Uh-huh. [Mikoto snorts, giving him a teasing look. Well, he's stern, mature, and level-headed enough. He seemed to be in his element, and she was glad for it. He deserved it, really, after all he'd been through. It perhaps, in a way, made all his hardships worth it. A light at the end of the tunnel.

She understood, now, why he'd told her he had no regrets about all that had befallen him. Because, in the end, even though life had been hard on him, things looked up in the end, though things were still rough. She punches his arm playfully.] So, you gonna order me around, too? Sub-Commander Dad, sir!

[Mikoto gives him a jaunty salute, and ends up nearly bursting into laughter the moment he stumbles.] That so? And you're tall as it is, too. Here, dummy.

[Mikoto motions for him to be still, goes, and sweeps the cape off to his one shoulder. She giggles.]

There. Try wearing it like---

[Suddenly, there's a yell of, "Baroona!" followed by the thudding of rushed footfalls from up the hall. It's none other than Douglas, who quickly screeches to a halt and stares, mouth agape as he looks wildly from Baroona to Mikoto.

His shoulders slump, and he throws his hands up.

"Seriously?!"

Mikoto raises an eyebrow.]

...Hi?