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Igarashi Vice.
Igarashi…
Sakura shakes her head. What is she thinking? Of course Vice is an Igarashi! Yes, they do all have their different relationships with their demons - to her dad, Vail seemed like some kind of spurned ex boyfriend, Kagerou and Daiji had settled on just. Two very different men who shared a self (she still had no idea how they managed that, but it wasn’t her business), and to Sakura, Lovekov felt like a little sister.
(And Koshiro is an infant, so figuring what his demon might grow into for him is rather a moot point.)
But it was generally understood that their demons were part of their family.
Still…
“Hey, Ikki-Nii,” she says, and Ikki jumps.
“Yeah?” He asks. “Is something wrong?”
“What’s the deal with you and Vice?”
“… what? ”
“He called himself Igarashi,” Sakura says. “It wasn’t wrong but it sure did sound weird.”
Ikki pauses, and then he laughs.
“I guess neither of us could have said anything,” he says. “Vice’s papers came back around when I moved out. We got married the same day.”
“Oh, good,” Sakura says. Then she pauses, repeats the words in her head. “You got MARRIED???”
Ikki takes a step back, arms raised.
“Y-yeah,” he says. “Vice was… they were all I knew, so I wanted to keep them.”
…and that obviously went well. Sakura sighs, arms crossed but past her initial surprise.
“I understand why you didn’t invite us,” she says. “But I kind of wish we could have known our brother was married. ”
Ikki smiles wryly.
“Yeah,” he says. “I suppose so.”
“Although it was kind of quick—”
“Mom married Dad when they knew each other for a week.”
“Okay, that’s fair,” Sakura says. “But still.”
Ikki shrugs.
“I don’t regret it,” he says. “…Although I suppose it makes me a widow, for now.”
Sakura smiles.
“We’ll bring him back,” she says. “Just you wait.”
Ikki smiles.
“I hope so,” he says.
He does seem happier, now. But maybe… putting words to grief is easier than ignoring it.
And yet he is closed off, even whole, and when did that happen?
“Oh, so long ago,” Kagerou says, when she brings it up. “Neither of you noticed? I think Onii-Sama was 15 or so.”
“How would you know?” Daiji asks. Kagerou grins.
“I was made from your feelings of jealousy and inadequacy,” he comments. “Of course I noticed more than you did, consciously.”
Daiji sighs, rubbing his eyes.
“I deserve that,” he says. “Still, that doesn’t sound like Nii-Chan.”
“Maybe,” Sakura says. “Or maybe we’re missing something.”
“We missed a whole marriage,” Lovekov says.
“That was rather unfair,” Kagerou says. “I wanted to cause problems at Onii-Sama and Vice’s reception.”
Sakura stares.
“Still?”
“I’m getting drunk and handing control back to Daiji at you and Hana’s wedding, just you wait,” Kagerou says, checking his nails. His grin widens, and Sakura just knows Daiji was less than impressed by that promise.
“Hey Ikki-Nii, school got out early and—”
Sakura drops her bag.
Ikki and…
“I can explain!” Ikki says.
“We probably should have just told them, Icchan,” says Vice .
“Told us what?” Lovekov asks, slithering over and hitting Vice. “You were back? ”
“It doesn’t last long,” Ikki says.
“It lasts at all!” Sakura retorts, and the two look at each other. “Is this what you were hiding?”
“…I told you,” Vice says. Ikki sighs, head in hands.
“I know,” he says. “And yes, this is it .” Ikki glares at Vice, and oh, this is definitely not all of the secrets. “Vice can… we can’t make the contract go through, I don’t know why. We have…”
“20something minutes,” Vice says, shrugging. “Ask Kari-Chan. Or don’t, he’s kind of still crazy.”
“I’ve heard,” Sakura replies. Then she rushes over and hugs both of them. “It is good to see you again. Without a crisis.”
“Aww, thanks,” Vice says. “I missed you guys too.”
“But I’m telling everyone,” Lovekov says.
“Good,” Vice says simply. “This was Icchan’s idea.”
“Vice!”
But Ikki is grinning, and it’s loose in a way it hasn’t been in months. Or years, as Kagerou claims. And Vice is on his way home.
Sakura supposed this is a start.