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When they come back, Tendou Souji immediately dip kisses him, and it’s so surprising (in a nice way) and out of character (in a worrying way, considering this means the Rider War ended, but he doesn’t know how bad Decade made it ) that one Kagami Arata immediately falls on his ass, after.
“Why did you kiss me?”
“Arata we have been together for over a year now—”
“You know that’s not what I meant,” Arata says, getting to his feet. Souji offers a hand, and Arata takes it, after a moment of hesitation. “I meant the whole ass dip kiss, asshole.”
“…rude. Grandmother said this—”
“Oh, shut up,” Arata said. “How did it go?”
“…”
“That bad?”
“…I think we might have been told wrong,” Souji says. “Either by the spirit who wore Kiva’s face—”
“The god?”
Souji gives Arata a look, and then continues.
“…or by the man who warned us of Decade.”
“In retrospect, that was kind of suspicious,” Arata says. “If either were right, we shouldn’t be alive. Does this mean the fight isn’t over?”
“Probably,” Souji says, and at that moment Arata realizes he’s still holding his hand, because suddenly the grip is. Tight. “The Worlds are being put back in place, nonetheless. I’m sure I will know, if I’m called.”
Arata squeezes back, which seems to make Souji realize he was doing it. He doesn’t stop, though. Arata kisses him, this time.
“I still don’t know how they chose you guys,” he says. “Like. Yes, I Know it. But everyone says they’re not sure, with me and Hikawa and a few others. But I’m sure with you.”
“You don’t exactly have perfect taste in such things,” Souji points out. “…I should meet with the others, either way. Then meet you at home.”
Arata smiles.
“Of course,” he says. “I love you.”
Kagami Arata has felt a lot of things for Tendou Souji, over the years.
Frustration, annoyance, those were the first ones. Those ones never really went away. Souji is, in fact, obnoxious, and strange, and unfairly skilled at the things he cares about. But it’s not even just natural skill, it’s also practice.
(One moment Arata remembers distinctly is Rider Kicks coming up in discussion and Souji admitting he did a roundhouse kick because it was the only one he could practice.)
Second was a variety of flavors of despair. First, because he lost out to the most annoying man alive. Then…
(Then his brother’s Worm copy, and the first time Souji took him home, and it’s all far too many things for Arata to think about, even now.)
Then any one of Souji’s more worrying schemes.
Like that time he almost died and then ghosted him for a year. That was… deeply unpleasant.
Admiration came, unbidden. Because Souji is skilled to back up his ridiculous claims. He does care about others, in his own Path of Heaven way.
Love just kind of joined the crowd like a natural piece. Like it belonged there. Like they belonged together.
Arata knows he’s not quite equal to Souji. Their abilities are too dissimilar to compare in any way that doesn’t leave Souji on top, except perhaps for “most improved”.
He doesn’t care. He’s close enough the others debated 10 minutes on who to take, for that core set. Settling on Souji only at Arata’s own insistence.
Souji sets his work down, bringing Arata back to the present. It all worked out, of course. No more problems until the next problem.
But at least some really good food. Souji’s probably showing off.
“Are you eating too?” Arata asks. Sometimes Souji just… doesn’t eat. Especially his own cooking. But it does seem like there’s two servings, and Jyuka is still elsewhere.
“Of course,” Souji says. “Stop thinking so much and enjoy the food.”
“Yeah yeah. You know I always do.”
It’s delicious, of course.
Arata smiles, and Souj smiles back.
In the end, there are many benefits to an epilogue.