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KAILANI

K ailani was running late, not unusual but tonight she was supposed to be meeting up with her boyfriend. She had had finished her last job and left directly to the restaurant. Uncle’s wasn’t a place she went too often, definitely not for dinner, and upon hitting the door she felt out of place in her work clothes. She patted down her constantly frizzy hair as she looked around for her boyfriend’s table. As she turned to check the bar area she overheard a man, “So where’s your MO-ANa?” In her head she was hoping that statement was going to be rescued. She hoped it wasn’t the group she was supposed to be sitting down with. She heard a resounding peel of laughter from the group. Her eyes locked on the bartender, also a native Hawaiian, his shoulders stiffened as they shared a looked. As she stepped forward, she froze hearing the next statement from her boyfriend, “She is a hot piece of ass.” The bartender’s gaze was hard as she looked at him in embarrassment.

She turned to leave, dazed by the revelation. She smacked into Stitch hard enough to bounce off. As she fell back his hands grabbed her, one around her waist and the other between her shoulder blades. “Sorry” Kailani started to mutter as she tried sidestepping around him.

“Are you okay?” he cut her off, his grip not loosening. She didn’t look up as she pushed his arms away. Stitch stepped back, allowing her space to leave, and watched as she slunk out the door as fast as possible.

Flash, Red, Tech, and Stitch had come in for dinner. Rave and Genie had gone home from work. They were making their way to the far corner of the restaurant when Stitch turned to catch up. As they sat around the table Tech asked, “what was that?”

“I don‘t know. She didn’t say anything. I’ll probably have bruises,” Stitched rubbed his chest, “she hit me like a brick.” Stitch was the smallest of the team at 5’11” with dirty blond hair and light brown eyes.

“Not a surprise, you’re basically tiny,” Red said, his brogue heavy as he laughed. Red was the largest of the team at 6’5” and matched his Irish background.

Stitch gave him a slight smirk as he sat down.