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Patching each other up after a particularly bad fight is a normal thing in CR by now, as they’ve mostly been functioning well together for the past few years, occasionally pulled into fights with other heroes or fighting some Bugster Virus mutation.
Of course, usually Kiriya isn’t the one who needs patching up, being a Bugster himself.
Well, having been a Bugster, he supposes.
Which is probably why it’s a usually in the first place . Since he’s human again.
Where was he going with this? Ah, right.
He doesn’t fully know what to think about being human again. To have the body of a human, do things like growing hair and nails and, well, not healing as fast. But also to be human , revived in a way that feels like a victory instead of simply a strange set of circumstances to take advantage of. Not that he isn’t used to taking advantage of circumstances, that’s how he’s gotten to where he is more often than not. And he rather likes where he is, though.
Including the “human again” part.gotten to where he is more often than not. And he rather likes where he is, though.
Including the “human again” part.
…maybe not worth the pain, though. Even if it’s pretty mild compared to how bad it could have been, considering the enemy.
“And I can bandage myself up for something this minor, Ace,” Kiriya points out. “No need to worry, I’m still right here.”
Emu flinches, ever so slightly. Oh.
Understood.
Kiriya takes the other Rider’s hands off his cuts.
“I’m fine, Ace,” he says. “No lies.”
“You should still take more care now,” Emu replies. “Since your body is human.”
“And isn’t that a good thing?” Kiriya questions. He ignores the audience, though at least the others with them have the decency to at least pretend they aren’t listening in.
“I mean, yeah,” Emu replies. “But still…”
Kiriya brings his hand up to Emu’s lips.
“Ace, I was human for 27 years of my life,” he says. “I promise you, I will be fine. Just a few cuts and scrapes, same as you.”
“I’m just worried,” Emu protests. Kiriya can’t help but laugh.
“I know,” he says, and he gets why. He’d gone into that fight with Genm not expecting to survive and he’d come out of it not only alive but human.
But Emu had known his expectation. The Ace knows him so well it would be a problem if Kiriya wasn’t helplessly in love with him
“Tell you, what,” he teases. “I think I’ll be fine with just a kiss to make it better.”
“Kiriya…”
Kiriya doesn’t let him finish, just pul, which Emu does at least reciprocate before they move apart for air.s him into Kiriya iss, which Emu does at least reciprocate before they move apart for air.
“There,” Kiriya says, and he can’t help but grin. “All better.”
“Really, Kiriya, are you okay?” Emu asks, when they get home that night. Kiriya laughs.
“I really am, Ace,” he says. “I got off lighter than the others even before you showed up and curb stomped that thing.”
Emu sighs.
“I might have overreacted just a little bit, huh?” He asks, and oh, they’re having this conversation.
“Nothing worse than when Naasu-san and the bug boy were revived,” Kiriya replies. “I understand, really.”
“I thought you were going to die again,” Emu says. “Right in front of me fighting Kuroto again.”
“It had to be me, Ace,” Kiriya points out. The only Rider who’d be able to really end everything. Even if he was also maybe the only one who’d managed to figure out what made the self proclaimed god tick.
“That doesn’t make it hurt less,” Emu protests, and Kiriya sighs.
“I know,” he says. “But I’m still here, and I’ll try and be here for a long time yet, and you know when I’m lying to you.”
Emu gives him a look easily read as “really?” Kiriya huffs a laugh, and kisses the other Rider deeply.
Not all better, not with a problem like this, but it’s something.