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“Yuusuke-Nii-San?” Wataru asks, and it’s still as weird as it is right to say that out loud. “Why are we here? I know that we aren’t…”
(He knows that it’s dangerous to visit the World of Heroes for long, what with its state as the aftermath of the Rider War, or so Sayo says.)
Yuusuke just waves his hands.
“It’s okay, we won’t be here for long,” he says. “I just figured that, since you called me… your brother… you should meet my siblings.”
Wataru blinks.
“You have siblings?” He asks. Yuusuke continues to smile, but it’s tinged with sadness.
“Yeah…” he says. “I have three siblings, besides you.”
Before Wataru can ask more questions, they make it to the door of the apartment.
“We’re here!” Yuusuke calls out as he takes off his shoes. Wataru hesitantly follows. Luckily, before he can worry too much, a man steps into view. He looks to be in his late 20s.
“Onodera-kun!” The man says. “You’re here early.”
“I misjudged the time from the World the photo studio was on,” Yuusuke says, smiling and walking up to hug the other man. Turning back to Wataru, he adds. “Wataru, this is Godai Yusuke. He’s my soul brother.”
…Soul brother. Right, his counterpart from this World of Heroes.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Godai says. “Onodera-Kun has only had nice things to say about you. I imagine ruling a species can be a lot of work, especially for someone so young.”
Wataru bows, politely.
“It can be,” he says. “Work to help bridge the gap can be hard, especially when not all Fangire see humans as people.”
Godai flinches, just slightly, at that. Yuusuke takes a step more in the middle.
“I’m sorry if being here early is a problem,” he says.
“Don’t be,” Godai replies. “Minori just has work today.”
Yuusuke nods.
“Then I guess there’s time to introduce the two of you, first.”
Godai Yuusuke is a traveler like Yuusuke, though he keeps to his own World, and it turns out he is several years older than Wataru assumed.
“It’s a Kuuga thing,” Yuusuke explains. “It seems we do age, but slower than most people.”
Wataru nods, that makes sense.
This apartment is in fact Godai’s partner’s.
(“Since not everyone can take their house with them,” Godai jokes. Yuusuke laughs and Wataru finds himself laughing along.)
Godai became Kuuga in 2000. He doesn’t go into much detail beyond that, just that it’s how he met his partner and that he rarely transforms anymore. He does ask about Wataru’s World. Wataru talks a bit about his work, some about his friends, both those on his World and those on others, and some about being a Rider. Godai’s an attentive listener.
Feels almost like when he first met Mayu, her awkward dance around the subject of her nature before jumping all in. But Godai doesn’t feel ready for that, so Wataru doesn’t push.
And besides, it makes Yuusuke happy.
Minori - Godai’s sister, it seems - does arrive a bit later, after talk has faded away to silence and snacks.
“Onodera-kun!” She says. “You’re early… And this must be Wataru.”
Both Onodera gets up, though unlike with Godai, he doesn’t hug her. She seems unsurprised by this.
“I’m glad you’re here, Minori-San,” he says. “Yes, this is Wataru.”
Minori runs a daycare. She’s nice, talking about the kids and the problems. Slightly more open, Wataru supposes, but then he doesn’t know a Rider that doesn’t keep some things quiet.
Like Yuusuke, who he notices smiles just a little bit sadder at Minori when her back is turned.
But even that awkwardness seems to fade.
(Also, Godai makes incredible curry.)
Eventually, they leave, though not before Wataru finds himself offering them access to his World, and in turn finds himself with an offer to visit again, with or without Yuusuke.
But then… Wataru remembers.
“Hey,” he says. “Didn’t you say you have three siblings?”
Yuusuke smiles sadly, opening a veil.
“Follow me,” he says. “She’s in my World.”
Wataru follows.
Onodera Minori
There are other names on the grave, but that’s the one that explains it all to Wataru. Yuusuke’s sister is dead.
“I’m sorry,” he says. Yuusuke’s smile is still sad, but he gives Wataru a thumbs up, regardless. Godai did that, too. Wataru wonders if it’s a Kuuga thing,
“Don’t worry,” he says. “I just… wanted to introduce you, you know?”
Wataru doesn’t know. His mother was killed when he was young, and his father disappeared. He doesn’t have siblings, either.
Yuusuke’s not looking at him, though, or really waiting for a response.
“Minori,” he says. “This is Wataru. He’s our brother now. You’d like him. He’s quiet like you, but he’s doing so much good for his World.”
Yuusuke turns back to Wataru.
“Our parents died when we were little, and we were taken in by a family friend,” he says. “We weren’t much apart in age, but I knew as the older sibling it was my job to protect her. She died in a house fire, when I was out. I ran off on my own, after that. It was… well, Kuuga and Tsukasa both saved me from a lot of things.”
“I’m…”
“Don’t say you’re sorry,” Yuusuke says. “There’s nothing you could have done, nothing I could have done, either. But… it’s been a long time since someone called me big brother.”
“If you don’t want me to…”
“No,” Yuusuke says. “I want you to. I’m glad, actually. I just wanted to introduce you, is all.”
Wataru meets his gaze. There’s only love there. Of course there is, it’s Yuusuke.
“Thank you,” he says. “Yuusuke-Nii-San.”
Yuusuke smiles.
“Of course,” he says. “I… thank you, too.”