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“Goddamnit, Tendou.”
It’s still a habit, when he’s angry at the man. His husband, his goal, his idiot , apparently.
Kagami Arata takes a second to consider that the unfairly skilled idiot known as Tendou Souji intended to be kidnapped, which is entirely possible and the man does it far too often, but then, Souji tends to leave a few clues if he’s doing it on purpose. At least now. After the tenth argument over it.
(By comparison, when he runs off to france just for fun, he left absolutely no warning or explanation. Asshole.)
It’s also been days, and now there’s a note.
Great.
Just peachy.
Well, if Souji has a plan, fuck him! That is. That is blood. Not seemingly his, but plenty of dried blood in the general area of what seems to be… one of the warehouses? And he’s passed out, and he’s been gone for days, and the note reads—
Gatack
Come. Bring your Zector, and tell no one. Or else.
Arata would laugh at that, if he weren’t so worried. The starring photo is a figure in black, with a knife to Souji’s throat.
But really, bring his Zector? Do they want to die?
(But, a part of his mind whispers, if they already beat Tendou Souji …)
Well, Arata will have to go there either way.
“It took you long enough.”
“Well excuse me for being so used to you running off that I didn’t expect anything to be wrong .”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Souji says. He’s rubbing his wrists as Arata unties. “I always tell you if I’m leaving.”
Arata scoffs, offering a hand to help Souji stand. Souji bats it aside, but stumbles as he stands and ends up leaning fully against Arata. He doesn’t fight it, then. Arata knows he would have, once.
It’s strange being reminded much his husband trusts him, even if it should maybe not be. Because Arata still remembers when they were fighting monsters every week, and fighting each other almost as much because Arata was weak and awkward and angry, and Souji was untrusting.
That was a decade ago, but Arata is still thinking about it.
“Let’s get lunch,” Souji says. “I’m hungry.”
“Tendou, you’re covered in dirt.” Arata looks him over, shifting the arm helping hold Souji up. Souji winces. “And hurt.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Souji says, “they didn’t feed me. I’m hungry, Arata.”
Is that a whine on his voice? Also, oh. That makes more sense. Part Tendou being Tendou, part the horrors of their current circumstances.
Kagami sighs, and accepts he’s taking a hurt Tendou Souji out to eat.
A thing about Tendou Souji is that he’s an excellent cook, but when he wants food, it’s never his own. Hence why they are now sitting at a ramen cart as Arata watches Souji eat.
“You can get some,” Souji says.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Eat anyways.”
He’s worried, is the thing. His husband would balk if he said that out loud, but he is!
The kidnappers weren’t idiots. They were assholes, who wanted superspeed, but they weren’t idiots, nor were they weak. They took out the strongest first, they thankfully didn’t torture him too terribly - Souji is insistent that the bruises are minor and the greatest sin is the fact that they didn’t feed him, which Arata supposes is a fair point after several days.
“They actually kidnapped you,” Arata says. “I can probably count on one hand, maybe two, how many times someone’s beaten or kidnapped you without your intent.”
“…and?” Souji asks. He tenses.
Oh, so it does upset him.
“And I’m worried, asshole!” Arata exclaims.
Souji looks away.
“…let me finish eating.”
When Arata arrived, he didn’t bother to transform. In fact, he handed Gattack right over and watched the prickly little thing kill three of the kidnappers. The rest he took out himself, much… less lethally, and his only conclusion is they surprised Souji - Kabuto left in a small cage - and Arata surprised them.
Here at home, Arata pulls Souji into a desperate hug.
“…I knew you’d come for me, one way or the other,” Souji says, and Arata knows. This is his partner , his other half by choice and not fate. But a part of him will remain the insecure boy he used to be.
Relief wars with love wars with insecurity. Love wins.
“I would.”
…for now, that’s enough.