Urban God of Rebate: Infinite Returns Of Women And Powers

”I could stay here all day,” said Makima

She tilted her head up to look at him, her blue eyes soft in the morning light.

”Good morning,” she said softly.

”Good morning,” said Sean.

She smiled, the real one, small and involuntary and entirely hers, and settled her head back against his shoulder.

”I’m going to make breakfast,” she said, without moving.

”Okay,” said Sean, without moving either.

”In a minute,” said Makima.

”Take your time,” said Sean.

She pressed slightly closer instead. His arm tightened around her without his having decided to do that.

—----

Breakfast

Makima made eggs and toast before cutting fresh fruit into a bowl with the quiet efficiency of someone who had spent years feeding herself between managing the building.

Sean sat at the kitchen table, watching her move around the kitchen.

She set everything on the table and sat across from him with her coffee and looked at the spread critically.

”I should’ve made something better,” Makima said.

”This is perfect,” Sean replied.

”I have ingredients for something better,” Makima said. ”I just didn’t think about it until now.”

”Makima,” Sean said.

”Yes?” Makima replied.

”It’s perfect,” Sean repeated.

Before she could answer, her phone buzzed on the table between them.

Both of them looked at the screen.

DANNY — Calling

Makima’s expression shifted immediately.

The relaxed warmth of the morning disappeared behind the calm composure she always wore whenever her younger brother called.

She answered.

”Good morning, Danny,” Makima said.

From across the table, Sean could hear Danny’s cheerful voice through the speaker.

”I’m fine,” Makima said. ”Everything’s absolutely fine.”

She paused while Danny continued talking.

”I sound completely normal.”

Sean quietly took another sip of his coffee.

”Danny,” Makima said, ”I sound the way I always sound in the morning.”

She glanced toward Sean.

The look on her face very clearly admitted that she absolutely did not sound the way she usually did.

”I had a wonderful night’s sleep,” Makima continued. ”That’s all.”

Danny said something else.

”There is nothing different about my voice,” Makima insisted. ”I’m sitting in my kitchen.”

Another pause.

”Having breakfast.”

One more pause.

”...By myself.”

Sean looked up at the ceiling, doing everything he could not to laugh.

”Danny, I am completely—”

”You sound happy,” Danny said through the phone, loud enough for Sean to hear. ”You sound specifically like the kind of happy that has a reason.”

Makima pressed her lips together.

She slowly looked toward Sean with the expression of someone whose younger brother had just figured everything out from the sound of her voice alone.

”I’ll call you back,” Makima said.

Danny replied enthusiastically.

”Shortly,” Makima said firmly. ”Goodbye, Danny.”

She ended the call.

After placing her phone on the table, she let out a quiet sigh.

”I can already tell he knows ” Makima said.

”He figured it out in less than a minute,” Sean replied with a smile.

Makima rubbed her forehead.

”He’s always been like this,” Makima said. ”When I was seventeen and had my first boyfriend, Danny was only thirteen.”

She shook her head with a helpless smile.

”He figured it out because our mother laughed differently at dinner two nights in a row.”

She looked at Sean.

”It’s like he can read me.”

Sean laughed.

”That’s exactly how someone who loves his sister behaves,” Sean said. ”Don’t blame him. He just cares deeply about you.”

Makima smiled softly.

”I know he does,” Makima said. ”But I’m supposed to be the one watching over him.”

She looked down at her coffee.

”I’m the older sibling.”

Sean nodded.

”I understand,” Sean said. ”But that’s what being a man is.”

Makima looked up.

”We protect the people we care about.”

His phone suddenly vibrated on the table.

Sean picked it up.

A new message from Danny.

Tell Makima I said good morning.

Also, I know she’s with you.

I trust you with my sister.

And when are you free to grab coffee? Just us.

I’ve got a few things I want to ask you.

Makima smiled knowingly.

”That’s from Danny, isn’t it?” Makima asked.

Sean nodded.

”It is,” Sean replied.

Makima leaned closer until she was beside him.

After reading the message her brother sent

She looked up at him, something moving through her expression, the specific complicated warmth of a younger brother who trusted someone enough to want to know them better.

”He wants to talk to you,” said Makima. ”Properly. Just the two of you.”

”I gathered,” said Sean.

”He likes you,” she said. ”He trusted you before he met you, because of what you did for our family. And then he met you at the dinner and he liked you more.” She paused. ”This is him wanting to know how you actually feel. About me. About all of it.”

”The best kind of protective younger brother,” said Sean. ”The kind who loves you enough to ask the right questions instead of the easy ones.”

Makima looked at him with an expression that said she hadn’t expected him to put it quite that well and was momentarily undone by it.

Sean typed back.

I appreciate it Danny. I’m going to be out of the country next week though. Can we push it to when I’m back?

The response came back fast.

Out of the country? Where are you going?

Paris, Sean typed.

Paris, Danny wrote back. Then: Okay fair enough. Just send me a text when you’re back and we’ll sort it. Have a good trip.

Will do, Sean replied. And good morning.

Good morning, said Danny. Then, after a beat: Tell Makima I know she’s in the room.

Sean showed Makima the last message.

She stared at it for a full three seconds.

”I was completely quiet,” she said.

”I know,” said Sean.

”I didn’t make a single sound,” she said.

”I know,” said Sean.

”How,” said Makima.

”I’m going to call him back,” she said.

”Take your time,” said Sean.

She stood up and went into the living room with her coffee, and Sean heard the call connect.

The conversation that followed was impossible to fully understand.

It was the kind of conversation only siblings could have.

Half-finished sentences.

Old jokes.

Shared memories that needed no explanation.

Occasional protests from Makima.

Cheerful laughter from Danny.

The familiar rhythm of two people who had spent their entire lives understanding each other without needing many words.

Sean smiled to himself.

He finished the last of his breakfast before glancing toward the flowers sitting on the kitchen counter.

The orange blossoms had opened even more since he’d brought them.

For a while, he simply sat there, listening to Makima laugh in the next room.

The apartment settled into its quiet morning rhythm.

Peaceful.

Comfortable.

Like somewhere he could stay for a very long time.