Chapter Text
Hikarino was in the middle of talking to his shikigami when Rias barged in into his room. They had staring competition for a while, one was hiding his emotions under the colored sunglasses and one was full of questions. Minutes later, the killer detective strode closer to the unsuspecting sorcerer as if he was the owner of this room.
Hikarino watched as Rias took a sitting position beside him, wondering why he decided to come to his room unnoticed. Was there an emergency or did Rias just want to bother him? Before he even finished with his thought, suddenly the man threw his head up to his lap making him yelp. The shikigami papers flutter around his head, showing their amusement with the sudden change of event. The sorcerer threw an unamused look at them before going back at the sudden weight on his thighs.
"Rias?" he started, feeling unsure what to say next. "What are you doing?"
The brown-haired man didn't say anything. Instead he readjusted his legs position to the armrest beside him and moved back and forth until his body could fit within Hikarino’s sofa. His foot was pathetically dangling on the armrest and he had to cross his arm as there was no other room for his long limbs.
The sight was somewhat pitifulーhe tried to fit into the sofa but his body was way too big!ーthat Hikarino instinctively caressed Rias' head.
"...!" Embarrassed running through his veins as he realized what he had done. Hikarino almost retracted his hands but Rias seemed not to mind it; rather, he seemed content with it. His eyes were closed (either in bliss or contemplating how to kill Hikarino in 8 ways, who knows) and one of his hands took off the iconic colored sunglasses to put it away on nearest desk.
Even until now, there were no words coming from the detective. IInstead, the man looked up straight at Hikarino, face still completely empty from any emotion. it's hard to read him when he was like this.
Or maybe it was Rias' way to ask to keep going without embarrassing himself? Hikarino thought.
…Maybe.
After rethinking it several times and encouraged by the shikigamis fluttered around his surrounding, Hikarino moved his fingers again combing the top of Rias' head.
It’s soft, he noted.
A soft sigh escaped Rias’ mouth. The larger man turned his body, almost buried his face in Hikarino's stomach while the body facing the sofa. One of his hand reached out to Hikarino's other free and and lazily entwined their fingers.
Hikarino froze at the sudden contact. He threw a confused stare at the Rias' back, wondering what the hell he was planning right now. Although, he doubted he would get his answer anytime soon so it's better not to think about it too much. Even his shikigami said the same thing.
Do not tire your own heart, one of them circled his head one time. As he is just one of many tired souls, seeking warmth as his own salvation.
Hikarino doubted the 'tired soul' and 'salvation' part but they were right. If Rias wanted to kill him then he should have done it a couple minutes ago.
Plus, giving a lap pillow like this was not unwelcome. It reminded him of the time where animals would come to him and some would go straight to his lap, waiting to be spoiled rotten.
Rias right now reminded Hikarino with the Calamity Beast he once friended back in his old world. Deadly, full of pride, but sometimes had his own cute moments that Hikarino couldn't help but want to spoil him rotten.
Humming a lullaby, Hikarino continued stroking Rias' head. He couldn't stop the fond smile blooming on his face as Rias tightened their hand hold and his breath fell into a comfortable rhythm.
"Eat."
Hikarino blinked owlishly as Rias put the plate on the dining table. His gaze kept switching to the detective in front of him and the plate the man had out in front of him.
"Uh, this," Hikarino pointed at whatever this curious and good-smelling item on the plate. Was he supposed to eat this? Or maybe waiting for others? Or was this just a prank? Was it a poison? He didn't know. His mind was too fried up. "What is this? Is this another type of art in this world?"
He never saw this kind of item; he had watched Rias create this from scratch, but he couldn’t keep up with how many steps he had done just to create this. All he knew was that it was made with edible-looking items like meat, vegetables, and other things he didn’t have knowledge of.
“...?” Rias stared at Hikarino as if he grew a second head. “Isn’t it obvious? It's pasta. Just shut up and eat it,” he said before walking away.
“Eh? Uh,” Hikarino’s head went spinning. It was so different from the fruits and bread he usually bought from the market—he didn’t even know that a food can have a name! He never heard of something called pasta and didn’t know how to eat it! Should he use a spoon and fork? Or should he use chopsticks like how Shu had taught him? Or maybe he should use his hand?
Maybe he should ask Rias how to eat this. Let’s just hope he won’t laugh at me.
The man was still on the other side of the kitchen, just finished putting all the dirty dishes on the dishwasher. He was just going to take off his apron when he noticed Hikarino was staring at him awkwardly, still hadn’t touched the food.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, startling the sorcerer. “You don’t like pasta?”
“Oh, no—no! I mean, yes! No—I mean,” Flustered, Hikarino made several gestures before sighed deeply. So much for not embarrassing himself. You know what? I’ll bite.
“I actually don’t know how to eat this. What utensils should I use? Should I use a spoon, fork, chopsticks, or my hand?”
Rias stared long, didn’t even break the gaze as he put his apron aside. Then, his nose puffed down and his lips were shaking, trying his best not to bark a laugh. It didn’t take a long time as his silent laugh ceased as he noticed how serious Hikarino was.
He studied the sorcerer’s expression, noticed the tense jaw, thin red hue colored his cheeks, and his eyes kept glancing at random directions. He was embarrassed and anxious.
“You…really don’t know how to eat pasta? Have you ever heard of noodles before?”
Hikarino shook his head. He once heard this ‘noodles’ thing from his counterpart, but he didn’t really know what it was. “I only know Shu really likes instant noodles, but I actually don’t know what it is. Does that count?”
Rias grew even more frustrated. What kind of environment Hikarino had been lived in? “No, no. It doesn’t count. Is your old world really this backward?”
Hikarino only shrugged helplessly. He had been living alone in the forest for the longest time he could remember. People from the town feared him and didn’t want him at all to be around, so he had to rely on nature’s mercy to sustain his hunger. As long as it’s edible, then it’s his meal.
“Back in my world I just eat what I can find in the forest—fruits, veggies, edible plants, and meats from older animals,” he listed off the food he usually ate back in his old world. “Once in a while I bought bread at a nearby town when the money’s enough, but that’s it. I have to be quick or else they will notice who I am…”
Rias fell into silence. He honestly didn’t know what to react; it sounded very sad and pitiful, but nothing he could do about it. Hikarino might never talk about his origin, but the way he was very detached from society and how he had little to no common sense gave him ideas.
Damn. He couldn’t even laugh it off.
“I’ll show you.”
“Really?”
Rias held himself to not click his tongue. Now it’s not the time to be mildly agitated. “Just shut your trap and watch me.”
The detective took a seat in front of Hikarino and pulled his own plate to his side. “Spoon at your right, fork at your left. Feel free to use a fork though, but don’t blame me if your clothes get dirty.”
Hikarino watched in awe as Rias started to eat using the spoon and fork. His usual stern expression went soft and he nodded to himself, feeling satisfied with his handiwork. He broke from his daze as the man in front of him glanced at him, silently gesturing to him to follow suit.
The sorcerer slowly mimicked what Rias just did; use the fork to take the pasta, and then use the spoon to spin it so it will fit in his mouth in one bite. He blew the hot steam so it won’t burn his mouth before putting it inside his mouth.
Hikarino widened his eyes and squealed in delight.
It was so good. He couldn’t even find any words to describe how delicious it was. It’s far more delicious than his favorite sweet bread he always bought daily at the market downtown.
“It’s so good!” Hikarino exclaimed excitedly. “I never eat something this good before! This–what’s it called again?”
“Pasta.”
Hikarino smiled wide. “Pasta! It tastes really good! You sure I can eat this for free, Rias?”
“...” Rias stared at the starry-eyed sorcerer, lips tightly pressed together into one line as his mind was full of unsaid words. “Hikarino, you…”
The sorcerer looked up from his food. There was a trace of sauce on his mouth. “Yes?”
“...Nothing,” he averted his eyes. “You don’t have to pay. Next time I will make you something different. If you have a preference, just tell me. I’ll see what I can do about it.”
“But—”
“No backtalk or refusal. If I say I will do it, then I will do it. Also,”
Rias extended his hand and wiped down the sauce on Hikarino’s corner mouth. His gaze softened when the sorcerer unconsciously leaned to his touch. “Eat slower. The food won’t go anywhere.”
He licked the remaining sauces on his finger. Hikarino, who didn’t realize what Rias just did, thanked him and continued gobbling his food. The detective sighed exasperatedly but didn’t say anything.
Cooking was a pain in the ass for him, but if it could make Hikarino happy… then it wasn’t that bad.
Today was such a blissful day.
Box Angel hummed as he poured his tea to the glass. He was in a very good mood today. It had been almost one week in their sharehouse without any fight happening; it was such a miracle he couldn’t stop thanking God in his night prayer. Because of that, he was thinking of taking a break by reading the book he had been itching to read.
Eki was out this morning to do some “observation”, while Kanekuro had been busy maintaining his territory for days. He said that he would come back either until this night or didn’t come back at all—either died in battle or became fish’s food.
Box was worried when hearing about it, but Hikarino had calmed him down by saying he had put a curse on the mafia boss so they would be noticed if his situation went sour. The agent of God knew how much the sorcerer cared for their group mates so he believed in him.
Talking about Hikarino.
Box sat down at the comfiest sofa where he had put his book on a near desk and sipped his tea. It’s clear as day that the sorcerer had somewhat wrapped everyone in this house within his thin fingers, Box himself included. The young man seemed not noticing about it though, which was endearing in his own way.
But his main focus wasn’t him. What amuse him the most was someone peculiar who almost never leaves his side like a guard dog protecting his treasure. This man, although famous for his aloof personality and easily get annoyed with human’s presence, visibly had a soft spot towards Hikarino that Box couldn’t help but compare it to humans playing favorite to their dearest people.
If he remembered correctly, this man still had not left to work even though he yesterday mentioned having a meeting with a client this noon. Not that it’s his problem, but it was rare for him to be late. Unless…
“Oi, Box. Did you see my glass?”
Oh. Speak of the devil.
“Good morning, dear Rias,” Box smiled at the grumpy detective. “It’s unusual to see you without your glasses. Did you forget where you put it?”
He clicked his tongue and averted his eyes. That’s all Box needed to answer his question. “Sadly, I don’t see it in the kitchen and here. Have you tried to search in another spot?”
Rias sighed and shook his head. “No matter. It sucks since my client probably can read my eyes, but it will be a great practice to train my face control. Goodbye, Box. If I find out it’s you who hid my eyeglasses I swear I will rip your wings again.”
Before Box could even respond, he was being cut by another voice.
“Rias, you forgot your glasses in my room—oh,” Hikarino caught another presence sitting in the living room. “Good morning, Box. It’s rare to see you here and not in church. Are you taking a break?”
Box smiled at the sorcerer, eyes twinkled in excitement. He was interested in the sudden turn of events. “Good morning, Hikarino. Yes, I believe it won’t hurt to take a break sometimes so here I am.”
“That’s nice! By the way, Rias,” the sorcerer handed the searched item toward the owner. “Here, your glasses. I think you accidentally left it yesterday.”
“...Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Hikarino squinted, scrutinizing Rias’ look. “Say, don’t you have a meeting with a client this noon? Why don’t you dress at least a little bit neater? Look, your collar is not even and your coat is dirty! How come you have the confidence to go out like this?”
Box watched in great amusement as Hikarino berated the detective while fixing his clothes with magic. He could swear Rias’ expression went soft with a touch of fondness for a minute before it came back to his usual deadpan.
His smile didn’t disappear when Hikarino finished with his job and had a short goodbye exchange with the man. His ears caught some words such as “dinner” “wait” and “be safe”, which made his smile go wider. He even had to hide it behind his tea.
Today was a blissful day indeed. Very much so.
“Rias! Here, here!”
The detective didn’t even hide his annoyance when his eyes met with his counterpart. He strode swiftly toward the still-waving-with-all-of-his-strength man. “I’m here. Now what do you want, Mysta?”
Mysta raised his hands laughing. “Whoa, man, chill! We are at a department store, remember? Don’t get too violent here, alright.”
Rias clicked his tongue but complied with it. “You haven’t answered my question.”
“Are you kidding me? Do you forget what will happen in two days?” He was answered by a blank expression. “Are you kidding me! For god’s sake, it’s Christmas, my dude! Are you for real forget about it?!”
The bigger man crossed his hands apathetic. “It doesn’t concern me. I’m not even believe in God, so there is no point.”
Rias groaned. This is harder than I believe. I should go to plan B.
“Okay then, how about buying a present for someone?” Rias’ expression went sour. Mysta sweat bullets at the change of expression but still kept going. “Like, for example,uh… You accompany me buying items for Luxiem, and for the exchange I will help you buy a present for anyone you want. How ‘bout it?”
There was a long silence. Rias was more than ready to apologize and fled until Rias nodded in agreement. “As long as it doesn’t take too much time. I may be your counterpart, but I’m still a busy man, Rias.”
“Cool! Now, come! Since your body size is similar to Vox then let’s buy a present for him first!”
“...”
Mysta dragged him down from one store to another. He had good sense in fashion, Rias had to give that, but he had terrible money management. God knows how much Mysta would spend in one sitting if he didn’t stop him. Maybe this was the reason why he forced him to come; to stop him from doing stupid thing.
Goddammit. Today was his holiday, not a sudden part-time job taking care of an overgrown child. Why couldn’t he just buy four same items for all of his merry band members? Rias wasn’t even paid to do this shit.
Rias grumbled as Mysta pulled him to another store until he saw something that caught his eyes. He stopped his track without any notice making Mysta almost fall from the sudden motion. Mysta turned back and was about to ask what’s wrong, but stopped when he saw his counterpart staring straight to the display in a certain store.
He walked closer to see what he was staring at and gasped audibly. “Aw, an evil minion plush!” he exclaimed. “I don’t know they start to sell this. I should tell Shu later about it.”
Rias frowned. “So this,” he gestured. “Googled-eyed ugly thing is called minion? What does that even mean?”
“...Rias, my counterpart, my most evillest twin in the world,”
“We are not twin.”
“You haven’t watched any movies from this era?!” Rias had to step behind to avoid getting showered by saliva Mysta had produced. “It has been weeks since we all transported to this! Weeks! Go enjoy some futuristic entertainment!”
“Shut the fuck up, asshole,” Rias covered his ears in annoyance. “Not everyone has time to do it. If you want to talk about some children's shows then go to Hikarino. He’s the one who mostly stays at home, he probably has watched one or two shows.”
If he knew how to operate the TV, he silently added. Hikarino was as blind as a caveman when it came to operating any kind of technology. Hikarino once said that electricity could disrupt the flow of magic in his blood, so he avoided using any kind of electricity item. Yet, looking at how his counterpart was crowned as the tech god among Luxiem, Rias started to think Hikarino was just bullshitting his way so people wouldn’t know the truth.
“Nah, man, I don’t have any business with him. But since you suggested that I should meet him, then I shouldn’t go empty handed, should I?” Mysta smirked as he walked past him. “Y’kno’, Shu has this cute yellow minion plush in his bedroom, so I think I will buy for Hikarino the evil minion one. Purple-purple! Isn’t that perfect for—”
Rias shot Mysta with an angry glare.
“—ok I will shut up now please spare my life I still have my beloved Mystakes waiting for me please Rias I won’t buy the evil minion plush I’m so sorry.”
Still maintaining his deathly glare, he slowly took his wallet and gave it to trembling Mysta. “Buy it. Under my name. Wrap it nicely, or else.”
“Y–yes, sir! Yes! Yes, sir, yes!”
“For you.”
“Oh my god—Rias, thank you very much! I thought you didn't celebrate Christmas?”
“...Change of plan.”
“Ah, I see… But I don’t have a present for you right now, is that alright?”
“Nah. Don’t have to. Now let’s go bother Box at his church and go talk trash about Jesus.”
“NO!”
“You have a big hand.”
“I swear, if you make a joke about big hands and what else is big, I will strangle you.”
“What do you even mean? I only stated the truth. Look,” Hikarino compared his hand covered in a thin glove with Rias’ calloused one. “You’re clearly bigger than mine. Your body too. Why should I make a joke about it?”
“...No, nothing,” This is all Mysta’s fault and his stupid sexual jokes, he thought covering his face in shame. Rias swore to kill the sexual-jokes loving detective next time they met, counterpart or not. “Forget about it.”
Hikarino pursed his lips. “Hmph. Okay then.”
The man then fell into silence, staring at Rias’ hand on his reach as his thumb lightly grazed the bumps and cuts coloring the surface. Rias watched as Hikarino’s gaze started to get lower in sadness.
“What’s wrong?” Rias asked. The man in question just glanced at him before staring back at his hand.
“No, I just…” his words faltered. Hikarino bit his lips, feeling hesitated, before continuing, “I’m just wondering… what happened to your hand?”
Rias didn’t answer immediately. He was contemplating whether to answer it honestly or tell him a half-lie, but one look at Hikarino’s expression made him ponder. “You sure want to know?”
Hikarino nodded. “I’ve told you a little bit about my past, haven’t I?”
“True. Prepare to be disappointed though, because it’s not that special anyway.”
"I won't."
Rias sighed and threw his head to the sofa. If he wanted to be stubborn, then so be it. “It’s because of my childhood training.”
Hikarino frowned. “What training?”
“You know,” he took the nearest pen and juggled it as if it was a throw knife. “Assassination, poison-making, street fighting, etcetera. It was a do or die situation; if I failed, I would have been killed. It was no fun but at least it works."
Rias was just one of many street children who was initially kidnapped and used by bastards who thought they could do whatever they could just because they had a little bit more money. He could remember the frustration of being separated by his sworn brothers and sisters, watched them die in many ways possible as adults would laugh as if it were some sick jokes, and when they saw him had potential to fight down, they put him in a one hell of soldier-making program or some sort.
Hikarino didn't say anything. His face was void from any emotion, but his eyes were telling him everything. Rias glanced away and continued.
"But well. Without it, probably I wouldn't be alive up until now. Too many troublesome guys on the street, too many assholes need to be humbled down. It was not that bad."
They didn’t see it coming. Those bastards didn’t expect him to survive after he barely escaped, built his own power and reputation, and when the time was perfect, Rias didn’t think twice to bring them down.
Blood splattered everywhere. Scream of agony, praying, and pleading echoing through the wall yet no one but themselves can hear it. Fire blazing hot, burning down the pray of sinners into ashes.
It was all music to his ears.
“...I see,” Hikarino finally spoke up. He leaned his head on Rias’ shoulder, entwined his hand over Rias’. The man noticed the sudden weight and foreign warmth on his hand but didn’t say anything about it.
“So life sucked for you too, huh.”
“To be fair, I think everyone is pretty fucked up—except for that bastard Box, probably. That shithead is a fucking maniac since D-day he was born.”
“Perhaps.”
Both of them fell into a long silence. With their position like this, Rias couldn’t see Hikarino’s expression to guess what he was thinking. All he knew was the way Hikarino’s weight on his shoulder felt so right and it felt comforting to know the sorcerer didn’t shy away from his touch. It brought a strange sense of peace to his stomach and heart.
As unbelievably cheesy as it sounded, Rias wanted them to stay like this forever.
“You know, Rias,”
“What?”
There was a pause, and then,
“You’re not alone anymore.”
It was uncharacteristically soft, but at the same time it was so Hikarino. The sorcerer who probably had worse, or even the worst among all of them, life compared to his. The man who didn’t even know any food other than fruits, vegetables, and dried bread. The man who lit up like a christmas tree whenever someone gave him a present and would treasure it even if it was complete trash.
A man who was old and wise, yet felt so young. Hikarino was inexperienced in sweet talking someone and totally not a leader material, but he knew how to control four bloodlusted people shoved into one shared space so they wouldn't kill one another.
In other words, Hikarino was a special one that Rias didn’t mind lowering his guard and enjoying their presence.
“I know,” Rias whispered back. Letting the warmth and foreign affection overwritten his senses, mind, and heart. It made him feel weak, yet at the same time fulfilled and peaceful. Just for tonight, he tried to compromise. Just for tonight , he lied to absolutely no one but his own self.
“I know.”
(He is no longer alone.)