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“…let me get this straight.”
Over ten years. Nearly 15, even, that he’s known this man. And still.
Kagami Arata covers his face with his hand, nonetheless keeping one eye glaring at one Tendou Souji. Who looks mostly unphased despite his words.
“That little bat right there,” Arata says. “He took you to a little girl who calls you Sun-San.”
“Yes.”
“And her grandfather is leading the eventual revolt civil war group planning to attack Wataru and the other Fangire.”
“Yes.”
“And you faked your death after stealing the girl… and the bat because they were the big weapon?”
“Yes.”
Arata has felt many emotions about his husband over the years. This is a new one.
“And you just left it to us to figure out you were faking it.”
“Yes.”
…Wait no. An old one. Textbook their year emotion of god fucking damn it Tendou, talk to me .
“And you were just going to do it again? ”
“I did tell you.”
“Because I caught you .”
Arata will not scream. He is an adult man and comparatively rarely does this flavor of unique Tendou Souji related emotion come to mind, these days.
“So say you take her again,” he says, now fully covering his face to fight the growing headache. “You clearly didn’t have Kabuto on you — unless you were stalking me, which you actually probably were… god, I’m stupid, you literally said you were around during that time… ”
“I really did think you knew.”
“Shut up.” Arata sighs again, not daring to look at Souji yet. “So. Say you take her again. Fake your death, and now I know, so that’s easier. Kill them all, I assume? The Neo-Fangire? After taking the girl.”
“That’s still some days away—”
“Amazingly, I remember the day I thought you died and kept thinking so for more than 24 hours.”
“Nonetheless.”
“Well, it happens. And then what? There are other options you know.”
“They are dangerous,” Souji points out.
“Or you could. Literally just talk to Wataru or Nago or Megumi or someone,” Arata says. “They won’t come until Wataru’s kid is a teenager.”
Unlike Souji, he generally kept up with the other Main Riders. Especially when he worked with several.
Including two of IXA’s users .
But of course not. It’s Souji.
“We know the timeline has changed,” Souji says. “Many things are possible.”
“…”
“Would you like to meet Anya?”
“Yes, actually.”
Kazanari Anya’s eyes widen when she sees Arata. Souji nods to him.
“This is Kagami Arata,” he says. “My partner in all things. He is the Moon to my Sun.”
“Oh,” Anya says. “He won’t hurt me?”
“Of course not!” Arata exclaims. Anya clings to Souji’s hand.
She’s known him two days.
This place must be awful.
“Shut up.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
Arata sighs.
“Okay, here’s the plan,” he says. “You take her, same as last time… and then bring here here.”
“Bold of you to assume I’ll do as told,” Souji says.
“Yes, but if you do,” Arata says. “I introduce her to my nice coworkers Megumi and Keisuke, and they now know about Anya. Suddenly the Neo-Fangire either out themselves or they leave her alone.”
“…”
“Well?”
“…It’s not a bad idea,” Souji says.
“Great,” Arata says. Good enough.
“I do trust you, you know,” Souji says. “I tried to inform you without making it obvious—”
“Well you failed,” Arata says, sitting down next to Souji on their shared bed. “And now I’m involved. Partner in all things, right?”
“Of course.”
“Great,” Arata says, and then he smiles. “She’s a good kid. I can’t help but imagine you were like this, at that age.”
“…she is older than when my parents were replaced, yes,” Souji says, and with a quirk of his lips, “though she has a larger blade.”
…whatever that means. Arata decides he doesn’t want to know.
He takes Souji’s hand.
“I guess we have a daughter now,” he says. “As soon as she decides to come with us.”
“She will.”
“Of course.”
They keep visiting. And sure enough, the day before Souji “died”, Anya says yes to coming with them. Her room is already set up and she sets her… is that a Pokémon plushie? Right on her new bed.
“It has a window!” She says, eyes wide and overwhelmed. “I can see the sun!”
“Please do not look at the sun,” Arata says.
“Why not?”
“It’ll blind you.”
“But it’s so bright!”
Arata sighs.
“I will get started on dinner,” Souji says, leaving him to the very strange explanation of the actual sun. Anya nods.
Arata stays watching her, and explaining. And eventually, when her excited exploration dies down, she pauses and turns to Arata.
“Moon-San, is this okay?” She asks. “Grandfather will be after you. And…” she shudders. “Kiva too.”
“We’re working on the Kiva thing,” Arata says. “And yes, you’ll be fine. Souji and I can both take care of you now.”
“Really?”
Arata smiles and picks the small child up.
“Really,” he promises. “The three of us. A sun, a moon, and a little wing.”
He pokes her nose, and, still being a small child starved of affection, she giggles.
The sun, the moon, and the wing.
It sounds just right, now, doesn’t it?