spots a graffiti tag. His mind brings up the random post he'd liked not even half an hour ago and he turns to Mako with a wordless question.
What is it now? Another life-hack? she asks with a good-natured look as they walk; Raleigh'd already paid the bill.
Something... different. Is there a store with paint around here? Washable if that makes any sense to you. Kiddie stuff. Mako shuffles them into a spot of peace in the busy metropolis as she types in her search bar on her phone. Raleigh just sets their stuff down and keeps one eye on it as he wraps around his co-pilot with a pleased hum. The hat he's wearing keeps people from staring too long and Mako's hair-streaks get a glance in a city full of people with bright hair colors.
"There are quite a few in the area. The question is which one to procure the paint from." She taps on a name and a blue storefront pops up.
"Hmm. I like that one."
"You have something in mind."
"Yeah. It's a good idea, just need the washable paint. I, uh, don't wanna spoil it." Raleigh murmurs quietly. "It's supposed to build intimacy without, y'know, pressuring anything." He's the first to admit that actual physical intimacy with another person is no longer his strong suit.
"Ah. Well, I hope we do not get glitter in our hair."
"Glitter is totally the herpes of craft supplies." Mako's laughter on the sunny day has people turning thier heads in her direction.
.
The second they step into the store, Raleigh's fingers are already itching for something to sketch on. Mako's amazed expression would be perfect for ink or acrylic paint. She catches the thoughts and flashes him a blinding smile. Raleigh laces thier fingers and tugs her along the aisles. He examines the canvas, hums at the quality before he spots the paint.
"Can I help you sir?" The employee is chipper and bright as Raleigh pulls back from the canvas.
"Looking for a paint I can easily wash off of skin, uh, something for body art. Am I making any sense?" he gestures at his own skin, having pulled up the sleeve of the two-thirds sleeved light sweater to point. The wide-eyed look means that his circuitry suit scars are standing out against his skin. "It's not for me."
"Aisle 4, sir." the smile's a little strained and Raleigh tips his hat before letting Mako pull him to the right place.
I hope we just have to sign stuff or get our stuff an' go before that one blabs.
I hope so. Mako doesn't look worried so Raleigh picks out a bunch of colors and compares them against Mako's arm. What are you doing?
We're gonna paint on each other like we're a canvas. Mako looks up at him and her end of the link is suddenly murky. Or not- She kisses him soundly and he hums softly as she pulls back with bright affection flooding the link.
I think that is a wonderful idea, saiai.
"Oh?"
"Yes." Mako hooks her hand into his elbow so that he's left with carrying the paint as she picks out soft, cool colors to add to the pile in his arms. "Now that you have spilled your secret, I think we should post this."
"You sure?"
"If I was not then it would not have left my mouth." she says with a pleased expression. Raleigh gives her a light peck on the forehead as they walk up to the counter. He sets down the paint and the cashier actually does her job without staring at them. Mako pays for it with her card, typing in her pin with an accuracy that makes Raleigh smile.
"Have a good day!" the woman says as they leave. Raleigh gives a little half-wave and turns his head to see her and her coworker blushing.
"Not flirtin', Maks, just bein' nice."
"I'm well aware you have no wandering eye," Mako states archly before she wraps an arm around his waist. "and that others will try anyway."
"They can try all they want. At the end of the day, the only two dames I'll ever want are you an' Gips."
"What if we have a girl?" she challenges with a mischevious glint.
"Then she'll join a select few ladies I know are world-shakers." Raleigh laughs as Mako's hand drops a little lower and ends up near his sacrum. "Maks, that hand's pretty low-Ah! Hey." She chuckles as Raleigh spins her around to keep her hand from going anywhere else, dipping her for a sweet press of lips before they straighten with soft secret smiles on thier lips.
A few wolf-whistles come from passerbys but Raleigh just rolls his eyes as Mako pulls him down to touch foreheads. He presses the image of a piggy-back ride down the link; Mako sends back acceptance. Raleigh kneels down and Mako hops up. He tilts his head back with a hum, Mako peppering his face with soft kisses.
"What else do you want to do?"
"Ha. Easy. Go back and get some chalk and make masterpieces in a random city park."
.
Raleigh and Mako start with a schematic of Gipsy and then the kids start coming over to investigate.
"Can I try?" Most of the kids are hanging back shyly and he just rolls over a piece of chalk with his toe as he continues the Coyote vs Ikuchi drawing.
"Sure."
"You're American." The braver kid scoots closer as Raleigh sketches in the arch of the wing as Mako precisely continues her outline of Coyote's cannons.
"Uh-huh." He grunts as he stretches out, careful to keep above the chalk he's already laid down.
"Mum said you'd be louder." The girl plops next to him and starts a stick figure.
"Je suis à moitié français. Ne présumez pas avant de poser, petit." Raleigh points out dryly in French, Mako stifling her laughter into her hand. The girl cocks her head to the side so he decides to explain. "I'm also half French. Never assume things and always ask politely."
"Oh." Her hazel eyes widened as she colored in her stick figure head. "Cool. What about your girlfriend?"
"Japanese. She's actually kind of awesome." he hummed as he finished off Ikuchi's wings. Raleigh pulled back, covered in chalk dust as he snagged his phone he shared with Gipsy and took a pic of the chalk art. Mako's cheek is streaked with bronze and blue chalk as she finished up Coyote.
"Are you done?" Raleigh spins Mako up and around, enjoying her laughter as he dusts up her bright green top with blue chalk.
"Yup. Chalk's all yours kiddo." Raleigh gives a two-fingered salute that knocks off his newspaper boy cap and he can't retrieve it without dropping Mako. Crap.
"You're Gipsy Danger's pilots." The little girl whisper-shouts.
"Oops. You caught us." He shrugs as he cuddles Mako close. "Can I get my hat and we'll sign autographs for ya?"
"Can you make it for my brother? He's sick." They glance at one another and sigh. Raleigh scoops his hat back up, sets it on with a wiggle and kneels down.
"I can do ya one better. Maks, you wanna get the jackets?"
"Hai." She spins on her booted heel as Raleigh sits back down and hands the little girl another piece of chalk as he doodles on a spare corner of concrete.
"She'll be back in five minutes." He tells the girl. "So, do I get to know the name of the little one who found out who I was before all the boring parents?"
"Ella, luv, you can't go running off and talking to complete strangers! I'm sorry sir. Was she bothering you?" The harried woman scoops up Ella with a long practiced move as Raleigh stands up.
"Mum, that's one of the pilots."
"Darling, no. I'm sorry. She really likes Gipsy Danger."
"Saiai, here." Mako shows back up at a jog, both jackets in hand. "Hello."
"Mummy, it's them." Ella insists and Raleigh sighs deeply as he pulls off the cap, tucking it in the back pocket of his pants. "See?"
"There's a lot of look-a-likes, luv." Raleigh as well as Mako exchange a look and shrug.
"First time for everything, Mako."
"Indeed."
"Okay, that's taking-You really are them." Ella had taken her Mum's smartphone and had pulled up the Portland interview with a look of the cat-ate-the-canary.
"I told ya." Ella said with a childish confidence.
"My apologies, we've had a long day."
"I thought as much. Ella said her brother was sick?" Mako asks gently.
"Sam's got... leukemia. It's been a long fight and he's finally in remission but he's got a long way to go. Striker Eureka and Gipsy Danger are his favorites."
"I think we promised Ella something." He replies with an easy smile.
Samuel Fletcher is all of seven and Raleigh's heart breaks a little to see such a small kid fighting so fiercely.
"Sammy, luv, Ella found someone you might like to visit." Grace Fletcher says as she smooths back what little hair has grown.
"A Jaeger pilot?" The weak but happy answer has Raleigh shrugging on the jacket and Mako does the same.
"She found two. They're coming in right now, Sammy." Raleigh steps into the room with the widest grin he can manage.
"Hey. A little someone told me her brother likes Gipsy Danger. Ranger Raleigh Becket at your service." He throws a casual salute as Mako walks in.
"Mako Mori!" Apparently Mako's this kid's hero; Raleigh kind of knows how he feels. "Are you really a Ranger now?"
"Yes." she smiles just as wide and taps the rank with a wink at Sam.
"Wow. Did you really use a boat like a cricket bat?!"
"Yes. Though that was both of us working together." Mako tugs Raleigh closer to the bed and prods Raleigh for the Gipsy plushie. He presents it to the little boy and then grunts when he's hugged by skinny arms around his neck.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." he murmurs as Mako hands their signatures on a photo set (they'd done it five minutes prior to arrival) over to Grace.
"For the Fletcher family, for Sam and for Ella; last but never the least is for Grace Fletcher, the best Mum anyone could ask for." Grace's voice cracked at the last part and she snuffled into a tissue Mako handed her. "You are incredibly kind people."
"My Mom and Mako's were some of the best people we knew. We need more Moms like you, Grace. You are incredibly strong to be holding down the fort on your own with not one but two kiddos to raise right." Raleigh says warmly, accepting the hug even as Grace wipes her tears away. "You may not be the only family we visit here today but I can tell you that they'll turn out great."
"You hafta go?"
"Not yet, Sam. You wanna hear about the time Yancy and I fell asleep inside Gipsy?" he says with genuine enthusiasm.
"Yeah!"
"Yes please."
By the time they leave a sleeping Sam and Ella, they're still ready to sit with the rest of the children's ward. Mako and him trade stories of Shatterdomes and Kaiju (heavily edited) as they see doctors walk past in a hurry, only to get stopped short by the cooing nurses (both male and female) at the sight they make.
"So we were stuck in Hong Kong and Yan, that's my brother, he can't speak Cantonese very well but he really tried. The other pilots were great." Raleigh explaining even as he's got two kids in his lap and three more squished inbetween him and Mako.
"Wow. So do you have a puppy like Striker does?"
"Ahh, no. I have a cat though. She's little and lives with my Uncle right now." He digs around in his pocket for his phone when Mako giggles. "Oops. I think I gave my phone to one of you."
"Sorry Ranger Becket." One of the older kids hands it back and he scrolls to show a tiny white, orange and black cat. "She's pretty."
"Yeah, Patches was my Wall buddy."
"You worked on the Wall?" The look wasn't disparaging like the ones he got from adults when mentioning the Wall.
"Well, uh, I wasn't always a Ranger. I was a really good one but a Kaiju got my brother and I..."
"He left the ward and didn't come back." Most of the kids nod and Raleigh's heart aches that these kids know death so easily.
"Yeah. I was alone and hurt and... lost my way for a while. But Mako's Sensei gave me a swift kick in the rear and I'm really happy he did, cause I met Mako and my best friend again." Raleigh answered with a soft smile at the memory of Stacker asking whether or not he wanted to die on the Wall or in a Jaeger.
"You've got a best friend?"
"Uh-huh. His name's Hermann and he made the first Jaegers walk alongside the pilots." He says this part with a wide smile. "He's a bit shy but I have pictures." Raleigh opens up the picture folder from Hermann's year in Anchorage and the first thumbnail makes him laugh. "We had a sleepover."
"Can you do that as a grown up?" One of the younger kids asks as she cuddles with Mako.
"I did. Don't see why you can't." Raleigh admits with a shrug. "Here." He taps in Gipsy's code for holo-projections and the photo pops up.
"Your phone can do that?"
"It's heavily modified for me. I'm... different from most adults."
"Why?"
"Cause sometimes I talk too fast or too much. I think really fast and cuddling helps. Mako's my cuddle-buddy." He slides his arm around Mako's shoulder and they touch foreheads with a soft smile. "You probably wouldn't find it in anything past 2013 though. The Kaiju kinda messed up a lot."
"But there aren't anymore?"
"We closed the Breach. No more Kaiju." he says with a grin. At least for now. Hermann has reservations that the Kaiju and their controllers aren't done yet.
Yes. That's what the island is partially for; keeping an eye on the remaining monitors as well as allowing the AIs free range. Mako hums lightly through the link as the kids start nodding off around them.
"I think perhaps it is time for us to leave." Mako states quietly.
"Awwww, do you have to go?" The plaintive whine makes him smile softly as he starts gently shooing the little ones back to their beds.
"Sorry. I think you guys and gals need some sleep if you're nodding off on us." Raleigh points out as he tucks them in and adjusts IV lines carefully. Mako's doing the same to the other side and they meet in the middle. "We gotta a lot of stuff to sign before we go entirely."
"And toys to give." Mako chuckled wryly at the sight of the stuffed Jaeger plushies waiting to be given out. They sign the tags and tuck them into specially designed packets that don't come off in the wash. "Perhaps we should do this more often. These children see far too much of washed-out white and not enough smiles."
"Yeah. I'm not fond of them cause of Mom but..."
"The discomfort of this place is out-weighed by their happiness." Mako finishes lightly as she nudges Raleigh's shoulder.
He curls around her for a moment and they sit together in the quiet room, again unaware of the staff taking the picture that ends up in the news; they're incredibly close and their jackets are showing as they walk out of the hospital with ink-stained fingers and happy smiles.
By the time they arrive back at the guest house, they're exhausted. Raleigh yawns after his shower and cuddles Mako close, huffing quietly when she wriggles around to face him.
"You want to try your painting idea?"
"Hmm." Raleigh buries his face in the crook of Mako's neck. "No. Maybe in the morning?" He slides his fingers into her slightly longer hair and massages carefully at the back of her head.
"Ooo, that feels nice saiai. Don't think I'm changing the subject though."
"Didn't want you to, Maks. Just wanna cuddle an' maybe go out to one of the pubs for dinner."
"Practical as ever, saiai." she smiles against his shoulder, absently tracing his scars with her fingertips. Raleigh hums as he traces her set, matching his and equally as dark. "No. Do not apologize for the honor we earned together." He happily nuzzles into her neck and carefully nipped at her skin with a hint of teeth. "Raleigh?"
"You don't like it." His statement was more of a question but he started to pull away. Mako's hand shot up and cupped the back of his head.
"Must you pull back when you fear dismissal?" she murmurs softly as she slides her fingers through his hair, her tawny gaze pinning him in place far more effectively than anything else.
"I... don't know how to do this... Us. I want to try things but... I'm not sure how to-" Raleigh flushed a dark shade of what he's pretty sure is red.
"Ask?" He nods and Mako's face turns thoughtful. "Perhaps a trade."
"Okay, go on." Raleigh hums quietly. She dips her head under Raleigh's chin, softly kissing in an abstract pattern before she duplicates his light nip. He shivers under her touch and sighs happily when she repeats the move to the point where he's in a slight daze from the attention.
"You enjoyed that." Mako's wondering tone has him purring over the link they share.
"Nnngh." Raleigh's limp as she maneuvers them into a more comfortable position. "Felt really good."
"Excellent. I propose that we try out things politely with you first and then you check to see if I appreciate the same." Mako says with a clever twist of her fingers in Raleigh's hair as he lolls on top of her like he's seen in big cat documentaries.
"Can I?" He hums with a feeling of slight apprehension sparking down the link unconsciously. She tips her head back, exposing the point where he started the entire thing. Raleigh slides his own fingers into her silken hair and massages as he presses butterfly kisses along Mako's collar bone as he gathers his courage.
"Raleigh!" she laughs as he finally nibbles with a soft smile tugging his lips up. "Mmm. That feels good." Her cheeks flush a bright pink that makes Raleigh rumble from deep within his chest. Definitely a good plan on Mako's part.
.
They sit in a pub not even a kilometer from their guest house, eating fish and chips while drinking hard cider. Mako giggles at the rugby enthusiasts as Raleigh observes all of it with an attention to detail that would be the envy of the off-duty cops he spotted in the crowd.
"What a match! Hey, can I get you a drink?" one of the striped uniforms offers Mako. She looks the other woman dead in the eye as she takes a drink of her cider and sets it down.
"No thank you. I am taken." Mako laces their fingers and Raleigh grins as the woman sighs.
"Always the pretty ones. Well it was worth it, hearing your voice." the woman shrugs it off with a smile as she turns to a guy and asks the same question; the guy's wearing the same uniform and accepts her offer.
"You didn't blink an eye, saiai." Mako murmurs in Japanese.
"They'd have to be senseless not to see your appeal. Even then I'm sure your charms would work." He replies in the same language with a sly smile, motioning at the pair of barely legal teens who were looking her over with his head.
"Oi! BBC's got a new piece on the pilots!" Raleigh barely manages to swallow his cider as the reporter turns from traffic (awful, by the sound of it) to their recent hospital visit.
"It seems that Gipsy Danger's pilots are not only the world's saviors, they genuinely care about our future. They were seen in matching jackets in the children's ward of St. Thomas' Hospital. Staff interviews state that the children were told edited versions of Kaiju battles as well as previously unheard of familial moments from Ranger Becket; Ranger Mori recited Japanese tales and her adventures of being raised by a Shatterdome Marshal. They left behind signatures, toys and smiles for the more terminally-ill residents."
The reporter moved on but most of the patrons of the pub were on thier smart phones, cooing at the pictures. Raleigh pulled out his phone as to appear normal in the crowd.
"Nursing staff and techs are freaking ninjas, Maks." Raleigh pointed out with an amused chuckle.
"Yes. Perhaps we should be more watchful of our surroundings when we think we are in private." she continues in Japanese. He follows her switch as the pub gets louder again.
"No kidding. That's the second photo of us that we're not aware of in less than six months. Hold on. Hope someone reblogged it on Tumblr." Raleigh checked over his and Mako's shared blog and sure enough, the photo was on their dash. He showed Mako the reblog comments with a wry smile.
'Hey Adventure of Gipsy and Her Dangers, did you see this?'
'Hope we're not making you guys uncomfortable.'
'Cute shot but I really want to know if they asked you to post this.'
He types out a response to all of the supportive comments with Mako's input via link.
Thanks for all the support via tweet and Tumblr. It's cool with me an' Maks. We're sitting in a pub watching the BBC version of events. By the way, fish and chips is awesome. Anyone recommend a good recipe? Oh. Keep watch for a special post. Mako an' I are gonna try a Tumblr thing and post pics.
He hit submit and waited for exactly a minute and a half before he heard the noise of surprise from one of the patrons.
"Mate, they updated. Here, look."
"They're a lot nicer than I'd be."
"Could be in here."
"And if they are, you leave 'em be; they damn well deserve some peace and quiet." The bartender butted in with a firm tone. Raleigh barely kept his grin from showing as he finished his fish and chips, stealing Mako's last chip but sharing it with her.
"They're a cute couple."
"Involved with each other and damned well aren't looking anywhere else."
"Awww." Raleigh's fingers are caught by Mako and she kisses his fingertips with a soft smile. He pays for the bill and tugs her out of the pub, both of them laughing as they chased one another into a park, giggling as they flop onto the grass. Raleigh scoops Mako up into his lap and tickles her from Drift memories until she squeaks. He backs off, only to have Mako sneak attack his tickle spots so they're still giggling when the beat cop finds them with his flashlight.
"Oi, this is a public... That's new." Raleigh properly picks up a sleepy Mako and nods to the officer while brushing grass off of his pants.
.
Breakfast the next morning finds Mako and Raleigh eating a traditional English breakfast with the other guests, though the latter is more subdued while Raleigh's feet are playing with Mako's sock-covered ones. She uses her feet to massages his sore calf (the rain was bothering the thick scarring) with a sweet smile as Raleigh does the same for her side scars with his hands.
"I remember being that handsy when I was younger." The old woman across from them chuckles as her friend shakes her head with a fond smile.
"Those two are sweet." Raleigh presses a kiss to Mako's palm and the ladies giggle.
"Hey, Maks, you wanna do that thing now or later? France is a metro ride away an' I wanna show you everything I remember." he hums as he slowly steals Mako's bacon and he grins as she does the same with his breakfast sausages.
"Saiai, I think France can wait another day." she cups his face and runs her thumb over his cheek. "I want to try all of the colors on you that I picked out." Raleigh gently rubbed his cheek as he leaned into Mako's touch, both of them chuckling at the reminder of the nicknames they'd earned from the Jaegers.
Raleigh?
Yeah Gips?
She likes me too. Raleigh pulsed sharp, sweet happiness along the link, laughing along the link when Gipsy swept both of them up into a mental embrace. Echo said she wanted to approach me but didn't know how.
That is wonderful Gipsy. Mako cooed as Gipsy continued her story.
We kinda.... nicked the Kiwibots and watched the sunset together. It was awesome until Dad's Heart found us. Gipsy grumbles, showing them a spectacular sunset. He's a buzz kill but at least Dad was happy to see us. We ended the date with a Dad snuggle as he went over the hydroponics model and offered a couple of suggestions about how to filter out the Kaiju Blue a bit better.
Pulled a Yancy after all. Raleigh chuckles as they stack their plates carefully so that the staff in the guest house didn't have to work so hard.
Couldn't resist her and she went with it. I'm really happy. Gipsy murmurs with a wash of affection and the warmth of yet another hug. We're gonna go kick some butt with Romeo and Shao in a high-fantasy MMO RPG. Bye!
Bye doll.
Sayonara Gipsy. Mako digs through the bags and she turns around with the unfinished mini-canvas that was sketched on. "What is this?"
"I loved the way your face lit up in that store and I was itching to put it down on canvas." he bites his lower lip as he finishes and scrubs a hand through his much longer hair. "M'sorry."
Mako's face softens as she shakes her head. "Apologizing is something you are good at but not what I want to hear."
"It's not?" Raleigh asked faintly.
"No. I want you to be honest with me." The pulse of soft affection helped Raleigh sit down and pat the bed next to him. Mako perched on the bed and took his hand to hold in both of hers.
"I... For a long time I didn't trust who I was, Maks. Anything that had to do with anything other than the Wall I locked away. My Asperger's, Yancy, Hermann... Everything. I wasn't really me. Now that I've got the freedom to go back to who I was before, I can't quite let go of the wall I built on the inside. I need your help in breakin' it down." Raleigh admits even as his fingers trace patterns into the duvet. "I gotta let people in again. It's... not easy."
"You have been trying. That is all I ask and you are admirable at letting me in." Mako murmurs as she brushes the hair out of his eyes. "Now, I think we will do you first. Do you want a before and after picture set?" Raleigh mulls it over and nods after a while. She tugs his shirt over his head and encourages him to lie flat against the towels she laid out, snapping the before picture with Raleigh's extensive scars on display.
Mako picks out colors and starts painting over the scars first, her brushstrokes sure and steady as she sweeps the paint up over his shoulder and side. She then dips her fingers into the paint and draws something over his right hip as well as on his lower back. Mako fills it in with a stippling brush, her light taps a rhythmic tempo that lulls Raleigh into relaxing fully.
She traces a brush across his shoulders and then down his spine with little flicks here and there that Raleigh doesn't understand. He scrunches his nose when she pours a bit of paint that pools on his lower back; Mako spreads it out with sweeping strokes that turn into more flicks as Mako concentrates on her work. Raleigh's half-way asleep when she finishes her masterpiece.
"Raleigh?"
"Mmm?"
"I finished it." she murmurs as she presses a kiss against his cheek.
"Oh. Feels great." Mako helps him sit up and she snaps the picture with a happy noise. He turns and she shows him how it looks. Sweeping trees surround a deep forest pool as deer appear to be coming out of the woods with Mt. Fuji in the background and he loves every last inch. Raleigh kisses Mako soundly on the lips, the link filled with tenderness. "Your turn." Mako chuckles softly as she strokes away the paint from Raleigh's back with makeup wipes.
He gently pulls the sweater she probably stole from his luggage over her head and motions that she needs to remover her bra. She does it with a coy wink over his shoulder and Raleigh blushes as he takes the before picture.
"You will end up staying that shade, saiai." She giggles as she lays down.
"Can't help it that you're beautiful." he murmurs as he presses a kiss to the raised scars on Mako's left side. "'M gonna work on it now." He turns to the paints and starts with the bare side, drawing the horizon as the memory surfaces. He works in a haze with his eyes half-lidded as he strokes shortly for the falling leaves in the painting.
When he opened them fully, Raleigh grinned at the captured moment of a peregrine falcon reaching it's talons through the the leaves to snag the rabbit in the brush. He coaxed Mako up, her eyes closed as she hummed in contentment. He snapped the pic and held the tablet out for her to see. She cups his face and presses butterfly kisses all along his face before giving him one hell of a French kiss.
"Now time for us to post them." She states with a nod. Raleigh gently smears away his work until all that's showing is Mako's creamy skin. He drops a kiss on her bare shoulder as she tugs his sweater back on without a bra. The sweater slopes over both of her shoulders, which makes him feel possessive. He grips her hips gently through the knitted fabric to pepper her back with kisses. Mako just shifts so that she's on his lap while she writes out the shared post and sticks it under a Read More for the more sensitive folks.
"Maks?"
"Hai?"
"Love you."
"Amarini mo anata o aishite.*" Raleigh grins against her skin as they relax in the warm sun filtering in through the curtains of their room.
==Unconditional Adoration==
Please see "Unconditional Adoration". 
==Russian Surprise==
-December 11, 2025-
Raleigh breathes in the salt air that whips Mako's hair back and ruffles his own. Yuri and Irina's tiny cottage by the sea is brightly lit as they walk the remainder of the way after the taxi drops them off. Raleigh hums as Mako laces her fingers with his, both of them pleased with their joint decision to visit Raleigh's old friends.
Mako knocks on the door and blinks at the sudden wash of light as Irina pulls both of them inside.
"You brought your beloved. Hello, I am Irina and my lazy bear of a husband is Yuri. Come, come. Have some kvass." Irina introduces herself to Mako as she ushers Mako into a chair. "Kick off your boots. Raleigh knows what to do with them."
Raleigh grins at the mother-henning she's giving Mako but sets the boots next to the heater and snags them a pair of slippers. He lovingly massages Mako's feet before putting on the fluffy slippers for her. She leans down and presses a soft, sweet kiss to his lips in thanks.
Saiai, you don't have to do that. It's your birthday. Mako chides lightly with a teasing poke along the link. Raleigh chuckles as he presses another kiss to Mako's slightly chapped lips as he pulls out chapstick. He offers it to her after he slides on his own slippers.
But since it is my birthday, I c'n do what I want so if I wanna spoil my lady, I can. Raleigh counters as heavy weight pushes against his leg. He turns and-
"Is that Patches?!" The tiny cat is enormous now, the thick fluffy fur having been hinted at when she'd been younger. "Hey baby girl." She mrows loudly, butting against his hand again with a pleased purr. He scoops her up and laughs when she curls around his shoulders like a shawl, paws drooping over on either side. "You kept her with you."
"Well, your Uncle kept her until now but before we could spay..." Irina twists her ruffled apron edge in her hands and Raleigh's surrounded by kittens that come from the other room. "She went and got pregnant. We did not have the money for spaying and she had the litter on the Wall after you left."
"Sneaky little booger. I knew you were heavier than I remembered." Raleigh shakes his finger in Patches' face and she looks at him with an expression that wouldn't look out of place on Hermann. The kittens all tumble into his lap and he picks them up to see which ones are which.
Mako slides out of the chair, getting two of the kittens to fall into her lap with adorable little mews. She's completely enthralled by the lapful of cute and he can't really blame her; he's the same way about anything cute and fluffy. They are so kawaii. I miss being able to pet cats.
"We spayed her when the kittens were old enough. Our sincere-" Raleigh holds up a hand to stop Yuri's apology.
"Nothin' to apologize for Yuri. I'm alright with a batch of kittens, I promise." he points out with his cat wrapped around his shoulders and the kittens nomming on his fingers. "How old are they?"
"About ten months. She had them in Feburary." Yuri admits as one of the kittens climbs his leg like it's a pole. "This one is Aleksis." The smile they share is bittersweet but Aleksis meows impatiently at one of the other kittens that don't look like Patches at all. "We found Sasha a bit after Patches gave birth. She was very weak and we feared she would not be accepted."
"Patch licked her butt and settled her in, didn't she?" Raleigh asks as he scritches Patches under the chin. "She's a momma cat through 'n through."
"Yes. Are we leaving out your beloved or...?" Irina inputs as she brings out the steaming cups of kvass. She hands them off to Raleigh and Mako, tapping Patches on the nose when the cat tries to drink out of Raleigh's mug.
"I understand Russian and speak it but I do not trust my... pronounciation." Mako admits frankly as she scoops up the kittens and giggles.
"You are fine, don't worry. We are having potato soup, pelmeni and knish and a French dessert we bought before the snow dropped." Irina hums as she bustles around them with her reindeer-decorated socks. "I tried to make it but I did not make the dough thin enough for my liking."
"What were you making?" He asks as he tickles one of the kittens in his lap.
"None of your business until we are done with dinner." she replies with a look that makes Raleigh grin sheepishly. "Good. Need a refill?"
Mako holds up her mug since she now has four kittens in her lap, all of them in various states of sleep. Sasha and Aleksis are curled up in Yuri's lap and the remaining two are with Raleigh along with Patches.
"Do they all have names?" he absently inquires as he pillows his head on Patches' fluffy tummy.
"Da. The dark kittens are named after the Typhoon pilots and little fierce ginger is named after Striker pilot. This one... He does not have a name and will not answer anything we call him. Little outside kitten that tries to run away." The dark brown kitten in Raleigh's lap stirs and cracks open a golden eye as if in reproach. "We think he has a friend."
"Maks?"
"Stacker... and Tamsin for the other kitten he wants to get back to," Mako announces solemnly. The kitten suddenly stands up and bolts straight for Mako, landing on her shoulders and copying Patches in the way he lays.
"Stacker it is." It's a good namesake.
Yes. None of them mention the tears at the corners of Mako's eyes and Raleigh feels a press of love across the link which he returns with a wash of affection.
Dinner is eaten and then Irina brings out a fluffy sponge cake decorated with strawberries as well as little curls of chocolate as she sings 'Happy Birthday' in Russian. Raleigh ducks his head and thanks her after he blows out the candles. Yuri places a hand on his left shoulder and gives a little squeeze since that one is the healed one.
His present is a journal full of letters from his various teams, telling him all about their days and the paid bill from his storage in Nome. The latter comes with a phone number that states they're open for as long as he needs them to be. Mako touches her forehead to his as they wash the link with affection and love. Gipsy joins in and they giggle at the amount of joy present in their bond.
.
After dinner, Raleigh clips a harness onto Stacker to look for Tamsin. The large kitten (close to an adult) leads him directly to a tiny alcove and meows with a long note. A tiny nose pokes out and is followed by another, two younger kittens tumbling out of the alcove with mews and chirps. Raleigh scoops all three up in a swift move that makes him grimace a little when it pulls on his scars.
The other two squirm in his hold so he plops them into the tall towel-lined box along with Stacker as Mako starts Irina's truck. The kittens mewl pitifully until Raleigh sticks his hand in and pets them to sleep.
The little ones curled into a ball, the vibrant auburn kitten bracketed by Stacker and the other brown kitten. They drive back to the Orlovs and show the new kittens to Yuri. His old supervisor coos at them, setting the box down so that Seshka and Patches can sniff the babies.
Seshka climbs right in and starts grooming Tamsin, earning a disgruntled mewl. Stacker and the other kitten are bracketed by Patches also squeezing into the box, licking Stacker's chest tuft. She turns her attention onto the brown female and the kitten barely moves as Patches washes her with wide swathes of her tongue.
Coyote says Stacker had a sister. Her name was Luna.
"Coyote said he's got a name for the little brown one. Said Stacker had a sister named Luna a long time ago." Raleigh says in Japanese, smiling as Mako curls into his lap and the kittens pile onto her. Patches meows and the kittens scatter as his enormous calico plops into Mako's lap and pillows her head on Mako's thigh. The purring that starts up is nearly as loud as the generator going outside. "She likes you an' she's real picky about that. Guess my cat approves of my co-pilot." He laughs softly as Yuri and Irina share the large rocker with Seshka and the kittens.
"Did I need it?" Mako's teasing him with a brush of laughter down the link. Raleigh presses back and revels in the joy of having a solid bond with Mako and Gipsy. He'd missed the link not to mention Yancy more than he can ever elaborate.
"Nah. But she's my Wall buddy; got me an' whatever remains of Yan through those years." Raleigh hums as he sinks his finger into the lush fur of his cat with a casual arm around Mako's waist as support. "'Snice an' quiet. Don't think I've had such a quiet birthday since '07."
Mako leans back and kisses him with a smile pulling her lips up.
Yeah, Raleigh thinks it's a great birthday overall.
==Familie bedeutet nicht immer Blut==
A familiar chess-set and friends, both new and old.
Grand Tour the Eleventh
-June 9, 2026; New Zealand Environmental Research Station; Puanga-Rua, Waikato, New Zealand-
Raleigh wakes Mako as he bounces out of bed and straight out into their enormous backyard, flopping belly-down on the warm grass with a happy hum.
Saiai, we don't need that Aussie puppy that's coming in with next week's delivery, she murmurs lightly, rubbing her eyes and projecting sleepiness over the Bond as she joins him outside. She sighs. I no longer appreciate being up before the sun.
Oh. Sorry. He gives her a sheepish smile as he rolls over, looking up at her with love.
Scoot. I at least want to sit down on a blanket. She flares their big outside blanket onto the lawn and tugs Raleigh onto it, then wraps them with an inside blanket.
He curls around her, snickering as she sniffs at him.
You smell like wet grass, she declares.
Wonder why that is.
Mako huffs, I like how you smell. She buries her face between his neck and shoulder. 'Snice.
Mmm. Wanna go back to bed? He nuzzles her hair.
She sighs, nestles closer.
Raleigh tenses, hisses, "Merde."
"Exactly what are we cursing this morning?" Mako leans away to study his face.
"'S Hermann's birthday and I have to find our chess set 'cause I promised him a rematch. Oh, an' I'm definitely bringing over supplies to cook breakfast. They still can't cook; they're surviving on Alison's frozen casseroles." He giggles.
Mako snuggles up, smiles against his neck. "I suppose we'll be raiding our own supplies this time?" she teases.
Raleigh pillows his cheek against her fluffy morning hair. "Mm-hmm."
.
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