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1.
Marina hesitates just before knocking.
She’s never been in this part of the base before, not where the dormitories are. She’s never seen where Mirai lives. She wonders, with her hand still half raised, if he would appreciate the intrusion. As much as she loves GUYS, as much as GUYS loves GUYS, they don’t do things like this in their down-time. As a team sure, but when the uniforms come off they all go back to their regular lives without each other.
This isn’t weird, she tells herself. Nothing’s changed.
Marina isn’t fazed by much. She hasn’t changed either; she can handle whatever life throws at her. So, she knocks.
The mechanized door slides open, revealing a waiting Mirai. Marina catches a glimpse the apartment behind him. It looks like a normal teenager’s room on the inside, with posters on the wall and the television blaring cartoons. The shelves are full of books and figurines, probably from Teppei. At least Mirai knows how to keep his room clean, she notices.
“Hi, Marina,” Mirai says, sounding surprised to see her. He’s still dressed in his full GUYS uniform even though they’re technically off-duty now.
“Hi!” Marina says brightly. “I wanted to see you- are you going somewhere?”
“No,” Mirai tells her. “Captain Sakomizu said he was coming by to talk to me. Well, mostly to talk to Mebius.”
“Oh.”
Of course Mirai wouldn’t have time just for her. He doesn’t have a civilian identity like the rest of them; he looks after Earth full-time. She should have realized sooner that an Ultra’s job is never over. Oh well, at least she had tried.
“Want to come in?” Mirai offers. He gestures to his room. “Captain Sakomizu might be a while, we can wait together.”
“No, that’s okay. I was going to ask if you wanted to go somewhere, but if you have a meeting-”
“Go where?”
“Mirai,” Marina says, “have you ever been to the movies?”
“No, what’s that?” Mirai’s got that look, the one where he’s confused by something unfamiliar but trying not to show it.
“That’s what I figured.” Marina pulls two tickets out of her jacket pocket to show him. “I think it’d be easier to let you see than try and explain, though. Wanna come with me tonight?”
Mirai breaks out in a grin.
“Of course!” He takes her hand in both of his. “Let’s go now- I can see the captain later.”
“Okay, good.” Marina reaches up to tap him on the head. “I’m driving us there, though, alright? We need to find you a helmet, too. I don't keep a spare with me.”
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”
Both Mirai and Marina jump- neither of them had noticed the captain’s silent approach.
Captain Sakomizu looks from Marina to Mirai with a twinkle in his eye.
“If you two already have plans then I think rearrangements can be made. I can always talk to Mirai another time, of course.”
“Oh-” Marina laughs, catching on to what he’s implying. “No, Captain, it’s not like that- it’s not a date if that’s what you think-”
“We’re going to the movies,” Mirai tells Sakomizu. “Have you ever been to the movies, sir?”
“Oh, many times. I think you’ll like it.” Sakomizu nods to them both before turning to leave. “Goodnight, crew. Let’s not forget to talk tomorrow, Mirai.”
Mirai starts to follow him down the hall. “Let’s go, Marina!”
“You should change first,” Marina says. “Your uniform?”
“Oh." He stops. "Right.”
Sheepishly Mirai ducks back into his apartment. Marina turns around to give him privacy while he quickly strips and changes into his civilian clothes. Finally he steps back out, letting the door slide close behind him.
“Now let’s go.” Mirai takes her hand again and practically drags her down the hall.
“It’s not a date,” Marina says again, but she doesn't protest too much. She doesn’t let go of his hand, either.
--
2.
Teppei clocks into work every morning half an hour early. He likes having the time to research and prepare in the quiet before the adjutant and his assistant come in with their blustering or Marina and George come in with their arguing. He especially needs time before Ryuu and his temper come in with their shouting.
Sometimes, he misses the days before his mother found out about his involvement in GUYS. Now he’s expected to return home every night instead of pulling all-nighters at his desk, which is the only real way to get some work done, in his opinion. Not that he’s complaining about being fussed over or anything.
Mirai is already waiting at Teppei’s station by the time he clocks in. Teppei watches for a moment as Mirai picks up each figurine of his Ultraman collection and closely inspects each one at a time before putting them back…… in the improper place.
“Hey!” Teppei says. “You’re here early.”
Mirai starts in surprise. He quickly stuffs the figurine he’s holding into a pocket before guiltily turning to greet Teppei.
“Couldn’t sleep.” He pretends to yawn. “So I just...”
“Did you need something from my desk?” Teppei asks kindly. “I can help you find it. It’s kind of a mess over here, I know.”
“I was just… looking at these.” Mirai places the plastic figurine back on the shelf and gives Teppei an ashamed grin. “I’m sorry, I should have asked first.”
“It’s cool! They’re actually meant for kids, y’know, they’re supposed to be played with.” Teppei picks up the small plastic replica of Ultraman Taro and holds it back out to Mirai. “This whole line was pretty cool, all of the toys even light up and stuff. Like the real Ultras.”
Mirai presses the button. Taro’s eyes light up. “Cool!”
“Yeah, I’ve got one for all of the Ultras!” Teppei pauses. “…Don’t tell Ryuu. He’ll laugh at me.”
“Is there one for Mebius?” Mirai asks excitedly.
Teppei laughs and pats him on the back. “No, unfortunately. You are still kind of new at this. I have one for everyone else though- look, there’s Leo.”
Mirai makes a sound of agreement in response, but Teppei gets the feeling he’s not really listening. He puts the miniature Taro back in his place on the shelf and picks up a tiny Leo instead. As Teppei watches him fiddle with Leo’s tiny arms it slowly dawns on him why Mirai is suddenly so interested in his Ultra collection.
“You must miss them.”
Mirai lays the little Leo on the desk. “Yeah... I mean, they’re my family. But I’m needed on Earth.”
“Why you?” Teppei shakes his head. “Why didn’t Taro stay, after last time? To help you?”
“He’s needed elsewhere.”
It’s quiet for a moment as Mirai looks through the rows of tiny Ultras. Teppei lets him take his time.
Maybe Mebius will be up there someday, Teppei thinks. After Mebius has finished his job and GUYS no longer needs the rest of them. When Teppei’s a doctor like he’s supposed to be, he’ll have even better stories to tell people than just the stuff he’s read in the history books.
“Do you-” Mirai bites his lip in thought. “Do you think I can do this? Everyone else seems to think so.”
“I do, too. Besides, you have us, don’t you? You need us as much as we need you.” Teppei picks up the Leo this time. He waves it in Mirai’s face, pretending to take tiny jabs at his jaw. “Put ‘em up.”
“Hey!” Mirai laughs. He snatches up Taro again, ready to fight. “Try that again!”
When Ryuu finally clocks in, he finds Mirai and Teppei in a full-blown war.
“Do I even want to know, professor monster? This some kind of nerd date?”
“Catch!” Mirai calls, tossing him an action figure. “Mebius needs your help, Ryuu.”
“Hey, careful!” Teppei is horrified. “That one’s limited edition!”
--
3.
“Bedding, feed, food bowls...” Konomi reads each item off of the list as she crosses them out. “And a new hutch. I think that was everything we needed.”
Mirai hoists up the heavy bag of feed with a grunt. “That’s a lot of stuff just for rabbits.”
“It’s funny, isn’t it? Even small animals need a lot of care.”
They're quite a pair making their way through the busy sidewalk of the shopping district, laden with rabbit supplies instead of briefcases or shopping bags. Mirai struggles to balance the hutch on top of an armload of feed, and Konomi leads him out of the path of pedestrians. At the crosswalk they wait. She nudges him forward when the light changes.
“Can we go one more place?” Konomi asks as they briskly make the walk. “If that’s okay?”
“Sure!” Mirai says. “I like going out with you, Konomi.”
He doesn’t mean it like that, Konomi knows, but she blushes a little anyways.
“Thank-you for coming with me, Mirai,” she says shyly. “I probably wouldn’t have been able to carry everything by myself, and all of the other teachers were busy today.”
“No problem.” He shifts the bags over. “Can I come to your class again sometime? Maybe at recess?”
Konomi giggles. “To see the rabbits?”
“Yes! And the kids!” He taps the side of the metal hutch. “Did the class get a new rabbit? Is that what the hutch is for?”
“No, Shiro bit a student the other day,” she tells him. “So she has to be kept separate from the others now. And no one’s allowed to handle her anymore, except for me.”
“That’s sad,” Mirai protests. “What if being alone makes her meaner?”
Konomi has to smile. That's Mirai for you. As the class’ rabbit keeper she’s inclined to agree with him, but as a teacher she has to think of her students first.
“Rabbit bites are serious,” she says. “Especially if a student gets hurts- oh!”
She stops suddenly in front of a store window. Mirai bumps into her and the pet supplies spill to the sidewalk.
“Sorry!” He scrambles to get everything back together. “I didn’t see you.”
“This is the shop.” Konomi nervously adjusts her glasses. She’s been working up the nerve to ask the entire afternoon, unsure of how Mirai would respond. “Is… is it okay if I take you clothes shopping?”
“Sure,” he agrees. “I’d love too! But you don’t want to ask Misaki instead? She could probably help more than me.”
“No, I want to take you shopping, Mirai.” Konomi looks down at her feet, feeling shy. “Since you helped me last time. I want to thank you.”
People are drawn to Mirai, either because of his openness or the way genuine kindness radiates from him like an invitation Finding out that Mirai was Mebius all along hadn’t shocked Konomi as much as she thinks it maybe should have. To her it makes sense; she hasn’t forgotten how he had stood up for her, how the only time anyone has seen Mirai really and truly mad was when it was on her behalf. Wasn’t that what the Ultras had always done for Earth?
He wears jeans and a t-shirt anytime they’re off-duty, the same way she’s drawn to simple, comfortable clothing. Having Misaki pick out dresses for her to try on had been fun, though. Clothes are a way humans figure out self-expression, so she thinks that letting Mirai figure out his preferences will give him another way to connect.
“Ryuu gave me most of my stuff. Like this.” Mirai nods down to his denim jacket. “He said it was ‘cool.’”
“Well, maybe for Ryuu,” Konomi says. She holds the door and waits for Mirai to enter first. “But you two are really different! You might like different things.”
“I’m not 'cool?'”
She studies him for a moment, thinking. He’s really not, she decides. He’s too straight-forward.
“No, not like Ryuu… girls would probably think you’re ‘cute.’”
“Do you think I’m cute?”
Konomi’s face burns behind her glasses, and she desperately hopes that none of the salespeople have overheard their conversation. "Oh, well..."
“I just thought of something,” Mirai says, eyes wide. “I don’t have any money.”
“It’s okay,” Konomi laughs. She gently nudges him in the direction of the pants section of the store. “We’re not on a date or anything, I want to pay.”
--
4.
“You’re cheering for the wrong team,” George shouts over the roar of the crowd. “We cheer when the ball goes in the other goal, you know?”
“Okay!” Mirai’s face is flushed with excitement. He’s been following the action closely, even if he doesn’t quite understand all of the rules George had frantically tried to explain on the bus ride to the stadium. There are equally noisy fans pressing in from all sides of the packed arena, and the energy is infectious.
Mirai’s pressed against George a little too close and grabbing his arm a little too tight, but George doesn’t mind. He can’t remember the last time he spent one-on-one time like this with someone, just friends enjoying each others’ company.
“Is something wrong, George?”
George sighed. Of course Mirai would be the first to come looking around. He seemed to have a preternatural sense for knowing when something was wrong, and yet he still couldn’t take a hint when George made it obvious that he wanted to be left alone.
“It’s nothing, amigo. Just my old soccer team,” George decided to confess anyways. He threw the letter he had received that morning at his teammate’s feet. “They sent me a ticket to their match against Japan today. Probably thought they were bein’ real funny, the jerks.”
“Maybe they just wanted to see you again?” Mirai bent down and picked up the envelope. "See how you're doing?"
George scoffed. “Yeah, right.”
“Hey, there’s two!” Mirai straightened up. He offered the envelope back to George. “Why don’t we go together?”
Now that they’re here, George is begrudgingly a little glad that Mirai talked him into coming. He misses the sport, he’s realizing, he misses everything from grind of training, to the feel of the ball on his feet, to the enthusiasm of the fans. He could be down there right now, if he wanted to, if he hadn't gotten wrapped up with GUYS.
“Who do you want to win?” Mirai asks, seeing the pensive look on George’s face.
“Japan,” George snarls. “I hope they kick Spain’s ass.”
“Me too!”
George is here with Ultraman. He’s watching soccer with Ultraman. He can hardly believe it. Not just the fact that they’re here together, but the fact that Mirai of all people, weird, earnest Mirai, was Mebius all along.
The game goes on. George has been watching the whole match pass with considerably less enthusiasm than Mirai. He remembers how he dreamed of being Ultraman as a kid, the way he wanted to be a hero that everyone looked up to, and snorts in laughter at himself. He’s really fucked that dream up.
But Mirai looks up to him, George thinks as he jostles against him. To him, and everybody at GUYS. It was kind of funny, honestly, how much humans looked to the Ultras to protection without ever considering why the Ultras held them in such high esteem. Maybe that’s what a real hero does, maybe a real hero cares about the minor victories of life as much as the overall grand scheme of things.
There’s barely a minute left on the clock, with Japan leading by the smallest of breadths. The next goal will decide who wins- if Spain makes it, they’ll win by just a point.
The entire crowd holds in a breath-
-and collectively lets it out in one cacophonous explosion as the ball thwacks into Spain’s net.
“That was amazing!” Mirai yells. “Did you see that, George? George?”
George doesn’t know what to feel. He’s a little vindictively satisfied to see his old team get thrashed, but it’s also a matter of pride. If he was still down there with them then maybe they would have won. Scratch that, they definitely would have won.
But now it's over now and it's too late for what-ifs. The arena quickly starts to empty. George and Mirai sit and wait for the crowd to thin out, Mirai still holding his arm.
He loves Mirai, but people might get the wrong idea, George thinks uncomfortably. Sure enough, in the next instant he hears the click and sees the familiar flash of a journalist’s camera going off. He jumps to his feet, jerking free of Mirai’s arm. He wildly looks around just in time to see a figure dart into the stream of people exiting the stadium.
“Paparazzo scum,” George spits after the retreating figure. He balls up a fist and smacks the plastic seat next to him, hard.
A hand settles on his shoulder, reining him back in. “George?”
“I’m sorry, Mirai,” George says, not looking at his friend. “That rat will probably write all kinds of crap about you, for being seen with me. Probably try and stir up drama about dating in GUYS, or something ridiculous."
“No, I’m sorry,” Mirai starts to apologize. “It’s all my fault, I made you take me-”
George shakes his head, anger gone already. Maybe this thing with GUYS is what he really needs. “You’re really something, you know that?” He gives Mirai a playful shove. “Let’s go.”
--
5.
The inviting aroma of fresh coffee is enough to make Captain Sakomizu perk up before he even receives his drink. Outside the morning air is damp and chilly, but the atmosphere of his favorite café is always comfortable and welcoming on the inside. Even in the earliest of mornings it’s usually full of sleepy-eyed people and their chatter.
The barista brings his order to the counter: one large black coffee, and a smaller coffee with plenty of cream and sugar added. Sakomizu smiles and thanks her as he passes over the appropriate amount of yen. His change jingles in his pocket as he walks to the back of the shop, looking for where Mirai is sitting.
“Over here, Captain!” his subordinate calls, waving him over.
“Be careful,” Sakomizu warns, sliding into the unoccupied seat across the table Mirai is sitting at. “It feels pretty hot.”
He hands Mirai his mug of coffee, taking care not to spill a single drop.
“Why is the straw so small?”
“That’s a stirrer. Don’t worry about using it, your drink is already stirred for you.”
“Oh.”
Mirai impatiently blows across the top of his drink. He takes a sip, lets the taste sink in for a second, then eagerly takes a longer drink.
“It’s delicious!” he says. "I see why you like it so much, Captain.”
“I drink mine without sugar,” Sakomizu explains. “Coffee is supposed to make you feel awake. I find that the more bitter mine is, the more alert I feel. But I mostly like looking forward to a hot drink at break.”
Mirai takes a look around the place. “So humans make buildings just for coffee?”
“And for socializing.” Sakomizu wraps both hands around his drink, letting his hands warm up. He brings the mug up for a sip. “This place used to cater to business people- I used to come here with Misaki, sometimes. I think it draws in a younger crowd nowadays, though, I always see high school kids in here on dates.”
“Do you come here for dates too, sir?”
Sakomizu shakes his head, amused by the question. “Oh, no, Mirai. When you get to be my age you’re a little past meeting girls at coffee shops.”
It’s strange to be having such a casual conversation with an Ultra. To be talking to one of the Ultramen about the little stuff that humans worry about, stuff like coffee and dates. But what’s stranger still is how much the Ultras care, how invested Mebius is in protecting ‘the little stuff.’ Zoffy had made Sakomizu realize how much the Ultras did for humanity, so he had asked Mirai here today as small way to give back. Any opportunity to get off of the base is a chance for Mebius to experience the everyday human life, and to be around the people he works so hard to keep safe.
Across the table, Mirai is cheerfully drinking down the last of his coffee. He looks like a regular boy, just like any number of the other teenagers Sakomizu has seen around here in the afternoons. It’s easy to think of Mirai as just another young crew member under his command- but he isn’t.
“What if-” Mirai suddenly interrupts his thoughts. “What if I wanted to ask someone on a date? How do I do it? Is this a good place to come?”
The question snaps Sakoizu back to attention. Blankly he stares at Mirai, wondering what to tell him. He resists the urge to teasingly ask him about Marina or Miss Aya; it isn't appropriate for a captain to get involved in his subordinates’ relationships.
“Well…it is if you like coffee.”
“I don’t know if he does,” Mirai thinks aloud. “I guess I should ask him first.”
Oh.
Sakomizu drinks again, savoring the bitter taste as he thinks of how to respond. Part of him wants to tell Mirai to be careful- his friends might be understanding, but not everyone in the world is so welcoming. But then again, another part of Sakomizu suspects that Mirai already senses that. He’s been through a lot since coming to live as a human.
“Oh! It’s almost time to be on duty,” Mirai says, checking his watch. “And I'm supposed to meet everyone for training. I’m finished, are you?”
“I guess I am.” Sakomizu gives his half-finished mug once last mournful glance before getting to his feet. “Let’s be on our way.”
“Thank-you for the coffee, Captain,” Mirai says at the door. “I’ve never had it before."
“I’ll have to show you how to brew it sometime. I like to grind the beans myself.”
“It’s made of beans?” Mirai is shocked. “How do beans become a liquid?”
Sakomizu laughs.
“I’ll tell you about it on the way.”
--
+1
“Ahh!” Ryuu exhales. He kneels in the sand and tries to catch his breath as he waits for Mirai to catch up. “Come on, slow-poke!”
Mirai collapses next to him, breathing hard. He flops forward on his stomach.
“It’s just now dawn,” he groans. “The day hasn’t even started.”
Ryuu stretches up to the barely-there sun. He falls backwards with a whumph, wiping the sweat from his brow.
“What’s wrong, Ultraman?” He kicks a little sand over on Mirai's sweatpants. “If you want to train with me, this is the pace we’re taking.”
Mirai rolls over on his side to face his friend. “I don’t even have the energy to recite the vows!”
They lay together on the beach, waiting for the sunrise. Little by little the day breaks and the sky begins to light up in shades of pink and gold. Ryuu wonders if the Ultras ever see the sun from this point of view, if there’s even such a thing as a sunrise in Ultra Space. Lately he’s been leading the whole crew in their morning training but today he wants to just be with Mirai, like in the beginning.
"Captain Serizawa used to bring me here a lot," Ryuu yawns. "Just the two of us. I wish he could see it again."
"He was brave."
"Yeah. He was, but..." Ryuu nudges him with his foot. "Don't get any big hero ideas, man. I'll kick your ass."
"Stop!" Mirai laughs, rolling away to freedom. Ryuu throws out an arm to stop him and pulls him back. "I'm ticklish!"
Ryuu lets go and now he's laughing, too. They're both still tired and out-of-breath from the run, but something about playing around with Mirai is like lighting a fire. It's like being with Captian Serizawa again, in a way.
“Ryuu..?”
“Hmm?”
“Have you ever been on a date?”
Ryuu violently sits up, twisting to glower at his friend. “What kind of question is that?!”
“Is that not something you’re supposed to ask?” Mirai says, sounding apologetic.
“No I mean, who do you take for? I’ve been on tons of dates!” Ryuu kicks even more sand at him. “Is this about Miss Aya? You lookin' for advice?”
Mirai clears his throat with a cough. “No, I- I was just wondering.”
Mirai on a date- that was a pretty funny thought. Ryuu remembers the others’ teasing –maybe Mirai will ask you on a date, Ryuu- and snorts in amusement. Yeah, right, he thinks with more than a little bitterness. Like that would ever happen.
Ryuu’s not sure what to make of Mirai anymore. It’s hard reconciling his fierce pride in humanity with the fact that his best friend is Mebius. He’s a little ashamed of himself now, for all of the things he said about Mebius not understanding human feelings. He still thinks that humans can protect Earth on their own but now he understands why the Ultras fight for them. And as frustrating as he can be sometimes, Mirai still brings out the best in everyone he meets.
Ryuu yawns again. “Ready to go back?”
“It’s Hiroto’s birthday today,” Mirai says to the sky.
That throws Ryuu off-guard. He’s not good at this, the whole ‘talking about feelings’ thing. He struggles to find the right thing to say. “…Yeah?”
“He would have been nineteen.” Mirai sits up, shaking off the sand sticking to his shirt. Even in the faint morning light Ryuu can see the tears streaking down his face. “Captain Sakomizu said I should go pay respects to his father, but I don’t know if he would want to see me right now.”
"I was mad at Tsurugi, y'know. For using Captain Serizawa's body."
Mirai coughs but doesn't respond. When another tear falls Ryuu feels like knocking himself in the head.
"But I was glad too, in a way. Because it meant he wasn't really gone. It was like... sort of like he was still here." He leans in close to lays a comforting hand on Mirai’s shoulder. “I think Captain Ban would be glad if you came. I mean, you’re carrying on Hiroto’s legacy, I’m sure he’d like to see you today.”
Mirai brushes the back of his hand across his face to wipe the tears away. What he means to ask is Will you come with me? What falls out instead is, “I don’t want to go alone.”
“We can go together.” Ryuu stands, brushes the sand from his clothes. He offers a hand out to Mirai. “Just stop crying, alright?”
Mirai lets himself be pulled to his feet. “Thank-you. I would like that.”
He hasn’t let go by the time they move to head back to base. Ryuu just smiles and laces their fingers tighter together. If George or Marina were here he wouldn’t, because they’d probably hear no end of their teasing. This is what he appreciates about Mirai, the way he just does things without caring about what other people might find strange.
“Hey, so, maybe after we visit Captain Ban I can show you what a date is,” Ryuu jokes, trying to lighten the mood. He’s relieved to see Mirai finally crack a faint smile.
“We could get coffee.”
“You hang out with Captain Sakomizu too much,” Ryuu says, swinging their hands as they walk. “But it sounds good to me.”