Kokichi had really tried to be vague. Sure, even like that they sounded wholly suspicious, but at least they weren’t actually pointing to any sort of conclusion. But Kaito and Shuuichi were just out there saying it, and…well, he supposed they were far enough from the group, and speaking quietly…

“Oh, no,” Kokichi softly clarified. “Especially growing up with me, she’d prolly just think it’s a circulation issue. Still reason to comment, and maybe get on his ass to dress more warmly, but…uh, no. I was talking about how I’m pretty sure she noticed that he doesn’t have a pulse.”

Sighing, Kokichi smooshed his face against Kaito’s arm. “Well, I’ll smooth it out with her. If you guys go through with it, I think I might go steal Mi-Mi back from my dad, and we can eat and chill together for a while.”

“Oooooh… yeah. That’s harder to explain.” Kaito agreed, nodding, “Alright, we’ll do this… hey? What do you think the odds are that Drake has really good hearing?” Kaito smirked, staring at the back of Drake’s head. “Think he already knows the plan?”

“...God I hope not.” Shuichi said, growing pale, “We did not just talk about the plan…”

Kaito snickered, saying even quieter, “Draaaaaake… Drake?” 

While vampires did have heightened senses compared to the majority of humans…Drake was at the front of their chatty party procession, in the middle of one of the most populous cities in the country, in the middle of the day. To avoid complete sensory overload, most vampires figured out how to tune out most of the extraneous input around them within the first few years of being turned. 

So, that was to say, Drake gave no indication of having heard Kaito, or the princes at all. 

“...you know, we’re pretty horrible about not talking about private things in public,” Kokichi dryly snorted, “But…I think we’re in the clear for this one. Always forget how easy it is to eavesdrop in the middle of the street.”

“Eh, hasn’t bitten us in the ass yet.” Kaito shrugged, “And we’re pretty quiet. I gotta imagine we just sound like we’re murmuring to anyone passing by. I think it’s okay.”

“We probably should be more careful.” Shuichi agreed with Kokichi, “It’s not just our things we talk about, after all. Our friends deserve more caution. We’ll be better about it, though I think I’d have noticed if we were being tailed by now. Should be alright.”

“Mmmhm… alright!” Kaito said brightly, “We’re coming up to the path to the castle, I’m gonna go talk to Drake when we get to the gate! Let’s get it done~”

-

Kaito had made a very earnest argument to Drake, offering himself up for a pick-me-up and assuring him that just a measly little bloodloss wasn’t going to spoil his day– he was strong! He’d muscle through it and be fine!– but Drake had kept insisting that he was fine. Explaining to Kaito that the ‘warm, rosy’ look he had was usually just after a fresh bite, but that being chilly was his normal, and totally safe.

Kaito eventually decided to take Drake at his word, reminding him that Kaito really never minded helping out if Drake needed it, and thanking him for coming to the bonding ceremony again… oh! And sorry again! About the ball to the face! Whoops! Still his bad!

Pressing his palm and digging his fingers into the knot in his shoulder blade– he really would have liked a little numbing on that spot. Ah well. He opened up their door after a small knock, already idly wishing he had asked Kokichi to let Ikuo babysit a little early. He loved his baby girl and would give her many little foot kisses when he saw her, but damn, he wanted to place some kisses on other things– “Awwww! There’s my baaaaby!” Kaito lit up, Miyako sat up in her little pillow seat, a variety of food around her as Shuichi chose to plate everything on the floor rather than the desk. “Look at her little oooooonesiiieeeee.”

“I thought that’d make you happy.” Shuichi smiled, glancing down at Miyako, who was in a little bear onesie. It was one of the latest Kaito had bought her, and he hadn’t seen her in it yet. 

Following suit along with his partners, Kokichi smiled fondly at Miyako, though he quickly covered his mouth as he munched on some of the snacks Shuuichi had brought up--some rosemary crackers with a sort of garlic-basil-olive dip. “Dad said she seemed to be warm enough in her sling with the extra blanket, but there is something nice about coming in from the cold and getting in comfy clothes, even if you weren’t all that cold.”

“Speaking of…” Kokichi flashed Kaito a sheepish smile. “Too soon to change? I do really like this outfit,” even if he had already stopped to return the pendant he’d been wearing to Denji, “But if we’re settling in for the day, I kinda wanna get in jammies or something.”

He sighed wistfully. “Still too early to get the fire going… I’m already longing for a fireside group cuddle pile.”

“...” Kaito’s eyes suddenly focused on Kokichi, a vague grin on his face, “You should definitely change, babe. Into something nice and cozy…”

Giving Miyako, indeed, little bottom of the feet kisses, even if she was far more interested in Little Lamb then him right now, before getting up and offering Kokichi his hand, grin a little wolfish as he asked, “How about I give you a hand?”

Kokichi gave Kaito an amused look, and took his hand. “Yeah? I guess these clothes are a little tight--don’t wanna wrinkle them all to hell tryin’ to peel myself out. I could use a little help.”

It was only a few steps over to the closet, though Kokichi still turned to give Kaito a softer, more bashful look over his shoulder. “...did I jump the crossbolt a bit, getting Mi-Mi back from Ikuo?”

They…probably could’ve communicated a little better if Kaito was gonna insist on helping Drake out, but after talking with Lake and doing his best to soothe her worries (yeaaaaah, Drake’s totally talked about how he’s had buried arteries, a pain when he gets shots, haha) Kokichi was kind of set on just completing the small checklist he’d made for himself. 

And, well…he didn’t have the heart to thrust his poor daughter back out into the harsh, cold world again. Not looking so cute in her bear onesie. 

Kaito snickered, shooting Shuichi a small wink over his shoulder as he gave him a raised eyebrow before Kaito closed the closet door behind him, turning on the light. “Nah, it’s alright. Our little Miya’s been so, soooo patient with us today, but honestly her having some chill out time in her own room with her own people is probably gonna spare Ikuo a tougher night. She’ll probably be tuckered out by the time we pass her back.”

“But~” Kaito rumbled softly, running his hands around Kokichi’s hips, bringing him in close as he gently traced the tips of his index fingers just slightly beneath the waistband of his pants, leaning down to ghost a chaste kiss against him, before grinning lazily, “While I know we’re not gonna do anything with our sweet baby right outside, and our less sweet husband impatiently waiting for us… I really wanted to take this outfit off of ya.”

Placing another little kiss against him, teasing at his clothes, Kaito asked, “Can I?”

Kokichi sighed lightheartedly, nodding. “Honestly, I was expecting her to have a worse time today. She’s happy that we’re happy, but between us being busy, and so many people around, and going to a new place…well, I’m happily surprised. And I’m happy to make up for it with Dads-time now.”

And while Baby Thoughts weren’t really conducive for making way to Sexy Thoughts, Kokichi still hummed, pleased, as Kaito ran his hands over his body. He pressed against Kaito, running his own hands over his husband’s, before gently traveling up his arms, resting on his biceps, lingering on a kiss. 

“You may,” Kokichi spoke against his lips. “Though try not to rip anything, please.”

“Mmmmm~” Kaito rumbled a little, another little kiss, a little kiss against his cheek, a little kiss on the side of his neck, as his fingers traced towards Kokichi’s front. Deftly loosening Kokichi’s pants, freeing his shirt, and tucking his fingers beneath. Running his fingers up Kokichi’s stomach, breathing in deeply against Kokichi’s skin, “I love you,” Kaito whispered into Kokichi’s neck, placing another little kiss against it, “You remember when you showed me your love?”

Pushing Kokichi’s shirt up, he leaned back a little, grinning at Kokichi before his husband disappeared into his shirt, Kaito gently pulling it up and over his head, “Do you feel me? Sometimes, when I feel like this? It feels so big to me… all consuming. Like this solid mass that fills my chest and up the base of my throat, down into my stomach… I get dizzy on it, sometimes. Gotta…”

Kaito, noticing a random empty hanger next to them, idly just pushed the shirt through the hangar, before running his hands up and down Kokichi’s back, pulling him in and kissing him some more, whispering against his lips, “...remind myself to breathe, sometimes… do you feel it? When that happens?”

Not deeply, frantically, but Kokichi did press into the kisses Kaito laid upon him, returning just the same with whatever he could reach of his husband. It did bum Kokichi out sometimes that he had a few extra steps if he wanted to just kiss Kaito, but in a moment like this, Kaito more than made up for it. And even if Kaito wasn’t leaning down into his range, not claiming his shoulders and chest as places prime for kissing would just be wasteful. 

“I remember,” Kokichi murmured, lifting his arms so Kaito could pull off his shirt and smiling even if it was hidden. He could never forget that moment in the glass garden, the two of them really cementing what they meant to each other. Though they’d be doing the same tomorrow, Kokichi felt like that hidden moment together was truly a special vow. 

Circling his arms around Kaito’s waist when he came back in, Kokichi just tasted his lips for a long moment, holding him close. “...I do. Sometimes it feels like…this giant feedback loop, bigger than an undertow… Like it’s the movement of continents, and we’re just swept up in it. Sometimes it’s something just…comfortable to sink into. Your feelings familiar and so…you, utterly, that I could lose myself. So…I think I can understand how those feelings can wrap you up too.”

Kokichi tucked his face against Kaito’s neck, placing kisses there too. “...I really do love how immensely you feel. It’s…Kai-chan, and I love that.”

Kaito gave a small, happy little sound as Kokichi pressed into the base of his neck, swallowing a little as he placed a small kiss on the top of Kokichi’s head before looking up at the ceiling of the closet, huffing a little, “I did this to myself. This is my own damn fault… fuck. Damn.”

Chuckling, shifting his weight from one foot to another, trying to adjust his pants a little, before refocusing on Kokichi. “Alright, let’s get those pants off, and then get you in something cozy.”

Curving his thumbs over Kokichi’s waist band, Kaito stepped back a little, bending himself down so that he could place a little kiss on Kokichi’s neck, his chess, and letting himself fall down onto one knee, kissing down his stomach and the sharp points of his adonis belt, pulling down his pants and pulling each leg free as Kokichi stepped up once, twice. Kokichi’s underwear still on, Kaito couldn’t kiss any lower, so he grinned up at Kokichi, “Your big, brute of a husband’s emotions can go a little stupid loud, sometimes… but I’m glad there are parts of that that feel good to you, babe. Nothing makes me happier then thinking that if I’m happy because of how caught up in you I am, that you’re getting to enjoy that too. I’d share anything you want from me. I’m yours.”

Kokichi giggled along with Kaito, somehow resisting the urge to touch more and make things even more tempting for his husband. And, well, it wasn’t like it was doing nothing for him either, but…it was just like what they were talking about. Kokichi did have extreme, all-encompassing emotions sometimes, but it wasn’t his usual, and that tended to make kissing in the closet a little easier to just keep it as kissing in the closet. 

As Kaito crouched down, Kokichi gently tangled his fingers in Kaito’s hair, lightly massaging his scalp as he stepped out of his pants. “As I am yours. Even still, there’s parts about being an Empath that make me nervous…but being able to share in such wonderful, intimate things really is one of my favorites. I get to communicate with you things that words just can’t capture, and…that’s wonderful. I’m grateful I can. And I’m happy to share every bit of that with you I can.”

Pants off, Kokichi shuffled slightly to grab some clothes from his pajama stack, collecting some printed fleece slacks, and, after a moment of decision, one of Kaito’s plain tee-shirts, Kokichi flashing his husband a smug look.

Kaito, bringing up his knee but remaining squatted down, made no attempt to hide how openly he was watching Kokichi pick clothes and get dressed. His eyes drinking Kokichi in freely, resting his chin in his palms… and sticking his tongue out and biting it a little, snickering as Kokichi threw on his shirt, practically drowning in it. “Cute… I wouldn’t be against you rocking the boyfriend shirt look more often. Though, maybe don’t pull a Maki and steal literally one of my nicest shirts.” Kaito chuckled, standing up.

Reaching over to wrap his arms around Kokichi’s hips, he pulled him in, kissing him for a little while. Just enjoying Kokichi for a moment… before he sighed. “Shuichi really had to get changed before I came back, huh? Do either of you have any idea how much I love untying those sash things? Love that. Doing that on our wedding night drove me wild, babe. I always look forward to that part when you guys wear that stuff. Shuichi robbed me.”

Kokichi didn’t make much of a show of it, as he got dressed--maybe if there wasn’t their baby and husband on the other side of the door, he would’ve considered it--but he was very much aware of Kaito’s gaze on him. And, well, he knew he didn’t have to put on a show for Kaito to get something out of it. 

Returning the kiss, Kokichi snuggled up against Kaito as much as he could, without actually trying to push Kaito over. “I really should… Half the time when it occurs to me I’m already dressed, and I don’t wanna go back in here, but it’s nice. I like bein’ all wrapped up in Kai-chan.”

“And Shuu-chan’s missin’ out gettin’ unwrapped by you,” Kokichi agreed, laughing softly at the missed opportunity, even if what Shuuichi did was probably a little more responsible. “Maybe you should ask for dibs for tomorrow.”

“He really is.” Kaito sighed, swaying with Kokichi a bit, before sighing, dislodging himself and reaching back to open the closet door, “And I will. Shuichi?” 

“Hmm?” Shuichi hummed, feeding Miyako, who was still in her pillow seat, her body wrapped tightly around Little Lamb and her eyes blissed out as she ate, “Are you two done already? Feeling a bit of a quick shot today, Kaito?”

“Hah hah, no.” Kaito pouted, heading over to sit next to Miyako, just admiring her happy little baby face, “Aw, someone’s getting tired… full belly is gonna knock a little baby out… anyway, Shuichi, you haaaave to let me undress you tomorrow. You gotta! I was really looking forward to it.” He pouted harder, jutting out his lower a lip a little, “It’s one of my faaaaavorite things.”

“You stop that.” Shuichi said, reaching over to place his finger on Kaito’s lower lip, pushing it back in. 

Kaito smirked, before opening his mouth and, smirking around the finger the entire time, swallowing down the finger to its knuckle. Gently, slowly pulling it back, running his tongue under the base of Shuichi’s finger, before biting down gently on the tip of Shuichi’s finger, grinning around it. “Nn?”

“...........okay fine you can undress me tomorrow.” Shuichi huffed, face burning pink, Kaito laughing as he took his finger back, wiping it off on his shirt, “Horndog.”

“Hah!” Kaito laughed, giving him a wink, “I know what I like.”

Shuichi smiled at that… before his eyes widened. Suddenly looking alarmed, as he backtracked, “...oh, wait, I didn’t mean to say–”

“It’s fine, handsome, it’s fine. Though, thanks for thinking of it.” Kaito shrugged, leaning back on his palms, “Trust me, I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard ‘horndog’. Not just horndog, I get the ‘dog’ comparisons all the time, over the years. Sometimes it bothers me, sometimes it doesn’t. Wish I could be more consistent with it, but that’s just how it is.”

Snickering, Kokichi plopped back down and stretched out on the carpet, snagging more snacks. His clothes really were incredible, and they weren’t uncomfortable in the slightest, but not much could beat loose fleece and lounging on the floor. He did like dressing up for his partners too--it was…something nice, when he chose it for himself--but it was also nice knowing that they were comfortable in pajamas too. In it for everything. 

Even impromptu, persuasive finger sucking. 

Kokichi could only giggle more at Shuuichi’s blush and acceptance, though his mirth sobered a bit quite soon. Not growing worried or uncomfortable, since Kaito seemed alright, but…well, that part wasn’t very funny. 

“It is a pretty common phrase for that sort of thing, I suppose,” he hummed. “Still…it’s good on our part to be mindful, and you to just…let us know, I guess.”

Putting his chin in his palm, Kokichi thought for a moment. “...I think I get compared to birds, most often.”

“Batman.” Kaito said automatically.

“Bats are not birds,” Shuichi chastised, “And Batman is not a bat either.”

“Technicalities.” Kaito said dismissively, “But I could see Kokichi being a bird… but, like, a nice one. Not a jerk bird. A bird that doesn’t peck, or take massive chunks out of your arm.” Kaito frowned, “Screw you, Thaddeus.”

“Mmhm,” Shuichi hummed, looking over Kokichi, “You’re quick, light, small, can climb easily enough where you look like you could be flying… certainly.”

“I think he could also be compared to cats,” Kaito sighed, looking longingly at the closet, “...lovely little kittens…”

“Baby cats?” Shuichi pointed out dryly.

“Don’t… don’t make it weird!” Kaito sputtered, looking genuinely disturbed for a second. He had called plenty of partners in his time ‘baby’, it wasn’t a pet name that he was unfamiliar with… but Kokichi’s physique had made it a tad too strange. It made Kaito uncomfortable, at least using it in a sexy way, with Kokichi. “A-anyway, you’re definitely a panther, Shuichi.” 

“Noisy, flashy, used to eat like a bird too,” Kokichi added with a small laugh. While his partners brought up good points, in truth Kokichi had mostly been thinking of his usual trade of barbs with Denji when he’d thought about the comparison. While his big sibling was content to mostly call him a clown these days, there had been many extended metaphors in the past about his squawking. And in return, Kokichi still to this day compared Denji’s preening and strutting to peacocks so…maybe that was more just a trade between the two of them, than any real observations. 

He’d certainly take being a cat too, though. Cats were cool. 

Snorting, Kokichi gently nudged Kaito’s arm with his foot, having caught his look at the closet, though he shook his head a bit. “Mm, yeah. Dunno about ‘kitten’, really.”

“But I can see a panther,” he nodded at Shuuichi, grinning. “Absolutely an ambush predator--why waste energy chasing down prey when you can just snap ‘em up in a trap? Though, you’re more than powerful enough that it’s out of preference, rather than necessity. Panthers are really pretty too~”

“Panthers are gorgeous,” Kaito sighed, “Powerful, elegant… I mean, I assume. Obviously I’ve never seen one in real life. But there was this statue of one in Novoselic that left an impression on me. I don’t know if panthers are all black in real life, but this one was made of this real black stone, it was so smooth, and I was still skinny enough back then that I could nap on its back, and I did. Soaked up the sun. Aw, I miss that panther.”

Sighing… Kaito smirked at Shuichi, “Guess I’ll have to nap on you, instead.”

“What a tragedy for you.” Shuichi smiled lightly, “Not sure if you can comfortably lay on me entirely.”

“Just sleep on your stomach, handsome, and I’ll cozy up to that backsi–gah!” Kaito put his arm up defensively as Shuchi threw Miyako’s bottle at him, “Owwww.”

“You leave the booty alone, Kaito.” Shuichi huffed. 

Kokichi’s eyes went wide, his attention captured by the description of an all black panther statue. “Really? Wow… Sounds like it could’ve been made of obsidian. I usually like really colorful stones the best, but I heard about the Obsidian Spires in Rabbito Doubto and it just sounds magical… I can barely imagine the kind of craftsmanship to go into a sculpture like that.”

But it was much easier to imagine snuggling up to Shuuichi’s equally as magical behind. 

Snickering, Kokichi gave him a fond look. “You are the keeper of the castle. I’ll say that Shuu-chan’s front is quite comfy, though. Perfect sleeping spot, especially if I manage to tuck my face against your neck--usually get at least some protection from drooly nights too.”

“See?” Shuichi smiled, scooting over to Kokichi and wrapping his arms around him, cuddling up to him and smirking at Kaito,”That’s how you earn Shuichi pillows, Kaito. Take notes. What’s the saying… Kokichi has game? Kokichi has game.”

“Uh huh. Oh, does he now?” Kaito asked, resting his chin on his fist, looking over at Miyako, who was barely keeping her little eyes open, still strangling Little Lamb with her full body, “See how they treat me, sweet love? Ah, Miyaaaaa… try not to judge dad toooo hard for this, kay baby-love?”

And, sighing again, Kaito ran a hand through his hair, a small, amused look on his face… before he shrugged, thought to himself fuck it, before shifting onto his hands and knees, that small, amused smile never leaving his face, as he crawled to Shuichi… before kissing at his knees. “Shuichi… Shuichi, please? My Shuichi… I just want a little pillow action… please, Shuichi… handsome…”

Kissing at Shuichi’s thigh, Kaito peeked up between his bangs, his eyebrows twisting up a little, resting his head on Shuichi’s knee as he lightly petted at Shuichi’s thigh, “...please? Can I?”

Shuichi couldn’t answer, because his eyes had gone very, very wide, the pink flush in his face burning hot enough to turn a little magenta. His eyes wide enough to catch enough light that little sparkles of pink shone in his golden-gray eyes. Mouth in a thin, tight line. A little overwhelmed. 

“...K-kaito!” Shuichi squeaked, “N-not in front of Miyako!”

Miyako gave soft little baby snores.

Kokichi gave a happy little hum and leaned into Shuuichi’s hug, nuzzling his shoulder affectionately. “Respecting my husband’s boundaries and bodily autonomy is pretty sexy of me, yeah. Being comfortable with someone is, I think, my number one.”

But it wasn’t a far and away number one, and when Kaito paired that with the rest of his game…

Kokichi watched, amused and fixated, as Kaito played to Shuuichi’s weaknesses. Physically affectionate and wanting, but not demanding, not taking. Pleading with him, Shuuichi the first and final say. 

Kokichi might’ve had game, but no one could deny that Kaito didn’t. 

Leaning in to give Shuuichi’s cheek a soft kiss, Kokichi looked over to their snoozing daughter with a small, amused sigh. “...think she’d forgive us if I took her back to Grandpa?”

“I-I think if either of us stay behind, Kaito’s gonna ravage us.” Shuichi sputtered, reaching up to fuss with  his bangs a little, forcing himself to look away from Kaito, who was still looking up at him from his thigh. That small, amused little smile on his face, even as his entire body language was submissive and soft. “I-I’ll go with you.”

“Nooooo,” Kaito smiled, laying down on the floor on his side, grinning as he stretched himself out, his fingertips still on Shuichi’s leg, “Stay with me… I’ll miss you if you go…”

“Kokichi,” Shuichi grumbled, burying his face into Kokichi’s neck. His skin burning hot,  “Save me.”

“Mm, true…” Kokichi hummed, meeting Kaito’s gaze with a similar feeling. Honestly, he wanted to stay and ravage his partners too, but there was no way on earth they were doing a single thing more while Miyako was still in the room. Asleep or no, he was not going to traumatize their daughter. 

Wrapping his arms around Shuuichi, Kokichi rubbed his back softly, turning his head just enough to kiss Shuuichi’s ear. “You really want me too? Honestly…I think I’d get a little jealous if you guys started without me. It’s our special day…declaring that we’ll be together forever. I know you two run off in your own directions sometimes, but I think I’d feel a little left out today.”

Shuichi made a small little whine against Kokichi, leaning into his hold. Kaito smiled harder, enjoying watching them be so close… before he laughed a little. Sitting up and stretching his arms over his head, before sighing, “Ya know what? You two stay here and be all cute and cuddly. I’ll bring Miyako to grandpa. Miyaaaaa~”

Kaito, coo’ing slightly, picking up Miyako from her body pillow, chuckling lightly as her grip on Little Lamb didn’t so much as lighten, cuddling her to his chest as he coo’d softly to her, “Miyaaaaa~ would you like to go on a walk with dad? Wait, hold on, any diaper stuff we should deal with before… no? Shuichi, did you–”

“Changed her before her feeding, yes.” Shuichi said, peeking up at Kaito. 

“Isn’t dada so responsible~” Kaito praised, heading over to grab the baby bag, cradling Miyako in his arms as he gave his men a wink, “Kokichi, you alright with me doing the delivery? Don’t wanna ruin any plans you had of talking to Ikuo if you needed to.”

Kokichi chuckled softly, watching Kaito scoop Miyako up. He supposed that was the power of baby sleep, but he was astounded sometimes by how deeply she could snooze. Miyako Saihara ran on her own schedule, and nothing in the world would sway her, it seemed. 

And, well…that was certainly a wolf-river solution. 

“Nah,” Kokichi shook his head, rubbing Shuuichi’s waist as his husband leaned in. “I mean, we’d probably chat for a bit, yeah, but I didn’t have anything in particular I needed to tell him. Please pass on my thanks again for him bein’ a Super Grandpa today, though.”

“Will do! Okay, my super patient, resilient baby~ Come on. You’ve been soooo good today, dad’s so proud of you, he’s only gonna brag to Temp how patient little Miyako was a liiiitttle bit, we love Addie very much but he’s a little cry-baby, huh? Yes he is, yes he is~” Kaito coo’d to her, mildly bullying Addason as the door clicked close behind him, his voice immediately muffled and then gone.

“Is Kaito one of those insufferable parents?” Shuichi mused, relaxing against Kokichi more now that Kaito wasn’t around to tease back and forth with. “Like… is he going to be those parents constantly flexing on other parents his kids latest accomplishments? I don’t know if he’s done it much with Tim’s spelling bee… but he hasn’t talked to too many people outside of the people who’d already know about Tim’s spelling bee… hmm…”

Pressing his lips to Shuuichi’s head, Kokichi tried not to snort directly into his hair, but Shuuichi would still be able to feel the puffs of air from his laughs. “I think we’re all insufferable parents. You brag all the time about how smart Mi-Mi is, and I know I cry about her all the time to Temp and Alter Ego. And…honestly, I think I talk about Tim winning the spelling bee more than Kai-chan, but that’s just ‘cause I think I talk to more people that don’t know than him. He’s more of the type to praise the kids to their faces.”

“Though,” Kokichi hummed, “Waku-chan’s told me he can really get on tangents when they do their hangouts, so maybe it’s just stuff I haven’t seen.”

Snuggling Shuuichi more, Kokichi laughed. “There are worse traits to have, I think. And I don’t think we’ll get a mob after us, since it’s not like we really go to any PTA meetings.”

Shuichi shrugged, “Who knows if he’ll follow through, you know how Kaito can be, but he has talked about joining the PTA around here. He always talks about it like a pure hypothetical, but honestly, I think he’d really like it. Kaito’s not our most… academically studious family member,” Shuichi admitted, many, many panicked last minute study sessions still relatively fresh in his mind, “But he does at least have some traditional training in policy law and, well… I think he’d enjoy feeling like he was helping the kids more.”

Shuichi sighed, reaching over to eat some more snacks while still cuddling Kokichi as much as physically possible, “And considering how many luminary kids are around here now? Having a luminary adult there to advocate for them might actually be fairly important, if there isn’t one already. If Kaito’s on the fence about it, I think it might be intelligent to push him towards it.”

Kokichi nodded. Those were good points… 

“Well, the new school term is coming up soon,” he hummed. “Maybe the idea of starting fresh, right at the beginning will be the thing that entices him, if just poking at him again needs some sweetening.”

After a moment, Kokichi snorted again, grabbing an apple slice from their snack tray. “Think it would be too mean if I “happened to run into” his friend Samantha and mentioned that Kaito was on the fence about joining again?”

Kaito had talked about…everything Shuuichi just pointed out. Being involved with what the kids were doing in school, being there to be a voice for the much larger demographic of Luminary kids in their district now, just being able to get personal satisfaction out of something worthwhile. Maybe he just was looking for an opportunity. 

“Mmmm… Kaito pretty rarely starts any projects on his own. Big things, not like his figurines. He tends to…” Shuichi tilted his head, this being one of those things he was really only realizing as he said it aloud, though he supposed he had known this on some level for a long time, “Need permission? Before starting something like this? Even the letters thing he did, I know that he went to you and King Aiichi for it first before he started. And I think he asked Aiichi and Hideki if he could help before he decided on the mountain disaster… he never really does things just on his own. I actually can’t think of the last time he did.”

“That said, connecting him to Samantha and letting her know he needs some reassurance that he’s allowed to join them? Or even just us saying he probably should…” Shuichi huffed, shaking his head at himself a little, “I’ll just get Maki to push him into it. She could probably just wack him across the head and get him to commit.”

“Or I’ll just talk to him myself about it. I still find the idea of telling Kaito what he can or can’t do a little strange, but, well, if I’m going to start giving him my opinion about that more, I should do it for more than just how much skin he’s showing.” Recognizing that he was getting a little unnecessarily manipulative in his thinking, Shuichi sighed, looking around the food before offering, “You want to move this to the bed? I only set everything up here because it was comfier for Miyako.”

Kokichi hummed softly, lips turning down. With writing to the papers about Cedar’s case too… Kokichi had appreciated that Kaito asked him first, so he couldn’t really count that as Kaito just needing permission. Despite his assurance about it, it would’ve really blindsided him if he’d gone out on a walk one day to see Cedar’s picture in the paper out of nowhere. 

Hmm… Kaito was the one to get the cart rolling on their relationship therapy, though it wasn’t exactly something he could do on his own. And anything else…

Kokichi sighed. “I wanna at least bring it up with him again. If he still feels unsure after we do, then maybe I’ll talk to Samantha, but…even if he needs a push, I feel uncomfortable, like…forcing him to do things. And I know it’s not actual forcing, but…” Kokichi scoffed softly. “He hated writing those letters, and I think I was just constantly bringing them up for like a month before he started. Sometimes it’s hard for me to tell what he just wants assurance to start, or what he actually doesn’t want, but doesn’t want to let someone down with.”

Shaking his head a little, Kokichi looked back at Shuuichi, a smile playing at his lips. “My, my husband asking me to bed? How could I refuse~?”

Shuichi supposed that was true. Maybe that was another thing he needed to be conscious of. Now that he was more comfortable asking Kaito specifically for things, he didn’t want to end up the other extreme of pushing Kaito into things he genuinely disliked. He really thought Kaito would be happy in something like the PTA, but… honestly? If he had been asked about the letters, he’d have probably argued Kaito would like that project too. A public outreach position? In theory, that seemed right up Kaito’s ally. 

Shuichi supposed he had never actually asked Kaito why he had hated that job. Maybe he just didn’t like deskwork in general?

Shuichi, at Kokichi’s tone, flushed ever so lightly, before huffing a bit, gently pushing Kokichi away a bit. The gesture entirely playful, as he accused, “You can be just as bad as Kaito sometimes, did you know that? Honestly.”

Shifting up onto his knees, he collected some of the plates before heading onto the bed, laying them down before flopping backwards onto the bedding, making a small, content sound as the bed shifted with his weight, “There we go… does your hand sting?” Shuichi asked Kokichi, looking at his palm with a small pout, “My hand stings. Cutting the palm is honestly a terrible spot, I shouldn’t have allowed it. We have some numbing lotion in the bathroom, Kokichi, could you fetch it?”

“I’m flattered by the comparison,” Kokichi giggled, giving Shuuichi a wink as he bonelessly went along with the push. “What a lofty goal to aspire to, our Kai-chan.”

Getting up and helping Shuuichi move their snacks over, Kokichi sighed softly, looking at his own palm too. “...a little. I wasn’t thinking about it, really. When Priestess Angie did our ceremony, she told me first that we’d use my pinky. I know it’s true, that you guys had no idea about my hemophilia, but…I dunno. I find it sweet, she was so overly careful, like a few drops was gonna make me drop.”

Kokichi gave Shuuichi a look before smirking, leaning over to place a few kisses by Shuuichi’s knees. “Anything for you, dear.”

“Priestess Angie was a good sort… strange. But good. We were a little worried, when we were told she was going to be the one accompanying us, actually. She’s from… or, was from the city temple, not the castle temple. So she wasn’t one of the priestess’s who helped raise Kaito, and we assumed that was on purpose. Honestly, we were probably right, but that hardly made her the Tengan lackey we were prepping for.” Shuichi smiled lightly, waiting for Kokichi to come back as he reached back to grab some pillows, pulling them down to lay on them without having to move the plates around.

“She was kind of all over the place. She’d talk back to anyone about anything, made weird, random rules that sometimes seemed to be about keeping the caravan party safe and other times seemed to be mostly to amuse herself. Think… ‘pranks’. Like suddenly to praise Atua you had to sing a hymn before starting your meal for lunch, but she wouldn’t specify which hymn. So what usually happened was people would all be quickly going through different hymns creating this really garish noise, or sometimes a table would be able to coordinate everyone singing one hymn… Kaito loved that. He had so much fun with it before it eventually sort of faded off.” Shuichi smiled, “You know, I hated traveling. Traveling every day for six months was miserable. But it had moments.”

Returning with the lotion, Kokichi climbed over to Shuuichi’s side, snuggling against him and the pillows. And as Shuuichi talked about Priestess Angie and their time traveling, he smiled softly, letting his mind paint a theater of her antics. 

“That sounds incredible,” Kokichi laughed, and…really, anyone who stood up to Tengan was a good sort in his book, but doing it in a fun way was really the peak. “I was so worried and stressed out that I couldn’t really appreciate it, but…she was really kind during our ceremony.” 

He wished he had gotten to know her a little better. Had gotten to know more of the Party better. Maybe that would’ve made what happened to them even worse, but…the pain of leaving never compared to the joy of meeting. Or, maybe he was just feeling a little sentimental. 

“I dunno if I’d wanna do a trip that long, but I’m looking forward to when we’ll start planning out trips again,” Kokichi hummed. “There’s a lot of really amazing things to see in the world, and while I think I’ll always be happiest at home…I still wanna see ‘em.”

“I suppose I agree… though,” Shuichi snuggled in with Kokichi, though he took the lotion and started to carefully unwrap his bandage, taking the lotion and gently cleaning his palm a bit. He sighed at the immediate cooling feeling against his hand, the sting disappearing in it, before wrapping the bandage back around, “I’m still very happy exploring places in empath-land. It’s truly a remarkable gift, I always mean to ask you to show me more things. Traveling in the real world can be nice too though. We should try to visit more nearby places.”

“Want me to put some on your hand, Kokichi?” Shuichi offered, letting the lotion rest next to them for a moment as he wrapped his arm around Kokichi, snuggling him closet, “Mmmm… also, Kaito seems to be taking his time. You think he’s hoping if he waits long enough, he’ll catch us in a compromising position?” Shuichi laughed lightly, giving Kokichi a small kiss.

Kokichi giggled softly. “And I’m happy to do it…as long as we do end up getting enough sleep. Ah…Alter Ego showed me this…loop of clouds? Once? It was really amazing, like drifting through a sea of cotton-candy…though I think you’d hate it. Even if I could control the consequences for falling, I know you’re still not into heights.”

But getting to explore more nearby…that would be fun. There were all sorts of interesting and exciting places in Dicea to visit that Kokichi had only ever read about, and probably plenty more that never made it into books. Taking some time just to explore the country would be an excellent vacation. 

“Ah, yes please.” Kokichi glanced over, giving Shuuichi a nervously sheepish look. “I know it’s probably fine, since we compressed it and everything but…I’m a little nervous about still seeing blood on the bandages. Could…you take a look first for me?”

Accepting the kiss, Kokichi hummed. “Maybe. Though, even if we’ve told him enough, he always defaults to thinking we’re really shy with each other. Maybe someone caught him and wanted to chat?”

Shuichi hummed a small agreement, in general to everything, before sitting up to more carefully look at Kokichi’s hand then he had his own. Carefully unwrapping it, Shuichi was pleased to see the cut was thin enough that it had almost entirely scabbed close already, though the skin around the cut still looked red and irritated. Taking the lotion, Shuichi gently applied it, before closing up the bandage again, “It’s looking good. They gave both of us pretty thin cuts, I expect they’ll be gone in a matter of days. Kaito’s going to scar which,” Shuichi rolled his eyes, closing up the lotion and putting it on one of the nightstands, “I’m sure he’s thrilled with.”

Shuffling back to Kokichi, Shuichi contently returned to the position they had been in before, Kokichi pressed in and claiming that spot on Shuichi’s chest and neck he liked so much, while Shuichi sighed happily… before he suddenly laughed.

“Imagine we fell asleep right now?” He teased, “How devastated do you think Kaito would be?”

Then, opening his eyes, he said, “We should pretend to be asleep.”

Kokichi let out a small sigh of relief, though he only returned his gaze to Shuuichi, from where he’d been idly looking around their room, after he felt the bandage return around his hand. It was about what he’d guessed, but still, good to confirm. “I’m not super happy about him being hurt enough for more scars…but I know how much this one means to him. We’ll always know where we gave the blood from, but…well, I can see how a visual reminder, or proof, can feel more special.”

“...and at least it wasn’t as deep as last time.”

Nosing happily against Shuuichi’s neck, Kokichi hummed a short, pleased laugh before he snorted, pulling back just enough to look Shuuichi in the eyes. “So mean, my Shuu-chan. But let’s do it. I don’t think I’ll actually take a nap, but today’s been really full. Seems kinda nice to just chill and unwind a bit.”

Shuichi gave Kokichi a small, startled look… before his face brushed pink, a small, pleased smile on his face. Perhaps Kokichi had done it before, but he couldn’t recall ever hearing Kokichi refer to him that way before. He had figured out pretty quickly that the ‘our, my, your’ add-ons to names to specify who was important to who wasn’t really a thing in Dicea, and it wasn’t a cultural thing he was actively missing or anything… but it was still flattering to hear Kokichi say it plainly like that. 

“Oh, no, I won’t be actually sleeping. Kaito absolutely succeeded in riling me up, I’m going to spend some energy on you two,” Shuichi laughed, adjusting his legs to let Kokichi wrap a leg in between his, “I just like teasing him by acting more unaffected than I am. Did you see how smug he was, putting his head on my knee? He thinks he has me all figured out…”

“...and he does. Augh, I was not expecting that to affect me so much.” Shuichi groaned, putting a hand over his face, “Ah!”

There was a muffled but heavy sound of footsteps outside. 

He’d gone back to relax, but Kokichi paused, looking at Shuuichi curiously for a moment. Interesting… He wasn’t exactly sure what he’d done to get that flustered, happy look, but Kokichi was intent on doing it again. 

He had plenty of time to figure it out.

“He does know us pretty well,” Kokichi agreed, entangling their legs and cozying back into his spot, wrapping his arms around Shuuichi. “But that makes it more fun, to me. I like learning new things, but riding the wave of what’s tried and true is real nice sometimes.”

His ears perking at the sounds outside, Kokichi immediately snuggled his face back down against Shuuichi’s neck and closed his eyes, though he couldn’t resist pressing a few kisses against his husband’s skin.

“Stop that,” Shuichi giggled quietly, before closing his eyes, trying to give his best impression of sleeping.

“Alright, baby successfully delivered, grandfather properly groveled and praised, and…” Kaito went quiet, staring at Kokichi and Shuichi, who were snuggled up together on the bed. Sleeping soundly, looking sweet and peaceful, entirely put together and adorable.

…uh huh.

Closing the door quietly behind him, Kaito raised an eyebrow, smirking in amusement… before gasping, “Oh, come on, nooooo,” he whined softly, kicking off his shoes and pulling off his shirt, letting it fall to the floor as he walked to the bed. Watching in amusement as neither of their expressions or bodies so much as slightly twinged as the mattress shifted under Kaito’s extra weight, “My sweet husbands both fell asleep on me? And on our bonding day, too. That’s so cruel… and they’re both such deep sleepers, too.”

Kaito sighed dramatically, coming up to them on Kokichi’s side, since it was easier to lean over him and be able to touch Shuichi as well, as he loomed over them, “I bet even if I shouted and shook them, they’d still leave me all on my lonesome. Not even notice when Kaito’s giving little kisses, huh?” Kaito asked, leaning down to place a kiss on Kokichi’s cheek, then a quick on on Shuichi’s nose, murmuring close to them as he steadied himself by keeping one hand on either side of them, knelt over them, “No little Kaito kisses, no Kaito touches… and they’re not even doing their cute sleeping things. I don’t hear a single little snuffle,” Kaito accused, kissing Kokichi’s ear, before gently catching a lobe with his teeth, briefly running his lips over it, before moving onto Shuichi, kissing him deeply, “And no Shuichi sleepy drool?”

“Why, it’s almost,” Kaito whispered, running one of his hands under Kokichi’s shirt, pressing his thumb into Kokichi’s side, “Like you’re not asleep at all?”

Kokichi could tell that Kaito wasn’t believing it for an instant, but since he was playing along in his own way…what, was Kokichi the No Fun Brigade? He wanted to see where this was going. 

Still, maybe he wasn’t committed to being the best actor. As Kaito gently touched over him, kissing his ear, Kokichi smiled against Shuuichi’s skin, pressing a few of his own kisses in the meantime as well. It was all very cute, until--

“GGH!” Kokichi let out a short, choked laugh, his entire body seizing in and…well, liking kneeing Shuuichi very uncomfortably in the thigh. 

“OOF!” Shuichi winced, groaning in pain and immediately shifting onto his side, shielding Kokichi with his body almost on instinct, as as his leg throbbed as he whined, “Kaitoooo! Ow!”

“Ha ha ha ha ha!” Kaito laughed, immediately backing off and putting his hands up, but entirely unable to hide the snickering grin on his face as he shouted, “Sorry, sorry! My bad! Oh no, that’s, like, two people I’ve injured today! Pfffff, oh no, you okay, handsome? Kokichi’s bony knee pierce ya?”

“G’aaaaaaah, I’m divorcing you.” Shuichi swore, curling around Kokichi.

“How about you marry me first and then we’ll talk about that again.” Kaito snorted, plopping back down onto his butt, giving his two partners an amused look, “You guys looked so cute.”

“Oh no! Sorry, Shuu-chan!” 

Was what Kokichi tried to say, but partially muffled under Shuuichi’s body, it sounded more like, “Uh nuuh! S’rry, Huu-ka!”

Rubbing Shuuichi’s back, Kokichi tried to soothe him, even if it was the wrong body part. He just…had a feeling that rubbing his leg along Shuuichi’s would just make it worse. 

After a little bit of wiggling, Kokichi freed his face enough to half-pout at Kaito. “So your solution to cuteness was to assault my sides?”

Kaito grinned. It was one that showed all of his teeth, as he said almost coo’ingly, “And get you guys acting even cuter? Yeah. That was my solution, beautiful~”

“Plus!” Kaito said cheerfully, reaching for Shuichi, pulling him up and wrapping his arms around Shuichi’s waist, resting his chin on Shuichi’s shoulder, snickering into Shuichi’s ear, “Now we know Kokichi’s ticklish, huh? I had to dig my fingers in a little, he’s not as ticklish as you, handsome, but still! That’s fun~”

“Kaito.” Shuichi sighed, calming down from the TERRIBLE BLOW against him, still pouting a little though as he leaned back on Kaito, “You really know how to ruin sexual tension, hm?”

“What? You guys were pretending to be asleep when I came in! I am the sexual tension, Shuichi, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kaito insisted, before placing little kisses on the side of Shuichi’s face, grinning, “Don’t worry, I’ll build it back up again. I know you two are helpless without me~”

“I don’t think becoming the most lethal Muay Thai fighter is exactly becoming cuter,” Kokichi pouted. He…really hoped that wouldn’t bruise. Sure, his blows would never be that strong, but you didn’t have to be able to crush steel to hurt someone, and his bony joints had quite the pain modifier. Shuuichi would let him stew in it for quite a while before forgiving him if he’d caused a bruise. 

Pouting more, Kokichi just huffed and crawled back up Shuuichi, not wanting to lose his prime spot even if Kaito was sliding into his own. “I’m only a little ticklish…and it was mostly because you surprised me. And I was doing my own set-up! Selfish.”

Huffing, Kokichi turned up his nose at Kaito with an exaggerated “harumph!” before settling back against Shuuichi’s neck, kissing him more purposefully as his hands stroked over his hips. 

Kaito grinned slightly, watching with keen interest as Kokichi started getting forward with Shuichi. Those soft hips bending against Kokichi’s strokes, while Shuichi made a small little attentive sound, tilting his head to the side to give Kokichi easier access to him. “‘Kichi…”

Kaito raised an eyebrow at Shuichi breathily using Kaito’s nickname for their Kokichi, but generously decided to not try to claim exclusive ‘Kichi privileges. Just so long as everyone remembered who the original ‘Kichi’er was, thank you very much. Still, it really didn’t take much to get Kaito fully onboard, and arousal was already running through him just watching these small touches, position after position after position running like film footage through his head. Fuck he was pent up… he had been daydreaming about them both all day. Shuichi had been correct: he wanted to ravage them. 

Kissing at Shuichi’s shoulder, Kaito felt that tense need run through him again, “...boundaries talk, guys,” Kaito whispered into Shuichi’s skin. Nestling his hand over Shuichi’s stomach, gently massaging it as Kokichi stroked Shuichi’s hips. “What are we not up to tonight? I can already feel myself getting stupid in lust, so…gotta make it clear for your brute of a husband, okay? Anywhere we don’t want touched today?”

Shuichi, briefly, hesitated. Knowing what Kaito was asking, at least in regards to Shuichi himself, more than anything… and after a moment, he said, “No… I think… I think I’d be okay with anywhere tonight. But… just be careful, okay?”

Kokichi smiled into Shuuichi’s skin, his light flush hidden for the time being. He knew Shuuichi had never forgotten, and Shuuichi had made sure to call him ‘Kichi’ in moments like these before…but it was nice hearing it. It wasn’t like Shuuichi was uptight when they were together, but hearing Shuuichi use a nickname…

Sighing happily, Kokichi stole Shuuichi’s lips for a moment, taking his time tasting them before he sat up more properly. Hearing Shuuichi’s boundaries, Kokichi smiled adoringly at him, giving his hips an affectionate squeeze. Shuuichi declaring anything off-limits would never put a damper on things, of course, but…it was nice hearing that his husband was comfortable. With them and his body and…everything. 

And for himself…

“Mm… I don’t think I wanna get anything from the closet tonight,” he flashed Kaito an apologetic smile. “I know we’ve been waiting to get to it. Maybe I’ll feel different later, but I’m just kinda feelin’ like bein’ with my guys right now.”

“Ngh. Sexy ‘Kichi Kitty stays buried in the closet another day.” Kaito sighed, briefly grieving Sexy Kitty ‘Kichi… before he nodded, grieving done, “Alright! Though, on that note, I don’t have the patience to try to open me up tonight either. Sorry, handsome, you’re on bottom duty tonight!”

Shuichi rolled his eyes at Kaito, “Which is to the great disappointment of you and literally you alone.”

“I sacrifice so much for you two.” Kaito agreed, nodding. Smirking as he teased, “Kaito’s ideal night? Getting railed by his Shuichi while Kitty ‘Kichi rides on top… oh man.” Kaito’s eyes suddenly looked dazzled, as he admitted, “That was a joke, right up until I said it out loud, and now that’s definitely a long term goal for me. Fuck… I’ll be our next bridge, guys! I volunteer!”

“Bridge?” Shuichi asked, despite himself. 

“Like our first threesome, sorta. A short bridge, anyway… ooooh, but I could be a long bridge too, fucking swallow Kokichi down. It’d be easy, I could manage it,” Kaito grinned, eyes still alight with possibility… before he chuckled. Coming back down to earth as he let his hand fall to Shuichi’s backside, giving his ass a squeeze, though he was openly looking Kokichi over as he said, “But, not tonight. Too much work, and like ‘Kichi, I kinda wanna just be in the moment with you both. A sexy, sexy moment… fuck, ‘Kichi, you look so good in my shirt… you’d look better in only my shirt–”

“We haven’t gone through all of boundaries.” Shuichi reminded him, poking Kaito’s face.

“Ah, right! Any more hard no’s for either of you? I’ve had to resist pouncing on you both, like, twice now, so if we have any strong feelings about Kaito throwing his weight around…? Now’s the time to tell me.” Kaito grinned, biting slightly against Shuichi’s arm, nowhere near to the point of actual pressure, but clearly in a playful, biting mood as he said, “Do you wanna eat off me? I mean, if it does something for you, I’ll lean back, you can.”

Shuichi paused, clearly thinking about it… before shaking his head, “Not tonight. Though…” he looked away, flushing, “I wouldn’t be opposed to you acting more the way you were earlier.”

“You know, I have a tyrant Kokichi in my head that I love to play with… maybe I should replace him with you, hm?” Kaito hummed into his ear… before his eyes lit up again, “Or make a tyrant Shuichi and you two could be rivals. Oooooh.”

Like Shuuichi, Kokichi looked at Kaito with confusion at the new term he used. However as he…well. Kaito didn’t actually explain, but the examples were enough for Kokichi to get the gist, and he nodded. “Oh, like a Soigo Tower…though it makes sense you don’t call it that,” he mumbled to himself. He wondered if that was in the book. 

Giving Kaito a fond look--being only in his shirt was definitely something he could make happen--Kokichi hummed lightly. “Mm… My usual hard nos, and I think I don’t want you to hold me down as much anyway, if we get to that kind of situation. Mostly I just wanna kiss the heck out of my darling, sweet husbands tonight.”

“...but if we’re not gonna use them, we probably should move the food off the bed,” he nodded to the plates. 

And while it might’ve seemed like he was bouncing between moods, Kokichi’s eyes lit up as he remembered something. “Oh! Shuu-chan, we were thinking about you fucking my thighs sometime, right? Would you wanna do that tonight, maybe?”

As Kaito, ever dutiful, immediately started to move the food off the bed– Shuichi reaching over to steal a little more food before it got out of reach– he tilted his head slightly in consideration as he ate, “Hmmm… maybe? Neither of you would get much out of it though.”

“Tsk, you don’t know me at all. Are you kidding? I’d watch you fuck our ‘Kichi for hours.” Kaito said plainly, placing the plates on the desk, before throwing himself back onto the bed, “HUP! Actually, off go these pants! Kaito wants to be naked already, and I get what I want!” Kaito insisted, turning onto his back and shoving down his underwear and pants, kicking them off, “It’s my bonding night and I’ll be naked if I want to!”

“Kaito, you spend most of your nights in boxers either way. You’re basically naked most nights.”

“Let the little man fly free!” Kaito insisted, stretching out on the bed, looking incredibly pleased with himself… before turning onto his stomach, grinning wolfishly as he said, “Pass me a pillow, I wanna rest on it while I watch the show.”

Kokichi raised an incredulous eyebrow. “...Shuu-chan. Just ‘cause you won’t actually be in my ass, that doesn’t mean it won’t feel good to me. Yeah, like you won’t be hitting my prostate or anything, but my sexy husband is gonna be touching me and feeling good--what’s not to like?”

As Kaito got naked, though, Kokichi decided to follow his lead and make at least one of the things they’d been talking about a reality. Leaning away slightly, Kokichi wriggled, shooing his pajama bottoms off and leaving him to lounge just in Kaito’s shirt. …and his underwear, but that wasn’t visible from how long Kaito’s shirt was on him, so…same thing, basically. 

And with sensuality set (even at a minimum) Kokichi passed over one of the pillows he’d been lying on, rolled back onto the rest of the pile, and looked up at Shuuichi with glittering eyes. Reaching up to caress his cheek, Kokichi grinned. “Kiss me already?”

Shuichi laughed lightly, his face glowing, as he wrapped his arms around Kokichi’s neck. Pulling him in for a kiss.

-

It was a pretty long night, actually.

Kaito was still wide awake, like he usually was after a night like this. There was a strong scent of sex and sweat in the air, which Kaito personally always liked, though he’d want to air everything out before bringing Miyako back in the morning. Sleeping tucked against his shoulder was Shuichi, who had absolutely worked hardest out of all three of them and was taking a very well deserved rest. On top of Kaito himself Kokichi was laid out, Kokichi with an arm protectively around Shuichi’s back and using Kaito’s chest as a pillow. Small, soft snuffling sounds.

Kaito couldn’t move the arm Shuichi was laying on well, but with his free one he idly petted up and down Kokichi’s back. Warm, tired affection running through him. That euphoric afterglow nice enough on its own, but along with the type of day they had had…

“Atua, who loves me…” Kaito whispered, blinking vacantly up at the ceiling, “...wow. Were you watching? Did you see all of that?”

Kaito closed his eyes, letting out a small sigh. “Wow… what a day. Were you watching?” he asked again, pausing like Atua might actually be answering him. As usual, Kaito heard nothing. That was alright. It was all just a part of prayer for him, now. “Can you believe all of that? How did I get so lucky…”

Kaito was meaning the day as a whole, not just the last hour or so… but he smiled lightly, as recent, recent reasons to feel very luck occurred to him, Kaito’s laugh a small rumbling that shook Kokichi on his chest a little. Kaito wasn’t super worried about that though. Kokichi was a deep sleeper at the best of times, and after a nice bout of lovemaking? Kokichi was unwakeable.

…’lovemaking’? Kaito laughed again a little, affection running hotly through him. He could remember a time in his life he had rolled his eyes as sex being described that way. Not that it wasn’t for love, but, well… he supposed his circumstances had just made him feel self conscious, sometimes. To want to call it that. 

But, well, that’s what it was now.

Kaito grinned lazily. Lucky. So lucky…

“...you better be at the wedding tomorrow.” Kaito muttered to Atua, something mildly scolding in his tone, “Just because it’s not your ritual doesn’t mean you get to skip my wedding, Atua. I’m one of your chosen… come to my wedding. Jerk.”

A pause. 

Silence.

But Kaito nodded like Atua had answered. “Good. Good… it’s nice. Having family there… I mean, everyone else is family too. They’re mine… but also one of my, like, original family there. It’s nice, so… you gotta come, okay? You have to be there…”

Kaito closed his eyes, whispering, “And… Kohtalon can come too. And Priestess Merry. Come on, man, do us a solid, let her come, tell her this is going to be nicer than the last wedding, it’s totally worth it! And, uh… if you have him, um… you can tell General Juzo he can come. And… if they’re not too busy, you can tell some of my friends they can come too. I get it if they’re busy though, tell them no pressure. Um…”

“...my parents aren’t invited.” Kaito whispered, “So… just leave them to their trials. They need the time, I don’t want to distract them. They have a lot to work on…”

“But everyone else? Tell them they’re invited, okay?” Kaito whispered, “It’ll be fun. Tell them to come, okay, Atua? I won’t freak out if they’re ghosts, I-I’m way chiller about all the… the… ya know. That stuff. It’ll be cool. It’ll be fun.”

“...it’s okay if none of you come.” Kaito whispered, “I just wanted you to know you were invited.”

“...Atua be pleased.”

-

While there was the same sort of aplomb to it all--if less…serious, per se--as the day before, they had scheduled their wedding party a little later in the day. When he’d initially brought up scheduling and reservations, Kokichi hadn’t thought that they’d be getting, like, blackout drunk, or partying super hard, but it was still nice to get to sleep in a little and not have to rush everything in the morning. 

Though, even if he very much wanted to lounge in bed with his favorite people, Kokichi still found himself up in the morning, freshly showered and hair still a little damp as he hummed softly to Miyako, giving her her breakfast. 

“So…we should be all ready to go and heading to the hall no later than 11,” he went over again. “We have it booked ‘til 4, and an hour buffer for cleaning, though the manager said it’s kinda loose since there’s no one after us, but we definitely have to be out by 7. Father said we don’t have to worry about filing our certificate or anything, so…we can just focus on the party.”

“Mmhm, mhm.” Kaito hummed, readjusting the cape around his shoulders some more as he listened, peering at himself in the mirror. Like he had promised, this time he was a little more covered, a white under-armor shirt covering up most of his chest and stomach, though the rest of the outfit was the same. Kaito already missed the ‘barely covered’ feeling he had had yesterday, not even really having been all that cold, and having found something really comfortably about the outfit yesterday… but! He did feel like he needed a way to look different today for the main wedding, and the white shirt had been planned even before Shuichi had practically begged Kaito to wear more for the wedding itself. 

So, on it went. And he still looked good, of course! It was more sophisticated looking, if anything! Now Kaito just needed to get his bangs right…

Shuichi, in turn, was lounging on the bed, watching Kokichi feed Miyako, who looked bright and energized for the day. Wiggling happily in his arms even as she fed. “If we don’t need to sign the certificate, are we already married, then?”

He wasn’t sure if Kaito was just that excited to get into his wedding outfit, but Kokichi was happy that Kaito was getting ready so far in advance compared to him and Shuuichi. Even if he did have an outfit all picked out, Kokichi knew that there was a healthy chance that they’d be pushing their time limit if Kaito had decided to hang around like them. 

And Kokichi wasn’t complaining, getting to see Kaito in the outfit for longer. Even with his chest covered up. 

Looking over at Shuuichi, Kokichi raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth, before closing it, thinking it over for a moment before he half shrugged, careful to keep a steady cradle around Miyako. “Well…in a lot of senses we already are. We’ve declared to each other that we’re committed, and for a lot of people and structures, that’s enough.”

“But I misspoke,” he flashed an apologetic smile. “We still do have to sign the certificate--I mean, if you wanna. I just meant we don’t have to worry about taking it in to get filed and all that. Makes it a lot easier when your officiate is one of the most embroiled people in government.”

“We could just go do that now.” Kaito offered, grinning at his partners through the mirror, “Hey, hey… wanna go elope?”

Shuichi laughed at that lightly… before realizing, “They probably don’t have that concept here.”

“Whaaaaat?” Kaito gasped, turning around and leaning back on the desk, idly fiddling with putting an earring in, “Kokichi, babe! Do you guys have eloping? Or, like, tales of eloping? Come on, those are classics, you must!”

“If Dicean’s view declarations by themselves as the whole and large of a marriage in some places, then I really doubt it.” Shuichi pointed out, “It’s a bit interesting, actually. I imagine a great deal of our love stories wouldn’t make any sense to them.”

Gently patting Miyako’s back to burp her--and bouncing her a little, since it made her wiggle happily--Kokichi gave his husbands an amused look. “You guys have talked about it before… It’s just getting married without the party, right? I guess enough people do that too--like just randomly someone will start referring to their partner as a spouse and you’re all like ‘Ahhhhhh you got married!’”

Snorting, Kokichi gave them a very mildly heated look. “I know you’re joking, but if we actually ditched the party I might cry. There was so much coordination I managed to get everything going for this.”

“And the cake, Shuu-chan,” Kokichi pleaded. “We’d miss out on the cake.”

“‘Kichi! That’s not all eloping is!” Kaito insisted, looking genuinely scandalized… before grinning wide, something excited radiating off him as he bounced on his heels a little, “It’s about the drama!”

“Why the need to elope? Do the parents disapprove? Is one of them being sent to the battlefield the next day?” Shuichi listed out lazily.

“Are they going to battle TOGETHER the next day!” Kaito shouted, practically hopping, eyes wide and sparkling.

“Gyah!” Miyako shouted in solidarity.

“To soldiers on the battlefield, knowing that tomorrow may be their last day! Maybe they love each other, maybe they’re just caught up in the adrenaline of knowing trials are an the horizon, where they’ll be alone for so long… maybe they don’t love each other enough to promise eternity together,” Kaito sighed, crossing his arms and closing his eyes, smiling lightly, “Though impromptu bonding stories are also always sooo good… but! They might not want eternity, but dammit, they can promise this life! They’re bonded through love on the battlefield, and if their lifetime will be hours or years, they want to devote that lifetime to each other! So they go and find the priestess assigned to the battalion, or sneak into a nearby town, begging for anyone who will do it… or they just announce it to each other. Asking Atua to recognize their love! Gah!”

“Gah!” Miyako crowed.

Kaito crashed back onto the bed between the two of them, clearly swooning, “Those are the most exciting kinda love stories… I’m such a sucker for them. Ugh, the tragedy. The desperation! The strife! I love it.”

“Not that Kaito’s a huge fan of romance novels.” Shuichi dryly reminded him.

“What, a guy can’t love a good story for it’s own sake? Gotta say he loves the whole genre. Plenty of garbage romance books out there.” Kaito tsked. 

Wiping Miyako’s mouth, Kokichi couldn’t help but laugh softly as she joined in with her dad’s enthusiasm. If this kept up, the dramatics between the two of them would reach truly epic heights one day. 

To Kokichi, it just sounded more like the fun--the drama--was in the framing and execution of the story, rather than something inherent to the concept of eloping…but perhaps those weren’t really different things. He didn’t exactly have the proper cultural context to understand the appeal. 

But he did get the appeal of high-stakes, potentially tragic love stories. 

“And those are the ones we bonded over,” Kokichi shot back to Kaito’s dismissal of the genre. “Romance novels are fun, hun. No shame in saying you enjoy them.”

Throwing the burping pad in the laundry, Kokichi lifted Miyako into the air with a soft, “Hup!” and spun softly, giving her some good playtime with Daddy since it was about to be another busy day. “I don’t think it’d be exactly the same, but that kinda reminds me of one story I read. It was this whole saga about pirates, and…I think it was in the third or fourth book or something, they were in fierce battle with this sea monster they’d been terrorized for books, and two of the deuteragonists decided they wanted to get married in the middle of the battle, wanting to promise themselves to each other, even if death was imminent.”

Kokichi chuckled softly. “They were razzed by the whole crew for just awful timing.”

“Hah!” Kaito laughed, leaning over to wrap his arms around Shuichi, for once resting his head on one of his partners, ignoring Shuichi’s little ‘ooph’ as Kaito made himself at home on his stomach. Watching with affection as Miyako giggled in Kokichi’s hands, thoroughly enjoying Daddy’s attention. “أوه ، أراهن. هذا النوع من الدراما التي من شأنها أن تعرض الطاقم للخطر ". Oh, I bet. The kind of drama that would endanger the crew."

“But probably still very romantic.” Kaito laughed, adjusting to lay on Shuichi’s lap as Shuichi sat up, peering down at him. Kaito looked brightly up at him, “What’s up handsome? Am I too heavy?”

“You really don’t hear it when you do it, do you?” Shuichi guessed. 

“If you’re talking about the sound of your stomach, trust me, I hear it. It’s cute! We should feed you.”

“...I want to meet him.” Shuichi decided. Suddenly looking determined, looking to Kokichi, “I take it all back. I’m curious about it after all. I’d like to meet them.”

Kokichi looked over at Kaito in mild surprise before he just shook his head, bobbing Miya in the air. Even with the dreams Kaito had shown him, Kokichi really didn’t think he had enough reference to mimic the feeling of being on the open sea for Miyako, but she seemed to be enjoying it anyway. 

…he wondered if Caleb’s Kraken was anything like the sea monsters in those books. The guidebook said that none who got a glimpse of the creature ever lived to tell the tale, and describing great, unknowable beasts was kind of hard on account of them being unknowable…but the universe was vast. Coincidences could happen. 

Humming softly as he brought Miyako back to his chest, Kokichi gave Shuuichi a nod. “I mean, it’s not up to me if you go visit Cal-chan and Akane-chan and other Kai-chan,” he explained, mostly for Kaito’s benefit, “But I’m willing to make it happen, if you guys make a plan.”

“Oh! Are we talking about that?” Kaito realized, sitting up now as well, giving Shuichi a curious look, who did have the decency to look a little ashamed of himself. “Handsome, yeah, man, you could just ask me. I mean… yeah.” Kaito grinned, shrugging, “Kokichi isn't exactly the gatekeeper of my brain, bud.”

“N-no, I wasn’t trying to… I just wasn’t sure if health wise, Kokichi was up to making that sort of trip with me?” Shuichi explained, “So that’s why… sorry, Kaito.” Shuichi finally just said, his shoulder dropping a little, “Of course he isn’t. He’s just who I think about when it comes to empath things.”

“You’re alright~” Kaito promised, leaning over to give him a kiss on his cheek, “And I’d be happy for you to meet them! Well, me, really.” Kaito shrugged, leaning back on his hands, “Like… it’s weird, right? Because none of them are entirely ‘me’. I think I’m something else. But I definitely am all of them. Me and Alter Ego talk about that, trying to, like, decipher our relationship with our shards? I’m a completed, entirely other, like… being. But they’re also individually their own completed beings… who have all just agreed to also be me?”

“Um…?” Shuichi said.

“I know, I know, that’s messy sounding. It’s the best we’ve got so far!” Kaito laughed, shrugging, “I try not to worry about what that means for my shards too much. Alter Ego says that if they weren’t willing to be me, completely, then this wouldn’t have worked to begin with. That's how it is with him. Like, his shards all like being him. Mixing and melding with each other… he wouldn’t function if they didn’t all actively want it. So… I guess I’m not stealing anything from them? Nothing they weren’t willing to give up, anyway.”

“...though, maybe you guys don’t become anyone else’s shards?” Kaito said uneasily, “I’d miss you, okay? If it ever becomes an option? Uh… just throwing that out there.”

“I don’t think that’s going to be an issue, Kaito.”

“It happens! I literally know seven people it’s happened too! It’s a thing!”

It was…complicated. Kokichi was happy to hear that Kaito and Alter Ego had found someone to relate to, and took solidarity in each other as they navigated their identities. He had lent an ear whenever Alter Ego had wanted to talk about it, but he had a feeling it was different talking to someone in the same boat as you. And while Alter Ego did take a certain amount of responsibility regarding Kaito too…he wasn’t their mentee in the same way Kokichi was. Kokichi considered Alter Ego a friend, but he could understand a hesitance in expressing the full extent of their feelings with him. 

But, well…at the end of it all, Kokichi was just glad they had found a sort of peace with all parts of themselves. 

Spinning around on his heel, Kokichi huffed softly. “There’s already enough nonsense going on with my soul--if becoming a shard requires cooperation, then I think I’m safe. I’m not gonna entwine anyone else to Dicea like this…” He paused before looking up, giving his husbands a fond, amused look. “Well, other than what I’ve roped you guys into.”

“I’m made up of three people, Shuichi ate magic baby-making plant drugs, and you are still the most complicated part of this relationship, ‘Kichi.” Kaito grinned, chuckling a little, “Seriously, babe, at least being with you is interesting, on top of everything else. I need to read more love stories about people with reincarnating partners. Oooooh, I bet they’ll make me both all gooey and also absolutely sobbing.”

“Your birthday is coming up, I’ll find you some.” Shuichi promised, reaching over to gently pat Kaito on the back, who laughed some more. 

“I love you guys.” Kaito grinned, “Even with all the magical nonsense. You both are more than worth it… so! When do you wanna do this, Shuichi? I would not recommend tonight, since I’m going to be doing everything in my power to get a repeat of yesterday tonigh–”

“We’re not having Miyako sleep outside the room two nights in a row.” Shuichi shot down immediately.

“What!? It’s our wedding day!”

“It is,” Shuichi agreed. “And we were absolutely up past midnight last night. So, please don’t go around whining to anyone that we refused to have fun with you on our wedding day. We absolutely, technically did.”

“W-what!? Ah… ah?” Kaito gasped. “Eh??”

“If you quit looking all offended and hurt like that, I promise to make it worth your while later.” Shuichi smirked.

Kaito narrowed his eyes, suddenly looking suspicious, “...in a… sexy way?”

“Hmmm.” Shuichi hummed non-committedly. 

“There’s some heart-wrenching ones out there,” Kokichi confirmed with a chuckle. And…it was easy to say, at least right then. Maybe he was too quick to dismiss his capability for cooperation, but, at least when it came to himself--did that still count as cooperation?--Kokichi just felt…well, himself. He was at peace to the point he didn’t feel like there was anything to be at peace with. Perhaps that would change, but…never permanently. Just moments of sadness or grief, like anyone would feel in life. 

It was complicated on his end too, but…Kokichi was Kokichi. And that’s what mattered. 

Nodding in agreement with Shuuichi, Kokichi rounded the side of the bed, holding Miyako out a little to make Kaito come face-to-face with what he was fighting against. “Look at this face, Kai-chan,” Kokichi pointed out, Miyako happily drooling all over her hand. “She’s so happy being back with us, and I don’t even wanna imagine how it’s gonna go when I’m gonna set her down for our vows. She’ll be so betrayed, thinking yesterday was the end of it. I can’t dash her hope like that, giving her another sleepover with Grandpa or Aunty.”

“Ooooh, cheater.” Kaito accused, glaring at Kokichi over Miyako’s shoulder, before his face softened like butter in the sun as he looked at his beautiful, precious, drooly daughter, “Awwwww, Miyaaaaa~” 

Kaito reached up to take Miyako from Kokichi, cradling her against himself– she immediately got her hand on his cape, bringing it down to suck on it– murmuring with full devotion, “She was so good yesterday. Such a little warrior. So strong! My buff baby… sigh,” he said aloud, “Alright, fine. We’ve already asked too much of our princess. Miyaaaa~ Miyakoooo~ my good little love~” Kaito gushed, bringing her up and, ignoring how his cape went up with her in her mouth, kissing as her chubby little baby cheeks, “My Miyaaaa~”

Shuichi sighed, reaching over to gently start pulling at the cape, “Someone pass me a pacifier, or she’s going to cry.”

Miyako stubbornly held onto the cape. Suckling contently on it.

Laughing softly, Kokichi went over to one of the baby bags, getting Miyako’s pacifier. “Cheater, but I make a good point. Babysitters are well and good, but we’re pushing our luck with her patience. Plus, I wanna celebrate such a happy day with Mi-Mi too~ She won’t remember this in the slightest, but one day I might be able to show her and embarrass her with all her baby shenanigans.”

Passing over the pacifier, Kokichi sighed, putting his hands on his hips. “Alright… I think I should probably start getting dressed. Are you done, Kai-chan? Or just with round one?”

Kaito paused, considering… glanced at himself in the mirror. Looked again.

“...like,” he said, “give me twenty more minutes.”

Shuichi sighed.

-

They really could’ve had their wedding at the castle--Kokichi had seen plenty throughout the years. The castle was the main community center of the city, and it was a symbol of history and longevity and cooperation, not to mention many people just found the building lovely. 

However, Kokichi had never forgotten Shuuichi’s likely offhand comment about how they’d ‘probably just end up getting married at the castle’, and…yeah, the building was still all those things to him, but…it was just their home too. A place he loved to welcome people into for a fun time, but…Kokichi wanted something a little more special for their wedding. An amount of effort that his husbands would see and maybe feel a little more special in too. 

So he had rented out a reception hall in town, had it bedecked with starry lights and bright cloths and even a vined arch over the set up alter where they’d be taking their vows. And with their wedding cake, three tiered and sitting tall on a banquet table, plenty of floor space for dancing, even a little raised stage for the band…it really was something special. 

It’s not like Kaito had been completely hands off for the wedding preparations. He knew they were having it at the reception hall, and he had enthusiastically approved of a dozen little decisions Shuichi and Kokichi had orchestrated. He had sat in with Maki and Nazumi and Lake and the mentors all talking security, mostly just to stay up to date on what was happening. And, of course, he had helped Denji with the outfits and had, sigh, walked Shuichi and Kokichi to and from, just… way. Way too many cake testings. A disturbing amount of cake testings. His partners were more cake than people, in the last month.

In some ways, his involvement wasn’t all that different from the preparation for his first wedding. But in a lot of ways that mattered to Kaito, it had been very different. Sitting in on his loved ones making decisions for the big day feeling fun and exciting, rather than something that had sometimes oddly felt like a punishment by the people instructing him to be involved. He had enjoyed it.

But even having sat in for all those decisions, nothing had quite prepared Kaito to see it in action.

Kaito kept finding himself looking up, just awed by the decoration. The ceiling sparkled and shimmered and the more Kaito looked at it, the more the illusion of lights and glitter and tape became harder to distinguish, the bright, dazzling starlight mixing and meddling into something almost hypnotic. Meanwhile, both on the tables and also hanging like tapestries, twisting and turning against each other in some areas, were these thick, richly colored cloths, creating an almost swirling rainbow effect throughout the room. All of this while still leaving plenty of space for a beautifully woven arch, interlaced with what seemed to be naturally growing vines, where the certificate was placed on a small reading display that was high enough and had enough emphasis on in terms of the decoration that Kaito had actually laughed when he saw it.

Someone absolutely wanted to make certain he knew where the ceremony were happening, huh?

And thank goodness for all the space, because there were so many people here. More than Kaito had been expecting, honestly. Their bonding ceremony had felt like it had had a good amount of people too, but in comparison the bonding ceremony had been cozy and private: it felt like everyone was here now. Everyone from the castle, the staff and residents given a blanket invite, but also so many people Kaito, Kokichi and Shuichi just knew individually. 

And kids. So many kids.

It had been an hour already, and Kaito still worried that between the three of them, they hadn’t had a chance to talk to everyone and thank them for coming. And Kokichi, at the very least, was trying. His husband bouncing from person to person, bright and shining and being Dicea’s light as he did his best to thank and talk to everyone who had come for the wedding. Sometimes together, sometimes at various times– in a way almost tag-teaming between each other– Shuichi and Kaito had followed him, doing their best to escort him through his enthusiastic greeting of his people. Both fond as they watched him, if for slightly different reasons. Shuichi enjoying Kokichi’s happiness. Kaito enjoying watching the heir-apparent in action.

But as the music turned from a bright, bouncy party song to something simple, sweet and airy, Kokichi coming to get both of their hands as everyone went to find a space around the arch, Kaito hurriedly whispered to both of them, “Now? Now, right? That’s what this means?”

Kokichi laughed brightly, squeezing Kaito’s hand. “Now, yeah.”

Greeting all their guests, from people Kokichi had grown up with in the castle for years, to close friends, new friends, family…it was exhausting, but Kokichi felt himself feeling more pumped than ever. His and Kaito’s wedding had had an extensive guest list too, but this time…it was all people, more or less, Kokichi knew and loved. People who were truly there to celebrate the three of them, and not just coming for a party, or as political witnesses. 

This was for them.

Honestly, Kokichi kind of wished he could spend longer talking with everyone, but if he did he wouldn’t get to spend any time with his husbands. Though, greeting all his nieces and nephews and letting them in on the secret of what flavor of cake was in each tier was something he made sure to spend a little more time on. 

But now it was time. 

As they walked towards the arch, they paused by Ikuo briefly, Kokichi getting a firm hug from his dad (being “given away” this time) and all three of them fussed over Miyako for a good few moments, but, eventually, they joined Aiichi, the king looking over all of them with utter joy. Asking if they were ready--and, jokingly, affirming to Kaito again that they were starting, Aiichi cleared his throat, the music dying down and the crowd….moderately dying down. 

“We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Kokichi, Shuuichi, and Kaito--thank you all for coming,” Aiichi addressed the crowd. “There’s a lot to be said about these three, about their devotion and commitment to each other and their family, the grace to which they’ve taken each other’s hands to walk through this life and more together, but I think the best words are ones they speak themselves.”

At that, Aiichi gave them each an opening to speak.

In truth, Kaito had told both Suichi and Kokichi, in a thousand different ways, but also in very specific vows and oaths and speeches, how much they meant to him. It was funny, if he was remembering right: he had the same problem now as he did the last wedding. He had said what he wanted to say during the bonding ceremony, and didn’t have anything prepared for the wedding ceremony itself. What could he tell them right now that he didn’t already try to stress, over and over and over again, every day, how much they meant to him?

Well, it wasn’t just him. This was a public ceremony for his Shuichi, too. And… maybe there were things he still had to say to Shuichi, in a public setting, that mattered.

So, hoping Kokichi would forgive him if this seemed somewhat slanted towards Shuichi more than anyone else, and even if the Diceans themselves might not recognize why the words mattered, Kaito hardened his shoulders. Taking Shucihi’s hand, getting his attention, as he said loudly and clearly, staring into Shuichi’s eyes as he looked back at him almost curiously.

“...” Kaito was struck by Shuichi’s beauty, for a moment. Before he shook it off, getting back on target. “...Though I am not adopting their name, I am deeply honored to be granted entry into the Saihara household, and swear myself to their crest and creeds, as I have already with the Ouma household. I happily and with enthusiasm vow to live up to their standards. I swear it on the Momota name, and would repeat this vow to any court that would request its authenticity, for the rest of my life.”

“Holy shit.” Oliver whispered to Kyoko.

“...good.” She whispered back, as Nekomaru reassuringly rubbed her back.

Maki stiffened at that, slightly. But, well… Kaito had sworn to start honoring them. That was the sort of speech you’d only make adopting the name of higher ranking family, in a more old-fashioned– and through it likely more important in an official sense– style of a Luminary wedding. It wouldn’t mean much here, and legally Kaito still hadn’t actually given his name away…

But in Luminary the message would be clear.

He had done so in all but name.

And Shuichi… looked unphased. No, that wasn’t entirely right. He smiled. Unsurprised. Almost like he had been expecting it, word for word, as he said softly to Kaito, “I accept your vow.”

Kaito felt himself relax, grinning brightly in almost relief. 

Kokichi didn’t understand the wording, and he knew there was context that he just wouldn’t understand…but all the same, his eyes glittered with unshed tears, grinning wide at the few “awwww”s from the crowd (though he knew most of them would be even more lost than he was). Even without the proper context, he knew the feeling of what Kaito was vowing, and what it meant to Shuuichi, even if he didn’t look overcome with emotion. 

When it was his turn, Kokichi reached into the pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out notecards, giggling bashfully at the laughs and hoots from the crowd. But he only had eyes for his husbands as he cleared his throat. 

“Promise this isn’t gonna take forever,” he started, grinning up at them. 

“As a child, when I thought of my wedding day, everything I imagined came with a sense of duty. I’ve promised to uphold and uplift the ideals of my nation, of course, and my spouse was always supposed to just be a part of that.”

“But what a dreadful, lifeless way to live, separating myself from my humanity,” Kokichi impressed. “And further, after meeting you two…I don’t think I could ever achieve it. From the moment you extended friendship in some of our darkest days, from how you extended love, both showing me the soft, sweet moments, and a type of kindness that’s almost painful, from your resolve to taking each step forward, tugging me along even when the road is crumbling…”

Kokichi laughed brightly, his voice shaking with emotion. “Kaito, Shuuichi… My Shuu-chan and Kai-chan… You’ve reminded me that I’m alive. That the world is bright, and beautiful, and worth fighting for for every iota of those things. The future is uncertain, but I know without a doubt that the version I want to fight for is one right by your sides, whatever that looks like. Raising our family, pursuing our dreams…whatever next steps are out there for us, I know we’ll be able to take them together. Because we’ll make it so.”

As it became apparent his speech was over, there was some ruckus from the crowd, and distinctly the sounds of crying, Lake joining Denji this time, while Ikuo passed tissues between all three of them. 

There was, again, a small, pink flush to Shuichi’s face, spread entirely from the delight of hearing Kokichi casually claim him. Though, his expression calmed again into that simple, pleasant joy. Unsurprised but delighted with what he heard. An easy happiness that peacefully radiated off of him, as he listened to Kokichi’s vows.

Kaito, in turn, who felt his emotions so strongly, and so physically, couldn’t stop the buildup in his chest. Just… the sheer weight, sometimes, that their relationship had placed on him both somehow eased and somehow deepened. Like a raw nerve briefly stinging as healing balm was smoothed over it. 

Because fuck some of that had been all that he had wanted.

And fuck some of that had been so god damn hard won. Kaito reaching and grasping and pulling Kokichi back from places that Kaito knew if he failed, there’d be no recovery from. Kokichi going somewhere Kaito couldn’t follow.

Kaito didn’t know if Kokichi strictly meant it this way, but he couldn’t see another way to interpret it, in that moment. Kokichi was alive. His life wasn’t just some straight-lined downward stumble into an inevitable and quickly approaching grave. Their marriage wasn’t this temporary side project that Kokichi was trying to get done with the same grim urgency that he was putting together research and projects for a future he didn’t see himself as really a part of. 

He was here, and he was a part of this, and it was a long term investment that he needed to actively participate in.

And in so many moments that had been all Kaito had ever wanted to hear.

Shuichi glanced away from Kokichi, looking over his shoulders, “...oh, Kaito.”

“I-I’m okay! Keep going, we’re o-on a roll!” Kaito insisted, grabbing the puffs of his cape around his shoulders and bringing it up to dab at his eyes, “I’m good!”

Shuichi smiled warmly at Kaito, and then at Kokichi as well. And, because he couldn’t look at them both at the same time, he took both of their hands and lowered his head slightly and closed his eyes. Just trying to find the words he wanted, being in the moment as he felt both of them.

“...thank you.” Shuichi said softly, opening his eyes a little. The warm lights of the room and the music and the breaths and murmurs of their witnesses all surrounding him with a reassuring liveliness, but his focus and attention entirely on the hands in his. “...I have no doubts. About your love. Either of you.”

“I’ve doubted it before. I know I don’t have to tell you both that. And if I didn’t doubt the love, I often doubted my worth in it. If I deserved it. If it meant the same things about me as it did for other people. Real people.” Shuichi paused, continuing softly. Unconcerned if anyone besides his partners could hear him, unconcerned that those closest to them absolutely could. “What a terrible thing to think, but I did. For a long time. And still sometimes it’s there, in the back of my mind. ‘Real people’.”

“...but I don’t doubt it, with you both. Kaito, Kokichi… you make me feel confident. Assured. We’re still working things out, but I don’t doubt my place with you, and I don’t think I ever could now. You have spent this relationship reassuring and building and reinforcing every promise you keep making to me, every feeling you keep confessing, every love you keep swearing…” Shuichi smiled. Serene and peaceful. “And I believe you.”

“So… thank you.” He said softly. Raising his head and looking back and forth between both of them. “Thank you for convincing me.”

Though most of the hall hadn’t been able to hear most of Shuuichi’s speech, just from the adoring look on Kokichi’s face, and the tears still running down Kaito’s, they gave Shuuichi’s words the same bright praise. From the crowd, Drake whispered to Nadya, relaying the speech, and the two friends cheered some of the loudest of all. Knowing that Shuuichi wasn’t usually for that kind of attention, but knowing him even better that they made sure to do it. 

All their pieces said and done, Aiichi let out a small breath, overcome in his own way. And, more quietly than to the crowd, he said, “You three look so happy.”

Much more than the time before. Kokichi and Kaito had been determined and resilient, a little silly, a little friendly…but caught up in nerves and danger and uncertainty. And Shuuichi hadn’t been there at all. 

This time… His sons were happy. And it was everything he could wish for. 

Speaking more loudly again, Aiichi raised his head, looking at Shuuichi, and Kokichi and Kaito took that cue to send a glance to each other, taking rings out of their pockets. Simple, yet luxurious and elegant pieces that were gorgeous on their own, but could intertwine together into something truly special. 

“Shuuichi Saihara; do we receive your consent to wed Kokichi Momota Ouma and Kaito Ouma Momota, to be devoted to them in times of strife, to both offer a hand and take an offered one, to do everything in your power to make these men happy as their lawfully wedded husband?”

“Yes,” Shuichi said softly, placing his ring– silver, thin, twisting and elegant– on his finger. The metal cold and soothing to the touch. “I consent.”

“Kokichi Momota Ouma; do we receive your consent to wed Kaito Ouma Momota and Shuuichi Saihara, to be devoted to them in times of strife, to both offer a hand and take an offered one, to do everything in your power to make these men happy as their lawfully wedded husband?”

Kokichi squeezed Shuuichi’s hand, having lingered after handing over his half of the ring, and grinned up at his husbands. “I, Kokichi Momota Ouma, gleefully and whole-heartedly consent to this marriage.”

Aiichi matched Kokichi’s grin, for once father and son looking alike. 

“Kaito Ouma Momota; do we receive your consent to wed Shuuichi Saihara and Kokichi Momota Ouma, to be devoted to them in times of strife, to both offer a hand and take an offered one, to do everything in your power to make these men happy as their lawfully wedded husband?”

Kaito straightened his back, thumping his chest with his fist and grinning widely down at them, “I, Kaito Ouma Momota, absolutely consent! With all of me!”

“Then, to my great pleasure, on the authority given to me as chosen leader of the Kingdom of Dicea, I now pronounce you husbands! You may kiss.”

It wasn’t exactly planned, but with glee Kokichi popped up on his toes, kissing Shuuichi’s cheek and hoping that Kaito might recognize the plan he’d offhandedly talked about and would claim the other side. 

And, from the crowd, there came a call. “HEADS UP! THIS IS A FUN AND NON-LETHAL PETAL STORM!” And even then, there was a heavy beat of nothing before a cue, and the crowd threw large flower petals towards the husbands, cheers loud and rambunctious and full of joy. 

Kaito didn’t know the plan, but that didn’t really hold up anything. Leaning down on impulse and kissing the first part of Shuichi available to him, resting his hand on Shuichi’s shoulder as he placed a warm kiss against his other cheek. 

Shuichi smiled widely, his face pinking, as he couldn’t help but giggle. A tad overwhelmed, body filled with love.

Kaito, though he had been warned this was going to happen before hand, couldn’t help the small jolt at the sudden loud call… but he laughed loudly as the petals flew at them, raising his hand up to shield his eyes a little as he put a hand on Shuichi’s back. 

He wasn’t the only one to laugh, Nekomaru going up behind Maki and clasping her on the shoulder as he said over the shouting and cheering of the crowd, “HA! THAT LITTLE WARNING FOR OUR TYPES BENEFIT?”

“Diceans are almost as considerate as we are jumpy.” Maki said simply, staring at Shuichi, Kaito and Kokichi, who were laughing and giggling under the hail of flower petals. 

“You alright, little love?” Nekomaru said after a moment, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly, “It’s okay if you’re not. I won’t tell anyone.”

“...I’m alright, Mr. Nidai.” She said softly. A few flower petals falling on her shoulders and through her hair, Maki unaware of them as she continued to stare, “...I love them very much.”

“I know you do, Maki.” Nekomaru said, patting her on the shoulder a little with a small sigh, “You’re the strongest kid I ever raised. You prove it over and over. You can feel your feelings later, for now they need you to be strong.”

“...I don’t know if that’s true.” Maki said softly. “We’re not in danger. I’m not working. No one’s even realistically looking at me...I think it might be okay to feel them now, actually.”

Nekomaru glanced down at his charge. Watching her shoulders lift slightly. Her hands clench into fists. Her cheeks puff out in slight aggravation, as her eyes reddened. 

“...Well,” Nekomaru sighed, scratching at his nose, “If you’re waiting on my permission, you should know you don’t really need it anymore. But, go ahead, little love.”

And maybe that really had been all Maki was waiting on. Because her face turned red, like she was suddenly swallowing more air than she could handle. Her body filling with something like rapture and something like grief and whatever it was, it was too much for Maki’s small body. No part of her able to breathe fire or part the clouds with the strength of wings or crush mountains in her reckless, overwhelmed destruction of emotion.

Maki could not change the landscape of a country under the weight of her feelings. 

So Maki turned to the man who raised her and buried her head into his side and cried instead. 

-

They didn’t immediately take to the dancefloor, though the band picked up a bit. There were babies to check in with, siblings to tease and console, congratulations to receive. But it certainly did call, Kaito and Kokichi heading the siren song…

And while he wasn’t usually as enthused, Kokichi had pled enough with Shuuichi for him to join in on the first dance. 

A song that--while Kokichi had generally helped vet the whole set list--Kokichi had specifically requested from Catwings, just for this. 

Hand in hand in hand, the general bridge easily morphed into a jazzy croon, and soon a soft, delicate soprano drifted on top of the music. 

“Fly me to the moon, and let me play among the stars / Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars~”

“In other words / Please be true~ / In other words / I love you~”

Kaito smiled brightly, though he had never heard this song before. It was pretty… and he couldn’t help but laugh at the heavy space symbolism, turning a bit red as he teased the other two as they headed to the center, “Eeeeeey. It’s my song!”

“Favortism.” Shuichi huffed, before smirking, “And I believe this makes it our song. It’s a tradition, I believe. You don’t get dibs because it’s space-themed.”

“Yeah, but, like, come oooooon.” Kaito chuckled, grinning a little crookedly, eyes turning up in delight, “It’s a love song based on space. I had to be a factor in you guys picking it.”

“Well, don’t you feel important.” Shuichi said lightly… before gasping, as Kaito effortlessly sent him into a surprisingly gentle, slow easy spin. 

“I do, in fact.” Kaito said, twisting his other wrist to pull Kokichi into a spin into his side, catching him by the wrist. Grinning wolfishly… before confessing softly, “I have no idea how to dance with three people, I’m just gonna do my best, okay?”

“Maybe a little,” Kokichi giggled, easily going into the spin Kaito pulled him into. “I’ve always thought this song was really sweet, and…well, it’s one I haven’t sung for Miya, and it just so happens to be space-themed, so…”

Reaching out for Shuuichi, Kokichi joined a slow sway, grinning. “We’ll figure it out. Just like everything.”

Kaito chuckled, following into Kokichi’s sway. He couldn’t help the occasional fancy footwork, the occasional gentle twirl or close spin or easy dip… but they were sparse, partly because Shuichi would struggle to keep up with much more of a pace than that, and partly because they kept finding themselves whispering to each other. Giggling and joking and adoring each others company, as little by little everyone else felt comfortable joining on the grooms first song.

Timothy, looking shy and uncertain, kept glancing over at Kimiko, who was dancing cheerfully with Cali, glanced over at Miss Kawaii, considering asking her… before remembering that his mother did, like, fight dancing with dad all the time, went to see Maki out.

“Mom,” Timothy whispered, poking at her side to get her attention, looking embarrassed as she looked down, “...could you teach me to dance real quick?”

Maki raised an eyebrow, glanced around for Tim’s friends, saw them caught up dancing together, Kimiko with a surprising amount of grace, as the young artist tended to have with all of her physical tasks. “Hmmm. Sure. It’s easy, don’t worry.”

Taking Tim’s hand and putting him in the follow position, Maki showed him that one first, whispering to him, “You won’t have to watch your feet if you follow her lead, especially since you’re learning. Just be sure to lean and step back into the slight pressure in her lead, alright? Trust her, that’s key. Now, if you want to lead, count in your head one-two-three–”

Nekomaru, who was at the edge of the dance floor, Kyoko and Oliver both out on the dance floor together, took out a flask and took a long sip of burning whiskey, looking around… “Want some, your grace? Little spirit in your celebration?” Nekomaru offered Aiichi, showing him the flask with a lazy grin. “Or am I stepping over a line even Dicea would rather I not cross?”

It had been a good call for them to make sure the majority of the space in the hall was cleared for dancing. While not all of the guests had tailfeathers to shake, quite a few did, and many couples and small groups took to the floor after the married throuple. Nadya and Conrad swayed together, snickering against each other's shoulders as, for being physical people, they kept tripping over each others’ feet. Takashi had pulled Ryouhei into a fancy little waltz--literally pulled, as Ryouhei just seemed to sway wherever Takashi threw him. Blushing faintly, Drake had asked Amber to dance, and seemed to be concentrating very hard on not letting any of his trademark luck fall on her. 

And while Aiichi figured he’d take some time on the dancefloor himself, for the time being he was happy to stand by the side and watch his kids’ happiness. And he wasn’t the only one. 

Laughing softly, Aiichi gave Nekomaru a nod. “It is a special day. Thank you, Nekomaru.” Taking up the offered flask, he took a sip, letting out a heavy breath as the burn hit him. And, maybe feeling nostalgic, he sighed. “...I’m happy you and Kyouko are here--it’s a special thing, to witness your child getting married. I know Miyako would’ve been overjoyed, seeing them like this.”

“Queen Regent, wasn’t she? Miyako Sr.?” Nekomaru asked, though he already knew she was as he took his flask back. Sipping it down before closing it up, sighing as his body warmed, “Damn shame. For your and the little ones sake, wish she was here, your grace. Way I hear it, Dicea was robbed a formidable leader in her own right. Intelligent, steadfast, motivating. Damn shame. People don’t know how to leave a good thing alone.”

“Well, hopefully these people of yours have fucking learned, anyway.” Nekomaru said, gesturing to the three laughing princes, as Shuichi tried to dip Kokichi, fretting as he went, Kaito cheerfully encouraging them as Kokichi brayed in the slightly too low dip, “Got themselves another good thing here. Your kids got spitfire in him. And the brains not to fucking use it too. Two damn good qualities in a leader, I’d think. In my commoner opinion, ‘course.” Nekomaru scoffed, shoving his finger in his ear and cleaning it out a bit, “Dicea’s lucky he made it.” 

Aiichi nodded, silently confirming the known fact. As it often did, there was a slight pain in his expression. No matter how much time passed, Miyako’s death would remain a wound in the king’s heart. But it was not a wound he let fester, and…well, there was a lot right in front of him to be grateful for, rather than lingering in the past. She would’ve loved to see Kokichi like this, laughing and dancing with two people he loved with his whole heart…but Aiichi was loving seeing it right now. 

“You have quite a lot of wisdom where it concerns how a leader affects their people--I’d take your opinion quite highly,” Aiichi said with a small smile. “Though, I’m a bit biased in how I agree. He’s going to be a wonderful leader…and a wonderful son and husband too. He already is, after all.”

“We’re lucky to have Kaito and Shuuichi as well,” Aiichi grinned, watching the bright smile on Kaito’s face morph into incredulousness as Kokichi tried to dip him. “Kaito’s passion and love, Shuuichi’s wit and drive…” He glanced up at Nekomaru for a moment. “Maki’s will and heart, as well. I consider myself honored to call such exemplary people family. Even if their deeds do not end up as eras in history books, the light they bring to life around them is more than significant enough.”

Nekomaru chuckled a little, both standing straighter and also looking a little more grim as he said simply, “They may never use her name, but my Maki just burned herself into Luminary’s history books. Outpaced me by a thousand miles and still has the nerve to look to me like she’s waiting for me to assign her laps. Madness. Like she doesn’t know who she is now.” Nekomaru huffed, shaking his head, “Think they’ll ever notice when they’ve got us old men beat?”

Aiichi joined the huffing laugh. “Even cursing my name with every breath, Ko still turns to me even when I know he’s gotten things handled more than I ever will. Perhaps in a few decades they’ll start to consider it. Or when their own children start to excel and look at them the same way.”

“Hmph.” Nekomaru huffed. Taking out his flask and taking another small sip, offering Aiichi one more if he wanted it, “...you’re not Atuan, right, your grace? I heard the royal family answers to no gods. Must free up some time in your day… wanna hear an odd story by an odd Atuan?”

Aiichi declined the second sip. It was a day of merriment, but there was still a lot of party to be had. 

“We may answer to no god, but in return we answer to every citizen so…make of that as you will, concerning my schedule,” Aiichi laughed, before he nodded, making an indication for Nekomaru to continue. “That said, I have plenty of time today. Please?”

“Well, if you’re going to beg me.” Nekomaru smirked, putting the flask away and crossing his arms again, “Don’t know how much the kids have told you all about it, but once a year, there’s a ritual Atuans do. Observing Atua’s week. If you did every day, you’re considered a pretty devout follower of the religion, not everyone does. And if you do the final days ritual, you’re either very devout or you just like getting high as balls. For the ritual, you get high as balls, in case you missed the context clue I so subtly laid out.”

“Now, the late King Leon, may his trials be going well, only he’s supposed to be able to actually speak to Atua. That’s the job of the royal family, after all, be the folks Atua can talk to, relay messages to the rest of us.” Nekomaru said, watching the princes as the song shifted into something new. Light and bouncy and full of joy, “But, how the story goes, is that Atua’s words, on the day of his stars, can echo. And if you’re listening for it, doing the ritual, you might be able to hear what they’re saying to the Momota line.”

“Now, that’s mostly fantasy bullshit, to almost everyone in Luminary. Sorta like astrological signs: it’s something everyone’s heard of and knows and might even practice, but it’s pretty rare to find someone who believes in it as more than a fantastical flight of fancy. People like doing the ritual and they liked sharing with each other what they saw and they like looking for patterns and theorizing and then they like to never think about it again. That’s how it goes every year.”

“And people find patterns where they look for them.” Nekomaru shrugged, “Nothing unusual in that either. Thousands of people sharing their high dreams? Patterns are gonna get picked out, amplified, it’s typical. And last year, the patterns were plants. Flowers, vines, trees, every third person swore up and down they had seen plants in theirs. Others swore up and down they saw stars, popping like fireworks, which I thought was oddly specific to hear more than once, but the plants was the thing everyone started talking about. Plants.”

“And also, slowly but surely, people started swearing they had heard a name. Best they could tell, a female name. Now, you can bet, that starts going around, and suddenly a dozen different female names are being passed around as the one ‘everyone’ heard, according to ‘everyone else’,” Nekomaru said, rolling his eyes, “And after enough time and enough talking about it, no one could fucking tell you which name it was anymore, that got popularized as the one ‘everyone’ dreamed…”

“But I’ll tell you what.” Nekomaru said softly, “I remember what name I heard. Clear as crystal. Woke up knowing it as well as I knew my own, and no amount of rumor or people chatting at me a dozen other names made me twist it in my memory or forget what I heard, long before I came here.”

“Miyako.” Nekomaru said, glancing over at Ikuo, who was assuring Lake and Nazumi he really didn’t need a break, well, if you’re going to insist… “Everything for Miyako.”

“...like I said.” Nekomaru said, “Odd story from an odd Atuan.”

Aiichi generally knew the context Nekomaru had laid out. It was one of the few cultural exchanges he’d actually been privy to back when he’d been in school, even if his experience had been Leon brushing off the week of ceremony, expressing some relief that he didn’t have to do it (since it mostly mattered for his grandfather, the king at the time) and cracking a joke that he could probably convince their chaperones to let them get high since it was a religious matter. 

He had figured it was a joke, anyway, since they didn’t have the proper drugs associated with Atua’s day, and after coming to that roadblock Leon hadn’t mentioned it again. But, even as an offhanded aside, Aiichi had known, generally, that the ritual was meant for the Momotas to receive Atua’s words. 

And, well… If people believed in it, even as a form of social bonding, or as a fun activity to see patterns in, then…it was important. What people believed and took from something mattered so much more than if something was actually “true” or not. Simply by their belief and actions, they made their own interpretations true. 

The patterns that people put together from last year’s ritual, though…

For a moment, Aiichi looked up at the ex-assassin, surprised, before he hummed softly. A considering sound, as he looked over at little Miyako, bemused in her own baby way as Lake bobbed her to the music. “I suppose it must’ve come as something of a coincidence, then, when the boys declared her name. It will certainly be an interesting story for her down the road.”

Tilting his head slightly, nothing pointed or accusatory in his voice, Aiichi simply asked, “Does that mean anything to you now? Or simply a fun remark upon the strange ways the universe weaves together?”

“I’m a believer, for all the damn good it does me, so I think it means something, yeah.” Nekomaru nodded, his eyes following Aiichi’s path, watching the young princess stare at her godmother in bemused fascination, “I’m a fucking optimist too. Have to be, in my line of work. If there ain’t some fucking… good beneath it all? Something to make it all worth it, the struggle and the cruelty and the sheer weight of it all… ya gotta believe. That there’s something. Maybe not anything you’ll see personally, but some damn rainbow off on some fucking horizen.”

“Ya gotta believe it, because what other point is there, waking up every damn day, dealing with it all again?” Nekomaru said, his eyes grim… before he smirked. Nodding towards the party as he said, “And ya know what? I’m a selfish, self-involved piece of shit, so this? All of this? My kids all fucking free and dancing around and acting like little idiots, far from the country that, fuck, maybe this’ll be an upswing, who the fuck knows… definitely different now. Maybe different in a good way. But all of that, along with the vision, right before the little miss is born? I believe she might be a sign of good things to come. For who, fuck if I know, but I want to believe me and mine will get caught up in that good swing. Maybe everyone will. Who knows… but I believe that kid has big things in her future. Great things. So…”

Nekomaru smirked at Aiichi, reaching over to grasp his shoulder, companionably shaking him, “Take care of the grandkid then, yeah? Maybe teach her some shit. I can’t stick around to do it, all I’d be able to teach her is how to fight and how to die, and I’d damn well hope an Atuan chosen would need to learn something a little more dignified than that. So teach her some dignified shit! Something someone as important as she’s gonna be can use. Yeah?”

People needed something to believe in. It didn’t matter what it was, necessarily, if it was something like justice, or a happy afterlife, or just the assurance that everything was meant to be. Just…something. Because going through life without any purpose or goal wasn’t sustainable. 

Aiichi smiled softly. “Well, she has already brought along quite a bit of happiness, so I believe that’s a rather good start. I’ve always had hope that the future will be brighter in Ko’s hands… It should not have to be her responsibility for a long time, but I hope it will be brighter still in Miyako’s.”

And if Nekomaru believed that the future would be directly in her hands, in some way or another… It still was no reason to place that sort of burden on her shoulders (he’d, unfortunately, learned that with Kokichi) but there were plenty of lessons from the past to help her prepare for it. 

Laughing amicably, Aiichi went along with the shakes, patting Nekomaru’s shoulder in turn. “I’ll do my best. Though please do not be a stranger--our doors will always be open for you. And if there’s something left for me to teach Miyako that I haven’t already passed on to Kokichi, then I would assume there’s more for you to pass on as well.”

“Mmm, maybe. If I’m still kicking in a few years, maybe I’ll come back and teach that kid the proper way to turn someone’s weapon against them. Your kids a little skittish on weapons training I hear, so shit, my Maki might not have shown her that yet by then. That’ll be something from, well… whatever I am to her.” Nekomaru shrugged, “...we’re heading out soon. Probably within the week, assuming it’s not gonna be that tough to get a caravan rented. We just wanted to be here for the wedding, now we gotta go race that winter of yours.”

Taking his arm back, Nekomary crossed his arms and said, “So, thank you for your hospitality, your grace. This is a back-asswords country, no doubt about it, but we’ve enjoyed our time here. It’s a beautiful place. Good food… well, pretty food anyway. And your spas!” Nekomaru sighed, looking genuinely regretful as he said, “Gonna miss your spas. My skin’s been as smooth as Miyako’s bottom these last few months! Feel this! Feel! It’s like my damn skins silk! HAH HAH HAH HAH!” Nekomaru cackled, pulling up his sleeve to show Aiichi. Laughing at both the joke, the truth of his smooth skin, and the inappropriateness of being able to do this to a king without being dragged away to be ‘corrected’.

Nekomaru had had a great time in Dicea. It was a lot of fun.

But he was eager to be heading home again.

Meanwhile, as Nekomaru was insisting Aiichi really just feel the smoothness of his bicep, flexing as he did so, Shuichi was begging for a break. Very specifically, a pastry break.

“We have to get some cake slices, Kaito, before it all disappears!”

“Handsome, that cake is massive. We are not about to run out. People are going home with chunks of that cake.” Kaito said dryly, the three heading to the edge of the dance floor to not be in the way of the other dancers, panting a little, “I mean, obviously we can go get some, but we are not running out.”

“But there’s three flavors,” Kokichi countered, breathing a bit heavily as well, though there was a bright grin on his face. “Sure, maybe not the whole cake will be gone, but one of the flavors might be, and I wanted to try them all! That’s the whole reason we decided on it!”

Leaning forward around Kaito to better plan with Shuuichi, Kokichi gave his fellow sweets-lover a conspiratorial nod. “Which one do you wanna try first? I’ve been thinking about the orange zest with chocolate cream one for weeks.”

“I mean, obviously, that’s going to be amazing.” Shuichi nodded seriously, before clutching at his chest a little, face pinched in alarm, as he said, “But the almond cake with the cherry jam? Is it cruel that I spent some of last night, like, daydreaming about that flavor?”

Kaito looked briefly confused at the ‘cruel’ comment… before narrowing his eyes suspiciously. “Which part of last night?”

Shuichi not answering, just looking away demurely, did not appease any of Kaito’s suspicion, who mildly glared at him. Oh, come on, he was competing with the damn cakes now?? Like, during the act!? “Pfh. Well…” Kaito let out a huff of breath, trying not to sulk too much as he rolled his eyes, “Whatever. Guess I know a cheat now, for next time. Anyway, you guys said you got a chocolate, right? Probably just get that one.”

“Chocolate?” Shuichi said, narrowing his eyebrows slightly in offense, “We got dark chocolate with a whipped cream layer on moist sponge cake.”

“Yeah, man, the… the chocolate layer.” Kaito agreed, shrugging as he led his men to the cake, “We said the same thing.”

“We sampled and went to so many cake chefs, and he wants to just call it ‘chocolate’.” Shuichi huffed to Kokichi, “Caveman.”

Kokichi snorted out a laugh, not as offended to have come second string to cake. Honestly, if he had been thinking about it? He might’ve been daydreaming about their wedding cake too. It was a masterpiece of a tower, completed with three distinct flavors--because about halfway through the tastings, he and Shuuichi had realized that there was literally no reason why they had to limit themselves to one flavor--and decorated with swirling frosting, icing flowers, and little pearl sugar beads. It was a cake to stand above all other cakes--why shouldn’t they get a little lusty over it?

Shaking his head, Kokichi sighed a little. “I mean…we did want to get a chocolate layer. He’s not wrong… Feels a little insulting, compared to how it tastes, though. It’s like being wrapped up in a decadent chocolate hug.”

Eyeing his partners as they got to the table, Kokichi nodded decisively. “So. While we can always come back for more…do we wanna get extra big slices, so we can try a little of all of ‘em just from this trip? I’ll be honest, the world keeps seeming like it’s trying to keep me away from cake, so I don’t wanna bet everything on later.”

Shuichi and Kaito both agreed on big slices, with Kaito stressing that they didn’t have to eat it all at once, we could wrap it up and take it back to the room for later! Eh? Eeeeh? Cake now and later… no, Shuichi, that doesn’t mean get two big slices of each flavor for now and later, that’s… handsome that’s too much cake. You’re both gonna be rolly-pollies by the end of the day if you eat that much cake. Yes, I know it’s our wedding, but that’s six slices of cake, Shuichi.

Kaito lost, but at least he managed to convince them to preemptively have the second slices of all the flavors wrapped up under the assumption they were bringing them home, and, well, he’d continue the battle later when they actually were home. They were not eating six slices of cake each, dammit! 

Though, as they sat down at one of the available tables and started to eat, “...okay, yeah, that’s some pretty good chocolate.” Kaito agreed. “Good choice, guys!”

“We had to go through so many chocolate cake samples to settle on that one. Kokichi and I couldn’t choose between that ocean and the rose-infused one for ages. That one tastes better, but I was in love with how the other one smelled.” Shuichi sighed, “...maybe we could go back to that cake shop on the way home and just get another sample of it real quick.”

“No.”

Six slices of cake~ Weddings were truly something to behold. Kokichi knew he absolutely couldn’t eat that much in one day, but just the prospect of being able to…incredible. Perfect. A perfect complement to his perfect day with his perfect husbands. 

Nodding proudly as Kaito approved of the cake, Kokichi hummed happily at his own slice, the citrus and sweeter chocolate perfectly playing off each other. “Well, your birthday is coming up soon, Kai-chan. We definitely have recommendations, if we wanted to get a nice dessert for the big day. I know we didn’t do it last year, but would it be off base for it to kinda be like a nice celebration to wrap up Atua’s week too?”

And…well…there would be more celebration than that, but even if he’d spoiled the surprise already, Kokichi still wanted to play coy about the temple. It was so close to being ready, they just had to wait on the last decorations and pieces of furniture to come in and then…

“Mm,” Kokichi hummed around his fork. “Gotta remember to stock up on drinks ‘n snacks ‘n stuff too.”

Kaito couldn’t help but light up a little at the talk of Atua’s week. Shuichi watched this warmly. It was one thing that had moved seamlessly from Luminary to Dicea. Kaito didn’t ‘celebrate’ Atua’s week like one did a birthday or some massive party… but it was something he openly looked forward too, a quiet sort of joy in knowing it was around the corner. Maybe some years Shuichi had resented that excitement for it. He didn’t like how Kaito could obsess, sometimes, over the vision and what they could mean. Obsessed over them with the same desperate need that Shuichi had watched Kaito read over the letters that had nailed down the details of the treaty and the things Luminary and Dicea were exchanging around it, up to and including Kaito. Like somewhere in there was some validation that Kaito was craving, hidden like a puzzle. It could be… sad.

But this year? Honestly, Shuichi was just glad that Kaito still found something comforting and exciting, about Atua. Enough to want to fulfill the traditions of his week, and to hope to hear what she had to say on her day. That Kaito hadn’t lost that love for something that had been there for him his whole life.

Shuichi still didn’t really think he had it in him to ‘worship’ Atua, even knowing he was real. Maki had simply said that Atua’s existence meant her plan to make the goddess potentially answer some ‘difficult’ questions was just easier to plan for. Shuichi had asked Maki how in the hell she thought she was going to make a goddess answer personally to her. Maki had simply shrugged and said she’d let Shuichi know the second she had a first draft of a plan figured out. It had all felt eerily similar to the first time Maki had said she was going to get rid of the indentured program. Maki making it sound inevitable.

So… Shuichi hoped their connection to Kaito might smooth things out a little, someday, if Maki ever punched them in their face. Or, more likely, asked a literal divine being if ‘They want to die’. 

…damn this almond cake was good though. Shuichi blushed a little as he let the taste linger on his tongue a bit, enjoying it just as much as he had enjoyed last night. Mmmm… ooooh, if they did do the table thing again? This could be one of the dishes… mmmmmmmmm… maybe placed right between Kaito’s pecks, steadied by the dipping groove–

Kaito squinted as Shuichi’s blissed out expression, “...you are actually about to make me get jealous of a cake, huh handsome? Wow.” Shaking his head, he looked at Kokichi and asked curiously, “Hey, what was the flavor of our last wedding cake? Did you pick it?”

Kokichi blushed, getting a gentle gist of where Shuuichi’s thoughts had wandered. He definitely didn’t mind if Shuuichi made those daydreams a reality--would be pretty enthused, actually--but, uh…oof. That was a lot right now. 

“It was…a yellow cake with strawberry jam and vanilla frosting, I think,” Kokichi hummed. “Though I didn’t pick it. I was around for helping out with all the treaty drafts, but all the actual wedding planning? I was real sore and upset about it, so I kinda just left it to others.”

His lips twisted a little, before Kokichi shrugged, smiling gently. “Regret it now, but I’m happy we got to kick butt and plan the coolest wedding ever anyway. With three kinds of cake~”

As Kaito hummed lightly at that in approval, before boldly leaning over to plain ol’ steal the next piece of cake straight off Kokichi’s fork, “Mmmm, that one’s pretty good too!” they failed to notice some of the Siblings wandering up to the table, Piper and Glen coming up. Piper was being dragged by the arm by Glen, nervous and flustered, while Glen had a determined, steady look on his face. Catching their attention as he bowed and said, “Prince Kaito!”

Kaito jumped a little, “Uh? Oh! Glen, Piper! Um… hi? Are we shouting names?” He asked with a grin, before gesturing to the cake, “Also, you kids know that the cakes open for slices now, right? It’s good stuff, and there’s plenty, don’t feel like you’re not allowed to grab a piece, okay?”

“U-um, thank you, Prince Kaito, we’ll tell everyone, okay congratulations on the marriage, b-bye–eep!” Piper whined, jerked back by Glen as she tried to walk away, glaring at him as she whispered, “D-do you wanna die?”

“Piper made you three a song for the wedding day, but now she’s embarrassed to tell you about it.” Glen told them dryly, that serious look still on his face as he jerked her back again as once again she tried to bolt for it, “She’s been really excited to show you, so I’m humbly requesting you give her some time at your convenience, your graces.”

Kokichi lit up, though for the sake of Piper’s embarrassment he tried not to completely fawn over her. “You wrote us a song? Piper, that’s incredible! Thank you so much, that’s very kind of you.”

Glancing over the hall, immediately Kokichi’s mind began whirring…before he paused, giving the girl a kind smile. “Do you wanna just perform it for us? Catwings, the band on the stage there,” he nodded to indicate, “Are very nice people. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to take a break and give the spotlight to you if you’d like to perform for everyone.”

Kokichi had had…not many conversations with Piper, or the older kids at all. Understandably, though they knew he was married to Kaito and Shuuichi, he was a Foreign Prince in a Strange Land, and while they knew they could go to the castle for help, they were still a little wary towards him. Or, at least that’s the impression he got. Still…he was very fond of all his little nieces and nephews and niblings, and wanted to support them the best he could. 

And supporting a budding musical career, especially in the form of a gift, was very much within his capabilities.

Piper squeaked, something that might have been an attempt a word, before looking down at her feet, flustered. Glen, in turn, did indeed look a little wary and startled to be directly addressed by Kokichi, keeping his face as calm as he could, but notable grabbing at the end of his shirt, which was partly untucked like at some point he had been running around. Still, however nervous speaking to what the kids sometimes thought of as ‘real’ royalty (sure, Kaito was a royal, but… like. Come on. You couldn’t wrestle real royalty, or play pretend-house with him, or watch your eldest sibling scold them. The fact that they could had always meant something was off.) Glen was not about to back down at what he saw as an opportunity for Piper to show off something she had been working really hard on. So he bowed low and said, “Thank you, Prince Kokichi, that would be wonderful.”

“B-but not immediately! I need to… uh… I need to practice one more time! I have my hurdy gurdy, I just… eep!” Piper turned bright red, flustered, as Glen bowed one more time, before dragging her off, “G-give me a song or two, I’ll be back!”

“Awww, that’s sweet.” Shuichi said softly, before looking to Kaito and Kokichi, “Maybe you two should go make sure the band has a heads up then. Two songs from now, Piper’s going to get to play hers?”

“Sure! I can do it myself though,” Kaito said brightly, getting up. Shuichi smiled lightly at that too. Kaito could sometimes be really nervous to try to give any of the staff an ‘order’, and would sometimes insist Kokichi do it instead or that at least Kokichi was present, giving Kaito some illusion of authority in his requests. Shuichi wasn’t entirely certain why Kaito had that particular hangup, but he was glad to see it hadn’t so much as crossed his mind today, the tall man’s cape flourishing behind him as he headed towards the band. 

Shuichi turned to Kokichi, before smiling lightly. Reaching over and gently cleaning some cream off the side of Kokichi’s lips, “You’re making a bit of a mess of yourself, my husband.” Shuichi smirked. Maybe an odd, clunky thing to say, but… lighting up a little because now? He could say that. His husband, “...this all feels so unreal, sometimes.”

It wasn’t so much hinging on his decision--he had hired Catwings, yeah, but pretty much anyone could go up to request something, and it was the band’s jurisdiction to agree or not--but…well. He didn’t think there would be much objection to having Piper go up, and he was happy to be the person to ask so the kids didn’t have to fight off another round of nerves. 

Or for Kaito to be that person. 

Giggling as Shuuichi cleaned his face, Kokichi scooted his chair closer and bumped his shoulder against Shuuichi’s arm. “My bad~ Frosting really gets me, yanno?”

“...it really does, huh?” With a softer smile, Kokichi put a hand on Shuuichi’s thigh, just being close. “Trying to think about everything as…as one big thing, all together? It seems crazy…but it really is our life. Sometimes being a realist means believing in wonderfully fantastical things, it turns out.”

-

Seeing Prince Kaito approach at the tail end of the song, Ryouko nodded to the others, pausing for a moment as she half leaned down from the stage to hear him better. “Hey, Prince Kaito, congrats. Got a request for us?”

Kaito grinned, giving them a little wave before raising his voice a little, projecting, “Hey, thank you! You guys are great by the way, my partners adore you! Oh, wait, my husbands!” Kaito grinned, hopping on his heel a little, “My husbands adore you! Anyway, in two songs do you think you’d be okay with an amateur artist coming up to play one of her own songs? One of my kids made a song for us apparently, we want to kinda make an event of it for her.”

Giving a grateful nod to the praise, as Kaito made his request, a slow, sinister-looking smirk stretched across the bassist’s face. Just like how Kokichi had lit up, so too did the band get excited, Kinme clutching her hands to her chest with a delicate grin, Georgetta giving a small woop from the back as Jemzy passed on the message. 

“Your kid got musical hands? Absolutely,” Ryouko chuckled. “We’d love to give her stage time. Two songs, you said? We’ll hold to it.”

“Hey, what’s her name? We can give her a proper headline when it’s time.”

“She does! She’s a hurdy-gurdy girl, she’s actually mastering the instrument I gave her myself, when I used to play, so you can imagine how damn proud I am to see her improve on it.” Kaito casually gushed, “Though she’s already way better than I ever was on it. She’s going to be remembered as one of the greats someday! So, remember the name Piper Goodwin, of the Kinginko family! You can say a few decades from now that you were there for her first stage performance!”

Kaito grinned wide, thanking the band again– he didn’t notice how sinister the smile was. He was in a good mood and he liked the band and everything was rosy and sweet in his mind, so he couldn’t really see things like that right now, due to Kaito-vision– before stepping back to let them setup for their next song. Watching them for a moment, just enjoying himself as the next song began to swell…

There was a small, random CLAP– CLAP-CLAP among the crowd. Shuichi looked up, surprised by that, before quickly looking around. He spotted Nadya in the crowd, who was staring at him, and then pointed to a figure approaching Kaito from behind. 

Shuichi, brow furrowing, did the same: CLAP–CLAP-CLAP, catching Maki’s attention, who hadn’t been able to see Nadya from where she was in the crowd and was still looking. Maki looked to Shuichi, who gestured towards the stage, Maki able to follow his line of sight. Maki squared her shoulders, nodding minutely, before bee-lining towards Kaito and the figure, moving quickly.

“Not this time,” Shuichi whispered, narrowing his eyes as he watched this unfold, “Not my wedding.”

Luckily for Kaito and his rosy view of everything, the deadly smile across Ryouko’s face didn’t…actually mean anything. It was an unfortunate fact of the Kuroo family that they all looked like slimy conmen, no matter what they did. In reality, Ryouko was delighted and excited to make space for a budding musician, and it was just her face that sent false warning signs to people. 

Really, Ryouko was just happy she didn’t set off Papa Bear reactions in the prince, as her bandmates all teased her for looking like she was plotting murder as she went back to center-stage for them to start the next song. 

Kokichi looked up at the strange claps, a little slower to figure out what was going on than Shuuichi, but when he followed his line of sight… 

“Oh! I’m glad Tangouai could make it! I was worried that his invitation might’ve gotten lost in the mail… I know he likes the dramatics, but I was asking people to RSVP.”

“Hush, Kokichi, I’m trying to watch this.” Shuichi scolded, idly waving his hand at Kokichi as he peered at the developing scene, “I asked Nadya, Timothy and Hajime to all keep an eye out for him and send the signal if they saw him, and he still got this close? This man has the skills to be an assassin, I swear…”

And as Kaito had just decided to head back to his husband, get a little more cake-time in, a hand reached down and grabbed his wrist. Kaito’s eyes widening as he was pulled into the starting pose of a dance, hand on his waist and the hand on his wrist quickly entangling into his fingers, “...Tangouai.” Kaito gasped. 

“We meet again,” Tangouai smirked, immediately stepping back to twist Kaito into a small, two-step spin, which of course Kaito easily followed into, even as he scowled at Tangouai trying to immediately take the lead, “I was warned, uh, very pointedly by a woman who’s name I never got but I think might be your mom??”

“Miss Kirigiri?” Kaito guessed, twisting back into starting position, Tangouai grabbing his hand again, “She’s kind of my step-mom, sort of. Mother in law? Mentor in law? It’s complicated.”

“Sure-sure-sure, well, she said if I tried to take over the lighting system for a big entrance, a few people in here might throw daggers at me on instinct, soooooo figured I’d just come in and grab ya~” Tangouai smirked, Kaito huffed as he led Kaito into a dip– which, again, Kaito let him. Dance battled didn’t work if ya fought the dance moves. Then it was just wrestling– smirking as he looked down at him… before saying excitedly, “Oh, and congratulations! The ceremony was beautiful! Though, was your vow, like, a Luminary thing, or…?”

“Ah, yeah, it basically was meant to mean I recognize myself as joining Shuichi’s family rather than him joining mine? It’s like a pretty serious respect thing back home. Just wanted to honor him, you know?”

“That’s cool, man! I don’t entirely get it, but it sounds sweet! Shuichi seems like a great guy! Now… KAITO MOMOTA!” Tangouai shouted, flicking his wrist and sending Kaito out sprawling, the two balancing each other out as Tangouaii posed with his hand in the air, Kaito dramatically scowling at him, “IT IS TIME! FOR OUR LATEST, GREATEST BATTLE! I CHALLENGE– hah!?”

Kaito barely caught himself as Tanguoai was was ripped away from him, the dance hall having gone quiet as the drama unfolded, though the band, apparently knowing narrative tension when they saw it, kept the background music appropriately shocking as Maki, face a stony neutral and her grip tight around Tangouai’s hand, forced him into a turn, a spin, and tripping him up by his ankle, holding him up in a dip where he just barely missed the floor. Staring up at her in shock, as Maki simply said:

“Challenge accepted.” 

Shuichi smiled wickedly. Having never felt more smug to have Maki on his side.

Kokichi fondly watched the familiar scenario, watching his husband get stolen away into a dance battle. The first time, Kokichi hadn’t known enough to be delighted by Kaito willingly engaging with a new person, and he had simply enjoyed the ridiculousness of him and Kaito trying to out-dance Tangouai and his partner at their wedding, and then the two of them going at it when Kokichi needed a break. The second time, Kokichi had still found it funny, but he had been a little put out, just waiting at the bar. Though, he had met Amber through all of that, so it wasn’t a bad memory. 

And every time since? Kokichi was just happy that Kaito had made another friend, as silly as the times they spent together were. 

That said, Kokichi laughed whole-heartedly and was very excited to have his husband back as they watched Tangouai get his ass handed to him. 

Snorting his brays, Kokichi rested his forehead on Shuuichi’s shoulder. “Did you plan this too?”

“Of course I did. According to your stories, this man shows up and steals Kaito for several songs, every time you go dancing.” Shuichi huffed, puffing out his chest a bit as he watched Maki and Tangouai ‘fight’ valiantly in the center, getting more and more of a crowd around them as people stopped their own dancing to watch the beautiful, energy-filled scene unfold. Tangouai getting better and better at matching Maki’s heated movements, but not having managed to take the lead back yet as she threw him into an open spin, ran around him, and caught him on the other side. “I wasn’t about to have to share Kaito on our damn wedding day. Any other day is fine.”

“Pffff. Okay, but you are so possessive.” Kaito laughed as he got close enough to the table to hear them, going behind Shuichi’s chair and resting his chin on Shuichi’s head, lazily wrapping an arm around Shuichi’s free shoulder, his other around Kokichi’s, giving them a loose hug as he watched the dance, “Did it occur to you I like the dance challenges?”

“It did. That is why I did not inform you of the plan.” Shuichi said pointedly, “You can spend an hour dancing with Tangouai next time. Today’s Kokichi’s and I’s day to monopolize you.”

“Of course, m’lord.” Kaito smirked, placing a kiss on the top of Shuichi’s head, “...it is kinda satisfying watching someone else try to grapple with dance-sparring Maki. God, look at them go. Maki’s not giving an inch.”

“He only did for one, when we went to the Friday dance,” Kokichi spoke up in mild defense. “Despite stealing our husband, he is pretty good about, yanno, not being an asshole about it. And it does give me breaks without feeling guilty about making Kai-chan stop too.”

Humming happily, Kokichi leaned back into Kaito’s hug as they watched the intense dance unfold. “Course she wouldn’t--Maki-chan plays for keeps. Though I have to hand it to him for not completely giving in. Maki-chan’s a good enough dancer that she wouldn’t let her partner just fall unless that’s what she was trying to do, but he’s not totally just being thrown around either. Though…that does sound pretty fun.”

Nuzzling back against Kaito a little, Kokichi just brought his plate up to his chest. “We can get back to the floor soon, if you want. I definitely wanna finish eating before it’s Piper’s turn, so we can listen and dance to her song with full attention.”

“Let’s do it~ Though! Please don’t scarf down your cakes.” Kaito warned grimly, leaning down to kiss Kokichi’s cheek, “I swear, if you get a stomach ache, I’m going to be so salty when I’m rubbing your stomach in the bathroom or something. Wherever I manage to successfully roll you.”

-

They had played their two songs, of course, but being out of the way from the rest of the hall, the stage had some…interesting acoustics. Perfect for radiating out into the rest of the hall, but also…able to hear a few things from some of the backrooms. 

It was a lovely chord progression, though not something overly complex. Something that experienced music arrangers and jam musicians could easily learn and riff over with just a few moments. And, after exchanging a look, confirming that they’d all heard it, matching smiles grew between the band members of Catwings, a silent plan agreed upon. 

Kinme Bokuto, petite but having been singing out the soft arias of the night, smiled with an airy sort of delicateness as Piper came over to the stage, offering the young girl help up like a picture of a fairy queen. “Hello, Miss Piper. Prince Kaito was really excited about your song--let’s get you set up on stage so you can play.”

“U-um, thank you.” Piper said quietly, her hands shaking a little as she took Kinme’s. Not everyone was staring, thankfully, most of the guests taking the music stopping as a cue to mingle and chat with each other, a few heading off to grab their first pieces of food, though the three grooms were hurrying to the dance floor, excited. Piper peeked over to them, feeling a sense of relief as she saw not just Big Sister Maki and Big Sister Hina both give her a warm wave from the crowd, but also a good number of her siblings start to come to the dance floor, excited to see her up there. It felt a little more like she was doing one of her little sit-around songs for her siblings, like she did every now and again, and her nerves eased a little as Kaito, Kokichi and Shuichi came up. “Hi…”

“Don’t be so shy, you’ve got this! And you’re just playing for us, everyone here is friendly, I promise! Anyone so much as breathes a bad huff of breath at ya, and I’ll throw them right out of my wedding!” Kaito promised, “But I’m not gonna have to, cause no one’s gonna do that!”

“Yeah… um, j-just so you know, I don’t know how well the lyrics line up with your marriage.” She admitted, shifting nervously from foot to foot, “It was just meant to be a simple love song and then I made it a little dramatic and added some flourish… it’s not perfect, or meant to be entirely accurate.”

Moving some of their equipment out of the way, Catwings set up the bounce board just for Piper, exchanging glances all the way. Georgie did her absolute best not to start laughing when she saw Jemzy looking over his collection of brass off to the side. There were about to be so many embellishments. 

Meanwhile, Kokichi grinned up at Piper. “Just the fact that you thought of us at all is so heartfelt I can barely contain myself. I’m sure it’s gonna be wonderful, Piper--you’re a great musician, after all.”

All set up, Georgetta clapped her drumsticks together, gathering attention. “All right! Please welcome on Miss Piper Goodwin, here to perform an original piece, written just for Kokichi, Shuuichi, and Kaito’s wedding! Give her a hand, for--!”

Giving her the lead in, the bombastic woman gave Piper an encouraging grin, whispering, “You can announce the song name here, if you’ve got one, hun.”

Piper was a near permanent bright red at the moment, the freckles scattered across her face flaring darkly against the sheepish all-body blush, before she called out shyly, “Um… ‘s called ‘When the Day Met the Night’... ‘simple… um…”

And realizing the words were stuck in her throat, Piper just did the next thing that came to her. She closed her eyes and started to play.

Kaito had, in a fit of angry depression, given up on the Hurdy-Gurdy, the choice an act of rebellion against parents that weren’t paying attention enough to notice he had ever done it. But giving up the practice didn’t mean there wasn’t a large part of Kaito that didn’t genuinely adore the sound. As Piper started to turn the handle, Kaito felt an immediate affection run through him, giving her an encouraging grin she couldn’t see, before taking his husbands hands and pulling them gently out to dance.

Pipers voice started soft, but grew stronger quickly. Lost in the act of playing as she sang out.

When the moon fell in love with the sun

All was golden in the sky.

All was golden when the day met the night.

The song started up with a soft, droning chord, a few sweeping notes played on top, giving the piece a gentle, ethereal feeling. Having heard her practice, Catwings knew it picked up later, so as they settled in the back of the stage they genuinely took a break for this part, though they remained near their instruments. Because of how they’d set up, Piper and her hurdy-gurdy would be the most dynamic sounds, but even softer layers could make quite an impact. 

Something everyone in the hall could hear now, and as Piper began to sing, and Kaito pulled him and Shuuichi out of the crowd slightly to dance, Kokichi felt himself swaying with his partners, the words like fresh buttercups floating on the breeze. 

Soon enough, Georgie started up a simple groove on some toms, while Ryouko harmonized some arpeggios under Piper’s chords. The whole band starting to feel the pulse and heart of the song.

When the sun found the moon,

He was drinking tea in his garden

Under the green umbrella trees

At the end of summer.

“I suppose Kokichi must be the moon?” Shuichi whispered with a small chuckle, leaning into Kaito, who was less dancing and more just holding them both right now, swaying lightly and lazily from foot to foot. Shuichi closed his eyes, as he whispered, “Just so we’re clear, I am absolutely the moon in this dynamic.”

“I like the idea of our ‘Kichi being our golden sky.” Kaito grinned.

When the moon found the sun,

He looked like he was barely hanging on.

“...hey.” Kaito pouted, as Shuichi laughed into his shoulder.

“Maybe it’s not meant to be you?” Shuichi tried, as Kaito continued to playfully pout.

But his eyes saved his life,

At the end of summer.

Kokichi swayed, leaning into Kaito just like a mirror of Shuuichi, though he kept a fond hand on Shuuichi’s back, basking in the presence of his husbands as the song swelled through them. “She did say it wasn’t one-to-one,” he murmured with a quiet laugh. “But it still feels pretty spot on. You two saved me from a life without you in it, after all.”

As the energy built, Jemzy brought out his trumpet, the sound not overpowering despite how much he seemed to put of himself into playing. Not wanting to oversaturate the melodic structure, Kinme took up one of Georgie’s tambourines, saving her voice for the perfect moments to provide backup for Piper. 

Piper’s eyes fluttered open, looking behind her in slight, startled wonder. But as surprised as she was to hear the the trumpet, her fingers deftly played on, as she song out.

In the middle of summer,

All was golden in the sky

All was golden when the day met the night

Summer, all was golden in the sky

All was golden when the day met the night

Summer– 

“Summer~” Kaito half-sang along, squeezing them close with a grin.

“Summer~” Kokichi echoed, before laughing softly, pressing into the hug. 

“Summer~” Shuichi sighed, smiling lightly. Not about to break the harmony.

They might’ve been getting married in the fall, but they had met in the summer. With all of the few peaceful moments, all the harrowing ones…and they had still stuck together. Cherishing any golden days they could get, until they had the chance to fight for them too. 

Kokichi wasn’t really sure how much of the story, and how many of them Piper had heard. If it was just luck that her embellishments fell closer to home than she’d intended. But all the same…it was sweet, and the song nestled a special, personal space in Kokichi’s heart. 

Perhaps Pipers flourish’s were just that. Little flourish’s based on nothing but a little girl trying to make one of her first original songs more interesting. It’d be fair if that was the case, and it is what she said.

But bards were more than singers. They were history tellers. Oral keepers of a type of truth that bordered between reality, mysticism and romanticism. And while Kaito was ready to believe Piper had only stumbled onto a piece of history she could in no way truly know about, Kaito still found himself deeply admiring her abilities as an amatuer bard, as she sang:

So he said, “Would it be alright?

If we just sat and talked for a little while,

If in exchange for your time,

I give you this smile?”

And he said, “That’s okay,

As long as you can make a promise 

Not to break my little heart

Or leave me all alone past the summer.”

Because it didn’t really matter, for Kaito, who the ‘moon’ was meant to be, in that context. Or even if he was or wasn’t supposed to be the sun. Or if it wasn’t a one for one either way, the sun and moon mere metaphors rather than placeholders…

Had that not been what happened?

Take away all the terror and conspiracy and violence and madness… in both cases…

Wasn’t that how it went?

At that, the tempo changed. Piper playing her instrument a little faster, hopping on her feet a bit, as she more called out than sang, “So he was just hanging around, then he fell in love! And he didn’t know how, but he couldn’t get out, just hanging around, then he fell in love! In the end of–”

Summer! 

All was golden in the sky! 

All was golden when the day met the night!

Despite himself, Kokichi felt his eyes start to tear up, and he let out a brief little sniffle, keeping himself from completely breaking down. The heart Piper put into her performance, along with the words as they were…

He’d said so during his vows, and they went over it again and again in therapy. The greatest promise they had made to each other had been to stay. To promise to talk, their prizes each other’s smiles…to not leave. Each moment they had fought to bring Shuuichi back, every moment learning to be kinder so Kokichi would stay, Kaito choosing despite everything to stay…

And, amid all that, they fell in love. Each action of love growing stronger. 

As the tempo increased, and as the band enthusiastically overlaid Piper’s song, people started to dance. Bright smiles, the song sweet and uplifting and damn good fun to hop around too. And Piper, still too startled to keep her eyes closed, watched this with wide, dazzled eyes. A sheer adrenaline and joy of performing to a large crowd that seemed to genuinely be enjoying itself, the music swinging and swelling around her like a physical force, her own voice and the soft drone of her instrument among that near-physical beast of music…

Piper smiled wide, a little overwhelmed, as she belted out as loud as she could,

When the moon fell in love with the sun,

All was golden in the sky! 

All was golden in the sky, when the day met the night! 

In the end of summer!

“Summer~” Oliver coo’d to Kyoko, who just stared adoringly back as they swayed.

“Summer~” Kimiko laughed as she watched Cali and Tim try to practice dancing together, both stressfully watching their feet.

“Summer~” Nadya and Conrad laughed together, booping their noses as even just spinning their dancing became off-kilter. 

“Mm-mm,” Andromeda softly hummed against Denji’s ear, the two of them swaying off to the side. Denji just fondly rolling their eyes at their girlfriend, too lazy to even sing along with the words, even if she got the tune right. 

“Summer,” Ryouhei, on the other hand, simply said without the tune, whispering to Takashi to the other scribe’s starry-eyed astonishment. 

“Summer!” Lake and Nazumi cheered, helping Miyako dance to her cousin’s song too, since she had begun to wiggle excitedly as the music picked up. 

“Summer.” Maki whispered, closing her eyes as she listened to the music.

All was golden when the day met the night.

-

Kaito would have sold his left nut for a recorded copy of that song. Even a few days later, it rang through his head playfully, Kaito basking in secondhand joy as he recalled dancing with his husbands while Piper sang joyfully. 

What a damn good day. What a damn good couple of days. Atua be pleased, because Kaito sure as fuck was. And he had woken up every day since in a good mood. Still riding the high of his wedding.

He was married to Shuichi Saihara.

He was married to Shuichi Saihara.

And on top of that, they were both lovingly married to Kokichi Ouma. And Kaito couldn’t stop thinking about how lucky he was, that that was true. How had he managed two? Two!? And he loved them and they loved each other and GAH! 

There was nothing in the docket for the week, really, and that was purposefully so. As much fun as their wedding was, there had been an understanding that the three would probably be exhausted after the events, and sure, they were. They were still dutifully taking care of Miyako and Kaito had gone with Maki to get school supplies for Timothy, school starting up next week. But beyond that? They were just laying around and hanging out and chilling, for the last few days…

But Kaito was in a great mood. And when he was feeling good like this, he liked to go out. So when his cooking class came up that week, Kaito had asked his partners if they’d be okay with him taking a break from their lazy days to go do class stuff, and they had bartered for him to bring back something delicious in return. So! Kaito was gonna work extra hard to make something– hm?

As Kaito passed an alley-way, he overheard some voices. Soft, at first, but as he stopped, listening closer…

“Don’t roll your eyes at me! I saw you take it!” Arven accused, glaring in honest frustration at the pink-haired kid. Gripping his hands tightly in damn near righteous indignation as he glared at the teen from his good eye, “Go back, and give her back that…” 

Arven glanced at the bottle in Doppio’s hand, something genuinely uncertain running through him, not recognizing the name on the label. Taking a wild guess, he tried, “Seasoning sauce! The butcher lady has always been nice to me, she doesn’t deserve jerks like you taking her shit!”

Doppio was having a horrible day. He only refrained from calling it the worst day ever because he’d had some phenomenally bad ones, but this one was sure trying to make the grade.

First, he’d had one of those mornings. But we don’t talk about those mornings. 

Then he’d had a meeting (if you could call it that) with a member from one of the supply routes, and, like every other time he’d met them, Doppio had spent a very stressed out time listening to Vladimir condescend to him while simultaneously trying not to let Angelica peer pressure him into taking blow. 

Then he’d double checked his shopping list for the day, and they’d been out of vermouth which was in, like, every other recipe in his cookbook, and Doppio wasn’t even sure if they had any other type of white cooking wine, so he’d gone out to buy some, but he’d forgotten his ID, and the lady at the store was convinced he was underage, and then had gotten really aggressive about it and he’d been kicked out and, honestly all Doppio wanted to do is cry and go home and cook so he just took the bottle and left some money and he’d been about to do that when--!!

When this asshole with the really cute dog came at him.

So, where normally Doppio would just back down, try to get out of some fight…

He was red in the face, trying to pull his arm out of the striped-haired guy’s grip, from where he’d proven that Doppio had taken the bottle, and legitimately Doppio was two seconds from socking the guy in the face. 

“I paid for it, asshole!” Doppio growled, his teeth grit. “I don’t care what she deserves, I didn’t steal, and I’m just trying to go--what’s your fucking damage?! Let go of me!”

“Shove off, you didn’t pay for it! I go to that counter every time I come to the market cause she’ll let Chief have some of the ground beef, and I’ve never seen her sell a bottle of sauce that big before! That was for her and you stole it you–”

‘Chief’ in question, a truly massive dog with long hair and a, up to this point, calm disposition, had been contently sitting in the alley, waiting for his boy to finish his conversation with the new boy. Occasionally his tail would thump if either of them glanced his way, but otherwise he was a good ol’ dog who didn’t mind waiting while the pups roughhoused…

But his teeth pulled back and growled when a big one suddenly reached out and grabbed his boy's collar, pulling him back before, glancing over at the pink-haired pup, muttering, “Yeah, no.” Before reaching out and grabbing the other one's collar too.

“Alright, enough of whatever’s going on! Doppio, what the hell are you doing!?” Kaito shouted, ignoring Arven’s shouts of outrage as he tried to squirm out of Kaito’s grip, “Why the hell do I keep finding you in alleys!?”

It absolutely wasn’t a personal bottle, because Doppio would never serve The Boss something that might’ve been contaminated by someone else, and he’d seen the rows of other liquor so…bullshit. 

However, even as the other guy was pulled back, Doppio’s eyes simply widened in further rage. He just barely managed to hold onto the neck of the bottle, and just barely had enough sense not to crack it over the head of some dickwad, he didn’t have time for yet another person to bother him today, he’d had enough!

But, somewhere, Doppio dimly recognized who had pulled him back. 

Still didn’t stop the gutteral sound of utter frustration that left him. “MAYBE STOP LOOKING IN ALLEYS THEN, KAITO!!”

Tears of anger starting to bead up in his eyes, Doppio snarled at the other guy. “This JERK-OFF followed me out from the market, saying I stole this when I paid, and I’m just trying to get back home! I have things to do! That include not being a petty thief!” 

“He’s a liar! He’s lying! Get off me old man or I’m gonna sic my dog on you! He’s a fighting dog, he could rip you apart!” Arven (lied) shouted, trying to pull the back of his jacket out of Kaito’s grip and not getting any traction.

Gosh, they were both very small.

Kaito raised an eyebrow at the two (ah fuck seeing him next to another teen god dammit Doppio was a teenager dammit) kids, admittedly shifting somewhat nervously when the dog, Chief, barked. Kaito giving the dog a wary look and vaguely worried about how it was very conveniently dick height, for ‘horrible biting possibilities’ range. Hmmmm.

“Look, I’m giving you both one warning, and that’s it: if you both don’t take some deep breaths in the next three seconds, then you’re about to get real up close and personal when I knock your damn heads together, alright!? Deep breaths or bonked heads, that’s your options right now! You’ve got to three! One–”

“You can’t do that, who the hell are you!? Put me down!”

“One of these, fucking now.” Kaito took in a deep, exaggerated breath, “Two–”

“I’m not lying!” Doppio yelled, his voice breaking at the end. 

(It was…weird. Doppio did register that the guy in the vest was…some kind of teen. Even being taller than him, it was apparent. Still, looking at him…there was nothing in Doppio’s head that said “kid”. Or that recognized him as a peer. There was just no comparison, though the guy was probably too frustrated to note that Doppio had never made a dig calling him something like a dumb kid. Or he simply recognized Doppio as a teen too.)

Still spitting with anger, Doppio knew that Kaito was serious, that he really would bash the two of them together. He didn’t like being hurt, though he could deal with it when it happened, but more worryingly…he was still holding the bottle of wine out. If he dropped it…

Thinking fast, Doppio blurted out, “You wouldn’t do that! I have brain damage!”

“Wha’...” Kaito got distracted from his counting, giving Doppio an incredulous look. “What? What the hell do you mean you have brain damage?”

Arven, in turn, also looked a little shocked… before glaring at the other guy, “Sorry to break it to you, but being stupid isn’t the same as being brain damaged. Gah!!”

“Okay, that’s enough out of you.” Kaito said dryly, with a grunt, lifting Arven off his feet. Arven was by no means easy to lift, especially with Kaito’s non-dominant arm, but Kaito also didn’t work on his biceps for no damn reason, as he swung the other kid to look at the wall a bit, ignoring his struggles, before looking to Doppio in concern, “Did something happen since the last time I saw you?”

A little flushed now from embarrassment, rather than solely from anger, Doppio gave Kaito a mildly confused look…though it was less pure confusion, and more of a, ‘c’mon, man, work with me here’ look. 

Though, Doppio just switched it back to a growl as Peppermint Boy spoke up again. “I’m not stupid!”

Just…not very smart. 

Huffing, Doppio half-heartedly tried to tug himself out of Kaito’s grip. “N…no, I mean…my passing out thing. I guess… I-I mean, I guess it’s not really brain damage, but rattling my skull around certainly can’t help.” He narrowed his eyes at the other guy. “Especially against some thick-skulled bonehead.”

For some reason, though, that did click something together in Doppio’s head, and he blinked at Kaito. He wasn’t much less aggressive, but he said without aplomb, “Oh, but you got married since before. Congrats on that.”

Kaito just sighed at the congratulations, shaking his head in exasperation. “You’re gonna give me an aneurysm, I swear. Hey, are we calming down? I was serious before, if you both can give me a few deep breaths? Then I’m gonna put you down.”

“Or what? You just gonna hang me here forever? We’re gonna go into retirement and old age together in this exact position?” Arven scowled petulantly, crossing his arms as he glared at the brick wall in annoyance. “...fiiine. H’aaaauff! Hoooo. There! Can I get down now!?”

“One more,” Kaito told him plainly, looking meaningfully at Doppio.

Doppio glared at the other guy for a moment--even if he was turned away--then glared at Kaito. He could absolutely kick him in the nuts. 

The bottle, Aceto. It’s all for Boss. 

Sighing, Doppio rolled his eyes and took deep breaths, holding the bottle with two hands and planning on putting it in his grocery bag with everything else the instant Kaito put him down. He was taking no chances. It was already always risky enough trying to bring home anything made of glass. 

Hearing the breaths he was asking for, Kaito felt a little bit of relief– the kid with the dog was heavy– before letting him down, letting go of Doppio too. “Alright, good. Now, Doppio, what’s this bottle– okay, no, don’t fucking do that, we’re having a conversation.” Kaito scowled, not reaching out to force Doppio to stop putting the bottle away but clearly disapproving. “Why the hell are we shouting about seasoning sauce? …also, that’s not seasoning sauce. That’s tequila.”

“What? I…” Arven frowned, thrown by a loop by this. He had never personally had too many chances to see bottles of alcohol in person. His mother didn’t keep a liquor cabinet for him to break into. Well, not at home, anyway. It’d probably be more convenient for her to keep it at the lab anyway, since, well… “That’s even worse!” Arven insisted, pointing accusingly at Doppio, “He just wants to get drunk then! No way he’s old enough!”

“Kid, okay, one–” Kaito frowned, turning to Arven and putting up a finger, “While it’s admirable you’re trying to protect a stall owner you like… otherwise, what the hell are you getting out of this?”

“Huh?” Arven asked, looking genuinely baffled.

“Yeah, I get it, getting stolen from sucks, but you’re in an alley with a bigass dog cornering some guy to a wall and shouting at him for stealing a bottle and maybe wanting to drink underage? For what? Cause it offends you that he did that? Calm down, seeing someone do something maybe wrong doesn’t give you permission to run around like some fucking asshole, hear me? You’re coming off this worse than he is.” Kaito told the kid plainly, who gaped in indignation at him, before looking to Doppio, “And Doppio, you can be an asshole, so did you? Steal that? Cause look, we can get this taken care of right now and I can just go pay for this. You being my sidekick means your mistakes are my mistakes, and this doesn’t have to be a mistake at all. Just be honest with me.”

“It’s not tequila,” Doppio huffed, pausing from putting the bottle away to display the label to the others. “It’s white vermouth--cooking wine. Yanno. For the job I have, ring a bell?”

While not putting his hackles up again, Doppio did resume his glare at the other guy. He’d had it with being treated like a kid today…

And while…it…was kinda nice for someone to stick up for him for once…

“I didn’t,” Doppio stressed, finally putting the bottle away. Though, as he crossed his arms and tried to settle back into a stance that, yanno, wasn’t being assaulted or trying to keep the one thing he had accomplished that day together… Doppio’s shoulders shook and two frustrated tears escaped his eyes, a growling groan ripping from his throat. 

“I just… I left my ID at home,” he admitted, “And…and that shouldn’t be a problem! But the storekeep was gonna throw me out of the store and we’re out and what the hell am I gonna do, I can’t just tell Boss that I’ve fucked everything up! I’ve already…”

With a stressed sigh, Doppio looked to the side, hunching in on himself in frustrated embarrassment. “...I did pay for it.”

“If he didn’t have ID, then she didn’t sell it to him– ow!”

“Nope. We’re done poking holes. Enough,” Kaito scolded, whacking Arven on the back of the head, who just stared back at him in stunned, baffled outrage, “If Doppio says he paid for it, I believe him. Even if he did one of those ‘throw the coin and run’ situations.” Kaito said, giving Doppio a look… before shrugging, “And honestly even if you didn’t. Stealing a bottle isn’t some earth-shattering crisis either way. Honestly I’m more concerned about two idiots fighting back here. And now that we’re not fighting?”

Kaito looked back and forth between the two teens, staring at them meaningfully… before grinning, “Then everything’s good! We’re getting those tempers under control, and that’s the big takeaway from this.”

“Maybe you’re brain damaged.” Arven muttered, rubbing the back of his head. 

“Hah hah. You're a comedian… What's your name, kid?”

“I’m not a kid! My name is Arven.” Arven growled, glaring at Kaito, “And for your information, I’m almost sixteen!”

“Ah, yeah, course, my mistake.” Kaito replied dryly, Luminary’s legal age of adulthood nowhere near aligned with how its citizens actually considered the different ages. Arven was another baby then, got it. Turning to Doppio, Kaito frowned at the beads of tears threatening the very likely other baby’s eyes. Not wanting to shame him by explicitly pointing it out, but reaching over to place a sturdy hand on Doppio’s shoulder, “You said you needed cooking wine for your job? You look… stressed. Look, I’m literally on my way to a cooking class right now if you need help putting something together. Is that what you’re trying to do, get something cooked in time?”

Arven scoffed, looking unimpressed, “Who cooks with alcohol? I cook all sorts of things, but I’ve never heard of that.”

Kaito raised an eyebrow at that, “Really? That’s a really common cooking technique, kid.”

Arven turned a little red. Glaring at the floor in embarrassment. Whatever… it had never shown up in his cooking books, alright? Whatever!

It wasn’t about having stolen the bottle (which he didn’t actually steal, because he did pay for it). That was inconsequential, as long as it didn’t come to bite The Boss in the back. It was just…everything. It was…

“I feel like if one more thing goes wrong today, I’m gonna bawl or murder someone,” Doppio muttered, pressing his hands to his face. He groaned, before harshly pulling them away, stealthily wiping his face of traitorous tears. “Maybe both.”

Not having the self-awareness enough to compare how Arven sounded to how Doppio sounded, saying the same things, Doppio gave him an unimpressed look as he defended his age, which just soured more as Arven totally bogusly called out his cooking. 

“It’s not…” He heaved a sigh. “I’m not on a time limit, really. I mean, I do have to make dinner for tonight, but…it’s handleable. I’m making…”

All at once, Doppio’s expression blanked out, before he fished his notepad from his bag, flipping to the newest page. “...beef paupiettes, with a parsnip mash. Need the vermouth for a pan sauce and we were out, and…” He grimaced. “...I already told Boss what I was planning on making, and he said it was good so…it’s not like I can just not make it… And if I left to go get my ID, then come back, then go home again, it’d be late and…” Another stressed sigh. 

Kaito’s eyebrows shot up, “No damn way. Really?”

Kaito tried to peer into Doppio’s notebook himself and frowned, not seeing the recipe in question. Or, uh, any writing. But Doppio tilted the journal away from him and Kaito assumed it was probably written at an angle he couldn’t catch from here, as he suddenly laughed. “Okay, maybe you can actually tell me what the hell ‘paupiettes’ is then? Because I’m almost certain we’re making those in my class today. And I had no idea what that word meant.”

Arven shifted on his feet a little, brow furrowed in frustration… but he had never heard that word before either. A part of him wanted to storm off now that apparently these two jerks were content to dismiss his still entirely valid concerns of theft! But at the same time… unless it was in one of the three cookbooks he had? He didn’t have really any new ways of learning new cooking stuff… most of his base pay went to paying the rent, after mom had, uh, forgotten for….a few months in a row. A few years ago. 

Arven’s curiosity won out. What did paupiettes mean?

Beside him, Chief thumped his tail.

While he’d pouted and held his notebook to his chest--his work was private, thank you, even if he made sure not to write anything incriminating anyway--Doppio’s eyebrows raised in surprise. That was…a hell of a coincidence. 

“Uh…it’s kind of like rolls? But not like a roulade or a pinwheel. Look…” Trailing off, Doppio exchanged his notepad in his bag for a thick, well-worn cookbook, the pages thick and dog-eared from frequent use. Flipping through it adeptly, Doppio turned it around for Kaito--and Arven, he guessed--to see the small illustration at the start of the recipe. 

“They don’t actually take that long to cook, even with adding a side like I am, but…” Sighing, Doppio’s nose scrunched in frustration. “But I’m making fresh bread to add to the filling, rather than getting something from a bakery or using older bread, and waiting around for proofs takes forever so I don’t want to spend my whole day walking back and forth from the city.”

Taking the book back, Doppio blinked before looking at Kaito curiously. “...wait, you take cooking classes at Soapberry, right? This…isn’t exactly an intro-level recipe. You sure that’s what you’re making today?”

Kaito grinned, the edges sharp. “I guess now it is.”

Arven, who had leaned in more, trying to take in as much of the recipe as he could before Doppio took it away, gave Kaito a mildly bewildered look, “...okay, what does that mean?” he asked, again, mostly morbid curiosity keeping him in place. These guys had weird energies, it was tough to look away from.

Kaito shrugged, as he admitted, “Actually, I misheard the word, we’re making, like, fruit parfaits today? But–”

Arven suddenly puffed his chest, saying proudly, “I know that one!” Shooting Doppio a Look, he proudly recited, “That’s a mixture of custard, fruits, granola and whip cream! It’s a pretty dish, but actually way easier than it looks, the puree is the only tricky thing about it, and that’s just four ingredients mixed. I made it for my birthday last year, actually. It’s pretty easy.”

“You taught yourself to make a new dessert for your birthday?” Kaito asked, looking back and forth between Arven and Doppio now. Hmmmm… these two had things in common… maybe trying to bridge a connection between them was just what Doppio needed. A friend who was closer to his age and not a drinking buddy or a ‘guy scolding you at a diner’ buddy. It was important to have a social network outside of one person, Arven could be Doppio’s chance to do that.

Plus Doppio kept looking at Arven’s dog, so what kind of hero would Kaito be if he didn’t help Doppio make this connection!?

“Well, perfect! If I know someone who already knows how to make parfaits, then I don’t need the class! So, Doppio, we’ll just help you with your job today and that will be my cooking lesson!” Kaito decided, reaching out and placing a heavy hand on both Arven’s and Doppio’s shoulders, “This’ll be great!”

“...eh?” Arven asked.

Doppio grimaced, experienced enough with Kaito’s vibes to know what that meant. Well…at least it wasn’t Kaito taking him away from work this time. And if he cooked elsewhere, maybe he’d have enough to talk about with The Boss later that he could…conveniently miss that he’d gotten into a fight. Because there was so much other stuff going on. 

Pouting, Doppio mumbled about how he knew what a parfait was--just ‘cause he didn’t get the chance to make desserts often didn’t mean he hadn’t longingly looked through the section in every cookbook he had--before groaning. “Ugh… I hate making custard. I always have to have extra ingredients on hand ‘cause I always mess up tempering the eggs.” 

Begrudgingly, he sighed, shooting Arven a side look. “...it’s pretty impressive if you managed to nail it on your first try.”

Jumping slightly as Kaito clapped him on the shoulder, the look Doppio gave Arven next was simply accepting. “...Don’t try to run. We’re basically being kidnapped now, so just go along with it, unless you wanna try and argue with Prince Kaito for the next hour.” Pausing, he stuck his tongue out at the other teen. “Punishment enough for physical assault, I guess.”

Arven looked a little startled at Doppio’s compliment, before feeling a little embarrassed. Looking away and, feeling kind of like an asshole, gamely trying to compliment back, “Well, I mean, I didn’t even know what this breadroll thing was called, so… that’s pretty cool, that you know stuff like that…”

“Wait? Kidnapped!?” Arven gasped, suddenly finding himself being turned and steered down the alley, Kaito pushing them along, “I can’t get kidnapped! I have to feed Chief!”

“‘Kidnapping’ is such an ugly word. Let's try…. Friendnapping!” Kaito said cheerfully, pushing them along, “Much nicer! The grabbing of friends! And Chief’s the dog, right? Don’t worry, we’ll feed him. No dog goes hungry with Kaito Ouma Momota, Prince Consort of the Cacti-Fields, valiantly on the case!”

……….Ouma?

-

Arven gaped at Kaito, who was still setting up their space in the kitchen, the class learning parfait taking up the rest of it that the three were apparently just going to make their food around. Leaning into Doppio and whispering to him, “Okay, but wait… I know for a fact Ouma is some little stick of a guy, I saw him give a speech at a festival a few times… does that mean this guy is the Luminary guy? Like the Luminary guy?”

Meanwhile, Chief had worked out that Doppio had ingredients in his bag, up to and including, he could sniff, meat. So the massive dog, after a moment of considering the implications of this, had gone up to Doppio and was now sitting at his feet, looking up expectantly at him. 

When no immediate meat was available, Chief thumped his tail and tried the next available move… placing his paw on Doppio’s foot. Looking up expectantly.

This was not the last straw about to send him on a murder spree, so Doppio would at least take the alternate type of stress, but…he was being tested on a cosmic level, he could feel it. 

Used to claiming a small area in the mass kitchen, Doppio had already set his things down, putting his sweater and canvas bag off to the side, while his grocery bag and cookbook were on a counter, ready for him as soon as he finished tying on his apron and washed his hands! And…after Kaito got settled, apparently. Pinning his bangs back with a clip, he looked at Arven for a moment before silently offering a hair tie. 

And leaning in to whisper back, less for Kaito’s sake, but because he absolutely couldn’t take the puppy eyes being directed at him. 

“Yeah, he’s Prince Kokichi’s husband,” Doppio murmured back. “And…the other guy’s husband now too, I guess. He’s kind of a bully, but…” Doppio glanced over at Kaito, shifting his weight a little. He usually didn’t really care about sparing feelings, but… Even softer, he whispered, “He’s not…yanno. Like the rumors say. He keeps getting in the way of my job, but he insisted on walking me all the way home when we first met, and he keeps trying to feed me. Kaito’s…not so bad.”

Straightening back, Doppio made the mistake of looking down…before he groaned softly, covering his face with his hands. “...Arven, does Chief have any dietary concerns?”

Arven glanced down, seeing what his dog was doing, “Chief. Rude.” He huffed, shaking his head, “So long as you’re not feeding him chocolate, no. Chief will eat anything. He’s gotten better about it as he’s gotten older, but when I say anything, I mean really anything for a long time there. I couldn’t leave anything unattended in the kitchen, it’d disappear.”

Arven reached out to pat Chief’s head– Chief’s tongue poked out– as he said, “But now you’re a big old man who’s not as quick to steal things off counters, huh? Big ol’ shaggy dog, begging like a little jerk.”

Chief’s tail thumped heavily. Peering up at Doppio as he listened to his boy both praise and lightly scold him. He knew when treats were coming.

“Anyway, you’re sure this is… safe?” Arven whispered, taking the hair tie and putting up his hair (though, very pointedly leaving his bangs down over the side of his face) and looking warily at Kaito, “I hear this guy is a brute. Like, violent brute. I heard he went to the coast just to beat a guy to death, thinking he could get away with it there. Like, for fun.”

“Okay!” Kaito said cheerfully, tightening his apron, his little fixes of the setup managed, “That should work! Doppio, this is your show, so don’t let us get in the way! Arven, be ready to take notes, we’re about to learn some, uh, what was it… pierrte? Pierde? Pastiarai? Man I know it was a p… Doppio! Pop quiz! What are we learning again?” Kaito grinned at them, hands on his hips excitedly.

Peeking over his fingers, Doppio’s eyes were wide and longing as he watched Arven pat the huge mastiff. Had he not been on the clock, it would be Dog Time. “...I mean… I’ll probably have to trim the meat anyway…” He muttered, struggling with himself to not just give Chief everything in his bag. Ugh, so cute!

There were a lot of rumors about Kaito. Mostly, Doppio didn’t care, as they weren’t really relevant to him, but…well, some were. He wasn’t the one in charge of managing the drug trade, but he couldn’t be completely ignorant, and political tensions were things The Boss knew all about. So…Doppio did know that some people called Kaito a blood-thirsty warmonger, and that he’d mauled a guy down south last year… But also…

“Prince Kokichi is, like, an abject pacifist,” Doppio murmured back. “Even if Kaito hadn’t been nice to me, I doubt a guy like Ouma would be so smitten for some serial killer. And I heard there was a hate crime or something when he got arrested. He also just rambles about how he loves his friends and how awesome they are when he’s tipsy--it’s fine.”

Jolting to attention as Kaito turned back, for a moment Doppio looked terrified at the prospect of being the person in charge (being the boss, so to speak), but he swallowed his trepidation to open up his cookbook and set it on a stand on the counter. “Paupiettes. Some old Tradean word, I think. But…before that, I need to get started on bread dough.”

At that, there was a moment of visible nervous hesitation. “...Uh… I…guess you guys could start on ingredient prep, or…help me with the dough, or…”

Kaito grinned wider, his eyes fixing on Doppio, noting that sudden brush of fear. Ooooh… was that the enemy? “On it! Arven!”

Arven’s brow furrowed, “Yeah?”

“Forget notes! Time to learn by doing! Doppio, what are we doing? Come on, shout it out, Arven, we’re keeping up! Doppio, Arven can help you with dough, I know how to prep stuff! What’s my first ingredient!?”

“Kaito, please keep in mind there’s a class going on! If you’re not following along–”

“Sorry Mr. Mint!” Kaito shouted back to the cooking instructor, before giving Doppio an energetic, eager look, saying quieter, “Come on, come on, give it to me, what am I tackling!?”

“Uh!” Doppio squeaked, startled by Kaito’s sudden burst of energy--and volume. He’d never cooked with other people before! He wasn’t a leader! How was he supposed to know how to delegate and--aaaarg!

Setting out the ingredients from his bag, Doppio handed over several parsnips to Kaito. “These need to be washed, peeled, and cut into…like, two inch chunks. They’re gonna be mashed later, so the size is just for ease of that, but they need to be similar sizes so they cook evenly. Um…put them in a bowl of water once you’ve cut them, so they don’t discolor before we need them.”

Turning back to Arven, Doppio paused, taking a breath. They…probably just wanted the experience--at least Kaito did--and it wasn’t like Doppio had bought enough ingredients for two extra people, so… Quickly, he made a decision. 

“Please get the biggest bowl you can find, and measure out two kilos of all-purpose flour,” he nodded to the other teen. “I’m gonna get the yeast blooming.”

“Hell yeah! I’m on it!”

“Kaito.”

“Sorry Mr. Mint!”

As Kaito started extremely enthusiastic work on the parsnips, Arven took a second to find the biggest possible bowl, before bringing it over to Doppio, before grabbing the flour. Grabbing a measuring cup, he started to measure it out, before saying, “Just making sure, but I’m putting the flour into the bowl right away, right? Not putting anything else in first?”

As they worked on the dough, Arven glanced over at the old man again, who seemed absolutely delighted to be working on parsnips, before looking to Doppio, “...so… which program are you in at the school? Don’t think I’ve ever seen you there. I mean, not that it’s that crazy we haven’t run into each other yet, I usually have better things to do,” Arven shrugged dismissively, “But still, I feel like you’d have stood out. I’m in the ‘Balance’ program. Little bit of everything.”

“You’re right,” Doppio confirmed, as he measured out water in a large measuring cup, three packets of yeast ready to go. It wasn’t all that much but…who didn’t like a fresh loaf of bread? Other than people with, like, celiac, of course. He could just accept their help, but…it was his job, and Doppio wasn’t about to go splitting his paycheck (more of a matter of keeping the money on the downlow, than being stingy) so…sending them each home with fresh bread was the least he could do for compensation. No debts left. 

Slowly stirring in the yeast, Doppio looked over at Arven in surprise before he shrugged. “I don’t go to school, so that would make sense that we haven’t run into each other.” Gaining more confidence, he explained, “I’m a personal assistant! I cook for my boss, which is what this is all for. I, uh…”

…he’d never told anyone this before, huh. Not like there was anyone to tell. 

A bit bashfully, Doppio nodded towards his cookbook. “I’m a self-taught cook, actually. I mean, my boss loves my cooking, which works out for me, but I try to learn new recipes pretty often so things don’t get boring. Also, like…” He huffed in very, very mild exasperation. “I could cook pasta dishes every day, and Boss wouldn’t mind, but I’m kinda trying to make sure he doesn’t collapse from malnutrition.”

“Oh? Hey, so am I!” Arven admitted, lighting up a little. “Not the personal assistant thing, though that’s really cool too. I’m a self-taught cook. I raided my mom’s cookbooks once and never looked back. It’s actually kind of fun, isn’t it?”

“Though, being able to cook for someone must be nice.” Arven mused, looking at his feet as Chief patiently waited between them, still optimistically begging for scraps, “I mean, I cook for Chief here, sometimes, but Chief’s pretty easy to impress. Aren’t ya, old boy?”

Chief’s tongue poked out again. 

“I’ve thought about leaving school to go full time myself. My friend Kerry did that, they went on to do a bunch of stuff. They’re a sailor now too, which seems pretty cool. And I have a few other friends who also got out early to pursue their careers full time… actually, I guess thinking about it, everyone I was talking to did that. It was how we all bonded, but unlike me, they actually followed through.” Arven huffed, blowing his bangs out of his face a bit, “It’s not like I don’t know what I want. I like herbology. Plants, gathering, cooking, that sort of thing… but I don’t know. Leaving school entirely to forage for the rest of my life feels like the wrong move. At least right now.”

“What about you? When did you decide to leave school to pursue being an assistant?” Arven asked, “Is that the end goal, or are you hoping to do what your boss does someday?”

Measuring out salt and sugar to add to the flour, Doppio glanced over again in surprise, a small smile edging its way onto his face. “It’s neat, yeah. There’s something so satisfying about going over a new recipe and…well, it’s like that with all food, but it’s something so tangible that you’ve made, right in front of you. And you get some of that effort back immediately, even if there’s a mountain of dishes to do.”

“But…it’s even better being able to make your food for someone else,” Doppio nodded, his smile growing proudly. “If I actually make Boss look up and stop working ‘cause my food is so good, it feels like I’ve just made a cure for cancer or something.”

Not that Boss regularly blew him off or anything. For every meal that Doppio left on whatever clean desk space he could find, not wanting to interrupt but wanting to make sure that he ate, there were plenty that Boss sat down with him at the kitchen island for. And Boss praised his food regularly enough too. It was just something Doppio took pride in, when his food was good enough to convince the productive man to take a break.

Made him feel like he was worth something. 

The yeast bloomed, it was time to add everything together, Arven holding the bowl while Doppio started to stir. He made an attentive hum, hearing about Arven’s friends all starting their careers, nodding at Arven’s decision to keep going to school even knowing the path he wanted, though when the teen turned the question back on him, Doppio froze. 

…surely…he had gone to school, right? At some point. There was something he could almost vaguely remember, but…

Doppio let out a harsh, almost startled laugh. “Oh, no way! This is my end goal, definitely--I like playing support, and there’s no way I could do what my boss does. I’ve been at it long enough that it’s comfortable, you know? I’m settled, though that doesn’t mean I’m not still trying to learn more. The better I do, the more he can shine--that’s my goal.”

Kaito, cutting up the parsnips, frowned at… well. All of that. He was very much Eavesdropping, and he was not even a little bit sorry about it, especially because like what the fuck?? 

“Parsnips done!” Kaito exclaimed cheerfully, placing the ingredients in front of Doppio, and grinning down at him, “What’s my next assignment, Starburst?”

“Starburst?” Arven asked, having found himself relaxing despite himself. This was… actually pretty fun, so far.

“Yep! Cause our Doppio here is a star! Specifically one that’s still forming!” Kaito explained, grinning as he got caught up in getting to do one of his favorite things: surprisingly apt astronomy metaphors, “See, a starburst is a galaxy of stars that are forming surprisingly quickly. Way faster than usual, ten times faster than the average galaxy. Because they’re moving so quickly, they give us this pinkish hue for the telescopes strong enough to spot them, they’re really extraordinary!”

“And like Doppio, it’s only the beginning for them! They start strong and end incredibly! Legends in their own making, too impatient to wait and form at a more temperate speed like all their peers. That’s cause they have too much potential to sit still!” Kaito grinned, reaching over to thump Doppio companionably on the back, “Doesn’t that suit Doppio here perfectly? All that potential, and his whole life still ahead of him to grow! Dicea’s Starburst!”

Even more prepared for it, Doppio still couldn’t hold back the hollow, “ooph” from his chest as Kaito thumped him, though at everything Kaito was saying… Going a bit further than the namesake, Doppio turned scarlet at the lavish praise, a tiny, secret smile twitching up on his lips, even if he scoffed a muttered, “Shut up…” to Kaito. 

Though, after a breath, he shared a dry look with Arven. “He came up with the name at the pub we met at, ‘cause his other friends have pink hair too and he wanted a squad name. And Kaito’s a star genius.”

Shaking his head a little--though the embarrassed, flattered warmth in his chest didn’t dissipate--Doppio left Arven to continue stirring the dough together to bring out the next set of ingredients for Kaito to prepare. “Four onions, two carrots, and two bell peppers--please dice them both up pretty finely, except for one onion and the carrots, which should be roughly sliced. Like…not quite a mince or a paste, but small, for the dice. Okay?”

“Ahhh, star genius… I like that. Kaito Ouma Momota, of the Saihara family… star genius! Ha ha ha ha hah!”

“Kaito, honestly–”

“That’s the last time Mr. Mint I swear!” Kaito called back, giving the man a reassuring thumbs up, who just sighed at that. “And starbursts work for Waku and Souda too! Souda’s got incredible potential as an inventor just starting out in life, and Waku’s got incredible potential of being the most awesome person to ever awesome! Who knows how far she’ll go! She’s already so awesome!!” 

Arven leaned into Doppio, “I thought you said he did this when he was drunk?”

Kaito took the bell peppers and onions, but this time he stayed nearby as he cut, glancing at Arven, then down at Chief, before chuckling, “Don’t worry, Chief, you’re gonna eat soon. Doppio, you’re gonna put some scraps aside for Chief, aren’t you? What a sweet, massive bruiser of a dog. My son just got a dog this year too, she’s just a puppy still, but man she’s already getting so big. Not Chief big, but she’s a bulky little thing. He must be tough to clean up after, with all that fur.”

“No, not really. Not if you stay on top of it.” Arven huffed, “I keep the house clean.”

“Yeah? The whole house?” Kaito asked idly, cutting, “Your parents must be proud, to have such a responsible son.”

Arven shrugged, at first indifferently… before he scowled. Working the dough harder as he said, “So? Who cares if she is? I don’t do it for her. I keep the house clean cause I like it clean. She’s not a factor.”

Doppio could only give Arven a helpless shrug. “I guess it’s an all-the-time thing? I dunno, he’s a weirdo.”

But there were definitely worse weirdo traits to have than gushing over your friends. Even if it ended up in kissing/not-kissing wrestling and pretzel-throwing matches. 

Given that the dough was coming together, and Arven was already kneading it (bread wasn’t that hard, and was one of the first things Doppio had learned while learning to cook, so it tracked that Arven would be familiar with it too), Doppio gave his hands a wash and got started on the round roast, cutting it into relatively thin strips from the hunk. Once he pounded the strips out, he’d have to do some cutting to get them into the proper shape, and then… Then Chief would have his treat. 

Doppio nodded to the dog with a solemn promise. 

Even if he went a little starry-eyed, listening to Kaito talk about his son’s dog again. 

Though, as Arven commented on his responsibility (though…hell yeah. This guy wasn’t so bad, really) Doppio paused. He wasn’t always the most socially aware guy, but that sounded…like the kind of sentiments he had to tell The Boss about, if one of the sections was getting dissatisfied with their arrangements or another group. Which usually preceded a “firing”.

Doppio opened his mouth, then closed it. A dozen half-thought through remarks on his tongue. Arven had said that he didn’t cook for anyone but Chief, and if he was that dissatisfied…

He shrugged, turning back to the meat, finding a bit he had to trim from the start to, to his delight, hand off to Chief. “Parents are overrated, I think. If you can keep your space how you like it, and that’s not just an excuse to have a depression nest, then that’s a worthwhile job in itself.”

“They’re unnecessary.” Arven agreed, looking frustrated… before smiling as he heard the familiar THUMP THUMP THUMP of Chief’s tail start to go wild, even as the massive dog very gently took the scraps off from Doppio’s hand, chewing it down quickly before licking with big, slobbery kisses against Doppio’s hand. “Careful, he’s a drooler. There’s gonna be a puddle at our feet by the end of this.”

Kaito, in turn, frowned at the boys. “I don’t know if… ‘unnecessary’ is the right way to… you having some troubles with your mom, Arven?”

“No.” Arven said stiffly, “We’re not fighting, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Well…” Kaito cut the onions, doing his best not to keep his eyes in the fumes, “...I guess you don’t really need to be fighting to have some troubles. You can have issues with your parents even if they’re not, like, actively doing anything terrible to you.”

“Who said my mom was doing anything terrible?”

“Oh, no, that’s not what I meant–”

“She’d have to actually be around to do anything terrible.” Arven scowled. “I think I get, what, a letter a month from her? From wherever her latest expedition is? Who even knows where she is right now. She doesn’t even bother telling me in her correspondence anymore. The fact that I haven’t just done the paperwork to declare myself an independent yet is just cause I don’t feel like moving out. Otherwise I’m basically an adult already, the law just doesn’t recognize it.”

Kaito frowned at that. Hmmmm… “How long has this been going on?”

“I don’t know.” Arven shrugged, “Couple of years?”

“COUPLE OF YEARS!?”

“Kaito, this is your last reminder!”

“Yes, Mr. Mint!” Kaito called out, before giving Arven a worried look, “Your mom hasn’t been back in years? What about your dad?”

Arven shrugged, “Don’t have one. Don’t need one either.”

Kaito bit his bottom lip. Not liking that at all.

It was unsanitary. He was working. But all the same… Doppio couldn’t help it, abandoning the meat to crouch slightly, letting Chief drool over his hand, while his clean one pet the dog’s head as he cooed adoringly. What a good boy, perfect dog, yes you are~

Dogs were a balm for the soul, and Doppio felt like the day was actually okay now. 

…even if what Arven said wasn’t…great. 

Still petting over Chief, scratching behind his ears, Doppio glanced up with a worried frown. It wasn’t so much the fact of parents, as Doppio had already made his opinion on that clear, but…

…so it was just Arven and Chief? Well, Arven did say he had friends at school, and, yanno, went to school, so it wasn’t like he was truly alone. …even if all his friends were off working now. 

(...Doppio didn’t talk about the kinds of mornings like the one he had that morning. The ones where he woke up gasping from sleep, feeling utterly alone. Even knowing that Boss was in the house too didn’t always work, and…sometimes it just made it worse. That missing feeling in him, like he was missing his heart, or like each atom of his body was missing a pair and Doppio had been…abandoned.)

Abandonment… Doppio wasn’t sure there was something more cruel you could do to a person. He may not have parents, but he still had The Boss. Arven…

Nodding slowly, Doppio buried his clean hand in Chief’s neck ruff, scratching the dog. His voice took on a tone unfamiliar to him, something he couldn’t quite nail down as understanding in a horribly intimate way. “But you have Chief, right? If your parents want to fuck off, then you’re probably better off without them anyway.”

“Yeah, exactly.” Arven scowled, beating the dough, “Who needs ‘em. They’re not my problem now. Chief’s the only family a guy could need.”

“...hm.” Kaito hummed, shooting Arven and Doppio both worried looks. “...well, you know… it’s not just about who you’re related to. Has anyone else been looking out for you? It’s important to have at least a few people you can count on, that’s really true for anyone, adult or not.”

At that, Arven seemed to calm down a little. “Sorta… I have some teachers who like to talk to me about this stuff. Mr. Saguaro, my home economics teacher, actually came to my house once to help me identify and learn how to use some tools we have around the kitchen that I didn’t know the name of. He’s pretty obsessed with asking me if I’ve grocery shopped every week or so. It’s… nice, even if I don’t really need the reminders.”

“That’s good, that’s good. Anyone else?” Kaito prompted.

“Um… tsk.” Arven scoffed, “There’s the student body president. She sure wants to think she’s looking after me anyway, though mostly she’s just annoying and intrusive.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, her name’s Nemona. She’s constantly bugging me to go to class. Why? What’s the point? I’m just coasting until I figure out what the next step is. If she’s so worried about my attendance record she can go to my classes for me. Most of the classes are a total waste of time–”

“Hey.” Kaito snapped, shooting Arven a frustrated look, “Be careful with general statements like that, kid. I’ve known people who’d literally kill to get access to the education you’re turning your nose up at, you hear me? Maybe they don’t mean anything to you, but they’re invaluable to someone else, you hear me? You shouldn’t shit on resources that other people are counting on, it’s insulting to the people who need them. You hear me?”

Realizing Kaito kept saying ‘you hear me’ because Arven was actually meant to say something, he tried, “Uh, yes? I mean… I’m not saying it's a waste of time for everyone.”

“That is what you said. That’s why I’m telling you to pick your words better. If my new husband had heard you say that, he’d… well, he probably wouldn’t do anything cause he doesn’t know you. But it’d have hurt his damn feelings. Waste of time… tsk. People just had a war in my country fighting for opportunities like that.” Kaito said, shaking his head. “Don’t be so dismissive.”

Oh…that sounded kind of nice. Doppio couldn’t…super remember the days when he first got hired, but he did remember that just starting out learning to cook and clean was a nightmare. He was really lucky The Boss was really understanding--he still was, honestly--though…it would’ve been helpful if there had been someone he could’ve asked about certain cooking tools or techniques or cleaning equipment. The place was burnt to the ground now, so it didn’t matter, but Doppio still sometimes thought about the carpet he’d destroyed a few cities back. Turns out it was very important to use chemicals in specific orders. 

With a disappointed sigh, Doppio finally pulled himself away from Chief and went to the sink to wash his hands again, though he startled at Kaito’s suddenly sharp tone. He didn’t see what the big deal was, if someone didn’t want to go to school, but…

Doppio squinted in confusion. “...were people in the slavery program not allowed to go to school?”

Arven looked to Doppio, then at Kaito, then back at Doppio again… before whispering, “Wait, that’s real? They actually had slaves? I thought that was rumors!”

Kaito felt his stomach drop a little at that… before he sighed. Finishing his cuts and passing them to Doppio, “Yeah, that’s a real thing for Luminary, Arven. We don’t… we don’t call it the ‘slavery program’, but… look, it’s not that that’s inaccurate. But don’t call it that, especially if you have any reason to think someone who was in it is around. Calling someone a slave in Luminary is a pretty severe insult. They were called indentureds, a part of the indentured program. You don’t call someone a slave until they use that word, get me?”

Scratching at his temple, Kaito felt a little less tense the more he tried to think of how to explain. Honestly? Wasn’t this a nice way to practice? This was going to be a tough conversation with Miyako someday, after all… “And if an Indentured was in the program since childhood? Their mentors have to make an argument to both the person in control of their contract and the government that some level of schooling is necessary for the careers they’re slotted for. And it’s a battle, yes, to get Indentureds approved for education at a primary level. Their primary education is meant to be handled by their orphanages, mentors and contract holders. If they can make an argument that’s not enough? Then they’re allowed to go to school, but without actually being able to compete with the citizen students. They were graded separately, they weren’t allowed to do school led competitions, like… nothing that would let a citizen feel like they were being directly compared to them. And they don’t actually earn degrees. They just go to class. So, college of any type was entirely out of the cards for them, even if they had earned their freedom by then… ugh.”

Kaito scowled, running his hand through his hair, looking frustrated, “...it’s all just a rigged system to force people in the program to either stick to the careers they’re trained in or end up right back in the program. A lack of education traps people, and not because it makes them any less intelligent than anyone else. Some of the most capable, smartest people I ever met were in the program. But not letting them get the paperwork to prove it just ties their damn hands… it’s gonna take a lot of really specific policies and programs to get everyone who’s been set back by that program back on an even playing field. A lot of people are working really hard right now to make sure they get that education.”

…. Kaito hoped. Ngh.

Returning to the meat, Doppio gave Kaito a look. It wasn’t like he was going to go around calling people slaves, but…look, even he had heard of a manipulation tactic like that. Changing the language of something, make the actual term a slur, and it coaxed people into thinking that their situation wasn’t as bad as it was. 

Though not enough, evidently, since Luminary had just fought a whole war over it. 

It was mildly interesting, learning about Luminary, though…well. Doppio couldn’t think of a way it’d help out Passione. Maybe it’d still be good to tell The Boss anyway, if he didn’t already know…which was kind of a stretch, because Boss knew everything. But maybe he’d come up with a use-case for there being an entire class of people in Luminary that had been kept from society-acknowledged education. 

Laying out the strips of meat, Doppio dotted around their section of the kitchen for a moment, grabbing wax paper and a rolling pin. “...that’s really bizarre, honestly. Here, you get folks knockin’ down your door if you don’t make a plea of why you shouldn’t be at school.”

“Or get your student council rep nagging you,” he nodded to Arven. 

Then with a deep breath and a small wind up, Doppio brought the rolling pin down on the paper-covered cutlets, smacking the shit out of them.

Both Arven and Kaito jumped at the smashing… before Kaito grinned proudly, giving Doppio an approving nod, “Heeeey, alright! Nice job, Doppio! You’re hiding some muscles in those skinny arms, huh? Hey, how do you think you’d do in an arm wrestling contest against a pro? We have to throw this thing into an oven at some point, right? Let’s kill some time with some arm wrestling when we do, you can show off that strength some more! Arven, you’re in right?” Kaito insisted, smacking Arven in the back.

“C’ah! W-why do you do that?”

“Do what?” Kaito asked, giving Arven another friendly back pap. “And yeah! Dicea does a lot of things right! Most things. Sometimes, it can seem, like… literally everything!” Kaito grinned, sweating just a tad. “...and that’s great! It’s good that two intelligent and hard working and responsible kids like yourselves have all these opportunities to show it off to everyone. You’re both going to do amazing things, I can already tell. And I have a real intuition for this sort of stuff! I’ve never been wrong!”

“Not a chance on your life,” Doppio muttered, flattening out the cutlets. “With how things go for me, you’ll break my arm and I am not taking sick leave for that long.”

Taking a peek over at the dough Arven had been working on, Doppio nodded in approval. “The paupiettes are pan-cooked, actually, but we will have to wait for the bread. It looks good, Arven, please cover the bowl with a cloth so we can let it rise.”

Really, all the other prep was a bit preemptive, since the bread was going to take so damn long, but…well, it was how Doppio would’ve done it anyway. It wasn’t like the vegetables and meat were going to go bad waiting around for an hour.

Huffing a small laugh at Kaito’s confidence, Doppio looked over his shoulder cooly. “You’ve never been wrong? Just like how you can always tell how many people someone’s kissed?”

“The exception proves the rule!” Kaito shouted, smacking his fists together.

“Kaito Momota!”

“Damn, I really gotta stop shouting.” Kaito winced, looking warily over his shoulder. “Hold on, guys, let me go beg Mr. Mint’s forgiveness before I get kicked out. You two keep being awesome and nice to each other, you’re both doing great!”

“Doing great…?” Arven said, watching Kaito head off to the front of the room, looking sheepish and much more timid as he approached the instructor, “Is he still worrying about us arguing? I mean… you said you paid for the bottle, so… all of that’s fine, I guess. I’m not arguing about it anymore if you’re not.” Arven said, looking to Doppio, “...sorry I blew up on you like that. The butcher lady, she kind of showed me how to…”

Arven reddened, looking embarrassed, before admitting, “She showed me how to count coin when I was a kid? I was shopping for myself for the first time and I didn’t know how to tell the different coins apart, and I was too scared to ask anyone. People would tell me the price of things and I just handed them a handful of whatever I had in my purse, waiting to see what they’d give me back. She noticed what I was doing and spent an hour teaching me… she’s nice. She gives Chief scraps. I just wanted to defend her.”

Gathering the spices for the meat--after giving Chief the bits he couldn’t use, naturally--Doppio sighed softly. “Look…I get wanting to do right by people who do right by you. And…well, especially if she did something selfless like that…”

“...sorry I yelled at you,” Doppio mumbled, keeping his face turned away. He was no stranger to apologies, but…usually not ones like this. “It pisses me off when people try to keep me from doing my job, especially for tiny, inane reasons, and today’s been nothing but that. Wasn’t your fault for getting the brunt of it.”

Looking a bit embarrassed, Doppio glanced around the kitchen before clearing his throat. “Do…you and Chief usually come to the market on Wednesdays? I, uh…”

…what was he doing? He didn’t have time for just…random pleasantries. This was so awkward…

“...um…if we happened to run into each other again, would you wanna trade recipes or something? I’m still working through this book, but…I mean…since it seems you’re working from other ones…um…” Doppio steadily turned redder, completely out of his wheelhouse trying to befriend someone.

Arven turned a little red in turn, mostly because Doppio was so bright red, and he didn’t know what to do with that. Why was Doppio so embarrassed? Should Arven be embarrassed!? Well, it was too late now, now they were both just embarrassed! 

“Um, yeah, I come to the market for groceries… though, you know, my house has a kitchen better than this.” Arven said, looking around, “If cooking for your job is something you do regularly? I wouldn’t be against you using mine if you’re in the area. Th-that way I could see what you’re cooking too! …if that’s not weird? Is that weird?” 

…a kitchen better than this?

Doppio had no complaints about the kitchen at home--other than…sometimes he wished he could turn on the lights, because it was hard to see--but he had been blown away by the kitchen studio at Soapberry. If Arven said his was even better…w-well, that would probably just make his work better too, right? And while Boss had never disapproved of him cooking in a public space, Doppio had a feeling a more private setting would be more acceptable for him. 

So, if it was for work, then…

“That…would be pretty cool, actually,” Doppio gave Arven a small, nervous smile. “You’re a good sous-chef too, so…I mean, I wouldn’t mind teaching you some stuff I know, if you wanted to help me out too.”

“...and Chief is so cute,” Doppio whispered, closing his eyes with a longing expression. 

“Pfff, yeah. He knows.” Arven grinned, giving Chief a small pat on the head. 

“Okay, well, now for the rest of my time here I have to whisper.” Kaito whispered, having quietly come up behind both the boys and laying down HEAVY hands on both their shoulders, grinning in between them, “But. You two look like you’re having a good conversation. We getting friendly?”

“Gah! Ugh, spending time with you is so bad for my spine.” Arven whined, shaking Kaito off, who chuckled quietly at that, “I was just inviting Doppio to use my kitchen next time he needs to, and he was telling me he could teach me more cooking stuff. That’s all.”

“That’s great. That’s phenomenal. If it wouldn’t get me literally kicked out, I’d be jumping with glee.” Kaito whispered, giving them both a thumbs up, “Just like one of my sidekicks, out here making friends and connections. Good job Doppio.”

“Actually…” Kaito rubbed his goatee a little, thinking hard about it… before he nodded, “Yeah. I could help a budding herbalist. Absolutely. So, congratulations Arven. I’m officially making you a sidekick.”

“...a what?”

With the veggies and meat ready, and dough rising, it was just time to wait. Going over to the sink to wash up again, Doppio just shook his head. “Just go with it. Kaito decides things, you’ll find, and he’ll just keep bullying you until you go with it. ‘It’ being meals where he complains that you’re taking food from his kids’ mouths, giving you medical advice, and offering to hook you up with random connections he’s also made into sidekicks.”

Sighing, Doppio unclipped his bangs and went to his bag, getting out his notepad again. With any free time, it was usually a good idea to double-check it to make sure there was nothing he was forgetting. “So…we’re really just waiting on the bread now, so…either you guys can get on with your day, we can just stand here, or we could make something that you need to get to in the meantime. So you know.”

Arven still wasn’t sure he understood what was happening, but Kaito just grinned and nodded like Doppio had nailed it. 

Though, there was a sudden serious expression on his face, as he stared at Doppio, “...Doppio, have you actually eaten anything yourself yet, today? You’re not exactly making a ton, and you still have a long walk home after this.”

Peeking over his notepad, Doppio gave Kaito a belligerent look. “I have. Had breakfast and got something for lunch while I was grocery shopping. I haven’t passed out since last time, it’s fine.”

“Uh huh… whelp. Here’s what we’ll do. Arven, you going home after this?”

“Uh, yes?”

“Let me buy you some good cart food to take home, something you can eat right away, it’ll make me feel better that you’ve got something in your stomach today. And I’ll bring back a snack,” Kaito said pointedly, raising an eyebrow at Doppio, “back here to Doppio, just so I know he’s got something in his stomach for his walk home.”

And so Kaito could ask him why the hell he kept referencing the day not going well. Doppio wasn’t his most honest sidekick, and he wanted to make sure Doppio was good. “Sound like a plan?”

Doppio rolled his eyes, but gave in with a sigh, just as he had advised Arven to. “Fine, sure. I know you asked me before if I noticed any patterns, and I’m absolutely sure it’s not from not eating. I am, like, the make-sure-you’re-eating guy.”

-

Eventually, the bread was ready to make (after a long and extended time on the floor loving on Chief for Doppio), and since Arven and Kaito didn’t question Doppio on why he made three loaves, he didn’t bother explaining. Once it had cooled, Doppio showed them a certain spice mixture heavily relying on mustard seeds that he ground into a paste, slathered slices of the bread with, then pan fried, before cutting up into similar sizes as the onions and peppers. 

From there, they each took a cutlet and watched as he showed them how to stuff and roll the beef, pinning the packets--the paupiettes--with toothpicks before taking to the pan, getting started on boiling the parsnips then too. In a pan with pork fat, he put the paupiettes in, along with onions and carrots, and let them go. Once cooked, he added a few more spices, then broke out the vermouth that started everything, deglazing the pan along with some beef stock. Then it simmered in the oven, before taking out the paupiettes, straining the liquids from the pan, and starting to stabilize it into a sauce with butter, while the parsnips were drained, mashed, and seasoned. 

None of the techniques were all that difficult, but there was enough involvement that Doppio was right that it wasn’t exactly a beginner’s dish. But…eventually everything was in food-locked containers, ready to be taken back home. 

Except for two loaves of bread. 

Half-wrapping them in paper, Doppio nearly shoved one of the loaves at Arven. 

“...thanks for helping me cook today. And not calling the Guardforce on me.”

Arven, who had decided to come back because he wanted to see the process of actually putting everything together in the bread, had just finished the meal that Kaito had sorta forced onto him, Chief eating heartily from some kebabs as well. And while he had been just about to wrap up and head out…

He blinked down at the loaf, warm and fresh, shoved into his arms… and turned bright red.

“Uuuh… um…”

“Aww, hell yeah!” Kaito shouted– the class was done and gone for the day– “What do you say, man?”

“Oh! Thanks? Thanks!” Arven flushed, nodding fervently, “This will make a really good couple of sandwiches and… and I’ll make something for you next time! So, yeah, thanks!”

Kaito chuckled as he watched the two new friends awkwardly stare at each other, neither of them apparently knowing what to do next, before Kaito coughed, “Well, I know you two are already gonna see each other again soon, so you’ll get your chance to, Arven! And hell, maybe I’ll drag you both to a few more of these classes! Being self-taught is great, of course, but a little formal education might clear up some holes you guys haven’t figured out on your own yet! Or at the very least it means I get to cheat off ya!”

“W-what? Weren’t you the one saying you have to respect education and–”

“Sure, respect it. Respect doesn’t automatically make someone good at it.” Kaito shrugged, before chuckling, “I was a terrible student! And I was lucky to have good friends willing to help me out when things were hard. A good friend can be one of the most important relationships in your life. Don’t take it for granted, okay?” Kaito told them… before snickering, shoo’ing Arven out, “Now go, go! I have to talk to your fellow sidekick about stuff! Impart more sagely wisdom!”

“I think you just like to hear yourself talk.” Arven muttered, before calling over his shoulder as Kaito pushed him out, “See you soon, Doppio?”

Turning red as well, Doppio did an awkward half-shrug. “Well, you did most of the kneading anyway. Be kinda dumb if you didn’t get to bring any home.”

That was one of the best parts of cooking, after all. Actually getting a taste of your labors. 

And…well, he was always looking for ways to make his labor better. So maybe cooking classes might actually help. If he wasn’t too busy. 

Even if it was something of an excuse for Kaito to keep an eye on him. Sighing, Doppio gave Arven and Chief a small wave, before he turned, untying his apron and beating it out over the yardwaste bin before going over to trade it for his sweater. “See you, Arven, Chief. Thanks for your help, again.”

Now alone in the kitchen, Doppio gave Kaito a dry look as he finished packing up. “...the other loaf is for you, you know.”

“I know.” Kaito grinned, taking the loaf and, playfully, bonking Doppio over the head with it. “You’re a sweet kid, you know that?”

“...also what the HELL, Doppio!? You are totally a teenager! Gah! Why am I so bad at telling ages!?” Kaito groaned, thumping Doppio on the head some more with the loaf as he hung his own head in shame, “Every damn time!”

Taking in a deep breath, Kaito brought his head back up and, holding his loaf like a baton, crossed his arms as he gave Doppio a stern look. “But that’s not what I wanted to talk about in private with you… You seemed really stressed out a couple of times there, Doppio. More than usual. Did something happen? I know you said the brain damage thing was just, like, your usual stuff, but I keep worrying about it. Did anything happen today?”

Jumping slightly, and trying to shield himself from the bread assault--damn yeah, though, that was a solid crust--Doppio groaned, again totally missing his similarities to Arven. “I’m not a kid! Stop yelling at me!”

…he really didn’t want to think about that though. If he had to, no beating around the bush, no excuses, sit down and think about how old he was…

He didn’t want to do it. 

He didn’t really want to talk about the earlier part of that day either. But…what, it wasn’t like he’d ever tell The Boss what happened. Oh, you know the job that you gave me despite me being a useless fool, the one that I’m grateful for every moment? Yeah, it’s kinda stressful sometimes, haha!

Please.

Doppio sighed, leaning against one of the counters. “It’s not brain stuff--I really haven’t had…an episode, since you found me last.”

“...just been a bad few days,” he muttered. “And today was the worst. Had a bad morning, passed on some stuff to Boss’s associates and…we don’t really get along. At all. And then everything in the market… Boss has been really busy lately too, and when he gets stressed out I get stressed out since I wanna help…” 

Doppio shrugged, nodding towards his bags. “S’why I really wanted to make this recipe right. It seemed like the perfect thing to lift his spirits a bit.”

“A bad few days, huh?” Kaito sighed, before hopping up onto the counter. Sitting down on it, before reaching out with his foot and gently kicking Doppio’s leg. “Talk to me about it, man. It’s not good to keep that sort of stuff pent up, it comes out in ugly ways. What’s the point of me taking you on as a sidekick if I can’t carry some of that emotional load for you? Vent to me, I’ve got you.”

A deep frown cut across Doppio’s face as he crossed his arms, still leaning against the counter. Vent? Emotional load? What did he even have to vent? He was leading a charmed life, as far as he was concerned. Anything to complain about was just…ungrateful. 

“...s’stupid,” Doppio mumbled. “Just…a bunch of shit that doesn’t matter. Broke a bunch of plates the other day ‘cause I accidentally nudged them off the counter. Spilled a whole inkwell over a new stack of paper. Fell into a window cleaning bucket trying to get out of the way of a carriage. Just…small stupid stuff like that.”

“...n I think Boss has been ignoring me, ‘cause I’ve been so useless,” he whispered, the words feeling traitorous. “I mean…he’s busy. I get that. I just wish…”

…it was so inappropriate. He shouldn’t even think it. Just getting to serve the man was far more than he deserved.

Kaito frowned, but just nodded sympathetically. He had messed up, last time. Honestly? He had pulled a Maki/Shuichi, last time. Trying to scold Doppio while talking around the issue… like directly addressing it was going to cause Kaito to break down or shut off.

And yeah. It would have. But even if it hadn’t, when Kaito was dealing with those feelings? Crushed under the disappointment of someone who used their approval more like the stick than the carrot? He hadn’t wanted to be corrected. He had wanted…

“I’m sorry, man, that’s awful,” Kaito said softly, shaking his head a little, “Both all the setbacks and your boss maybe being cross with you, ya know? I swear, sometimes it feels like when something goes wrong, it all just goes wrong at once. The universe using you as a punching bag, for a week or so. It can be rough, I’m really sorry you’re going through that.” 

“And even if he is busy, it’s okay to still wish things were different… that’s not a failing on your end. What do you wish was happening?” Kaito asked.

Golden eyes flicked up in stunned shock for a moment. He thought it was a fool’s errand to be saying any of this in the first place, but…for Kaito to not just say, “Wow, yeah, that is dumb, that’s it? That’s what made you get into a yelling match with someone in an alley?”

For him to just…express that it sucked? That Doppio wasn’t wrong for feeling bad about it?

Doppio shrank down in his sweater a bit, blinking back tears. Embarrassing…

…he wished that, sometimes, he didn’t feel lonely when he and Boss were in the same room. That the nights he couldn’t stifle his crying enough, Boss didn’t just…ignore it and wait for him to stop. …that Boss would give him a hug, and crush him into pulpy bits until they were one person. 

Very softly, Doppio made a small, distressed sound. 

“...I dunno. He says I’m doing a good job and talks about how important I am all the time… That should just be enough.”

“Heh. Man, if that was enough, no one I loved would ever be sad. Or lonely. Or feel inadequate or stupid or scared…” Kaito chuckled a little tiredly, shaking his head, “I’m not gonna tell you you’re wrong. If it’s usually enough for you, I believe you. Sometimes we take what we can get!”

Looking up onto the ceiling, hitting the counter with the back of his ankle a little, Kaito said, “But, I tell my loved ones how well they’re doing and how important they are all the time. And man… it is not enough. Honestly, it’s the least I can give them. People need more to help fight off the dark thoughts in their heads. Love, reassurance, sympathy, sometimes a listening ear and sometimes a stern word… hell, sometimes? Sometimes people just need help. My therapist, right? She told me something that kinda phased through me the first time I heard it, but man, the more I think about it the more important it becomes to me…”

Looking to Doppio, he leaned forward, not scolding, just sharing something that had helped him, warm and comfortable. “If something feels hard? Like, challenging, you’re struggling with it? It’s not something wrong with you. The thing is just hard. Like… like challenging things are challenging, there’s nothing fucking lacking in us or immoral in us or stupid in us for struggling in it. It’s just genuinely hard.”

“So, sometimes, we just genuinely need help with things. Like, in physical ways. We need help doing it… sorry, I’m rambling.” Kaito grinned, shrugging. “I went through a similar thing recently. Found myself having a meltdown, practically begging my husband for help with stuff. Wasn’t exactly coherent about it either… I can be kinda the worst case scenario I try warning you guys about, sometimes.”

Love…

If the praise and pride Doppio got from The Boss wasn’t enough then…what was he supposed to do? Love was far beyond the boundaries of a Boss and Subordinate. Even if they did live together. Loving The Boss was wholly inappropriate. 

…and who would ever love him?

…hard things were hard, huh? But…the things he did weren’t hard. He just…kept messing up…

Taking a deep breath as he pressed sleeve-covered fists to his eyes, pushing back tears, Doppio shook his head. “...I appreciate the advice, but…it’s really not that bad. Just a bad few days. Just…gotta push past the obstacles in my way, and get stronger for it. Don’t think there’s really a thing to help with, if I’m just…making avoidable mistakes.”

Kaito felt his shoulders drop a bit. Watching Doppio’s wall go back up… damn. And the guy was about to burst into tears on top of it. Kaito wasn’t sure if Doppio was the type who’d shut down if Kaito dared point it out or not. It’d be rude to do so back home, but then, Doppio was Dicean. So that meant… Kaito wasn’t sure. That if he was offended, he’d be more open about it?

Well, if Kaito couldn’t break through thoughtfully, he could at least try his backup.

Dumb Prince activate! 

Grinning wide, Kaito kicked off the counter, putting down his loaf and opening his arms wide. “Well, if it helps!? I think you’re doing a great job! You try really hard and your mind is always on the job and you’re super tough! Plus, you can cook, which is very cool! And I think someone needs a congratulatory hug, for their great job!”

And seeing his opening– hah! Dare cover your weepy eyes around Kaito Ouma Momota, Star Genius, eh!?-- Kaito reached forward and wrapped his arms around Doppio. Pulling him into a bear hug as he chuckled, rubbing Doppio’s back. Holding him tightly… mostly in case he suddenly started violently struggling. Kaito did not need a lucky blow against his glass jaw, thanks.

Like it happened a lot around Kaito, Doppio was…mixed, about his praise. Usually being told he was doing well sent Doppio to the moon! But…half the time it almost felt like a joke coming from Kaito’s mouth, even if he couldn’t find any actual evidence the prince was trying to mess with him. So he was left just feeling tentatively proud. 

And confused, which, along with missing the physical cue, left Doppio mulling it over for long enough to miss the word ‘hug’ until…

More commonly associating more than brushes against his skin with danger, Doppio froze when he felt arms around him, standing stiff as a board. But…between the firm pressure, and back rub, and…feeling a warm, breathing, real person against him…

Doppio all but melted into the hug, letting out a shuddered, almost sob-like breath, a few tears escaping the threshold he’d pushed them behind. Half hiding against Kaito’s chest, Doppio almost went boneless in his embrace. 

…when was the last time someone hugged him?

…had he ever gotten one? Surely…

(...it was close. Close as he’d probably ever get again. The sort of intertwining with another person that, torn from it, had been leaving Doppio feeling bare and raw and lonely for the past year and a half.)

Awww, kid…

Rubbing Doppio’s back some more, feeling that little shuddered, shuttered breath against him, Kaito did that deep into his chest hum. Knowing what a comforting sound that could be, especially if you were feeling vulnerable. Shit, maybe Kaito had been guessing wrong. Maybe independence wasn’t Doppio’s enemy. 

Maybe Doppio needed more gentleness in his life. 

“You give good hugs,” Kaito softly praised, pressing his hand firmly around Doppio’s arm in the hug, but bringing his other hand to pat Doppio’s head. Pat-pat… before letting his hand gently scratch the back of Doppio’s head, as he said cheerfully, “Hey, if I wanted more hugs in the future, can I go to you for them? You’ve seen me with Souda and Waku, I’m a glutton for this sort of thing. It’s nice to just be close to people, ya know? I’ll trade you hugs when you want them too, in exchange! …it’s okay to just need that, sometimes. Okay?”

If Doppio wasn’t already like taffy slumped into Kaito’s arms, the hum would’ve melted him like butter. There was still a part of him that felt stupid and weak, but…mostly there was just…such a sense of security, in that hug. In someone touching him not to hurt, or not out of necessity, but just…holding him. Not underestimating him, but not expecting something he couldn’t deliver either. 

Just…a type of affection he’d never known. 

Sniffling softly, Doppio nodded, working his throat a few times to talk without just wailing. “Just…warn me. Startling when you do big slaps outta nowhere. But…it’s okay.”

…he was okay.

As much as Doppio just…(wanted to tuck himself in a dark, quiet spot, and let the terms of existence become a little looser) he…did have things to still get done. Pulling back just a little, just enough to look at Kaito, Doppio cleared his throat, disappointment evident in his tone. “...I should start walking home. S’ a long trip.”

“Yeah? Okay.” Kaito grinned, clasping Doppio firmly on the shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze. “But you know where I live, right? Big castle on the hill? I’m there all the time, and seriously, I’d be thrilled if you ever just wanted to come up and visit, okay? I know you’re really busy a lot, and I totally respect that, but don’t forget you’re one of my starbursts now! And as a starburst, sometimes I just wanna see ya and see you’re doing okay and bake bread and hug things out. Without finding you in an alley first. Got it?”

Damn was that squeeze reassuring. 

“Hard to miss, yeah,” Doppio sniffled, wiping his cheeks though there was a small smile on his face. His eyes were reddened and his hair was half-falling out of its braid from where Kaito had been scratching his head, but…Doppio was feeling a lot lighter than he had been that morning. Than he had for the past few days. 

“It is a weird coincidence that you keep finding me in alleys,” he chuckled, turning to get his bags. “Maybe I’ll start using alley-time for visits.” …probably not, if he wanted to avoid Prince Kokichi. But it was a nice sentiment anyway. 

“Please pass on my congratulations to your husbands, and I hope you enjoy the bread. Though it was mostly Arven’s work.”

“Hell yeah! I’m gonna teach Timothy how to make some kickass sandwich using this. You and Arven have inspired me!” Kaito decided, before waving the loaf at Doppio as a goodbye. “Get home safe, alright! Enjoy your pabalabata or whatever it's called!”

Kaito waved until Doppio left the room… before letting out the sigh of relief he had been holding in for a second there. Okay… that had gone well. That had gone well! Not… not ideal that two kids he had stumbled across were both apparently basically missing any and all families in their lives, but, well… 

What was the point of having sidekicks, if not to look after them?

Kaito would keep an eye on it… and maybe tell Kokichi about it too. Maybe his husband would have some good advice. Phew. Time to head home.

……..oh, shit, after he got the pastries he promised them.

-

Maybe Kaito finding him really was the turning point of the universe finally giving him a break, because Doppio made it home without incident. No being run off the road by a carriage or horses, no surprise sinkholes, no dropping his bags and spilling everything… It was a breath of fresh air, really. And after everything, Doppio was in high spirits as he came back to the house, even still looking a little disheveled. 

“I’m back!” he called into the house, blinking to adjust his eyes to the darkness. He would go report in with Boss in a moment, but he did have several containers of food to put away first. Now…just make it to the kitchen without dropping anything, and he’d truly be golden.

“Doppio,” called a deep, gravely voice from the study, “Come here.”

Diavolo, his robes tightly around him, drooping heavily to shadow his face, had been staring at the wall for some time now. Sat cross legged on the floor, hands on his knees, back rim-rod straight, staring directly at the wall, knees only just barely brushing against the wall itself. There was a thoughtfulness in the position, like perhaps Diavolo had spent some time meditating there, while behind him were scatters of open notebooks and report files and long cold tea that had only been half drunk. His back turned to all of that, as if at one point in his readings he had sat up, turned around, and stayed that way.

There were no answers, of course, hidden in the odd thin paint covering the lightly cracked driftwall. But Diavolo stared at it as if perhaps it did. Not looking out but within. Shifting slowly through himself, for which the depth of him was endless, and with multitudes. Certain there was an answer. 

Well, when duty called…

Leaving the bags on the threshold of the living room, Doppio walked down the hall to the study (banging into the side table as usual), pausing at the door. He had already been given an invitation, so it wasn’t so much that he was waiting for permission, but…there was a lot to take in. Boss sometimes worked like this, a million things at once--’cause there was a million things to manage--but…Doppio wasn’t quite sure what to think about The Boss just…staring at the wall. 

And he did know what to think about the half-drunk tea, though he didn’t speak of it beyond a slightly disgruntled look at the cup. 

Very determinedly stepping around the papers and notebooks, Doppio cleared his throat softly. “The meeting with the narcotics group went well, Boss. Vladimir said that they’d be in touch within the week, for everything you specified. And I did the cooking while I was out, so it’ll be ready whenever you’re ready to eat.”

…hopefully soon. It still wasn’t quite evening, but if Doppio could be so bold as to hazard a guess, judging by the tea he’d wager Boss hadn’t eaten since that morning.

Diavolo didn’t react to the news. He heard him, took it in, but that was as far as he felt warranted thought on it. Doppio was efficient and capable. He wasn’t surprised everything was done.

But he did, slightly, lift his hand off his knee and gesture for Doppio to sit. Still staring at the wall intently. 

“...do you know what it means, Doppio?” Diavolo said after a moment. “To be someone who can create something out of nothing? To through sheer force of will, build an empire, while only sacrificing the tiniest… piece. Of your attention? To be that… Grand?”

Diavolo didn’t pause. The question wasn’t waiting on Doppio’s answer, as he continued, “It can be a terrible burden. To sometimes be able to feel the universe… shift. And you know deep within you, something has fallen ever so slightly out of place.”

Finally looking to Doppio, Diavolo peered at him. “...I felt that today. Something fall out of place. I’m trying to figure out what it was.”

…Doppio tried not to deflate. Nothing was more annoying than visible…sulking. Simpering. But, well…like he’d told Kaito, The Boss had just been…ignoring him. Not always keeping completely silent, but acting like he was just having an extended conversation with himself, like Doppio wasn’t even there. In some ways, he was honored to be a soundboard for The Boss’s thoughts, but…

…it could be a little demoralizing, sometimes. 

But being invited to sit was something different!

Looking around to make sure there was nothing under him on the ground, Doppio plopped down slightly behind The Boss, thrumming with attention. Whatever The Boss finally needed of him, he was ready for it!

Even…confusing philosophical questions. 

Making something out of nothing was… Well, once Doppio had thought it was the sort of thing solely reserved for Boss, and similar people. Go-getters! Pioneers! People with the vision and drive to do great things! But…as he’d been thinking more, wasn’t it that…everyone created things out of nothing? Every piece of will was nothing until enacted, so…every idea and action was a start. 

But…to be the start of so many things, that you created an intricate web with you at the center to feel every ripple out…

Once The Boss had paused long enough that Doppio was sure he wouldn’t be interrupting, he hummed in thought, tapping his fingers together. “Um… Like a premonition, sort of? Cause…if it was something more physical, like getting news then…obviously you’d know what it is…”

These things weren’t always appreciated, but sometimes they were, so taking that chance, Doppio offered The Boss a grin. “I dunno about things going wrong, but I met a super cute dog today! His name is Chief and he’s a long-haired mastiff and he’s super soft.”

“...”

Diavolo narrowed his eyes. Not in frustration or anything stern. But curious. Like perhaps he was starting to untangle the knot he had found in his day… as he reached forward and, gently, almost testingly, placed his hand on the back of Doppio’s head.

Lightly scratching it. 

Like placing one’s own hand into a recently wet imprint of dirt, seeing if the size of your fingers and palms aligned with whoever had made the mark in the first place.

“...I see,” Diavolo said, “Tell me more.”

Doppio’s eyes widened, something he refused to label as hope fluttering in his chest. Something like relief that he refused to look at. Because…if what he was feeling was hope and relief, then that meant he hadn’t been feeling them before and he would never be so ungrateful about The Boss’s attention! 

…but the smile that broke out across his face at having Boss ask him about his day again was bright enough to, perhaps, imply those things anyway. Or, maybe, he just looked thrilled. Getting some affection certainly added to it too. 

“Ah, well, I wasn’t slacking off to go pet dogs again!” Doppio headed off first, leaning forward just ever so slightly to prove he was telling the truth. “Chief’s owner was…well, he was interested in the recipe I was making, and Prince Kaito was there, and he kinda insisted on us cooking while his usual class was going on--at that place I told you about, with the studio kitchen. So…when we were waiting for things to bake, Arven let me pet Chief--downtime I was gonna have anyway, and I checked the to-do list first!”

“Hmmm…” Diavolo pulled at another small, tightly wound knot, listening to an echo of something that had been felt so strongly that it had been forced backwards, and tried it out of morbid curiosity. Letting out a small, rumbling hum deep in his chest for a moment, while still scratching Doppio’s head in experiment. “I see… good.”

Interesting. Prince Kaito again.

There had been that echo the last time Doppio had spoken to the foreign prince. Echoes of Doppio, forced into Diavolo, without him, the original, needing or desiring to reach out and take it. Strong. Surprising. Violating.

Having a piece of one’s identity forced upon you was no less infuriating than having an already existing piece exposed, Diavolo had found.

But his anger had come and gone long before Doppio had returned home, and in its wake was curiosity about it. Diavolo hadn’t been trying to read Doppio, and yet, he had, and had in fact, for a moment, been unable to stop. Which felt like it should be impossible. Doppio an extension of him, his own ‘willpower’, shadows on walls that it was, in no way capable of overwhelming Diavolo’s. 

And yet.

Echoes.

“Good job,” Diavolo rumbled. “You were encouraged to speak to Prince Kaito again, if you could. To find ways to exploit that resource. Did anything fruitful come of it, this time?” Diavolo asked… before narrowing his eyes, this time stern, as his fingers stilled in Doppio’s hair. That stillness turning the light scratches into a light grip instead. “Did you avoid Prince Kokichi?”

It wasn’t like Boss was super anal about Doppio always being productive, but he still felt some relief that he’d been believed. Not that he’d ever have a reason to lie to The Boss, and Boss was fully aware of that. Doppio just…didn’t like coming off like he was hanging around the city for no reason. Or had gotten distracted with animals for hours and hours. He was trying his best!

But, not just being told that it was okay, but that he’d done a good job… Doppio lit up, his heart soaring (even…if he didn’t remember Boss telling him to seek out Kaito again, whoops). He’d done a good job… And Boss was talking to him again, and petting him, which was new, and…just kind of holding him? Which was a little weird, but Doppio wasn’t complaining in the slightest! Aaaah, today really was turning around!

“I did! I mean, Prince Kokichi wasn’t there, so I didn’t see him,” Doppio clarified, riding that wave of joy. “I’m not…super sure about anything helpful that came from Kaito, though. He gave me a blanket invitation to come to the castle to hang out, which I probably won’t use since I’m avoiding Prince Kokichi, and he said we should sit in on the cooking classes at Soapberry more, but…”

“Oh!” Cutting himself off, Doppio perked. “You might know this already, but apparently everyone who used to be a slave in Luminary wasn’t allowed to go to school? And if they did, it was through some really convoluted legal battle, and even then they weren’t allowed to get any credentials, so there’s just generations of a whole class there that’s been kept from social mobility? I…really don’t know if that could be helpful intel for Passione, but…I thought it might be? Maybe?”

Diavolo frowned, brows furrowing slightly…

…before his fingers started gently scratching again.

Interesting. Interesting. And these were the same people who had just been ‘freed’, weren’t they? A lot of them were going to be in extremely vulnerable positions then, no longer chained and collared in place, but with no mobility to go anywhere either. Offering a potential ‘alternative’ way out of poverty would undoubtedly be appealing to many of them, after facing enough official roadblocks. 

It could make for an easy, efficient workforce that were desperate enough to take risks it was otherwise difficult to talk people into.

Interesting… it wouldn’t work if those roadblocks weren’t in place, of course, but then, Luminary could usually be counted on to make things actively more difficult for themselves. If they decided to ostracize their former slaves in order to keep current wealth rather than invest in them for greater overall economic, and physical, security, well… who was Diavolo to not take advantage? One more way to make his empire grow.

“That is helpful,” Diavolo rewarded Doppio, before suddenly letting his hand drop. Growing tired of mimicking the affection that Doppio had felt so strongly that it had invaded Diavolo’s consciousness like a parasite. Still, there were forms of affection he was more used to, as he finally let his meditating stance relax, his back arching forward as he said, “You made food. Let’s see how it turned out. My legs have stiffened, help me rise.”

Even without the hand in his hair--which was pleasant! But new, and, honestly, Doppio was still kind of adjusting--Doppio beamed wide at hearing that he had managed to acquire some helpful information. He did do a lot of other things for The Boss and Passione besides just cooking and cleaning, things that were valuable and needed for the organization, but…it felt like it was pretty rare for him to actually contribute something new. 

That he’d managed to follow Boss’s instructions on something he didn’t remember, and get something valuable out of it? Incredible day. 

Feeling a giddy excitement in his chest--and some relief--that Boss was interested in eating, Doppio nodded rapidly and popped up from the ground, offering his hands to help pull Boss up. “Yes, sir! You know, the recipe said that for some of the filling you could use leftover bread, but I baked some fresh and I think it’ll make all the difference. Do you want me to make more tea for you, or would you like a different drink?”

“A fresh pot of tea. I have…” Diavolo sighed, looking with some disdain at the work at his feet, “So much still to do. It can be maddening, not having the help I truly need.”

Shuffling to the kitchen, he sat himself at the counter like the weight of the world was heavy on his shoulders, slumping into it with a slightly frustrated sigh, as he waited for his food to be delivered to him. Saying as he did so, “Some days I wish I could recreate myself. Put a true copy, out into the world. Ease my workload with the only person I can trust to know what to do… me.”

Diavolo sighed. “But it’s impossible to recreate perfection. And so I must be ever-vigilant… though,” and now, Diavolo looked to Doppio, smiling lightly, “I suppose I am at least not alone in vigilance, if not capability. Your tireless efforts are a comfort to me, Doppio. It is a relief, to know I do not have to trouble myself with the banalities of small, effortless errands and time consuming remedial tasks. You would think anyone could do things so simple, consistently, and yet you, Doppio, are truly a prize. Just in truly basic competence.” Diavolo sighed, “What a state society is in, where even that is hard to find.”

If Boss had said all that about not having competent help right at the start…Doppio would’ve ended the day the way it began. But after being told how good and helpful he’d been, after spending that time with Kaito and Arven and Chief…it wasn’t great to hear, but it didn’t feel like knives thunking into his body one after another. 

Turning on the kettle--and no non-burner fire, so his luck was truly turned around--and heating up the oven to warm up the food, Doppio set about unloading the supplies he’d abandoned earlier at The Boss’s call. And…it turned out he didn’t even need to be the slightest bit bummed, because…

Doppio returned that slight smile ten-fold, beaming with pride for his competence. Sure, his job wasn’t particularly complex, but…if hard things were hard, then easy things were easy, and thus could be excelled. Boss didn’t need to sweat the small stuff with Doppio being, ha! Being the best starburst he could be. 

“I do my best, Boss,” Doppio chirped, a light bounciness to his actions that had been missing for most of the day. “I wish I could help you better with the bulk of things, but I’ll just have to nail my job so hard that you don’t even have to think about it, right?”

“Still,” he offered a slightly guilty smile over his shoulder, “...if there’s anything I can help with, my services are for you, as always.”

Indeed they were. What more could Diavolo do to utilize him… 

Diavolo’s eyebrows raised. “You said the princes just had a wedding, yes? To Mr. Saihara, who I believe you’ve also informed me was once in law enforcement back in Luminary.”

Tapping at the counter, Diavolo thought before saying aloud, “He would likely know things about the drug organizations in the capital area itself; who was dangerous in what ways, turfs and important persons of interest… breaking into Luminary’s larger cities has always been difficult. Trade lines carefully set up that overnight are violently disposed of, and if I’m lucky someone survives long enough to send word back that they’ve failed… It's been frustrating, only buying and selling from their coastal and rural areas. The cities are stronger territories by far.”

“Any information that you happen to come across, Doppio, about the criminal power structure in that ridiculously named capital of theirs?” Diavolo said, “That would truly be… mildly helpful.”

Plating up a serving (difficult stuff, balancing what a plate should look like. Doppio did tend to err on the side of giving Boss a little more, since it could just be explained as him being overzealous and excited about his cooking, but he didn’t want to overload him…even if Doppio would just pack up any leftovers anyway), Doppio set down The Boss’s meal in front of him, hoping that this really would be the pick-me-up he’d picked it out for. Though, he was momentarily distracted. Saihara…that was his name, right. 

Nodding dutifully, trying to absorb The Boss’s musings, Doppio frowned slightly. Not from only potentially being “mildly helpful”--every little bit helped, and what was a mild help to The Boss would be life-changing for a normal person, so Doppio found quite a bit of worth in that opportunity. It was just…

Twiddling his thumbs a little, Doppio nodded slowly. “I’m…not sure how I’d get the chance to talk to Mr. Saihara without running into Prince Kokichi too, but…I’ll keep an ear out for anything.”

There was a small pause, before something else occurred to Doppio that he needed to inform Boss of. And, remembering it, twiddling became nervous wringing, as Doppio gnawed on his lip. “Oh, uh… Not related, but Chief’s owner, Arven? Invited me to cook at his place, if I needed more space than here. He said his kitchen was even better than Soapberry’s, so…I was thinking of taking him up on the offer.”

“Arven… by this point, I feel the need to ask if this is another member of royalty you’ve stumbled across.” Diavolo smirked slightly, shredding some of the roll in his hands and still managing to need to tear it as he bit fiercely into the meat… before humming approvingly. “You do keep happening upon interesting sources of information.”

Ah…those hums were everything. 

Chuckling sheepishly, Doppio gave a small shrug. “It is pretty coincidental. Though, no. Arven goes to Mid-Valley High, and…I think his mom might be some kind of scientist? But they don’t talk, so he wouldn’t really be a source for…anything like that. We just…”

Doppio stiffened a bit, his smile freezing as he looked to the side, trying not to sweat. “...ran into each other.”

Diavolo tore some more of his meal apart, something oddly primal in his eating habits, considering how much dignity he held himself with everything else he did. Every tear felt like a thing of anger, each bite an attack, something focused and furious in his eyes as he devoured, while a small line of drool threatened the corner of his lips.

…but he stopped when he wanted to speak, taking a napkin and dabbing at his mouth as he informed Doppio, “A lie of omission is still a lie.”

Doppio paled, closing his eyes in an expression of true anguish. “...IleftmyIDathomeandtheshopkeepthoughtIwasakidandshewasbeingreallyrudeaboutitandwasgonnathrowmeoutsoItookabottleofvermouthandSTILLPAIDIPROMISEbutArvensawandhepulledmeintoanalleyandyelledatmeuntilKaitobrokeusup.”

Diavolo’s eyes widened slightly…

Before he stood up. Eyes thundering, as he shot a hand out to grab Doppio’s braid. Catching it at the base, before tugging at it, slamming his head down onto the counter.

But the ferocity in his actions did not reach his voice, as he said, “You allowed someone to see you stealing? What if the guardforce had been called? Do you think our operations can survive with your name in the system somewhere? Are you actively trying to make yourself useless to me?”

Making a choked noise, Doppio had just just enough forethought to tuck his tongue back in his mouth, making sure he wouldn’t bite down on it as The Boss slammed his head down. 

Boss wasn’t…just violent for violence’s sake. Doppio wouldn’t even call him a particularly violent person at all--there were simply efficient, effective, required methods for certain ends, and The Boss didn’t shy away from them for any sort of hampering reasons like societal morality or squeamishness. While Doppio wasn’t exactly thrilled to enact those methods himself, it was just another thing he admired about Boss.

Boss only did things that were necessary, so…he didn’t often turn that kind of measure onto Doppio. But when he did…

Doppio reeled a bit from the impact, his vision spinning for a moment, though it was the true failure in The Boss’s stream of questions that made fear leap up into his throat, making his heart pound away. He’d been adamant against Arven and Kaito, declaring that he hadn’t stolen the bottle, and…really, it had been fine since law enforcement didn’t get involved, but even thinking of trying to say that to The Boss…

Doppio just wanted t̵̡̖̞͉͔͈͐̔̓͜ȟ̷̛͔̮͕̰̠̳̲͕̞̯͔͈̏i̵̜͔̓̌̍̊̇̂̕s̷͚͓͈̰̦̳͋̀͛͐̾̈́̃͒̓̚ ̸͔͕̠͉͙̜̼̀t̷̼͔͇͎͎̘̩̺͍̦̺̔͌͜ŏ̷̧̢̡̘͈͉̩̙̬̺̤͉̲̘̤͐̀͂̎̊̃̒̄̂͊͒ b̷̡̢̨̮̫̻̝̼̙̯̥̥̥̜̙͇̦͔͊̈̒̎̓̂͆͌̾͗̒̽͗̃̊͒̏̑̂̓̋̌̕͠͝ȩ̵̢͎̬͓̩̠͈̱̻̰̦̭̗̖͎̗͕͉̣̮̗̞̓̍̈́̎̑̄͜͝ͅ…

(...)

Over.

Doppio blinked, freckles standing out starkly against his pallor, unsure how…exactly he’d ended up on the floor. Or Boss back sitting down. Almost like he blinked and…

(...there was…a feeling, almost. Like life was a flipbook animation of sticky notes, but partway through, someone had peeled a few papers away, and so there was a “skip”. That peeling feeling permeated throughout Doppio’s body. An absence, but a noticeable one.)

(And for everyone else? It would be simply like they had zoned out for a few seconds. Everything carrying on as usual, but without any of the awareness for those few moments. Something most people would find easy to brush off.)

(Most people)

“So long as you understand me.” Diavolo sighed, sipping at his tea. “But, yes. Considering by this point the boy Arven now knows you, on some level, remaining friendly with him would likely make it easier to keep yourself out of trouble. Having access to a mostly empty home closer to the castle is a plus as well. You can continue seeing him.”

On some level, Doppio was happy to hear that (he wouldn’t disobey The Boss’s orders, but…something in his chest sank at the thought of never seeing Arven again, after saying that they’d see each other again soon), but mostly…

Doppio swallowed thickly, looking around the kitchen as if it had answers. (Hey, if looking at walls worked for Boss…) His head…did throb a little, but…it wasn’t stinging like it should’ve, right after being hit. And now his cheek was hurting too… It was like…

“...Boss?” Doppio’s voice was small and afraid, his posture tightly wound as a few loose strands of hair stuck to his face with sweat. “What…what just happened?”

Diavolo raised an eyebrow at this, putting down his cup. Flexing his hand a little, the ache in his knuckles reddened and rawed almost as dark as the side of Doppio face, though thankfully the skin hadn’t split at the joints, he said, “I suppose you did land a little hard. We had a thorough conversation about why you need to take greater care to not draw negative attention… please,” Diavolo flexed his hand again, “Tell me now if that’s a conversation I need to have with you again.”

…he did tend to forget things. People’s names, directions, shopping lists…parts of conversations…just…years of things that…he assumed happened to him. (Anything about his life before he met The Boss.) It was stuff he needed to hear, obviously, since Boss wouldn’t say it if he didn’t, but…it wasn’t crazy to think that Doppio wouldn’t…try to commit everything to memory since he wasn’t…super into hearing about how he’d fucked up. 

…that was pretty gross. Now he felt like his skin was crawling for a whole ‘nother reason. 

(...but he was sure that…something had happened…)

“Sorry, Boss,” Doppio murmured, still looking a bit unsure, but picking himself up from the ground. Feeling a little off-kilter. Like something wasn’t right. Heh, looked like he could understand what Boss was talking about earlier after all. 

“I was unnecessarily careless, which is unacceptable for my position. It won’t happen again.” Doppio bowed his head a bit, at least knowing a space for a proper apology when he heard one. …he should probably wait until Boss went back to work to get some ice, though. Doppio couldn’t even remember Boss hitting him and yet his cheek was throbbing something fierce now.

Diavolo nodded, sipping at his teacup. His large, reddened hand looking odd against the delicate and refined cup that he preferred to take his tea in. Fit for an emperor. 

“It will not,” he agreed, giving Doppio a small glance as the smaller creature managed to stand up. 

It’s not that he enjoyed having to discipline Doppio in such a way. He’d quite like to never lift a hand to the creature, if he could help it. But Doppio needed to be flawless, and so often, painfully, wasn’t. Which Diavolo just couldn’t understand… Doppio was literally created in his own image. Diavolo had thought Doppio would come out as flawless as he himself always was. How could he not, when taken from such magnificent stock?

But Doppio had come out… small. And a little dim. And unnecessarily weak. And yet, Diavolo still found himself fond of the creature. Able to see himself in him, even if the similarities were shallow things. Doppio looked quite a bit like Diavolo in the…

Diavolo scowled. Realizing where his mind had been going. 

Disgusting

The past? The past was nothing. There had never been any other type of Diavolo, than the one here, now, sitting at this table. Tall, strong, and proud. He had never been smaller. He had never been ‘dainty’. Doppio wasn’t an accurate copy, he was a watered down flawed thing. Nothing about him was accurate to Diavolo. Diavolo was not sure why he had briefly entertained the idea that there was.

If he had any pride in Doppio, it was knowing that the creature was a physical proof of Diavolo’s own incredible abilities. His existence a testament to Diavolo’s greatness… flawed as the creation was.

“Be gone from me,” Diavolo suddenly ordered, lowering his hood more, frustrated at the contradictions Doppio’s existence made for him. “Your face troubles me. Clean yourself up.”

“Yes, sir,” Doppio said quietly, before quickly leaving the kitchen. It wasn’t like The Boss would just hang around the kitchen after he finished, so not taking care of the dishes right away wouldn’t be an eyesore. He could just do it later, when he could move around the house without Boss noticing. 

Even thinking and committing to those things… Doppio felt a wave of heat run down his body, gumming up his chest like soot webs that someone mistakenly tried to wash off. Entering the bathroom, Doppio bit down on his lip fiercely, trying to, if not push back the sudden stinging in his eyes, then hold it back until he was firmly out of ear- and eye-shot of The Boss. 

He’d fucked up. 

Fuck, he’d fucked up hard. 

What had he been thinking?! Doppio knew that he’d be in trouble, no, that he’d put The Boss and Passione in danger, from the second Arven pulled him into that alley. He’d just been…been too stupid and selfish and horrible to think for a second about actually correcting himself. Boss talking to him again, being affectionate…all of it was some indulgent lie that Doppio had tricked Boss into. Letting himself ignore his purpose all for…for disgusting, selfish whimsy. Thinking he could…

(...have The Boss act a little like Kaito.)

Doppio choked back a sob, trying to be quiet, as shaking hands tugged out his ruined braid, pink hair falling over his shoulders. He was lucky beyond worlds that Boss hadn’t just “fired” him right then and there--he was a liability! And too…stupid and useless to do anything else with his life, even if he cut out his tongue and off his hands and gave himself brain damage to never even incidentally give any information on Passione. 

God, he should just…

He should’ve just… When Arven found him, he should’ve…

Doppio more collapsed on the toilet than sat down, hating himself that he couldn’t even think the words, how even the prospect made him heave breaths as tears completely took over his vision. Some gang member he was…

He wished he could just forget this whole day…

-

It was both coincidence and wasn’t.

She danced from mind to mind, both cruelly invasive and innocently playful. She meant no harm by her violations. She had no real expectations beyond seeing new, beautiful things. She was a creature that had been given shape and power by a child's desire for more. To see more. To do more. To live more. Given to someone who had once been a child, who had been grieving when she had accepted her, and while she was older now, and wiser, and understood more the issues of what she allowed the figment to do… could never quite bring herself to call her childhood friend’s one last, selfish desire into the universe to come heel.

Amaina-Chan would always want more.

And as she danced the fine threaded webs that was the collective consciousness, she found herself drawn to things she hadn’t seen yet. Powers she couldn’t fathom. She hadn’t just found Katsuki and Kokichi just to find the storage room key: she had known of their existence because the threads she had casted out went taut with their unique existences. They were as obvious to her as the sun to a bat. She danced around their strings with effortless glee, because the fine threads shone so brightly in their light.

Sometimes she danced too close to the great fire that orbited Kokichi’s mind. Amaina-chan found herself constantly fighting her own curiosity, to steal into the mind of the last dragon. That mind flaming beautifully, like an active volcano erupting in the night. 

She needed distractions, when that self-destructive desire to visit the mind-eater came to her.

So, she was finally visiting This Weirdo.

But. As she danced carefully through his mind, trying not to jostle the fine threads that bound him to the Other One, she couldn’t help but notice that she had apparently come at a bad time…

There was a reason Doppio was so staunchly against seeing a doctor. 

What Diavolo had done was a feat of magnificence, and regardless of his overblown ego, that was true. In another universe, a cruel goddess had forced her creations to forcefully draw from the well of collective consciousness, ripping creatures from stories and feelings into reality. Or coaxing beings from The Edge of All into their domain, causing creatures that should not be unimaginable agony. The creation of a Tulpa into another world was not an action regarded lightly. 

But, being that they were Beings That Should Not Be, some things were…off. Sometimes that was so clearly apparent that it was hardly even an observation, but other times not so much. And for as much as Doppio resembled a human, had been energy so wrapped up in a story of the past and the sum of all knowledge one man possessed…he wasn’t actually human. And if neither Doppio nor Diavolo had known how something in a body, in a mind, in an existence should work, then…it was left to Doppio to unconsciously fill in the blanks. 

Eventually, Doppio had tentatively come out of the bathroom when he heard The Boss return to the study, quickly cleaning up the kitchen as quietly as he could manage. For the rest of the evening it had gone like that, Doppio going through his normal routines of housekeeping with a dangling sword above his head, fit to drop and impale him with every noise that was just a little too obtrusive. Anything that could possibly remind The Boss that he wasn’t in the house alone. That some pest was there. 

And…eventually, it was time to sleep. 

Doppio knew what dreams were, sure. Hallucinations while you were asleep. But if you were left to reverse engineer one…

In his real pajamas, on his real bed, though only a reflection in his mind, Doppio watched with concern as his surroundings…skipped. Not having seen the new invention that was film, and being created decades too early for VHS tapes, he had no frame of reference to describe the effect he was seeing as video skipping, but…even in a still, dark, quiet room, he could still see it. Gaps of time just missing from the world. 

…this wasn’t just him forgetting things again, was it.

♪ This is Naaaaaauseeating ♩

Amaina-Chan informed Doppio, as she fell in front of him through the air.

But every time the area around him skipped, her fall was interrupted. Going backwards in little, stuttering steps, jolting slightly to the left, to the right. Small, echoing doubles of herself, translucent and just slightly off her own more solid frame, as she gave him a Look. Slightly annoyed as she sang at him, Ò _ Ó ♪ Stoooooop it this suuuuucks ♩

Doppio startled, looking at the…doll? The singing doll? With mild alarm. This was a new hallucination. He…didn’t think he’d ever seen a doll like this in storefronts either. Not the long twin-tails as long as its whole body, not the over-sized head, not the…wide, unsettling eyes either. 

There probably was a market out there for it, though. 

Wincing a little at the doll’s displeasure, Doppio gave the skipping room a more despairing look. “I don’t think I can. I don’t even know what this is! I just…”

He sighed, rubbing an eye. “...I can’t do anything. Is that why you’re here? To rub that in? At least it’s not The Boss again…”

♪ Stop being a baby and help me you loser! ♩ Amaina-Chan agreed, reaching to try to grab the bed as she fell near it, before phasing through the air again, ♪ Ahhhhhhhhh catch me catch me catch me ♩

Doppio sent the doll a mildly hurt look before the meaning of “orders” became apparent to him and he dove forward, leaning on his knees to catch the doll. It was a few minutes of fumbling, the time skips sending her all over, always missing his hands…

Until, even in a dream, even feeling useless and like garbage, Doppio had had enough. He had orders.

“STOP!”

And. Everything. Stopped. 

Both Doppio and the doll were frozen in the air, the world, even in that still room clearly stopped, the air so still that it almost looked like all the colors of the world had inverted. 

One second. 

Two. 

Three. 

Four…

And then like a balloon deflating, the correct colors returned, Doppio falling forward onto his chest while the doll plopped delicately into his cupped hands. 

O.O

OuO

OoO ♪ There we go what the heck took so long?? ♩ 

Hopping up in his hands, her feet pointed delicately into both palms, she gave Doppio a long look… before announcing, ♪ It is time to sing! ♩ 

And, hopping and spinning from one palm to another, Amaina sang

I WAS TRAPPED IN TIME

IN THIS GLITTERY MIND

OF THIS GLAMOROUS WEIRD~O

BUT HE FIGURED IT OUT

NOW I DANCE ABOUT

OH WHAT A HER~O

O.O… OoO ♪ you may applaud now! ♩ 

Then she looked down at his hands, which she was still standing on, before amending, ♪ Internally! ♩

…. Before pouting slightly. Realizing that didn’t quite work either. 

Giving the doll a sour look, Doppio’s heart nearly leaped into his throat as the doll did exactly what it said it would, and started to sing. It wasn’t bad, the doll’s voice was actually rather upbeat and fun, and…somehow there was music going along with it, a kind that Doppio had never heard before, but--!!

…wait. The Boss couldn’t hear his dreams. Right. 

Which was…kind of a relief. Calling him a “hero”, and a “glamorous weirdo”...geez. 

Sighing softly, Doppio gave the doll a kind look. “Clap, clap, clap! I applaud you, little doll.” The slight smile on his face faded soon after, though. “...you’re okay, though, right? Through…whatever that was.”

Amaina-chan nodded, something mildly dismissive in it as she looked around more. Of course she was okay. She was Amaina-chan! She was power personified! Literally! 

Spinning in place, she looked around, before spinning on his palm again. Spin-spin-spin

♪ How do you not know what that was you freak this is your own braaaaaaiin! ♩ Amaina-chan pointed out, before jumping up from his hands, to the top of his head. Spinning elegantly there now, as she chastised, ♪ But I do not know what that was either and I have seen many weird things already like mirror people and dragon fire and small children who are endless through time and their weird doll husbands and a golden cat who teaches gods like they know any better… what freeeaaaaaks ♩

Then she stopped, considering it before admitting, ♪ But many of them didn’t know their own brains either so I guess you losers all have that in common congratulations you are part of the ignorant communittyyyyyy ♩

Doppio pouted, freezing again as the little doll jumped up to stand on his head. He supposed he was just going to be lying on his front now. Sure, it was just a doll, but…it was a doll that was talking and moving around and…well, being quite rude, honestly.

(Just like him.)

(Doppio didn’t recognize any kinship to the construct, but there was a part of him that did, nonetheless. He was no longer a creature bound to the mind and its own creator’s energy [solely, anyway] but…that had once been a part of his “life”. And Doppio had not been made to destroy other constructs.)

(There were other ways Diavolo had handled that possibility.)

He’d been about to shoot back that, hey! Did it know everything about its brain?! But…

“...really cut me off there, huh,” he muttered. Not really sure what to think about…mirror people and mentor cats. Looking up as if he could see the doll, Doppio sighed. “What a strange dream you are. Guess Boss would probably be happy that I’m making something else up to insult me too…”

Doppio’s face fell, and he crossed his arms under his face, half-burying in it. “...if he ever wants to deign to think about me again.”

O.O

O.Ծ

Bouncing once, twice, and then shooting up, somehow, from the sheets in front of Doppio, she fell onto her butt in front of him, leaning forward and peering curiously at him. Something genuinely curious running through her, as she reached forward and patted Doppio on the forehead insistently, until he finally looked up at her.

♪ Why are you thinking about somebody else when I am here to be awed and amazed by? ♩ 

Doppio watched the little doll as it bounced and danced, something charming about the little pats, but…

His face crinkled in anguish, though he could only hide it more into his arms. “Oh, come on… You stupid…traitor! Is this… No…”

Sitting himself up, Doppio kept his hands over his face, breathing unsteadily as he tried to think. “Boss told you to talk to Kaito again, Aceto. That wasn’t you. You’re not looking for distractions. W-why would you ever need to be distracted?! You have everything you could possibly need! And…a-and you’re just using Arven for his kitchen! For work! You’re not…”

A bubble of some undecipherable sound came up from Doppio’s chest, as he moved his hands from his face to cover his ears. His eyes scrunched tight, as he tried to just…block out the whole world. Something he wished he could do out in the real world too, not just in his dreams. 

Speaking more from the soul than in a stream of thought, he whimpered, “It’s so big out there…”

{It’s so big out there.} she heard.

She heard what he said, and what he meant. The sheer… scope. Of existing. Of living. Of things outside of the narcissism of a creator who had only created something outward so that he could instruct it to look right back at him. Trapped as an audience of one in the most repetitive, boring shows imaginable. 

And Amaina had seen many sad things in her time. The grief of someone who had just lost their love to illness. The depression of a family who had no real future now. The fear of a child staring too soon at the face of death, screaming out for more.

And she still couldn’t think of a sorrier way to live, than to stare at the most boring show on earth, afraid to look away, forever.

What a sad sack.

So, growing wings– because truly, she was as good and just and giving as an angel, at least in some versions of the myth, she had decided— she flew up and cupped Doppio’s face in her hands. Smooshing his cheeks a little, as she put an ethereal golden glow around herself, entirely pleased with her own presentation. Enjoying The Bit.

But her intent to help entirely sincere, as she sent back to him. {It’s so big out there.}

It was big. And beautiful. And it held every good thing. Every Good Thing. All the joy. All the excitement. The madness. The weirdness. And the weirdness was Good. Beautiful. The weirdness danced to music, every day, a new sound, a new discovery, a new song to dance to. There was so much music! The music was only such a small part of it  All, and there was So Much! And it was all Incredible! 

More

More

More

There was so much life to live. 

There was so much more.

And realizing that maybe Doppio needed a guide– getting thrown into the deep end of existing was a little overwhelming, she knew– she searched through him. Unashamed and unhesitating, violating with all of her innocent kindness as she searched through him like he was a bare map at her fingers, before finding his musical preferences– a thing he likely didn’t even know he had– and pulling from that, showed him a song. Salt filling the air as waves licked at their feet.

Oh funny, now the sea goes round…

…it was so big out there. 

Bigger than his little corner of consciousness, dark and comforting, neat and orderly as he could make it, just as he liked it…cramped. Small. Barely having a sense of “me”, because…what use did The Boss have for more? Doppio had loved it. But now…

…now there was a beach.

Slowly, in slumping motions, Doppio brought his hands down from his ears, a song softly filling his head and the air around them. Breeze catching his hair and a bright sun kissing his skin as the waves rolled in. Eternal in their rhythm, but no two ever the same. 

He had really liked the beach. Their little island, too far south for the brunt of Dicea’s trademark winters. Removed enough that the culture was Tsumarian, not just traditional. 

He liked seeing tomato plants slowly turn red, liked seeing ladybugs rest on their leaves before taking to the sky again. He liked seeing people cheering and singing anthems after getting out from a stadium, liked seeing children shrieking with delight, hanging upside-down from jungle gyms. He liked watching the first snowfall, watching flakes catch on his gloves, making little patterns before melting away. 

He liked the comradery of easy friendship, comfortably teasing one moment and singing praises the next. He liked the feeling of a hug from someone that cared about him, and a promise to see someone soon.

Demons don’t give second chances, shelter and hide if you must.

Doppio opened his eyes, looking at the ocean with a half-lidded stare. 

…he didn’t like waking up, hands tacky with blood, ostensibly from the corpse next to him. He didn’t like the muted fear that was always there, even from the people that complained the loudest, when he broke the news of The Boss’s orders. 

The Boss always did what was necessary, without hesitation. Doppio understood that. It was really incredible, honestly… 

…but he didn’t always like what it entailed. Sometimes wished that…even if it took a little more effort, they could find another way. He couldn’t just…throw the past away once it was done, like The Boss could. Maybe that just made him broken. 

Doppio looked over to the little doll…Il angioletto. “...what am I supposed to do?”

Amaina tilted her head slightly, confused by the question. Do? Experiencing life didn’t take effort. It was hiding that took effort. Endless maintenance of the repetition. Everything else was just… seeing the more.

But, then, maybe it was different, for a figment who had been designed to stay still. Amaina hadn’t been designed that way. She had been made to move.

Tilting her head back and forth, back and forth, swaying on her feet, she considered the question. Do, do, do…

Hmmmm…

Well, if the golden cat could dare to guide a god… why couldn’t someone as great as Amaina-chan guide this weirdo freak? Show him things? Besides, she wanted to know more about that weird time thing he was doing. 

He had More to show her. So she could show him things too.

♪ Have you ever read the Zelda chronicles?I am about to Navi allllll over you I am going to stick around and point out cool shiiiiit ♩ she decided, dancing around, ♪ You may celebrate with me now. Let us daaaaance ♩  

And then, a new song– celebrating Amaina’s arrival– thumped throughout the beach as she danced with her new wings through the air.

HEY! LISTEN!

Doppio had…no idea what the Zelda Chronicles were, as he didn’t read much, and the song that started to play was…something he had no idea how to dance to (adding in the fact that he didn’t know how to dance even with good music) but…if the little angel wanted to dance, he could humor her. This was one of the more fun dreams he’d ever had. 

-

In a household of real angels, however, the mood wasn’t so bright. 

Elia looked over her family in worry as they gathered together in the Di Carmelo living room. Michelle was crying in her arms, and while Elia would usually try to comfort her little sister, there was nothing to say, and so she simply rubbed the teen’s back, trying to provide physical comfort if nothing else. 

Daniel had his arms around Lisa and Elijah, the two girls more shellshocked than despairing, and while Daniel looked closer to the brink himself, he still held them close. For his part, Enoch seemed to be taking it the best of the younger Di Carmelo’s, though that wasn’t all that surprising. Holding his twin’s hand, he simply waited, accepting of whatever was to come. 

In their own ways, Gabriel and Kali were spitting mad, wanting to already be out and trying to solve this, never ones to talk while action was on the table. Meanwhile, Elia wasn’t even sure that Giovanni was awake, though judging by Uncle Benjamin’s tight grip around him, he was. Like Elia, Aunt Dinah was watching them all, the detached look in her eye only a facade for the gleam underneath. 

And in the middle of them all, Carmen finally opened her eyes. 

“It is none of our concern. That’s not our lives anymore,” the Di Carmelo matriarch declared calmly. “We have earned our freedoms, and that means no longer chasing after shadows.”

“Are you joking?!” Kali spat. “A monster capable of warping space and time is out there and you want to just let it be?!”

“We don’t actually know that’s what it does,” Enoch hummed, immune to his eldest sibling’s glare. 

“Yes,” Carmen said simply. “We protect ourselves, and those we care for, but it’s not our job to track down the Tulpa. Unless any of you wish to become wardens again.”

Elia grimaced, holding Michelle tighter as the teen shuddered in her arms, wailing. 

Just…keep yourself and your loved ones safe. And hopefully this Tulpa, however it had gotten into this world, was one that preferred to keep to itself. 

-

The next morning, Doppio hummed cheerfully to himself as he fried up some omelets, coffee, pancakes, and bacon already filling the house with delicious scents. 

Oh funny, how the sea goes ‘round~

On the counter, next to the stove, Amaina danced cheerfully to his humming. It was the first morning of being some weirdo’s guiding fairy, and she was already feeling pretty happy with her choice. It was fun, inspecting this freak’s life up close and personal. She usually didn’t stick around in a mind long enough to notice little things, like what they wanted to have for breakfast. But Doppio here? This loser likes omelets! She saw it for herself!

But, what was very weird was that he cooked in the dark. Which, what the hell, loser? She had tried to point out the light switch a few times, but he had ignored her. Freak.

Though, her new friend’s freakishness didn’t have anything on this guy. 

Amaina hopped off the counter and flew over to peer at the new freak, who had come out of his room with a groan. Shuffling about in massive robes, hunched over and shuffling in every step, like a zombie trying to walk forward on broken heels. He slumped onto the bar stools, sitting at the counter, before leaning against the counter top with another low groan, like the weight of the world was heavy on his back, literally bending him forward.

“Nngh… coffee.”

“Here ya go, Boss! Good morning!” Doppio chirped brightly, setting a steaming cup of coffee in front of The Boss, just the way he liked it. Soon to follow was a made up plate of everything he’d been cooking, Doppio serving with a smile before he turned back to the stove, lowering the volume of his hums even more than the soft tune he’d had before, but feeling too good to stop completely.

He’d woken up feeling…hopeful. Energized. Like he could take on the world! And so Doppio had channeled that into his work, already up and cooking, freshly showered and bruise covered up with makeup by the time the sun rose. Or, not cooking, since he knew it would be a little bit before The Boss woke up, but he’d taken care of other things. 

Like…coping with the fact that he had un angioletto following him around now. It was company he rather liked, in the dark, quiet hours of the morning, but for the sake of not seeming like a total basket case, he elected to, for the most part, ignore it. 

And Doppio was very good at ignoring things. 

It seemed like that was a good call, considering The Boss didn’t react to it. 

“Nrgh…” Diavolo grumbled, curling himself around the coffee, letting its steam rise up and fill the robed blanket around him. Diavolo was not a morning person, and had never been one. The hour after waking from sleep always a trial as Diavolo struggled to shake the veil of sleep from his mind. Spending all of his time in the dark didn’t help, he knew, but it had never mattered enough to try to change it. No one saw him like this anyway.

But as Diavolo grunted and grumbled like a beast in the face of Doppio’s cheery greeting, Amaina stopped dancing. Looking curiously at the other weirdo…

Before jumping onto his head. Dancing on his head.

♪ Whyyyyyy is this lazy grump being lazy and dulllll does he not know it is a new daaaay what a loser throw his food at his face ♩  

Classic Boss. While he could talk all about how he’d cleaned up the paperwork left in the study, written out everything left undone from the day before, already checked the overnight mail for any urgent correspondence, swept and mopped the kitchen… Boss wouldn’t actually register anything until he got started on his second cup of coffee, and the noise of Doppio’s chattering would be more irritating than comfortable background noise. 

So! It was just left to be a peaceful morning as he finished his own breakfast and--!

Doppio choked on a snort, briefly giving the angel a scandalized look before he turned the burner off and took his own plate to the island as well. 

“Krg.” Diavolo grunted, running his hand over his face. Ignoring the food for a little bit, staring at his coffee like he could will it colder… before sighing. Finally pushing it aside when it didn’t immediately cool upon his withering glare, he took the pancake next and–

♪ Ahhhhhhh why are you using your haaaaaands there’s so much syrup on that he gave you a fork for a reason at least tear and then dip into the syrup you big dumb dooder head ♩  Amaina squealled, watching in horror as Diavolo tore the pancake to pieces, bit into each piece, and then dramatically tore it away. Little gurgling grunts and pants of breath escaping him as he ate quickly and roughly, not taking time to stop and breathe or clear his throat, or even his mouth entirely, before taking the next bite. 

@m@ Amaina, grossed out by the rough eating habits, wobbled on top of Diavolo’s head, turning green in the face before slumping to the side, sliding dramatically off the shoulder and down the incline of the robe. Uuuuugh… what a sight for first thing in the morning… blegh. 

Ducking his shoulders a little, Doppio covered his mouth on the pretense of covering his chewing, hoping to hide the smile and silent laugh at il angioletto’s dramatics. And, uh…well, he didn’t agree, but he didn’t think he’d ever heard the insult ‘dooder head’. Part of him felt like he should be defending The Boss’s honor, but…it wasn’t like he was actually hearing any of this, and it wasn’t like il angioletto would tell anyone else. 

…and The Boss’s eating habits were a little…unconventional. Doppio couldn’t remember the first time they’d shared a meal together, so he couldn’t remember how he’d reacted, but it was certainly…something. Watching such a powerful and refined man eat through meals like a tiger. 

Eating his own food with a fork, taking smaller bites, Doppio turned his gaze to the covered windows. He’d taken a peek outside earlier to see grey clouds and drizzles already misting his nose. It’d be a perfect day for Frog Searching… If his to-do list wasn’t too long, maybe he’d ask for an hour to himself, today. 

Amaina, ‘hearing’ this, shot up. Looking far more eager as she flew up to him, chanting encouragingly, ♪ Frog! Frog! Let’s kiss a frog! ♩  Doing a light cheerleading dance as she chanted, including pom poms.

Then, caught up dancing, she manifested a disco ball above everything, creating an illusion of light around the table, and shimmying with her pom poms, started raving around the plates, singing cheerfully about finding cool frogs and poking them in their weird round bellies.

Unaware of the frog dance rave going on around him, Diavolo sighed, finally sipping at his coffee. This being enough to apparently make him willing to talk in more than grunts, he finally rumbled, “I’m going to need updated reports about the things we discussed yesterday. Those fools are going to try to put off the shake-down because they’re afraid, and I cannot let that stand. Debts need to be paid. Even by those dangerous enough to fight back. There is no one too strong that they will not bow their heads and cower in the face of Diavolo’s empire…”

♪ Booooring! Froooooogs ♩ 

While not one to get caught up dancing, Doppio still couldn’t help but smile at the disco il angioletto made out of their kitchen, the atmosphere much lighter and much more fun than it…ever was at the house, really. And the frog song was very cute, though he would only be touching any frog bellies if the frog happened to want it. 

…if he had the time for it today. 

“Understood, Boss,” Doppio nodded, already writing down the people he’d need to talk to (or…observe) in his notepad. “Are there any warnings in particular you’d like me to pass on? And I noticed the stack of letters in your study--they weren’t sealed so I didn’t send them out right away, but should they be ready to go by the mid-morning pick-up? I can do all my errands in one trip, then, though of course I don’t mind coming back if they’re not ready yet.”

“Ngh…” Diavolo huffed, rubbing his temple. Must he have everything figured out first thing in the morning… “Make it one go. Seal them as well, they’re ready in all but bindings.”

Sighing with a small grunt at the end, he leaned back, sipping at his coffee before, briefly, adjusting his robes to let his long, pink hair trickle out… perhaps he’d put little ornaments in his hair, today. Just because he was unobserved and unknowable, didn’t mean his fashion couldn’t slay. 

“Go prepare an outfit for me today,” Diavolo ordered, closing his eyes over his coffee, “I’m envisioning…spiders.”

♪  Nooooo booooo frogs ♩ 

Mesh shirt then, probably. Which…Boss usually wore, but Doppio wasn’t going to question it. And he wasn’t really sure what spider-inspired pants would look like, but…he’d do his best. 

“Got it, Boss,” Doppio affirmed, quickly shoveling down as much of his remaining breakfast as he could while it was still warm before he got up, trotting over to The Boss’s room. He had to do the dishes anyway before he left, so it wasn’t like he wouldn’t get a chance to finish later, but…warm food was nice. 

Opening up The Boss’s closet, Doppio set about choosing clothes, barely seeing a glimmer of color in the corner of his eye before he sighed. “Please stop insulting my boss,” he said quietly. “I’m glad you’re having fun, but…”

Doppio floundered for a moment. “...I-I mean, it’s the morning. No one’s put together in the morning.”

O.O?

OoO ♪  What are you stupid we literally are ♩ 

Doppio rolled his eyes, laying the clothes out on the…hm. Okay, clothes over the chair over here, just gotta smooth out those sheets…

“Angelo, we’ve been up for hours, it’s not the same thing. No one hires painters to capture the moment they open their eyes in the morning--people should have that time to be in peace.”

“...honestly, I’m just glad he’s sleeping,” he admitted even more quietly, sharing a worried look with the angel. “I think he’d work at all hours of the day if he could. If he’s a…little groggy in the morning? Then I’m happy he’s letting his body rest.”

♪ Perhaps he needs a vacation has he considered a trip to the pond to kiss frogs ♩ Amaina helpfully suggested, flying around Doppio’s head for a moment before landing on his shoulder with a small huff, ♪ Work is boring take him frog hunting ♩ 

Doppio let out a small laugh, though there was a tinge of nervousness in it as he made Boss’s bed. “Boss’s idea of a vacation is actually requesting something for me to cook after sending me on a shopping trip for clothes and makeup. A real self-care type, you know? I mean…” Doppio paused, almost entirely absentmindedly fluffing the pillows. “If I’m kinda apprehensive about going on a travel-type vacation, I don’t think Boss would touch one with a ten-foot pole. I’ve only ever seen him go outside when we’re moving.”

“...don’t think he’d be that into frog hunting either,” he flashed a small smile at un angioletto. 

Bed made, Doppio laid The Boss’s clothes for the day out on it before leaving the room, heading off to the study to get to work sealing those envelopes. “Work isn’t boring either!” he insisted in a whisper, a little more wary about speaking to the angel closer to The Boss. “It’s really important! And it’s nice doing things that have an impact--you’re following me around, so you get that, right?”

“Doppio,” Diavolo called, Doppio’s whispers not comprehensible, but impossible to miss in the absolute silence of their dark home, “Are you muttering to yourself? Do you have something to say to me?”

There was a hint of challenge, in that question. Doppio, in the time Diavolo had created him, had never had a rebellious bone in his (very possibly technically boneless) body, and nothing he had done yet had ever suggested that would be a phase he’d develop. However, Diavolo was always watching out for, and quick to stamp out, any possible signs of Doppio testing the limits of how dismissive, aggressive, or confrontational he was allowed to be with Diavolo. Diavolo had long decided there was no room for compromise, in that regard. Doppio was only correct if he was deferential, adoring, and entirely obedient. Anything else had to be quickly acknowledged and quickly punished, lest it be left to fester and grow.

So while Doppio had no reason to be acting out in the moment, Diavolo had to assume that if Doppio was whispering around him, he was saying something rude that he didn't want to commit to. And that was entirely unacceptable, as Diavolo finished putting on his clothes.

♪I am following you around because you are so preeeetty and sad ♩ Amaina shrugged, before poking him, ♪ Tell him about the frogs ♩ 

In the doorway of the study, Doppio jumped, a startled shudder going up his spine (which…honestly he probably did have, unless Kaito was simply very bad at searching for spinal injuries) as his eyes bugged. Not quiet enough. Whoops. 

“No, Boss! I’m sorry for the disturbance!” Doppio called back, eyes wide and pleading for his forgiveness even from around a wall. “I was going over what I need to get done today, I didn’t realize I was talking. I’ll be quiet now!”

There wasn’t always absolute silence in the house. Of course, there were the sounds of each of them moving around, and…some of the time, at least, The Boss didn’t seem to mind Doppio humming to himself as he did housework. But work for Passione was important and technical, and…well, Doppio never wanted to distract The Boss from something so vital. So, even if he forgot sometimes, he did try to be quiet. 

Flushing a little at being called pretty (and pouting a little at being called sad, since…it was just a rough day! He was very happy), Doppio shook his head a little at Amaina…before sighing. He walked back down the hall, wincing just a little at knocking his thigh against the side table, and peeked around the corner towards the kitchen. 

“Um… I wasn’t talking to you, but…I did want to ask eventually, and I know this isn’t the greatest time, but…” Doppio took in a nervous breath. “It’s…raining today? And…I wanted to ask if there was any urgent work for me, when I get back from my errands in town? Because…maybe, if it was alright, could I have…maybe an hour off?”

Boss did encourage him to take breaks, since…often enough, Doppio worked from the moment he opened his eyes to the moment he closed them, but…it could be hard to tell, sometimes. When it was an appropriate time to take a break.

“Mmm…” Diavolo was looking over the paper, sipping at his tea again, “...your work will be done.”

Diavolo didn’t necessarily desire Doppio to be miserable. That was never the point of Diavolo’s strictness in Doppio’s life. It was just that Doppio was created as a tool, and Diavolo would quite like him to work as intended. 

But, like any tool, that required maintenance. And Doppio’s energy and patience wasn’t endless, as Diavolo sipped at his tea again. Yesterday had felt so strange. Doppio’s release of emotions too strong for Diavolo to dismiss or ignore. It had been overwhelming, for a moment, and Diavolo still wasn’t entirely certain what to take away from it.

Doppio’s negative emotions could annoyingly build up, sometimes, and apparently the sudden release of them could end up its own sort of ‘event’. So, encouraging Doppio to find smaller ways to release them might be wise.

“...your work will be done, and you will take care not to harm yourself or make trouble in any way,” Diavolo decided, before nodding, “And you may take a break then.”

♪ We will kidnap a frog and keep it as a friend and love it and hide it in his cup ♩ Amaina cheerily decided.

Tentatively, Doppio lit up, The Boss’s permission slowly sinking in before it really hit him, culminating in a bright beam of joy, Doppio smiling wide. “Thank you, Boss! I’ll be really careful, and I’ll be sure to be back before dark! Thank you!”

With a hop in his step, Doppio turned to head back to the study, carefully side-stepping the side table this time. No double-back multi-hit this time, ha!

Once in the study, though, Doppio just shook his head at il angioletto, though he was in too good of a mood to let his smile drop. “We’re not kidnapping any frogs. I can’t take care of a pet and it’d be too mean to take one from its home, Angelo,” Doppio whispered. 

Though, right after, a deep grimace set in on his face. “Also, I think I’d have a heart-attack if I ever tried to prank The Boss like that.”

♪ The boss would go to take a sip-sip-sip and end with a kiss-kiss-kiss and the frog will turn into prince-prince-prince! ♩ She sang, hopping around his shoulders in three little hops for every time she repeated herself. Before she stopped, suddenly looking gloomy as she amended ♪ Frogs are more fun than princes though Frogs don’t shout and call their husbands to call senpai and then call you a sketchy weirdo Frogs just have big round bellies for poking and big long lips for kissing ♩

Lighting a candle for seal wax, Doppio silently laughed at the song. As much as the subjects of il angioletto’s music would be things to send Doppio into a fit if overheard…they were really cute, just between the two of them. Something whimsical and innocent in their scathing remarks. 

Though, seeing il angioletto suddenly stop in gloom wasn’t…usually what happened, and Doppio sent it a worried look as he gathered the letters. “Well…maybe don’t tell Prince Kaito, but I like frogs more than him too. But…”

Admittedly, Doppio wasn’t as good with Tradean than Tsumarian. He did know some, of course, as that came with the job…and just living in Dicea, he supposed, but…

“Hmm… Un arcangelo? Il tuo capo? Did a prince get you in trouble with your boss? What a weird thing to have in common,” he muttered.

♪ He was such a jerk I just wanted to explore a little and he acted like such a braaaAAAAT ♩ Amaina whined, huffing as she flew around Doppio’s head fitfully, crossing her arms and shaking her long hair, ♪ Soon I will return and I will wreak HAVOC I will noogie his HEAD give him a SWIRLIE I will tie him to the MOON AND SPIN IIIIIIIT ♩

She said all of this cheerfully, spinning in place in the air, her toes pointed out like a ballerina, and even as she declared a vengeance fit for a middle schooler, she sounded more excited than anything about it. Like she was looking forward to a fun game with a friend. 

Though, she hesitated, as she admitted ♪ Senpai said I had to ask permission before doing that but if im very careful this time and don’t alert the endless child what senpai doesn’t know can’t hurt meeeeee~ ♩   

Doppio had only known il angioletto for a few hours, but he could already tell that sounded very much like her. She was a curious, fun-loving little thing who hated any obstacles in her path…but that hate wasn’t…dangerous. At least not in the way Doppio knew danger to be. 

…though being tied to the moon sounded pretty terrifying, and he gave her an uncertain look, brief as it was from his concentration towards sealing the letters without burning his fingers. 

Doppio didn’t know all that much about angeli, to be completely honest. He could…sort of vaguely remember being in a church once, but he couldn’t remember if it had even been during a service or prayer time, and…well, it wasn’t like The Boss went around quoting any kind of scripture at him. But he did know that angels were divine beings that served a god, and had powers beyond comprehension. 

So it was entirely plausible to Doppio that il suo angelo could send someone into space and mess with celestial bodies. …he wondered if Kaito would know how something spinning the moon would affect…stuff. Things. Stuff and things that the moon affected. 

“Tsst!” Doppio hissed as hot wax dripped onto his fingers in his distraction. But apparently he didn’t learn his lesson, as he gave il angioletto a worried look. “It’s…not good to go against your boss’s back. Especially if you’re doing a big job.”

Because hits were always big jobs. 

“I’m sure you’re very competent, but if your boss said you should consult them before you do anything, you should probably listen. It keeps people safe, that way.”

♪ Senpai doesn’t know everything ♩ Amaina said dismissively, landing next to the envelopes, watching curiously as the wax melted and dripped… before, looking up at Doppio, she reached out to touch the wax… letting her nubby hand linger for a second…before exaggeratedly and clearly fakely jerking her hand back, ♪ Ouchie ouchie ooooooowwww!! ♩

Then, flying up to his face, she shoved the nub at him ♪ Kiss it beeeetter ♩

…he supposed he could accept that answer. Sure, Boss knew everything, but not every boss knew everything--it’d be pointless for anything to be done in secrecy if that were true. 

And it didn’t occur to Doppio as being strange that he could absolutely accept that his mortal boss definitely was more omnipotent than an archangel. 

Raising an eyebrow as il angioletto reached towards the wax, Doppio could only roll his eyes a little. Despite being able to feel her poking his face and dancing on his shoulders, he knew that she wasn’t actually interacting with the world, at least the way he did. 

(But…he knew more than most that sometimes pretending was important.)

Still, though, he leaned over and gave il angioletto’s arm nub a little kiss. “La marea sale. All better.”

Amaina put her other hand to her cheek and swooned, entirely pleased by Doppio playing along. Then, because he had been willing to meet her halfway on it, she flew down to his hand and, with a sweet little musical ‘muwah!’ kissed his burnt finger, before gently singing out

La marea saaaaaale

All better, all better

Go away, go away, little pain

All better, all better

Kiss the frog, Kiss the frog

All better, all better

Doppio a prince become

All is good, all is better

♪ Congratulations you are a prince now can we go play now sooooooon ♩ Amaina whined, fopping herself onto his wrist, ♪ You can help me bully the doll prince if you want it’ll be fun he screams in Beeeeeeeells ♩

Doppio grinned, something warm in his chest as il angioletto sang a new song…though his smile soon faded into astonishment as the burning warmth on his fingers…faded away. Il angioletto’s kisses truly making it “all better, all better”. 

(Belief was a funny thing. Given all the stories of angels being good and giving and kind, even Doppio’s angel who had spoken of extreme divine punishment and who regularly complained and insulted and acted just as innocently selfish as a young child…was still an angel to him. And of course a being of pure “good” could heal injuries.

Of course.

So…naturally his burns would be healed.)

Opening and closing his mouth a few times, Doppio could only sigh and give il suo angioletto a grateful, patient look. “Soon,” he promised. “I just have to finish these, and wash the dishes, then we’ll head out, okay? I dunno about doll princes, but we might be able to find some rare frogs, or birds taking advantage of people not being in the fountains today. It’ll be fun, I promise.”

-

Normally Doppio was more prompt in going from one place to another, but with a light, steady rain in the middle of the afternoon, it seemed like most people were content to stay inside if they could, and bedecked in a black raincoat and matching boots, Doppio grinned to himself as he took little hops, splashing in the puddles in his path. Just…having a little more fun with his day than he usually allowed himself. 

Penny fussed in her notebook, incredibly bored. It’s not that school didn’t offer anything of interest, it did… it was just frustrating, often, to have to slow herself down so much for her classmates. Spending literal hours going over concepts that Penny had understood the first time she read through them, so that the dull kids could keep up… it was boring. She wished they could just move on and whoever could keep up would keep up.

Maybe that was a self-important way of looking at it, but whatever. It’s not like she could force her point anyway. There was no harm in just wishing she was around people more like herself more often… especially when her friends these days were being scattered, trying to avoid the school bullies. 

Penny watched from her spot at the wall, as she saw said bullies look up, one of them pointing out someone coming down the road, a few of them starting to snicker to each other. Penny would know all their names either way, but this group was always easy to tell were a friend group, because they called themselves The Rabbits. Each of them wearing a small rabbit keychain somewhere on their clothes. And in some respects, they were perfectly normal kids, none of them overtly extreme personalities or even particularly vicious in their worst actions.

They were just, from studious, stern Haji, to soft, sweet Rei, absolute assholes to their cores. And as Mitsuki whispered in a little giggle to her friends, “Oh, nooooo, don’t.” without making any actual attempt to stop them, the group all got up and wandered over to the half-wall of the school gate, leaning out as one of them, Haruka, called out to some pink-haired teen walking by, “Heeeeey, handsome! Come over here, come talk to us! You have such a look!”

Doppio stuttered in his step, flushing lightly at being caught hopping in puddles…and being…cat-called? Was that what that was? By high school students? He glanced down at his clothes for a moment. 

Honestly…his rain gear was purposefully bought to not be a look. Doppio didn’t know much about fashion, but…he probably would’ve gotten something more colorful for himself, if he wasn’t trying to draw as little attention as possible. Sure, his general vibes seemed to do that…except for people trying to mess with him, but just wearing black (with small reflective patches, as were on most coats like this for safety) didn’t seem all that…eyecatching. 

(Of course, Doppio completely bypassed the fact he was wearing a crop-top sweater with a boob window. He’d had the shirt so long, and it was positively mundane compared to a lot of things The Boss wore, that it had become background noise in his head. Just another sweater.)

Looking around the…mostly empty street, Doppio pointed at himself, just…making sure he was the person the students were calling out to.

“Who else would I be talking to, hot stuff?” Mitsuki grinned alluringly, pointing at him specifically, before gesturing he come towards them. On either side of her Yuu and Eiji smirked, leaning against the wall quietly, all of them apparently undisturbed by the rain. 

Though, as Doppio got closer, Eiji snickered, tilting his head as he rested his head in his palm, “Man, that is definitely a… that is a look. Though, I gotta give it to ya, you ripped under there? That why you’ve got your sweater cut like that? No other way to tell really. How much you lift, man?”

“Forget that,” Yuu scoffed, peering at Doppio, “Where the fuck are your eyebrows? Did you lose them in some terrible shaving cream accident or what?”

“No no, you can see them, they’re just thin,” Haji pointed out, “Though, from the right angle, it seems like they do disappear. Come here.” Haji insisted, using his long limbs to reach out to grasp Doppio’s rain jacket, trying to pull him closer to them for closer inspection, “Tilt his head like this, see what I mean?”

Amaina, who had been resting inside Doppio’s mind, noticed the disturbance and, spinning around him, headed out, peering at this group… ♪ …. Who the heck are these losers they’re boring looking and have bad viiiiiiibes ♩

…decision time. 

Doppio could just leave. Half the time that’s exactly what he did, if he suspected someone was flirting with him, and that half the time were all the situations were he could just leave. He just…never knew what to do with it, and for the kinder people he didn’t want to…lead them on, or anything. 

But. Boss had specifically impressed upon him not to cause any scenes today. Don’t get hurt, don’t get into any trouble. And while this whole…interaction could just be ended if he walked away, kept heading to the pond he had in mind to search for frogs…it could start something. The teens getting pissed that he was ignoring them. Immature, yeah, but if it caused too much of a ruckus…

So, nervously, Doppio stepped closer to the group, and, really, that was his mistake. 

Frowning, Doppio closed his raincoat more (it had been getting a little stuffy, the day still lingering with warmth despite the rain), making an uncomfortable noise, but it wasn’t until one of the guys actually grabbed him that Doppio’s eyes widened. 

Not in fear, but anger. 

“Let me go,” he growled, about to curl his hands into fists, but…

Don’t get hurt, don’t get into any trouble.

Gritting his teeth, Doppio half-heartedly pulled against the teen’s grip, eyes flicking to Amaina. “You called it.”

The atmosphere changed. 

Haji’s lips thinned, displeased at Doppio standing up to him, his grip tightening. Meanwhile, Eiji snickered, hiding his face in his hands a little like he was embarrassed on Doppio’s behalf, while Haruka crossed her arms, frowning. “What, you don’t like us? Too good to talk to us?”

“Tch. Maybe he doesn’t know how to talk to people?” Yuu pointed out, “Look at his face, someone else absolutely knocked him out at some point. Think he just goes around pissing people off?”

Behind them, Rei looked around, keeping an eye out for adults, while beside her Mitsuki giggled again, the smirk on her face negating her words as she said, “Aw, come on guys, be nice. I’m sure he’s sorry. You’re sorry, right, guy?”

Haji pulled Doppio in closer, like he was trying to pull Doppio over the small stone wall, as he said, “He’s certainly about to be–”

“Hey!”

The group did a collective, exasperated sigh, before Eiji stood up, stretching his arms over his head as he looked back at the call. “Arven, buddy, don’t you have enough problems? Keep walking, man, we’re just talking to the new kid, that’s all.”

Talking his ass. Arven knew this group. They were always just looking for an excuse to fuck with someone. Arven had been on the other side of it a thousand times. They were so plain and polite and normal that none of the adults could grasp the other kids trying to explain how bad the bullying could actually get, and they were very good at never pushing it to something too obvious as an attack. Doppio wasn’t at risk of getting his ass beat or anything like that, but Arven knew damn well if he didn’t intervene he was gonna end up covered in mud in a puddle. ‘Slipping’.

Amaina, in turn, went  ♪ Oooooooh. Another senpai! He’s just like one of my overseas anime He can have a frog no frogs for anyone else ♩

Doppio just scowled at the group…until one of them pointed out something he’d forgotten. Shit. It wasn’t like these assholes were going to ask, but…if Doppio just walked around with his face black and blue, people would ask questions. Boss wasn’t wrong to hit him, but having people pry into their business was a big no-no.

Bracing against the wall, trying to pull out of the black-haired guy’s grip, Doppio’s gaze flicked around as he tried to think of how to salvage this. Probably not a great time to think about it, since it looked like he was about to get into a fight…but he couldn’t get into a fight, because Boss said no mishaps, and--!

Again, Doppio’s eyes widened, his hood falling back as he looked over to see Arven. 

…this was Mid-Valley High, huh. 

…it wouldn’t be a fight if someone intervened on his behalf, right? And The Boss did say he could keep talking to Arven…even if he hadn’t been pleased with how they met. 

Arven wasn’t his boss, or even a boss, but…maybe il angioletto was talking about a different sort of senpai… Thinking quick, Doppio sent a semi-pleading look over to Arven before he spoke up. “I wasn’t talking to you, and all you’re doing is insulting me. Get a hobby.”

Ah geez. Arven was getting involved.

Penny sighed, fiddling with the strings of her hoody. Arven wasn’t one of her friends– these days, Arven wasn’t one of anyone’s friends– but he was one of the types that if he was willing to be befriended, probably would have ended up in her group. Penny’s Stars were all misfit types, easy targets of assholes like the Rabbits, since they tended to cause enough trouble themselves that adults tended to write off their moments of being bullied as likely being at least partially their own faults. Arven didn’t really cause trouble though: he just kinda hated everyone. Quicker to get into arguments regardless of who he was talking to, a lot of dormant anger just sitting there, waiting for an excuse to explode.

But, like… Penny had grown up with Arven. The school wasn’t that big, everyone had grown up with everyone here. Everyone knew why Arven was so pissed off all the time. The same reason he skipped most of his classes and wasn’t succeeding in any of his projects and had only managed to make friends with people who had burnt out before they had even hit fifteen. Arven was on his own and was struggling with it.

It’s not like Penny didn’t feel for the guy.

So as she saw Arven clenching his hands into fists, gritting his teeth, about to face a fight he’s already lost a thousand times already, Penny looked down at her notebook (as of course cell phones are not a thing yet obviously), flipping through the pages before finding the right one, ripping the page out and getting up, heading over to the group.

Yuu, in turn, scowled at Doppio, looking irritated as he demanded, “Get a hobby?! We were just trying to be nice to you, asshole! You’re the one walking around trying to show off your chest in the damn rain. What are you, advertising? You one of those Atuan freaks?”

“Oooooh, I bet he is. He’s got that look.” Mitsuki pointed out, “I bet he’s a ‘nary too… should we report him? You know it’s illegal to be an escort at our age, guy?”

Haji, in turn, gripped Doppio harder, about to throw Doppio backwards– “Uh, hey, everyone?”

The group looked back at Rei, who was looking at the paper Penny had passed to her, shielding it from the rain with her umbrella attached to her chair. “Penny’s got the answers to tonight’s math homework. Has anyone else done it yet?”

Crickets.

“...tsk.” Haji let go of Doppio, the group heading back to Rei, looking over the paper. “Come on, let’s get inside, take a look at that.”

Apparently entirely done with the confrontation now, the bullies headed inside to copy down the math answers, while Penny huffed, shaking her head at them. “Losers,” she muttered.

“Doppio, are you alright?” Arven asked, heading over to the wall, “Shit, did they hit you?!”

“You suck at being nice, then,” Doppio shot back, keeping his voice level through grit teeth and sheer determination. Though that was put to the limit very soon. 

Not from being called promiscuous. Not from being called a Luminary, or hearing a slur about a group of people of whom he’d just befriended one--sure, Doppio did like Kaito, but like il angioletto’s comments about The Boss (though…hers were much more benign) it wasn’t worth getting into a fight on someone else’s behalf if they weren’t even there. Especially when it was just some nobody losers talking. 

But the second they mentioned reporting him, Doppio’s pupils shrank, and a single sentiment ran through his mind. Get rid of the witnesses. 

It didn’t matter if it was a bogus claim. If the Guardforce got involved at all, if there was an incident, which a report, even a false one would cause… Doppio could so clearly hear The Boss’s voice from the night before, the furious hand gripping his hair as his head was slammed into the counter. 

‘Are you trying to make yourself useless to me?’

He could not be useless.

Doppio gripped his fists and…

Stumbled back a little, as he was let go. Too wide golden eyes flicking over two people--two witnesses left--as he breathed a little unsteadily. But…

Doppio let go of a heavy breath, instinctively shuffling back slightly and pulling his hood back down as Arven came up. “No, they… They were just talking shit. Just…walked into a light post earlier. Just…”

A few more unsteady breaths. 

…good. Lucky. He…didn’t think he’d be able to get away with hiding six bodies in the middle of the city. 

“Oh yeah?” Arven asked, a little uncertainly… before nodding. Not really having a reason to doubt him, before he sighed, wiping some of the rain water out of his eyes as he said, “Geez, that was some bad luck. Those guys don’t usually hang out here when the weather is bad, it’s usually a safe place to hang out when it’s raining. Guess they just felt like looking for trouble… gah. They’re such dickheads.” Arven scowled. 

Though, he looked over to Penny, who was already walking back to her dry spot by the wall, “...uh. Thanks–”

“Don’t mention it.” Penny called back without looking, “Ever.”

“Tch, whatever.” Arven grumbled, shaking his head, before looking back with some concern at Doppio, “Though, seriously, that cheek looks swollen, now that I’m looking at it. Hey, I can ditch for the rest of the day, you wanna come back to my place and I can put some ice on that? I have a few herbs that’d disinfect it if you gargle with them, it’ll heal faster.”

Doppio couldn’t really place other times he’d walked by the high school--considering he didn’t go to school, and none of Passione’s agents or clients were students, he never really had a reason to think about it--so he couldn’t say if he’d ever seen that group before… Maybe it was bad luck, like Arven said. Maybe it really was his shirt. 

Glancing over at the retreating blue- and red-haired girl, Doppio half raised a hand, echoing his own gratitude…since, well, even if Arven had stepped up, it…had been her to get the others to leave. “Thanks…”

Hopefully she wouldn’t mention it to anyone either. 

Looking to the side, Doppio covered his cheek with his hand, feeling…honestly a little embarrassed now, with Arven fussing over it. He’d been so concerned with people asking where it came from that…he never considered what would happen if someone believed him and was still interested. 

“Uh… That’s alright. Probably shouldn’t encourage you to skip school, right?” Doppio half-smiled. “Plus, I promised--” He quickly swallowed the words, glancing at where il angioletto was flying circles around Arven. “Er… I mean, I was headed out to the pond, today. I have the afternoon off, so I was hoping to make the most of it…and I don’t wanna make my boss worry if I lose track of time since he wasn’t…thrilled. With yesterday.”

“Heck no, I’m ditching either way. Eiji’s not that bad by himself, but I have class with him and Haji and Yuu next, and if they’re still pissed Eiji’s gonna mess with me all class. He sits behind me,” Arven explained, climbing over the wall and landing with a small thud next to Doppio, before giving him a grin. “You’re going to the pond? I had to leave Chief home, ol’ guy doesn’t like the rain much, but there’s a few plants in the pondwater that he loves sprinkled on his food. Kinda like a seaweed salt.”

♪ Little baaaaabyyyyy seeeeenpaaaaaiii ♩ Amaina cooed approvingly on top of Arven’s head, laid out on his hair and gently petting his forehead, ♪ Little baby kiiiiiiing ♩

Hesitatingly, then more confidently as Arven just…so casually climbed over the wall and took to the plan, Doppio smiled back. Well…he didn’t mind the company… And if Arven liked the pond too…

“Yeah? I’ve heard of using dried seaweed as a rice topping, but I didn’t think there was anything like that that grew naturally around here… Thought it was more of a coastal thing,” Doppio mused, before smiling a little more at il angioletto’s song. 

…would it be too weird if he admitted that, overnight, an angel had started following him around, and it apparently liked Arven? Or would that just ostracize the guy he’d started to get along with? 

Just…deciding to re-button his coat--he didn’t need any attention grabbing repeats of earlier, Doppio fussed with the clasps before he made a small sound in his throat. “Hey…this might sound a little weird, coming out of nowhere, but… What do you think about myths?”

Arven immediately looked frustrated. “Ugh, great. What’d you hear? Look, since you’re asking anyway, those herbs worked. Pre-titan herbs, the vet was trying to tell me Chief wasn’t going to last the year. Post-titan herbs? Chiefs not only running around again, but he’s gained fifteen pounds in sheer bulk. I can’t prove it, because I had to use all of them, but it’s mind boggling to me how the results aren’t proof enough themselves that the myths were right!”

“What?” Doppio blinked. 

Whatever he had been expecting, trying to gauge if Arven would pull a Kaito and try to get him to see a psychiatrist if he told him about il angioletto, it wasn’t…Titan Herbs? That…people didn’t believe Arven about? And had…

Doppio let out a soft gasp, eyes going full, worried doe-mode. “Was Chief sick?! Is he okay?!”

“Huh? Oh! Yeah! I mean, no, I mean… he’s not sick anymore!” Arven quickly reassured, putting up his arms and crossing them over his chest like an x, while on his head Amaina giggled as she held onto his hair while he quickly shook his head. “Chief’s fine! He’s great! Now, anyway…”

Shoving his hands into his pants pockets, Arven scowled, shrugging as he glared down at his feet. “Sorry, I thought you were talking about… last year, I basically missed the whole school year, chasing after these really special types of herbs called ‘Titan Herbs’. Almost no one’s ever heard of them, and unless you know exactly what you’re looking for they’re easy to mistake for other types of more normal herbs, but they’re not. My mom had this book of ‘theoretical’ plants, like, some colleague of hers ramblings of certain plants that would have to exist for certain legends to make sense if you thought they were real? Which he did. Mom said he was a genius, but ‘troubled’, that he was wrong as often as he was right… but this time he was right. I found them, these herbs that grew in the graves of titans. Specifically where their gut was. Plants that grow in the remains of a titan’s gut grow into something special. They make you stronger, healthier, smarter… the book even hypothesized that some titan forests created plants that pulled themselves out of the roots and started walking around like animals, back when the corpses of titans were fresh…”

Arven suddenly blushed, randomly kicking a rock. “Look, I don’t care why these spots have special plants with really good immune system properties, I don’t care if it's just really good soil or if its massive fantasy monsters leaving bacteria behind, all I know is that the plants themselves are real. They gave Chief years of his life back. And I don’t regret saving him over proving it to anyone else… or having to repeat a year.” Arven scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Doppio let out a little sigh of relief. Yeah, animals died, and a lot of them had shorter lifespans than humans, but…especially for such a close companion (for someone’s only companion)... Doppio didn’t think he could take it if he heard Chief was doing so poorly. If a vet said that he wasn’t going to make it through the year…

But…

But Arven had changed that. Doppio looked at the guy, awed and amazed as Arven told the story. “That’s incredible,” Doppio breathed, entirely sincere. “I…don’t know what a titan is, but… I mean, there are all sorts of plants out there that people are first discovering. If you managed to find them, and they worked to heal Chief? Could bring someone to health like that…”

…Doppio didn’t know exactly what all the drugs Passione traded were. Their names, sure, because he had to keep track of stock and profits, but not really what they were, and on top of that, the narcotics team was always experimenting with new stuff. He did get the impression that it was all recreational stuff, though. Not, yanno, medicine. But…if there were plants out there that could reverse something terminal…

(...but…wasn’t healthcare supposed to be free?)

Doppio let out a soft laugh. “I’ll be honest, that all does sound pretty crazy…but crazy stuff happens. Since you wanna be an herbalist anyway, bet you probably learned a lot more searching for those herbs than sitting at school anyway…and you did something life-changing through it too.” 

Glancing behind them at the school, Doppio stuck his tongue out. “They should’ve given you partial credit at least.”

Arven gave him a startled look at that… before he grinned. Laughing. “Hah! Uh, you know, they offered to let me argue that? Like, if I could prove it they’d give me practical credits? But, I don’t know, I’m not good at putting together reports like that,” Arven admitted, shrugging, “And I’m not doing good in school anyway, so, like… kinda why bother by this point.”

“Besides,” Arven’s grin turned a little mean, “Having a failing student for a son? That has got to be a tarnish on the ‘Great Professor Sada’s reputation. She can discover all the fossils she wants, feature in a thousand textbooks, but my name is always gonna be there in the footnotes of her biographies, showing the world she was a lousy parent. Me succeeding just means she’ll get away with it, I’m not gonna let that happen.”

At that, Amaina frowned. Thumping Arven’s forehead with a frustrated sing-song ♪ No little senpai we do not make us less to prove a point that is stupid and dumb you are a little king stop being stuuuupiiiiiiiid ♩

That was fair enough. Sure, Doppio wasn’t exactly versed on how school worked, but if they wouldn’t just believe Arven about what he’d accomplished? Then he didn’t have a reason to play their game and distract himself from the things that actually mattered to him in life.

…which…probably shouldn’t be how to make petty jabs at his mom. 

Doppio raised an eyebrow at Arven’s spiteful grin. It was one thing if he just…didn’t want to talk about his mom, since she wasn’t around. But if, despite not being there, she was still consuming his thoughts and driving his actions…

Doppio gave il angioletto a small nod. “...I think it’s a little…cruel to yourself, if you’re gonna purposefully sabotage yourself just to maybe make people think she’s a bad parent. Plus…being a student isn’t gonna last forever, and you’re already doin’ stuff outside of school. I’m not saying I think you should suddenly try to game the system, but…” He shrugged. “I just think doing things you actually care about is worth more than failing on purpose something you don’t.”

“She is a bad parent!” Arven snapped a little, briefly only hearing that. Only hearing that because a part of him had been screaming at the world since the day she left. “Everyone thinks she’s so perfect and so smart and ‘is revolutionizing the field, one of the greatest minds of the generation’, blah, blah, blah, can she cook!? I’ll tell you, she can’t! She bought herself cookbooks to teach herself and she never opened them again after she bought them! You know who can cook? I can cook! You know who takes care of all the random stuff she sends back!? I do! What, does she think I appreciate the latest giant ugly skull? Use a different house as a storage unit!”

Arven panted, having, once again, blown up. His fury at his parents so hard to manage, dammit. Sometimes it was all Arven could think about. 

But he wasn’t totally un-self aware, as he turned red again. “...sorry, you were saying something else. Sorry. I get, just… explody. Boom,” Arven admitted, opening up his hands to mimic an explosion, “Sometimes. Especially talking about her. Wasn’t trying to snap at you, you’re just, like, here. That’s all.”

“I mean, what are they always saying,” Arven sighed, rolling his eyes, “Teenage hormones, right? It's probably some of that. Anything give you those ‘boom’ moments? Other than being accused of stealing, I guess?”

Immediately when Arven snapped, Doppio flinched, squeaking out a, “Sorry!” However…Arven’s ire wasn’t directed at him, and even not being great at social interactions, as Arven just kind of…ranted, Doppio could tell that. 

And it seemed that Arven could tell that too. Sighing softly, Doppio let the tension in his shoulders drop. “It’s okay. I wasn’t trying to say she isn’t a bad parent either… I mean…I talked with you for a couple hours yesterday and that was apparent, like, the second sentence you said about her. It’s pretty obvious, people don’t need to look at your school record to see it. And it’d still be true even if you were…” Doppio blanked for a moment. “...getting…high marks? Doing well in school.”

Sighing again, Doppio gnawed on his lip, looking around before giving Arven a slightly guilty look. “I mean, yeah. I hate it when people blame me for stuff that isn’t my fault. But…uh… Kind of the big thing…” Doppio flushed, kicking some water with his boots. 

“One of the last places I lived? Broke some asshole’s arm ‘cause he was hitting raccoons with sticks. I don’t regret that, because…who does that?” Doppio growled, before scoffing and looking sheepish again. “But…my boss was really pissed. He hates it when I get into fights, ‘cause I usually don’t come out unscathed, and I don’t need that kind of trouble with the law… He’s right, of course, but…I can’t help it. I’m not gonna just let some douche get away with torturing animals for fun.”

“He was poking raccoons with sticks!?” Arven shouted, looking absolutely scandalized, “Who!? Where!? I’ve never broken anyone’s arm before but now I know who I’m starting with!”

Scoffing, looking over to spit on the ground, Arven took a deeeeeep breath, held it, let it go… before shouting, “Gah! That’s so gross! Raccoons have those awesome little hands! They’re adorable!”

Having vented his frustration about raccoon guy, Arven looked over to Doppio, looking mildly curious. “Do you move around with your boss? Hey, look, I don’t really care what you are, alright? It doesn’t bother me. But… are you from Luminary? I hear those guys are basically raised in their careers, like, their bosses are their parents? Is that your situation?”

At Arven’s incense, Doppio blinked, a little surprised, before his own righteous anger welled up again. “Right?! They’re just minding their own business--it’s your own fault if you didn’t secure something enough and then you get mad that the animals that live here are scavenging. And even if you’re mad, that doesn’t give someone the right to hurt something that doesn’t understand what’s going on, and can’t fight back as well!”

(Doppio wasn’t…always the most introspective person.)

Boss had been furious with him, after the incident, and Doppio didn’t think that was the sole reason they had moved, but…it probably had made that city more dangerous for them. Though he never did see that guy around again. Looked like violence really did solve at least that problem! 

But…it was nice to tell someone who felt the same about it. 

At Arven’s next questions, though, Doppio burst out into a frantic laugh, quickly waving his hands. “No! Boss isn’t my dad, that…that’s ridiculous! No way!”

Clearing his throat, Doppio shook his head again. “Though…no. I’m Dicean, and…I mean, I didn’t always live with Boss, right? I got hired.” …presumably. “I’m just his personal assistant, right? So I run all his errands and cook and clean for him, and…that’d be more difficult to do if we didn’t live with each other, at least in the same city. So I move with him, yeah. And he doesn’t charge me rent when I’m living with him, so that works out for me. Situazione perfetta.”

“Sembra proprio cosi,” Arven responded idly, still giving Doppio a curious look, “...look, this might be opening up a whole can of worms. But it sounds like you’ve been doing this a long time… do you not have any family? That wouldn’t want you moving around so much? Like… sorry, that’s a loaded question.” Arven admitted, shrugging again, “I guess I’m just wondering if you’re in my situation.”

Doppio startled slightly, before a soft grin crossed his face. Other than Boss, he’d…never heard anyone speaking Tsumarian casually, let alone responding to him. 

…

…for…a long time. Because…if Doppio knew it, then…he had to know other native speakers, right? Obviously. And…he had been to the Tsumari Islands before. Even if…

Doppio looked down, quiet for a moment. It was one thing to consider telling Arven about il angioletto. But…talking about his memory issues too… It all kinda pointed to him just…having half a brain missing. But he was positive that il angioletto wasn’t just a hallucination. 

He took a short breath, nervously flicking some rain from his sleeves. “Uh… I mean… It makes sense to ask.”

Doppio looked at the path they were on, eyes tracing all the little streams of water collecting between the stones. Nervously, he glanced up at Arven. “Um… If I tell you… Can you promise that you won’t just think I’m…crazy? Or making it up?”

Arven’s eyebrows shot up… before furrowing. Suddenly hurrying forward a little, turning so that he was walking backwards in front of Doppio, so that he could look him squarely in the eyes. “Hey. I know we’ve just met, and you don’t really have a reason to trust me, but I am the last person who’s gonna say you’re bullshitting if you tell me some stuff about your homelife, alright? Like, blanket statement, I’ll believe you. And it’s entirely personal bias,” Arven admitted, grinning a little, his eyes crinkling up around his surprisingly delicate lashes, “You believe the Great Professor Sada’s a garbage parent? I believe your thing. That’s the deal.” 

Doppio slowed down slightly, surprised when Arven got right in front of him…looking at him very intently. Doppio didn’t have as much of a problem being stared at as The Boss--a kind of worryingly low bar--but…it was a little unnerving. Things being laid out so bare. 

…Boss was right. How did he keep finding people who just…believed in him so quickly?

Flushing, Doppio mumbled a soft, “Grazie…” before taking a breath. For some reason in this context, it was…a lot harder explaining it, than he had to Kaito. (Though, he hadn’t explained all of it to Kaito.)

“I, uh… I have some memory issues,” he started, patting the front of his coat. “‘S why I carry my notebook everywhere. Half the time, I can barely remember more than one or two things on my to-do list by the time I’m out the door, so…I keep things written down. And…yanno, usually it’s not such a big deal.”

Even with Arven’s trust, Doppio still glanced around, watching raindrops make the trees around them jitter and dance. “But…sometimes the gaps are…bigger. Like…” Another breath, as Doppio, not quite looking at Arven, sent him a small, nervous smile. “...like I can’t really remember…much of anything from before…I dunno. A couple years back? Boss’s reminded me that I apparently got things all cleared with whatever guardians I might’ve had, when I got hired, but…”

Doppio’s eyebrows knitted together as he looked at the ground. “...but I don’t remember it. I have no clue if I ever had parents.”

Arven gave Doppio an openly gobsmacked look, looking stunned at that revelation. “Really!?” he shouted, giving Doppio a baffled look… before crossing his arms over his chest. Still walking backwards a few steps, before turning on his heels, moving back to walking beside Doppio, eyes closed as he hummed at all that. “...that’s wild. Huh. So you have, like, amnesia basically? Or something like that… huh.”

Arven frowned at all that. Maybe it was okay to assume that Doppio’s boss was someone who had made some sort of arrangement with Doppio’s parents when he got… sick maybe? This their attempt to make certain Doppio could be independent someday… maybe that was too optimistic. Maybe Doppio got sick and they just didn’t want to deal with it, but Doppio’s boss took him in and gave him work…

(the third option, that Doppio was kidnapped, never entered Arven’s mind. He was a pessimist, but not that much of one.)

(it’d be the sort of thing that would occur to Penny though.)

Either way, the assumption was that it was all sort of taken care of already. But still, “...damn, that sucks so much,” Arven murmured, shaking his head, “That’s so rough… wait, you still write things down to remember it now, right? You still have memory issues with recent memories?”

Arven turned to look at Doppio, looking a little sheepish as he glanced at the notebook, before asking as he pointed to himself, “Am I in there? We’re friends now… I’d be really bummed out if you forgot me and I couldn’t convince you to come hang out anymore.”

Just like he said he would, Arven believed him…and didn’t immediately recommend he check himself into a hospital, but still Doppio let out a little breath of relief, a small, tired smile lifting his nervous expression. He’d…never really had to explain that before, since Boss obviously already knew. It went a lot better than he thought. 

Nodding to confirm that he still had issues with short-term memory--not that Doppio really knew anything about how brains or amnesia worked, so it never occurred to him as odd that he had a big gap of long-term memory, but also gaps of instant and short-term recall--Doppio let out a soft laugh. 

“I mean…sort of? I don’t just…wholly forget people,” as far as he knew, “It’s just…” Doppio sighed, giving Arven a light-heartedly exasperated look. “The second time I met Prince Kaito? He was going on and on about some stuff, and I spent half the conversation just trying to remember his name. He thought I was mad at him, since apparently people only call him stuff like ‘your highness’ if they’re pissed? It was really embarrassing, honestly…”

He shrugged. “Mostly, it’s small stuff. Forgetting someone’s name, or habits or something. At the very least, I remember that I do know someone, and I just…figure out the rest from there.”

At that, though, something Arven said hit him, and Doppio blinked, before flushing again. 

Arven too… Friends? Well, if he was friends with Kaito then…this surely fit the bill too. Still, Doppio chewed on the side of his lip, before shyly asking, “...we’re friends? You’re sure?”

“What? We better be,” Arven said, giving Doppio a frustrated look, “I invited you over to my house yesterday, and we fought off those assholes together today! Well, okay, Penny bribed them to leave us alone, but we would have.” Arven scoffed.

Leaning over to nudge him a little with his elbow, Arven grinned, “Besides, Chief likes you, and my ol’ guy has a good sense for these things. If Chief likes you, so do I.”

“As for names and habits…” Arven glanced at the notebook, before taking a pen from his pocket, asking as he nodded to the notebook, “Can I see it real quick? Fresh page!” 

Doppio flushed deeper, shrugging with a sort of jolting energy as he made a flustered, embarrassed noise. “I don’t know! I just wanted to check! Before you, Kaito’s been the only person to call me a friend and you can see how I might think that might not be the norm!”

And it was different, even if hearing someone casually call him their friend was something both Kaito and Arven had done. Being cajoled into joining a drinking group then mother henned into being followed home was different from arguing in an alley and then cooking together. Even if both contained Kaito’s bullying. 

(...his eyebrows were fine, right?)

“...I’m glad Chief likes me, though,” he conceded. “Nothing worse than having an animal hate you.”

Giving Arven a half-surprised look, Doppio glanced at the wet sky before gesturing for Arven to follow him, taking them under a store’s awning before he took his notebook out. Opening to a new, blank page, he offered it to the other teen. “Sure?”

Arven grinned, before carefully protecting the notebook from the rain and wind with his arm and shoulders, he drew a small, slightly amateurish but passable cartoon of himself and Chief, with both their names over their respective drawings, before adding in below his address, and then 

ARVEN

• A kickass self-taught cook

• An admittedly mediocre fighter but still down to rumble!

• Fellow raccoon defender hell yeah!

• Always available to hang can reintroduce self if needed

• Doppio’s buddy

Chief

• Will seriously eat anything do not feed chocolate please avoid cheese

• Is a good ol’ boy who is also down to rumble and will growl and bite cause he’s best boy!

• Also available to hang when not sleeping

• Doppio’s buddy

“There!” Arven grinned, passing Doppio back the notebook, “In case you forget.”

Taking the notebook back, Doppio smiled a bit at the little cartoons, and…

…

A breath Doppio didn’t even notice caught in his throat, some…unidentifiable feeling welling up in his chest. It wasn’t like the tight, stretchy balloon feeling, or anything kinda like adrenaline like some of the things he sometimes felt around Boss. This one was…warm. And calm. And just…

…he didn’t want to forget Arven. It had never really mattered before, if he forgot people he met after he and Boss moved. He had Boss and that was that. And…he figured they’d never really care if they forgot him either. But…Arven wrote in his book…making sure that Doppio didn’t forget. Arven didn’t want to be forgotten, but…wouldn’t be mad if Doppio did. He wanted to stay friends anyway… Writing down in his notebook, the thing Doppio relied on more than anything to keep the constants of the world, since he couldn’t bother The Boss for every little thing, and in it, Arven had written down that they were friends. 

His notebook might’ve been shielded from the rain, but neither of them had prepared to protect it from the fat tears suddenly rolling down Doppio’s cheeks.

“Aw, geez,” Arven frowned, still squatting down next to Doppio, looking briefly uncomfortable, uncertain what to do… before reaching over and patting him on the back, “If you want, we can both pretend those are tears of laughter as you make fun of my corny moment. It’s alright, I don’t mind. Wanna throw some ‘ha ha’s in there?”

Doppio opened his mouth, some…horrific, warbling, wailing sound coming out rather than anything resembling words, or even a token laugh…before a true laugh did follow, wet as it was. Carefully putting the notebook back in his raincoat’s internal pocket, Doppio wiped at his eyes, embarrassed but still laughing a bit. 

“Sorry…S-sorry… Man, I keep a-acting like such a weirdo around you…” There was a deep sniffle as Doppio gave his eyes a rougher wipe, the makeup that had survived the rain before all but gone now. “Think this could be b-blamed on hormones too?”

“Heh,” Arven grinned, nudging Doppio with his shoulders again, “I’m up to blaming it on teen angst if you are. Gotta take advantage of it while we can, right? What are we gonna call it when we’re adults?”

Amaina, who had been perfectly content to watch over all this quietly, not wanting to interrupt Doppio having fun with his friend, couldn’t help but answer the question as soon as the answer came to her.

♪ Being gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay ♩ Amaina said, stopping, pausing to consider this… before nodding, ♪ So gay just wooooooow ah well little senpai is cute you got lucky pretty boy CONGRAAAAATS i will tell the frogs the good news ♩ 

Doppio was very good at ignoring things. Things like what happened to him when he blacked out, or any concern about what his life had been before he met The Boss. But Doppio was also, in many ways, a teenager that had never had friends, and wasn’t very good at interacting with people. 

So it wasn’t with much thought that he turned bright red, giving il angioletto terrificante a mortified look. “Don’t tell the frogs anything!”

“E-eh!?” Arven asked, looking startled.

♪ I will the frogs deserve to know you can’t kiss the frogs without telling them you’re gay for senpai first it’s MISLEADING ♩ 

“I wasn’t going to kiss any frogs anyway! That was your plan!” Doppio squeaked, still crimson. “A-and it wouldn’t be misleading anyway, since that’s not true!”

“Uuuuuuh okay?” Arven tried, struggling to keep up, “What’s not true? Wait, do you think I’m kissing frogs?”

♪ It is SO true you watch you’re gonna end up kissing little senpai on the MOUTH and all the frogs are gonna KNOW ABOUT IT ♩ Amaina shouted, stomping her foot petulantly, ♪ But frogs are very supportive so theyre gonna be sooooo happy for you and there’s NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT ♩ 

Doppio made a high-pitched, embarrassed noise. He wasn’t going to be kissing anyone! Let alone Arven, who was his friend now, and…and that was it! They were friends! Not kissing friends or anything like that! Doppio wasn’t going to be kissing anyone, because he’d never kissed anyone before, and that was why he kept quiet when Kaito was bragging about being able to tell how many people a person had kissed, and…a-and it wasn’t like he could kiss anyone, or have a relationship, because he was busy with work! Boss would never approve! N-not that it was really a boss’s place to interfere with their employees’ love lives (DEFINITELY NOT LIKE A FATHER WOULD) but Doppio was part of an underground drug trade and relationships were liabilities and hhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

Though, he frantically blinked at Arven. “No! Of course not! I’m not the one going around telling people to kiss frogs, or assuming they’re kissing frogs on their own time, or assuming they’re kissing anyone! It’s--!”

And all at once, Doppio cut himself off, face too red to immediately pale, but horror washed over his embarrassment just as effectively. Very quickly, he lowered his voice. “...okay, you promised you wouldn’t think I’m crazy.”

Arven gave Doppio an uncertain, stern look… before he covered his mouth and laughed. “Pffff, hah! Uh huh. Okay, that was pretty funny, I’ll admit.” Arven chuckled, reaching over to shove Doppio’s shoulder a little, “What, was that a test to see if I’d stick to it? Then relax, I still don’t think you’re crazy.”

Then he paused, before thinking about it a little, “...or, wait, are you trying to tell me something? Cause, look, I’m not the best at picking up subtle social cues, Doppio, if you’re trying to make me guess something by shouting about frogs, it might be easier just to tell me what’s up.”

Doppio froze. 

…should it be a test? Was that more believable than… His eyes flicked up to the colorful angel, flying around in a huff. Really, he only believed it because it was happening to him. 

But…what if he slipped up again? Then Arven might think he was just being a jerk, messing with him, and…and he’d already written that they were friends, buddies, in his notebook, and if Arven asked him to tear it out Doppio might just start crying again for a completely different reason. 

“Uh,” Doppio said, very eloquently. 

He looked up at il angioletto again. 

“...when I woke up this morning, there was a…a…um…” …the Common word, piciu! Oh, Arven knows… “Un angelo. Flying around. And it’s been following me.”

Doppio sent it a disgruntled look, more just unhappy with the situation he’d been put in, than angry at the angel. “...and singing about kissing frogs.”

“...........eh?” Arven said, tilting his head slightly, “An angel?”

And, following Doppio’s eyeline, Arven looked above his shoulder… and, well, obviously he didn’t see anything. Though that didn’t stop Amaina from giving him a little boop on the nose. And after confirming he couldn’t see anything, he frowned, looking at Doppio.

……… hm.

“Okay,” Arven said uncertainly, deciding to just kinda roll with it for now, “Does it want to kiss a frog?”

♪ I want to poke it’s sweet little round froggy belly because it will go squiiiiiish ♩ Amaina explained, ♪ But the frogs want to be kissed so they can go on to rule the kingdom ♩ 

Doppio let out a small, frantic breath. “...look, I know it sounds like I’m hallucinating, but that’s never happened to me before and I’m pretty sure this is real, despite how batshit it sounds.”

Glancing to il angioletto, Doppio listened to her song before passing on, “She wants to poke their tummies for the simple joy of touching something squishy, but she said the frogs wanna be kissed ‘cause of that fairytale about a frog turning into a prince.”

A pause, before Doppio sighed, pressing his hands over his face. “...it does sound like I’m losing my mind, doesn’t it.”

“A little,” Arven admitted, rocking back and forth on his heels a little, “...okay, honestly? I’m kind of just nodding along because this feels like ‘middle school mentality’. Which, I’m not saying it is! But, if it is? It’s fine, half my friends went through this phase, I had this phase, it’s just happening a little late for you… if that’s what’s happening.”

“Also, can your angel hear me? Because it needs to know, if you poke a frog in the stomach, it's going to pee on you,” Arven said grimly, “Trust me.”

Doppio frowned a bit, though even the embers of anger weren’t stoked, Arven sounding far too understanding for Doppio to feel defensive. “...I don’t know what middle school mentality is, but…I’m genuinely not making this up. Just…”

…it hadn’t even occurred to him before. Obviously if the angel wanted to be seen by others, it could make that so. But…

“...well, that’s another point against frog poking,” Doppio sighed, before looking up at il angioletto again. “Ao, angelo? Mica hai voglia di…  Could you make it so he can see you too? I’d feel a lot less insane if you didn’t say something like I was ‘specially chosen’ or this is some kind of ‘personal, cosmic test’.”

♪ Oh no I just didn’t want to ruin your first gay date ♩ Amaina explained simply, ♪ I know a third wheel when I see one or WORSE i’ll come in and little senpai will fall in love with me and leave you heartbroken and i will be the villain homewrecker i will cryyyyyyyyyy ♩

O.O ……… OoO ♪ Okay but when I kiss little senpai on his mouth it will only be because he is preeeeeeetty so do not be jealous you are pretty too i will give you kisses too it'll be fair and balaaaaanced okay ♩  

And then, having apparently decided this was just how it was going to go down, Amaina flew up to Arven’s face, bashfully looked shy for a moment… before with weird, wide eyes, went MUWAH! Very loudly, placing a small kiss on Arven’s bottom lip, with a massive heart forming from that spot before it floated away.

Arven saw the heart before anything. Its movement catching his attention, his gaze going upwards to follow it… before looking down.

O.O

OoO ♪ Hello I hoped you enjoyed your kiss was I your first please do not fall in love with me I will only break little senpai’s heart ♩

“AHHH!”  

♪ It is too late he has already fallen in love ♩  Amaina realized sadly, watching Arven throw himself backwards in shock. ♪ what have i done ♩  

While his blush had calmed from trying to plead his sanity, it revved up again as il angioletto said that he and Arven were… It wasn’t a date! They were just hanging out! What kind of date was looking for frogs and pond herbs anyway?!

(...honestly, the kind of date Doppio might actually enjoy. If such a thing were to happen.)

“I-I don’t even want kisses, angelo!” Doppio pleaded, flustered, but it was too late. His angel was determined to grant her burdensome blessings of kisses onto them, a proper exchange for beauty. And while it didn’t look like anything had changed in Doppio’s eyes…

“Arven!”

Doppio jolted, quickly going over to steady his friend, not wanting to, sort of, be the reason he landed in a puddle, even if the two of them were pretty soaked by this point. Sighing, he gave il angioletto a baleful look. “Angelo… Please don’t just kiss people without permission. Frogs either.”

 ♪ i already did it did you miss it it just happened keep up ♩

“W-was I just kissed by an angel!?” Arven shouted, finding himself clutching onto Doppio a little, staring at the little… winged?? Doll?? Thing?? “That’s an angel!? But… i-it’s so small!”

 ♪ rude ♩

“Oh, wow! …okay I didn’t even kind of believe you, wow, you proved the existence of angels so fast, Doppio!” Arven rambled, unable to take his eyes off her, even as he clutched at Doppio, “That… that has to be a record! Wait, are angels a part of a specific religion? I can’t remember where angels come from! Do I have to join a religion now!?”

 ♪ Relax im not an angel i am a fairy who points out interesting things ♩ Amaina sighed, before shaking her head,  ♪ only i’m not that either I am Amaina I am P O W E R ♩

“....I don’t know what that means.” Arven looked desperately at Doppio now, “Eh? What does that mean!?”

…did that mean something? It hadn’t occurred to Doppio before Arven said it, but something about the cadence of the words just… Did that mean something?! Was being kissed by an angel meant you were blessed or something?! Doppio had kissed her hand before, did that mean something?!

Holding Arven back, both to stabilize his friend, and also just because Arven was doing it and Doppio didn’t want to be rude, Doppio just kind of shrugged helplessly at Arven’s questions. Yeah, the angel was small--why it was un angioletto, rather than just un angelo--and…oh, huh. They were a religious thing, weren’t they. So that meant that some religion was right? Were they supposed to convert now?!?

But…

Doppio blinked. “...what?” He blinked again, squinting at the…not angel, fairy-but-not-fairy, Amaina…thing, as if that would make its words clearer. 

Pouting a little, he asked, “...I don’t know what that means either, but…then why didn’t you correct me if I’ve been calling you an angel this whole time?! Why are you following me around, then?!”

Amaina gave Doppio a curious look at that. In truth, she hadn’t thought he had been sincere. She had thought Doppio had given her a nickname. 

But that correction seemed less important than his question, which… she thought she had told him. Hadn’t she? She was going to show him interesting things, because…

O.O {It’s so big out there.}

He needed a guide, didn’t he? If the golden cat could teach the endless child how to be a god, then certainly Amaina could teach the new weirdo how to exist. Time shenanigans and all. It was easy. Just sometimes you needed to go look at frogs. And kiss pretty boys. And dance and sing songs.

 ♪ I am with you to show you beautiful things ♩

He didn’t hear the first part of her answer. Doppio heard it, because that’s how Amaina said it. And with it, came everything she had said the night before, in the dream that he had mostly forgotten because…well, you were supposed to forget dreams. But you were supposed to remember things that happened in your day, even if Doppio wasn’t very good at it. 

And talking about {every good thing, every big thing out here}... Doppio’s breath caught, something in him shuddering. The hope and comfort Amaina had kindled the night before, the love he had for all the things he had discovered since…

Since…

He…had to discover ẗ̡̞͇̲́̈̚͏̖̱͊͊h̢̛̛̼̩̭̥̄̊͢ȩ̨̩̯̗̖̫̾̾̇̆͜m̺͙̖͚̌̓̌̾́…̙̻͂̓̽̒͢b̛̠͓̳̍͐̍͜é̶̢̼̙͒̆c͙̥͎͎̅̈̐͂̕͠ā̵͈̦̪̿ṷ̼̗͒̆͆s̖̯̮̉̓͂̕é̙͈̳̻̟̞̿̈…̮̙̔͏̘̟̺̹̀̓͋

(...)

(It was even more brief than the time before. Doppio just needing to skip that line of thought. Not able to think about it right now.)

For a moment, Doppio just uneasily looked at…Amaina. Before he sighed. Mumbling. “...I guess that’s not…really all that different from some angels’ quests… Just…” Briefly, something truly uncomfortable and genuinely fearful ran across Doppio’s face. “...just…don’t…cross whatever plane of existence this is, with my boss. Okay?”

…don’t think about it. If you don’t think about it, it isn’t true, and so you won’t be lying. 

…because if it was true that there was some physical creature following Doppio around…then it had seen The Boss’s face. And The Boss might actually, literally kill him. And her. 

 ♪ the boss is the most boring person aliiiiiiiiiive unless he ever wants to join us for frog hunting WHICH ♩ Amaina huffed, none of this having really changed anything on her end, as she started to bounce around impatiently,  ♪ when are we going to get to go do it we’ve sat around for aaaaaaaaages Arven will die of old age at this point we must hurry before Arven gets old ♩

“Why am I getting singled out!?” Arven complained, looking back and forth between Doppio and, uh, ‘Amaina’, seeing the discomfort on Doppio’s face. “You uh… you okay, Doppio? I mean, maybe she’s not an angel, but you apparently have something trying to uh… show you ‘beautiful’ things? That uh…” Arven hesitated, glancing at the ‘angel’ as she had quickly gone from flying around in frustration to dancing, caught in her own rhythm, “... I mean, there’s worse kinds of pests to have. That seems pretty okay?”

There was still that unease in Doppio’s gut, but he pouted at Amaina. “He’s not boring! He’s super smart and interesting--you barely know him and have only seen him half-asleep!” …which was fine because she was…a-a sort of real that wasn’t real-real, but wasn’t just in his head and…nnnnnng.

Doppio sighed, running a hand down his face…and giving a muted wince as he pressed a little too hard on his bruise. But when he looked back up at Arven, he was…a bit calmer, at least. “I mean…yeah. It doesn’t really change anything from what I’ve already accepted about all this. And…I guess it is comforting to know that I’m for sure not just hallucinating.”

…that was probably comforting.

“...she does have a point, though.” With another sigh, Doppio turned back towards the rain, flushing a little as that highlighted that…Arven was still holding onto him. Which was a normal thing to blush at, and not ‘cause they were on a d-date, or anything like that! “Wanna actually get to the pond?”

“Only if you give me the entire walk there to freak out to myself in silence,” Arven negotiated.

 ♪ NEVER IT IS TIME TO DANCE MAESTRO PLAY THE BEAT ♩

The walk was not spent in silence.

-

Arven kept waiting for the rain to let up, vaguely planning to air-dry out in the sun as soon as it came out. He sat beneath the trees, watching Doppio and his little fake angel both capture frogs and then argue about what to do with captured frogs. Amaina argued kissing, and if not kissing, at least poking. Doppio compromised with putting his ear to a frog belly, listening to it croak. The frog, of course, peed on him anyway.

It was all very strange, though Arven was a little surprised at how quickly he got used to it. He did have a mild heart attack when Amaina started rapidly changing colors to match some song she was making up on the spot, but, well, after a minute of that, you get used to that too. Weird, but, well, changing colors didn’t seem to be hurting anything…

And then the rain got harder.

Like, waaaay harder. 

And when it started coming down so hard that you could barely see an inch in front of you, Arven took Doppio by the hand and shouted at him to follow him, hoping to be heard over the roar of the rain. And Arven stepped forward–

–and then he must have phased out a little? Maybe just the adrenaline of needing to run through the rain, but a second later Arven knew he was in front of the house, and also knew he could remember running through the rain to the house, though… the actual feeling of it felt instantaneous. It was a little disorientating, but Arven, for lack of a better idea, ignored it after a moment. Opening his front door and ushering Doppio inside, the door needing a push to fight against the wind rushing in. 

Chief barked once, twice, and then decided to lazily get out of his dog bed. Trotting over with heavy little thumps, before sniffing at Doppio a bit. 

It was… It had been really nice. Doppio had been planning on having fun at the pond anyway, since searching for frogs was one of his favorite things to do on wet, dreary days, but…having someone to do it with? Listening to Amaina’s endless songs and arguing with her about leaving the frogs be…even if he and Arven didn’t talk all that much, there was still such a sense of…companionship when they did. Doppio showing off a blue-spotted frog that had allowed him to pick it up, Arven calling him over to point out the pond herbs he’d been talking about. It was…good. 

Though…Doppio hadn’t exactly been paying attention to the weather forecast when he set out that morning. He had seen for himself that it had been drizzling, then raining, and he did remember seeing that it would rain that day, but it seemed like one minute he was admiring the pond skaters on the surface of the water, and the next the sky decided to upend a never-ending bucket over his head. 

And that was…an issue. It wasn’t like travel would be impossible, but going anywhere in a downpour this heavy was dangerous, not to mention just unpleasant…

…but Arven’s hand gripping his wasn’t. Still warm, despite water seeping into every crevice and freezing them both. 

(...he hadn’t meant to do it, though he hadn’t meant to do it the other times either. But Doppio had been so buffeted with rain that Arven leading him was his only saving grace since Doppio wouldn’t have been able to navigate anywhere, and he’d been worried about them getting caught up…)

When they stopped, however, Doppio was a little too thankful to be out of the deluge to process for a few moments that Arven had brought them to…his house. Dripping in the entryway, bangs plastered to his face, Doppio blinked for a few moments before he grinned softly down at Chief. 

“Hey, Chief. I would pet you, buddy, but I’m a little busy making a pool of your doorstop.”

…blep. Chief stuck out his tongue, just a little. Blinking lazily up at Doppio, before thumping his tail once. Idly wondering if there were treats.

“Ey, come on, ol’ man, at least let us walk into the house first.” Arven scolded, waving his arms to shoo Chief off, which Chief mostly ignored, though he thumped his tail a few more times. “Come on, Doppio, I’ll get us some towels. Wow, that came out of nowhere!”

Amaina, who had not needed to actually race through anything, still huffed and panted like she had flown a great distance, dramatically falling onto Doppio’s shoulder in a stomach down drape.  ♪ we were going to drown out there completely submerged Ophelia eat your heart out ♩ she whined, her wings fluttering helplessly.

“You literally aren’t even pretending to be wet, little angel.” Arven scowled at her, coming back with a very large towel which, flushing it out in a few sweeping snaps, put it around Doppio’s shoulders. “Here, since you’re actually soaked, Doppio. Thankfully you at least have that raincoat.”

 ♪ that is also why i am not wet i also have a raincoat ♩

Arven squinted at Amaina, who was now wearing a tiny adorable little frog raincoat, as she stared blankly back at him. O.O

“...you weren’t wearing that before.”

 OoO ♪ prove it in court ♩

Arven sighed, shaking his head at her a little, before throwing his own towel over his head, starting to dry his hair as he walked further into the house. “Come on, I have a fireplace in the living room, let me start it up and we can dry off next to it.”

So cute!!

While it was a little useless, considering they were already inside and, just, soaked, Doppio did try to shuck off as much water as he could by the entrance, trying to not create an entire disaster zone in Arven’s house. Because…he was at Arven’s house. As a guest. And it was rude for guests to make a big mess. 

(...had…he ever been casually invited to someone’s house before?)

Wriggling out of his coat and boots--even drenched as he was, they took the worst of it-- Doppio accepted the towel with a grateful smile, shaking his head a little at Amaina’s complaints. “Thanks… I mean…it is pretty bad out there. Even if you can’t feel the rain, it’s probably startling to see it like that, right?” He nudged his shoulder gently, giving Amaina a slow up-and-down ride on it. 

Though, as he followed Arven farther into his home--internally cringing a bit with each wet footstep--Doppio sent one last apprehensive look outside. “That’s…not gonna be fun to walk in later. Hopefully it clears up a little.”

“Hm, yeah…” Arven frowned at the windows, his large backyard entirely hidden away by the downpour, before shrugging as he went to the fireplace. “It’s alright, we’ll work something out. Obviously I’ve got plenty of space, worse comes to worst.”

 ♪ he’s gonna say no cause he’s a workahoooolic ♩

“Oh yeah?” Arven asked, glancing over his shoulder as Amaina flew off Doppio’s shoulder before landing next to Arven, watching him spark flames into the prepared dry wood. Every time an ember sparked, she jumped up and turned red, before rapidly shifting back to blue, until finally spinning in place when a fire actually caught, shifting rapidly between colors before settling on red again. “You sound pretty confident. How long have you two been… doing this? Because Doppio, you made it sound like–”

 ♪ 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007 ♩

“Eh?”

 ♪ That’s the amount of seconds we’ve been together ♩

“....no it isn’t. A thousand seconds is, what, not even an hour?”

 ♪ okay fine i lied it’s been a thousand YEEEAAAAARS ♩

“You know, angel, fibbers’ pants catch fire,” Arven grimly warned her… before raising an eyebrow when Amaina, staring him dead in the eye, immediately projected the end of her raincoat to erupt into delicate flames. “...you know, I keep going back and forth on whether or not I’m having a fever dream or not.”

Trying to pat himself down from excess water, Doppio grimaced a bit at the feeling of hair sticking to his neck. The moment had passed (very much so) but that…peeling feeling. That came from…whatever it was that happened, still crawled over his skin, and his clothes and hair plastered to his body really wasn’t helping getting over that. Gross… He was probably filthy… He didn’t mind rain, but that was usually because he just tried not to think about how it was so much dirtier than he ever remembered. 

As he joined Arven and Amaina by the fireplace, just tugging out his hair tie and ineffectively running his fingers through his hair, Doppio pouted a little at being called a workaholic. “I just have a good work ethic! Boss says I’m a prize, in my competence, and I work to make that true!”

“Though…yeah,” he sent Arven a half-grimace, “I did promise him I’d be back before dark, when he gave me the afternoon off. I appreciate the offer and all, but I don’t wanna make him worry.” Because if Doppio didn’t show up that night…Boss probably would assume the worst. And the last thing they needed was for Boss to have to launch a murder investigation. Or a defector’s manhunt. 

…and…Boss wasn’t…usually very, er… Well…he tended not to get to the leftovers Doppio always made sure to have around unless Doppio was there to suggest meals. Or…to get to sleep before sunrise, if Doppio wasn’t there to clean up shop and announce his own bedtime. Or to do laundry, because, well, obviously that was Doppio’s job, and if he was doing it right then The Boss would never do another load of laundry in his life. 

So was Doppio going to abandon his boss to a life of dirty sheets?! No way!

Jumping a little in surprise as Amaina set herself on fire, Doppio let out a little breath. “We met this morning. Though…” He paused, not looking…thrilled. “...this really doesn’t help the fever dream theory, but I’m half-sure Angelo might’ve stopped by in my dreams last night. But that’s definitely the first time we met.”

“Hmph. Alright, ‘Angel’. It’s time for answers!” Arven insisted, standing up and, giving her a fierce look, dramatically pointing down at her, “What are you!?”

 ♪ P O W E R ♩

“...okay, but what does that mean?” Arven frowned, squatting down to look at her more closely, Amaina entirely undisturbed by his interrogation, “Are you saying you’re powerful?”

 ♪ I am the concept of power ♩

“I, eh, but… what does that mean?” Arven insisted.

 ♪ CLEAN OUT YOUR EARS HOW MUCH CLEARER CAN I BEEEEEE!? ♩

Chief, undisturbed by his boy yelling dramatically at the air– Arven sometimes talked to himself, when he was angry, it was nothing new– went up to Doppio, looking up at him… before placing his paw on Doppio’s foot. Looking for treats.

Arven huffed, running his fingers through his hair, before glaring at her. “Okay, I’m gonna be more specific. What’s your… what’s your species? I feel like that’s the next logical assumption, that you’re not–”

 ♪ human ♩

“No you’re not! You can’t be, you’re like, this big! And… have wings! And can walk around on fire!”

 ♪ humans come in alllll shapes and sizes and variety of being currently on fire ♩

“Uuuugh… I can’t tell if she’s messing with me on purpose,” Arven admitted, looking to Doppio, “Any ideas?”

Maybe it said something about Doppio that, since she had first appeared in his dream, he had never once thought to ask Amaina what she was. Granted, he had assumed she was a product of his mind, as dreams were, and then had assumed she was an angel, so perhaps that was just on him, full of hubris. 

Really…there was a part of him that didn’t care that much about what Amaina was. She wasn’t a person that would be privy and invasive to Boss’s identity, so other than that…he had just accepted that she was there. Around to show him “beautiful things”, and goad him into making frogs pee on him. 

Honestly, Chief was far more interesting at the moment. 

“Aw, bud…” Doppio murmured, his heart melting a little as he got down on his knees, starting to pet Chief around his neck. “How was your day, Chief? I’m sure you’re glad you didn’t get caught in the rain, but it must be rough when Arven leaves, huh? Or did you just spend the whole day dozing? Big ol’ sleepy dog…”

It was only Arven asking his opinion that brought Doppio back from Dog Pat Town. Looking over, Doppio blinked once, twice, looking between Arven and Amaina, before shrugging. “Arven, I thought she was un angelo until, like, an hour ago. Maybe she really is a kind of fairy, but fairies aren’t…like how they are in stories. Maybe…” He shrugged again. “Maybe they’re manifestations of power. Metaphysical stuff. I dunno.”

Arven squinted at Doppio. “...you’re just making shit up.”

But, before he could call Doppio out some more, he gasped as Amaina suddenly flew up, flopping herself onto Arven’s face. Which would be alarming normally, but was FRIGHTENING while she was still sorta on fire, Arven staring at the flames licking his face in baffled alarm as she pet his nose, hugging his cheek.  ♪ Shhhh shhhhhh shush shush little king i will explain and all will be weeeellll ♩

Arven, who had been observing Amaina just long enough to guess where this was going, said, “Don’t sing–”

0o0  ♪ THROUGH SONG ♩

As bright lights started to flash in the living room, Chief gave a happy little ‘harumph’ at the pets, his big, dopey face molding and twisting in Doppio’s enthusiastic hands. Chief was a very patient dog, and while in his heart he never really gave up entirely on the possibility of treats, pets was also pretty good. What a good boy. Good little human. Yes, you may pet more.

Amaina did sing, oh for her queen

Her beautiful queen, senpaaaaai

Who she loved the most, for her ultimate hope

And the merging of her minds

And while senpai would cry for the loss of her scribe

Amaina made power to settle her mind

And so that love would never diiiiiie

Arven squinted at Amaina… before sighing. Putting his head into his hands as he muttered, “I’ve always sucked at interpreting poetry. That was all gibberish to me.”

 ♪ Amaina is Amaina ♩ The little creature shrugged, before amending  ♪ And Miku And human And P O W E R Amaina is many things just like Arven is brave and funny and preeeetttyyyyy and gaaaaaaaay ♩

“Hey.” Arven grouched, poking Amaina on her forehead, “Don’t make assumptions, squirt.”

Well, yeah. Doppio had no idea what this whole situation was about, so he kind of had to make shit up. In this confusing world, you either just had to ignore things or make up your own explanations, and maybe one day someone would explain something that made sense. 

It wasn’t like he was going to ask Boss about this. 

Giving Chief some good scratchies behind his ears, Doppio watched on in amusement as Amaina sang of her existence, apparently more enthused with her music than Arven. But they did agree on one thing. 

…he had no fucking clue what that song meant, other than…Amaina loved her boss? Which, relatable. 

But, uh…

“Oh basta la,” he groaned, flushing lightly. Sending an apologetic look to Arven, Doppio sighed. “She’s…been on that. Sorry. That’s kinda why I blew up earlier, ‘cause she was going on about telling the frogs all that.”

Arven looked up at him confused by that. “What, telling the frogs I’m gay?”

 ♪ And preeeettyyyyyyy ♩

“Well, I don’t know about that,” Arven muttered, subconsciously pulling his bangs more securely over his left eye, “And I also don’t know about being gay either. I don’t know… who has time to date!? I don’t! All that sort of stuff is a hassle to figure out.”

Arven pouted, standing up and, feeling it shift on his back, suddenly remembered he was wearing his backpack. With a huff, he took it off, laying it by the fire, before unbuckling his vest and taking that off too, throwing it on his couch as he loosened his tie with a small sigh. “Ugh, I’m a mess. Hey, I feel bad changing into new clothes when you have nothing to change into… wanna see if anything I have fits?” Arven asked, doing some eyeball guestimates as he looked over at Doppio, “You’re a bit shorter than me, and maybe a bit scrawnier? You have thin legs, I’m assuming your sweaters and coats make you look bulkier than you are. We could probably find something that’s not too-too big on you?”

“Hm!” Doppio nodded emphatically, glad to find a like-minded individual. Sure, Prince Kaito seemed very happy in his relationship, and obviously it was going well if he’d just gotten married, but the guy had never been able to hold down a job. Prince Kaito probably had alllll sorts of free time to dote on his partners and figure out the whole dating thing. For him and Arven, who had busy, full schedules out in the world, there was simply no time or need. 

(And…Doppio just chose not to comment at all on whether Arven was pretty or not. Wasn’t his place to say. Though…it wasn’t like he was going to argue Amaina’s point…)

Looking over in slight surprise as Arven brought up changing out of their soaked clothes, he flushed again and crossed his arms over his chest. Arven was taller, but not that much taller…but he was definitely stockier. Which…was the better way for it to be, if it was Arven’s clothes he was offering, but…it was still a little embarrassing. 

“I mean…if you’re okay with that,” Doppio muttered, the slight embarrassment at potentially looking like a little kid drowning in Arven’s clothes not enough to make him want to stay in waterlogged cottons. “It’s nice and all for you to invite me over, but I don’t wanna impose too much.”

“Eh, it’s not really imposing, I have plenty of clothes. One thing about being the Great Professor Sada’s son is– pfff, hah, I couldn’t say it with a straight face, there are no good things,” Arven muttered, gesturing for Doppio to follow him, “I pay for everything too, except for the furniture in the house, which has been here since I was small. But! I keep all of my clothes that I’ve gotten over the years, and thankfully I haven’t done that ‘shoot up like a beanpole’ thing some of my classmates have done yet, so! I have plenty of clothes in the right range.”

Smirking a little, Arven brought Doppio into his room, headed to the closet, and said with a flourish, “Feast your eyes! DRY CLOTHES!”

He opened the closet, turned on the light, and…

 ♪ ……WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH ♩ QoQ  ♪ BURN IT BURN IT ALL WHY IS IT ALL SO UUUUGLYYYYY!? ♩

“What!?” Arven balked, giving the false angel a baffled look, before turning to look at the clothes she was wailing about, confirming they were looking at the same thing. “What are you talking about!? These are great clothes! They’re all sleek and professional and practical–”

 ♪ WAAAAAAAAAH ITS ALL JUST BUTTON UPS IN SIMILAR SHADES WHO DID THIS TO YOU YOU ARE LUCKY YOU ARE BEAUUUUTIFUUUUULLL WHO OWNS MORE THAN ONE SAFETY VEEEST!? ♩

“Hey! That’s a completely different vest from the one I have on the couch! Look at it! It’s blue!” Arven insisted, before pointing to his tie, “I’m wearing PURPLE! That’s a VERY bold color!”

QoQ

Arven paid for everything? Man, he must be good at budgeting… Maybe Doppio could ask him what his spreadsheet process was…

“Mm,” Doppio hummed, glancing around Arven’s house as they walked to, presumably, his room. “I get it if you don’t want to talk about her, but…you said that before too. ‘Great Professor’ Sada. Is…that like a title? And is that your last name?”

Though, it wasn’t much of a trip before they got to Arven’s closet--he hadn’t been lying to Kaito before, the whole house was incredibly neat--and Doppio was left to give Amaina a similarly confused look at her outrage. Sure, Arven’s wardrobe was…pretty same-y, and pretty tame, but Doppio knew he only had his own clothes and the Boss’s to compare and…no one had compared to the Boss when it came to…unique fashion, Doppio had found. 

And Doppio himself…

He nodded in agreement with Arven. “Blue and purple are different colors. I’m pretty sure I have like three sweaters in the same style that are just different purples and pinks and reds. If you find clothes you like, then you roll with it.”

Adjusting the towel over his shoulders, Doppio looked at the…rows of very similar shirts. “That said…uh, what should I borrow?”

“Hah! See? My clothes are fine.” Arven smirked at Amaina, who was still inconsolable. Wetly sobbing now on Doppio’s head, looking miserable as the three headed into Arven’s closet.

Turning to his clothes, Arven considered them a bit, before nodding to himself. “Let’s give you the Thursday outfit for next week, that will give me plenty of time to get it back from you and wash it and iron before I have to wear it,” he mused aloud, taking out an off-white pink button up shirt, before matching it with one of his dark purple pants as he insisted, “See? Look, it’s pink, Amaina. That’s very bold and stylish!”

Amaina looked up with wet, watery eyes, saw Arven hold up an outfit that was almost identical to the one he was wearing but ‘slightly pink’ and sobbed into Doppio’s hair some more. The tragedy! The Hubris! Her poor pretty little senpai! No wonder he was bullied! If nature hadn’t gifted him with naturally beautiful features, he’d be just as plain as those loser bully kids!!

“I swear, she’s just messing with me.” Arven huffed, passing the clothes to Doppio.

Oh.

Taking pity on her, Doppio had lightly patted Amaina’s back as they looked through the closet, but…

Arven planned his outfits a week in advance? And he ironed his clothes? Even if he hadn’t been partial to pink, Doppio gazed at Arven with awe as he accepted the clothes, too amazed to be embarrassed or even note how his heart picked up a little. 

With a more invigorated grin, Doppio gave his friend an eager nod. “I’ll make sure to get these back to you as soon as I can! Thank you!” 

And of course he’d wash and press the clothes before giving them back, but he had a feeling Arven would still wash them again, because he was a cool guy. 

Glancing around, Doppio let out a small hum. “Uh, can I change in your bathroom?”

“You can change in here if it’s more comfortable,” Arven offered, gesturing to the bedroom in question, “And I’ll go change in the bathroom. It will give me a chance to, hm…” Arven fussed with his bangs some more, his hair starting to frizz up and poof in awkward directions now that it was somewhat drying from the rain, “Get myself put back together. I won’t take long, you can have it afterwards if you need it for other reasons.”

As Arven awkwardly tried to smooth his hair down again, his bangs briefly, slightly parted in the middle. Ever so slightly in the light, a clear discoloration on his skin. Whether Arven realized what was happening or not, he still kept trying to tame the bangs back down as he said, “Give me ten minutes, that should be plenty of time.”

Grabbing his clothes– his evening clothes– Arven headed out of the room, to the connecting hall bathroom. 

 ♪ Ooooooh yaaaaaaay this is our chance to look through his thiiiings!! ♩ Amaina cried immediately as the door closed behind him, flying around the room, flitting from wall to wall to…  ♪ there is not a lot to look at ♩ she pouted.

Arven’s room was as well kept as the rest of the house, but somehow was actually a little more sparse than the rest of the house. While the house had various sculptors and paintings and odd knick-knacks shoved onto random shelves as decoration, Arven had a bed (he seemed partial to the color yellow), a dresser, an ironing board set up and ready to go, a fairly large but practical desk and a fairly long but practical bookshelf. 

The biggest signs of Arven’s personality was the map on the wall and the potted plants, strategically placed in areas with good sunlight. The plants were healthy and large and green, well taken care of, with a few growing things on them, like flowers and peppers. On the wall was a large map of Dicea, with various pins and notes and x’s and checkmarks on it. A map in ‘use’, rather than mere decoration.

The map was fairly interesting, but Amaina mostly ignored it, heading under Arven’s bed, before saying after a moment  ♪ I can’t see anything under here until youuuuu look so look down here maybe we will find treasure or nudie magaziiiiines ♩

Doppio nodded in agreement, noting, but not commenting on the break in Arven’s bangs that he got a peek in. He hadn’t thought anything of it the day before, as he didn’t have any other spare hairclips so he hadn’t offered any to Arven for his bangs, like he had with the hairtie--...had he gotten that back? Doppio…could not remember at all. Ah well, not like it mattered much. If Arven had more of a reason for his hairstyle…well, it wasn’t like Doppio was going to go asking all sorts of questions about it. 

It wasn’t like he was the sort of person that…made fun of people’s eyebrows and chests and…

Doppio looked down at his soaked sweater, frowning slightly and…feeling a little self conscious. Quickly as he could, while still drying off so he wouldn’t just make Arven’s clothes wet too, he changed shirts. 

“Don’t be nosy,” he chastised Amaina, though…he did find his gaze falling back to the big map of Dicea on the wall. Were…some of those places the graves of titans Arven had talked about?

The shirt fit fine, after Doppio buttoned it, if a little loose, but the pants… Doppio sighed, holding the waistband up. It wasn’t like they were just falling off him, but he could tell they’d start to slip down the moment he moved. 

What Amaina said next didn’t help the blush he was staving off. 

“Angelo! I-I…I’m not gonna look for porno mags under my friend’s bed!” Doppio squeaked. Before he blinked, giving her a puzzled look. “...wait, what? Can you only see what I see?”

Amaina crawled back from under the bed, and in a very real sense, ‘rematerialized’ as soon as she was reasonably in Doppio’s view. Looking up at him with her wide, blank eyes, before nodding.  ♪ I see the world as you see it and as Arven sees it and as Chief sees it but if there is no one physical to see it then I am blind ♩

Tilting her head at him a little, Amaina suddenly flew up to Doppio’s face. Taking his cheeks into her nubby arms, staring down at him intently.  ♪ The world is so big and you can see all the good and beautiful things ♩ she said softly  ♪ And I can see you ♩

So she was kind of…”attached” to him. And that…

(Wasn’t as foreign a concept as it should’ve been. Instead of having to think it through, Doppio just…understood. Obviously people could be [psychically] attached to one another, seeing through their eyes and perceptions. There was nothing to be explained.)

So close up, Doppio had to avert his eyes from her wide, intense stare…but his shoulders relaxed a little. He didn’t understand why Amaina had come to show him the good and beautiful things--maybe it really was just a whim like she said, though he hadn’t ever known whims to be so…benign. He kept wanting to know why, though. Why him? 

(...why had someone looked at his tears and actually decided to do something? He just…couldn’t understand that, after so long of them being an unnecessary distraction.)

But…maybe he should stop trying to question the gift he’d been given. 

“...was today good and beautiful?” he asked softly. “...I…I know that it’s not the most popular thing, but…going to the pond was fun, wasn’t it?”

Amaina wasn’t always able to express herself, expression wise, very well. It was something about the personality of her original empath, who in her own ways had also struggled to express herself in facial expressions, though she had sometimes faked it well enough that others didn’t notice. 

But Amaina had two very useful ways to express herself anyway, and there were sudden lights surrounding them, a bright pink that fit Doppio and a yellow that clearly to Amaina meant Arven, as Amaina suddenly beamed at him. Around them there were sudden mixing and merging translucent images, each image an echoing image of her and Doppio doing something different throughout that day. Both mundane, such as making breakfast with him in the morning and walking around as he went around doing errands for the day, and bright and lively, playing in the pond and talking to Arven over the wall and running with him through the rain.

Each moment simple by themselves, just how they had spent their day, but with the backdrop of bright, happy music and the way the lights seemed to put almost a spotlight on every moment of that, Amaina’s point was obvious, just in how she presented it to Doppio, how she had seen the events of their day: 

Amaina was having a BLAST.

And it would take both of them a moment to realize Arven had opened the door again, staring in baffled awe at the lightshow happening in his room. Balking, slightly, as the image– weirdly slow motion and lingering clearly on their held hands from the perspective of the person ‘observing’ them– of him leading Doppio through the rain drifted lazily past him, though the bright and tranquil image of them all hanging out on the pond caught his attention next, as Arven walked through the images to stand next to Doppio.

“...wow.” Arven said, looking around, “She really makes all this stuff seem kind of amazing, huh?”

Doppio’s eyes widened as lights, er…’came on’ around them, both bracing and hyping himself up for a song, as that’s what this had come to mean, in the day he had known Amaina. And it was a song, but…not like it had been. It was like…

Someone expressing exactly what was in their heart. Nothing left to question or ambiguity, even if you didn’t understand. It was…

Doppio smiled softly at Arven, giving him a small shrug. “I mean…it kind of is, right? Even for just…small moments, life is pretty amazing. Just because it might be something you can do easily or often doesn’t diminish the joy you experience…I think. The fact that you can experience it at all…”

(Life wasn’t something to take for granted, even if it could be overwhelming.)

Realizing he was waxing a little too philosophical, Doppio cleared his throat and looked to the side. “Oh, but, uh… I’m sorry to ask, but could I borrow a belt? I feel like I’m gonna pants myself the second I move.”

“Pfff. You’re talking like the old guy,” Arven teased, though it was the sort of teasing that came from hearing two different people wax poetic about how good things were. Kaito gushing about ‘friends’ and Doppio gushing about ‘moments’... it was uplifting, if a little corny. 

But, well, Arven was corny too. He had reminders in Doppio’s notebook to prove it.

Looking down, Arven raised an eyebrow as he saw Doppio struggling to keep his pants where they were… before laughing somewhat in embarrassment, “See? Skinny legs. Ah, I really should have seen that coming, hold on, let me see…” 

The music eventually lessened, the lightshow leaving, but Amaina didn’t seem to be in any hurry to stop dancing, now that she had started. Humming happily to herself as she danced around Arven’s room as he sorted through his wardrobe. “Here we go! We’ll have to put a few more notches in it, but this should work. You wouldn’t happen to have a knife handy, would you?” Arven asked, pulling a black belt from his drawer. 

“Ugh,” Doppio groaned. “I can practically see his smug face, if he heard you comparing us. This is what I get, picking up speaking habits, only hanging out with people in their 30s.”

Not that he could really compare how Kaito and The Boss spoke. Sure, he didn’t always understand everything the prince said, but… Well. No. They both had a tendency for long speeches, so maybe Doppio just had to think it through more. 

Pouting, Doppio blushed lightly. “Look, I’m not that skinny…” He sighed, holding the pants with one hand while he crouched to search through his raincoat, which he’d folded on top of the towel. “Um…pocket knife would work, yeah?”

Not the most helpful thing for self-defense, but Doppio didn’t have any faith he’d be able to talk himself out of carrying anything bigger. And without his bag today, he didn’t have one of his flashlights and he needed something. Just in case.

“That’s perfect, thanks,” Arven said, bringing the belt over to Doppio, but taking the pocket knife from him. Giving Doppio a slightly uncertain look, he said, “Here, stand up for me?”

When he did, Arven took the belt and wrapped it around Doppio’s waist, his gaze around Doppio’s hips entirely practical as he tightened the bent around them, before deciding he had the right spot, bringing the knife up to trace it to where Doppio could comfortably pull it around, before making a small little jab into it. “There! That should do it.” Arven said, turning the knife around to point at himself and letting the belt slack straight, handing both to Doppio. “See if it fits right.”

Amaina, behind Arven, made a show of dramatically swooning where Doppio could see her, falling back and throwing her arm over her head.

There was something in Doppio’s head that…in certain terms--sort of an alarm, sort of a…growly rage--told him he was an idiot in danger, having a knife pointed at his gut. The sort of thing that made his spine crawl and…usually, presented Doppio with one of two routes. Act pathetic and scared and hope he was overlooked, or stand up straight and grit his teeth and fight with everything he had. 

Maybe it was foolish, for someone he had just met, but… Doppio trusted his notebook. And so he trusted Arven. So he only looked mildly apprehensive until Arven handed back his knife. 

Which made him look a little more unamused with the look he sent Amaina. 

“Thanks, Arven,” Doppio said, tucking the blade away and dropping it back on his coat, before threading the belt through the pant loops. Securing it, he held his hands away to test before nodding approvingly. “Seems good. No flashing today for me.”

…other than what those jerks earlier said. Nnngh. 

 ♪ Little king! ♩ Amaina shouted, standing on his bed,  ♪ Senpaaaaaai ♩

“Okay, I’m going to answer you, but not because I think those are good names for me.” Arven sighed, looking over to Amaina, “Yes, angel?”

Amaian pointed at Doppio, like a child tattling, as she said blankly  ♪ the mean things are echoing in his braaaaaaain fix him give him kisses ♩

“What?”

 ♪ Turn him into a priiiiince he is sad ♩

“Eh?” Arven asked, looking way less scandalized than he probably should. Honestly, Amaina said so many random things that, if he was following right, her demanding he kiss Doppio to turn him into a prince was… pretty standard for her, really. Though… Arven looked to Doppio, frowning. “...you okay? Something up?”

…little king wasn’t so bad. Especially if Amaina eventually gave up on the ‘little’, trying to make it more streamlined. From the little he’d seen, between his kindness and organization, Arven could probably give at least a few of the Oumas a run for their money. 

Turning red again, Doppio gaped at Amaina, though, giving her a betrayed look. The things in his brain were for his thought-eyes only, angioletto! He really didn’t have it in him to watch what he thought when he could barely watch what he said too!

Huffing softly, still pink in the face, Doppio quickly waved at Arven, hoping to fan that frown away. “I’m fine! She’s just talking nonsense--probably just mad I wouldn’t let her kiss any of the frogs so she’s just taking it out on me. I-I’m not sad.”

She’d said that before, hadn’t she? That she had decided to be around him because he was sad and pretty. Well…Doppio wasn’t either of those things! He was just a guy with a very happy, fulfilled life! 

Arven considered him a bit, shoving his hands into his pockets. He glanced over at Amaina, looking for hints, who just stared back at him blankly. Hmmm.

“Okay,” Arven said with a small shrug, “Hey, are you hungry? I told you my kitchen setup was better than the other place, now’s as good a time as any to prove it.” 

Ha! See? Just your average, not-sad guy--even Arven could see it, and Doppio was starting to see that Arven had a lot of sense. More than Kaito, even with his nuggets of wisdom. …but not more than The Boss, because, wow, that was an impossible standard and Doppio should just give up ever trying to draw comparisons to him. 

Giving Arven a smile for his shrug, Doppio nodded. “You did say you wanted to cook for me, the next time we hung out. First, though, where should I put my clothes? I tried to keep ‘em from dripping all over your room, but I don’t wanna leave them in just a wet heap here.” 

Doppio frowned slightly. “...though I absolutely don’t mind mopping, since you invited me over and all.”

“Here, I have a laundry room over in the corner,” Arven prompted, bringing Doppio to a small room with old fashioned but highly efficient and technical laundry…stuff. Stuff and things. He pointed to one of the stuff and things and said, “Go ahead and throw them in there, they’ll be clean and ready to go by tomorrow afternoon.”

Gesturing, again, to the stuff and things that would do laundry stuff, Arven nodded when Doppio did in fact do that, before heading back out into the main house. The fire was really starting to warm things up, and almost entirely just for the smell of it, Arven went to go start a pot of tea, gesturing to the fire. “Feel free to sit and dry a little more for a bit, I’ll make some tea to warm us up, and then! We can do cooking stuff. Just don’t want you to catch anything. You’re kind of a stick, I feel like colds would just run right through you,” Arven mused, opening up his cabinet and asking, “I’ve got a bunch of weird teas that my mom’s sent back over the years. Have a general preference? Could just go chai, chai’s always solid.”

Doppio’s eyes raked greedily over Arven’s laundry equipment, taking in the grain of washboards and tensile strength of clothing lines and…was that an automated agitator?? Absolutely incredible. Still marveling, Doppio dumped his clothes in the holding basket Arven pointed out…before digging back in again, taking out the things he had in his pockets. Not a mistake he was making today, no siree!

Sighing softly at the warmth of the fire, Doppio took Arven’s suggestion, though he turned back to give the other teen a confused look. “Is that a thing? Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I got sick.” Sure, he’d seen what flu season looked like, and took precautions (because while Boss was insulated to the highest degree, Doppio would never live it down if he managed to pick something up and pass it on), but…Doppio couldn’t recall any time he’d been sick before. 

The caveat of that, though… Rolling his eyes, he gestured vaguely to Arven. “And, yeah, I know that’s not exactly saying a lot, but my point stands.”

…was being skinny something that got you sick a lot? Prince Kokichi was a tiny guy, Doppio had always heard, and his health issues were prevalent through the whole country. Hmm…

Deciding to think about it later, Doppio perked up at the suggestion of tea. “Ooh… Wanna surprise me? I managed to get my boss to switch to tea from coffee when it’s night, a while back, so I’m always on the lookout for something new.”

“Surprise, huh…. Hmmmm…” Arven considered that, eyed his peppermint tea… nah, that’s a little niche. How about… “We’re going to go with blueberry tea, then. It’s a warm, comforting one, I think.” 

Though, as he set the pot to steam, he glanced down at Chief– whose paw was patiently on Arven’s foot now– before going, “Ah! Let’s get you fed, ol’ man. Annnnd, I brought home a treat for you!”

Chief’s tongue poked out. Yeessss. Treats.

As Arven set up Chief’s food, going to collect the pond seaweed and rinsing it in the sink, telling Chief, “Be patient, I have to boil it first, it won’t take long,” Amaina flew out of Doppio’s…. Well, ‘clothes’, but it was more accurate to say ‘body’, as she floated near his face,  ♪ Hey! Listen! ♩

And then she put her arm to her mouth, beckoning Doppio to listen…

The rain hit the window outside in a steady, soothing drone. The fireplace crackled next to them, popping and snapping with the wood. The tea kettle bubbled, and Chief's tail thumped as Arven spoke softly to him, prepping his food.

Amaina, who was highly attuned to sound, sighed contently. Insisting Doppio enjoy it too.

Blueberry--he didn’t think he’d tried a blueberry tea before. If it was good, he might keep an eye out for blends the next time he went tea shopping. Boss had never really mentioned any distaste for the fruitier teas Doppio tried out, so…it could be something new!

Sitting cross-legged in front of the fire, taking the time to re-braid his hair--he was pretty efficient with it, since he only wore it one way, but since it was some weird amalgamation of three northern braids into a 9-strand braid, it did take him a second. And that was without his hair being all clumpy from the rain--Doppio raised an eyebrow as Amaina flew up to his face. 

He sat patiently, waiting for what it was she wanted…before he realized that “Listen” was the order. She wanted him to be in the moment. And… It was a pretty lovely moment. A sort of calm, cozy comfort, hidden away from the world. (But not as entirely isolating as he normally thought of as being ‘away from the world’.)

Glancing at his angel, Doppio shared a soft smile. The two of them just…listening.

Amaina could have done that for ages. She did everything wholeheartedly, and that included rest, for as much as something like her truly needed it. Some moments she just needed to be still. Sit in the beautiful things… 

(Miku sighed, an odd sense of peace filling her, and with it a new burst of energy. Hmmm. Amaina was likely relaxing somewhere.)

An undefined amount of time later, Arven came over with two cups of tea, passing one to Doppio. “Here you go. This should help. Warm inside and out.”

 ♪ Where is miiiiine?? ♩

“...can you drink?” Arven asked skeptically, sitting next to Doppio.

 ♪ WAAAAAAAH THAT IS SEXIST ♩

“What!? No!?” Arven balked, giving Amaina a baffled look, who– with her same almost entirely blank look– was open mouth wailing. “Okay, okay, you can share mine!”

Amaina immediately shut up, before shrinking, shrinking, shrinking…

Arven stared at his cup, where Amaina was now sitting in it like a hot spring or a hot tub, a little pink towel on her forehead as she contently sat in the warm tea. “...that’s… that’s just not what I meant…”

“Thank you,” Doppio said, accepting the mug. Immediately as it warmed up his fingers it only added to that grand sense of peace, and the smell? Oh yeah, this was gonna be a good one. 

So good that Amaina, naturally, would want to participate too. 

Doppio snickered softly as il angioletto threw a tantrum, Arven giving in, but it devolved into full snorts as she decided his mug was better suited to be a hot tub. “To be fair, you didn’t specify that you were sharing to drink,” he laughed. 

Sipping from his own mug, Doppio made a small, pleased sound before looking at Amaina’s set up again. “...you ever been to a hot spring before? One of the places I lived was kinda close to a resort town, but I never went myself.”

“Mmm? Yeah, I’ve been to one, though, not to really use it,” Arven said, still staring at his mug, no idea what to do now. Did he… dare drink from it? He couldn’t, right? Not just because she was in there, but also because, like… well, no, mostly because she was currently in there. Was the tea contaminated now? Would he accidentally swallow her? No, she was still too big for that. Still.

“One of the titan graves turned into a hot spring. That was tricky, because the titan herbs I’m looking for only grow in really specific climates, dark caves, growing from specific types of cracks in specific types of rocks. Most of the hot spring was unsuitable for it. But, if you followed the connecting tunnels? You can actually find where the soil was pushed down, towards the base of one of the mountains nearby. The hot springs actually causing the nutrients to grow and spread more than in other areas. Those caves are gorgeous, everything glows in there. And after some time exploring, I found a tunnel dry enough and rocky enough to grow what I needed. Honestly, that cave system was so wide that I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more hidden in the mountain, waiting to be found…”

Arven shrugged. “But it’d take more than just me to go any further than I did. A whole team with proper equipment… I got lucky that one showed up as far in as I could get. Maybe one day I can go back though, find more and prove the herbs exist this time.”

Looking to Doppio, he grinned slightly, looking sheepish. “Sorry, I talk too much about the titan herbs. It’s kind of the ‘Big Thing’ in my life, even though it’s done now. I’m sure it can be a bit much. Hot springs seem nice. Why, were you thinking of going?”

Doppio tilted his head, curious about what Arven would be doing at a hot spring, if not to use it, and to his delight there was certainly quite a story about it. Doing some detective work, finding the underground tunnels the water had carved over hundreds, thousands of years, actually spelunking, finding a whole world that most people would never see in their life…

By the time Arven tried to sandbag himself, Doppio’s eyes were wide with wonder, leaning forward as he hung on every word. “Are you kidding? That’s not ‘too much’ in the slightest--Arven, you went on a real life adventure. I’d be a little annoyed about you being snooty if you barely mentioned it like it was nothing.”

“Geez,” he sighed, sitting up straight again. “That’s nuts. You’re really something.”

Seeing that Arven hadn’t touched his drink… Well, Amaina wasn’t actually, physically in it, but Doppio could see how it could be a little weird. Holding the mug forward, Doppio offered his own. “Hey, you can share from mine, if you don’t want angel-blueberry tea.”

And without a beat, he continued, rolling his eyes a little. “Nah, not at all. Big vacations aren’t my thing, and while I can see how it could be nice? I’d probably get bored after ten minutes and start looking for something else to do. But I’d probably be happier not taking that much time off of work in the first place.”

Arven gave Amaina a wary look– she yawned, snuggling deeper into the teacup, her mouth submerged with little bubbles popping up around her head– before sighing in defeat, putting the cup down. “Sure, yes please. Your little angel is a lot to handle.”

Taking Doppio’s tea with a grateful look, Arven had a small but hearty sip, letting the tea warm him a little, before passing it back. Entirely unaware of Amaina now watching the mug with highly invested O.O eyes, draped around the brim of the cup, her legs kicking gently in the tea water. “And that’s fair, for getting bored. I’m not sure how well I’d do hanging around a hot spring either. Well, what do you like to do for fun then? I know frog hunting, which is neat, and cooking, which is practical…”

Arven shrugged. “I guess less ‘do you have other hobbies’ and more ‘what do you do with your days off’, really.”

She was, but…Doppio kind of liked it. She wasn’t giving him a ton of extra work, like if he got additional employment, but…she just filled space in his downtimes, either with song or conversation or telling him to listen, and that… It just made things feel more full, in a way that wasn’t too overwhelming. 

At least when she wasn’t teasing him. 

Taking another sip after Arven, Doppio…blanked. At the question. Just coming up empty, his brain, for a metaphor that wouldn’t work, just going to static.

“...uh…” Doppio tapped the floor for a moment. “I…guess I just like walking around. If I stay home, I usually end up trying to work, so I get kicked out and…” He shrugged. “I like seeing how cities are laid out, or any neat landmarks ‘n stuff. I like looking for new cookbooks too. Oh, Kaito told me about this…uh, like, reptile reserve in town? I was thinking about finding that on my next day off.”

Other than the reserve though…those were less ‘hobbies’ and still…work related, to an extent. Learning new paths to stay hidden, or where other people would be hidden, always improving his craft. What Doppio had said was true, that he did get kicked out sometimes on his days off for trying to still work…but half the time Boss just let him work anyway, at the least just shooing him away from paperwork. 

While he did request it occasionally, like today for frog hunting, on the whole…Doppio just didn’t like time off. 

But for the first time, he looked a little embarrassed about it, and he quickly gave Arven a nod. “What about you? Since you were gone for basically the whole year last year, it’d make sense if you were trying to settle into something new, but…what do you like to do, besides cooking and foraging?”

Amaina GASPED. Turning bright red, the tea bubbling around her like it was boiling, as she dramatically splashed around in the cup once Doppio sipped at the cup again. Little hearts popping up like soap bubbles before popping in little musical notes. 

Arven gave her a bewildered look, before trying to focus on Doppio again. Though it was challenging as the little weirdo kept sputtering and squealing in his cup, like she was overjoyed about something. “Honestly, that’s been kind of a struggle.” Arven admitted, shrugging a little, “I used to hang out with my friends, just kind of head out into town to mess around, go to the arcade to play those little rhythm games they have, the little basketball booths, that sort of thing. But I kind of lost touch with all my group when I was gone for the year, and when I got back, well… everyone had decided to do that thing we all had been talking about throughout all of middle school. They all dropped out. A lot of them moved, and the others just kinda… well, it’s harder to stay in touch when you’re not going to the same place every day. Especially after a year of kind of flaking off on them first.”

“Now that I don’t have much to do, I’m trying to rediscover what I like to do with my spare time again. And mostly it’s been… eh.” Arven huffed, looking irritated, “I don’t know. Mostly I just come back here and sleep, honestly. Come back, clean, feed Chief, take him on a walk, deal with whatever mail mom may or may not have sent that day. I’ve been in a bit of a slump since finishing everything, honestly. No idea what to do with myself now…”

“...reptile reserve?” Arven asked, reaching idly to pet Chief, who had heard his name and, finished with his food, had gamely come over to request pets. “Around here? That’s actually kind of useful information to me. My last letter from my mother’s given me the impression she’s going to want me to watch something for a little while? She refused to say exactly what, because her communication skills are garbage and she probably doesn’t think it matters if I know or not… but I got the impression she was going to send me a lizard. So, like…” Arven frowned, scratching Chief’s ears, “...I guess I might need crickets or something. Until whoever is supposed to actually keep the thing comes to get it.”

Doppio gave Amaina a similarly befuddled look, but…he figured it was best to let sleeping dogs lie. And excitable angels squeal. 

It…really wasn’t the sort of reaction what Arven told him warranted. Doppio had never even been close to a similar situation, but…he did understand the concept of life-changing events. Sure, he did move around a lot, but it was never the place that was important. Wherever he was, Doppio had Boss, and so his routines never changed. 

If your every routine changed? Doppio could sympathize with how listless and adrift that could leave you, even more if all the people you normally spent time with were gone, for one reason or another. Yeah, Arven still had Chief, and better than ever it sounded like, after being healed, but…

(Doppio couldn’t quite bring himself to think that a person needed more than one person in their life. But the thought process was almost there.)

Nodding in understanding, Doppio paused before sharing a smirk with the other teen. “Well, you might be conscripted into cooking classes now, so that’s one more thing. And who knows? Maybe you’ll hear about some other super-plant and set out on another adventure.”

Though, it could be that adventure might come and find him. 

While Doppio looked interested to hear that Arven might be sent a lizard, the other side of that was…

“Wait, what?” he asked, eyebrows furrowing incredulously. “She’s going to send you an animal?! You said she could be off in the buttfuck of nowhere, right--how the hell is she going to safely send a lizard through the mail?! And just expect you to take care of it? What the fuck?”

“Thank you!!” Arven shouted, spreading his arms wide as he said, “Yes, exactly! She does this sometimes, and it’s always the worst! She sends me these weird boxes that have to remain in the freezer but shaken three times a day every day, or a mouse that zaps you every time it’s annoyed, somehow?? She said it was something do with its unique nerve system, it has constant static cling in its fur before these red marks on its cheeks have more nerve endings than normal, a plant that had freaking lips!” 

Arven huffed in frustration, shaking his head as he scratched at his scalp a little. “And it’s always like, take care of this thing for a little while until someone comes for it, which can literally either be the next day or the next month. It’s absolute madness! I’m pretty sure this sake that I could under no circumstances get wet or keep near a fire or open was full of gunpowder, I could smell it! Thankfully someone came to get that one the next day, but I kept just waiting for the thing to blow up!”

Sighing, Arven ran his hands over his face, before shrugging. “The people who come get these things are usually researchers or museum artifacts. It’s all stuff by the very nature of it no one in the modern day really understands, things buried deep in the earth from a thousand years ago. My mom is obsessed with ancient artifacts. And every now and again in her search through ancient tombs, she comes across an animal no one’s seen in a few hundred years, so sometimes she’ll send one here as a research thing or a conservation thing… but! Even temporarily holding this stuff is so anxiety inducing! Like, whoops, your hand slipped, Arven, and now the stone tablet with the oldest recorded poem in the world is missing a word or two! …that’s a hypothetical, I didn’t do that,” Arven suddenly said, turning red and crossing his arms over his stomach, “It was always chipped in that spot.”

Doppio listened to Arven rant with wide eyes. When he had surmised that his mom was a scientist, he would’ve never guessed anything like…electric mice and plants with lips or gunpowder sake. 

On one hand…new animals. Yeah, sure, there was probably something about ecology, blah blah, but…new animals! Even if he had to worry about things more involved than bites…like, that was practically like worrying about bears. He could still like them! But getting near them meant death. 

But that wasn’t really…the point, and Doppio huffed, nudging Arven’s shoulder companionably before offering him the mug again. “I believe you. Like…that’s so dumb, from a professional standpoint, to have all of these discoveries have to go through you first, but…not because you’re irresponsible. The fact that you’ve dealt and cared for all these things is pretty incredible. But there’s, like, protocol nonsense that your mom is just making more difficult for no damn reason.”

“And that’s, like, even going for the djinn’s advocate of all this?” Doppio huffed again, glowering at the fire as he sat back a little, leaning on one of his arms. “That doesn’t even matter, since she shouldn’t be sending you dangerous shit you didn’t ask for in the first place. Man, your mom better hope she doesn’t tell you any addresses ‘cause I’d send a strongly worded letter if I had even an idea of where she was.”

“Pfff, not before I do. I’m just gonna send her a random box of cockroaches and tell her ‘careful, these are special cockroaches that you have to sing to at midnight every night or they turn radioactive’.” Arven grouched, though there was a small grin as he said it. “Oh, actually, I forgot to answer your question earlier, didn’t I. About my last name? Okay… you get one guess as to what my last name is.”

Arven reached out to poke Doppio’s shoulder, smirking a little, before putting up one finger. “One guess. Think of the most pretentious, contrary thing you can think of. I’ll give you a hint, my mother very specifically chose this, she didn’t inherit it. What’s your guess?”

“Pff,” Doppio snickered, Arven’s “revenge” much better than Doppio’s. He did…uh…know, technically, some people that would come up with some very creative ideas, but…for as shitty a mom as she was, Doppio didn’t actually want to hurt Arven’s mom. At least not yet, and not without Arven getting first dibs. 

Raising his eyebrows a little, Doppio balked a little at having to guess Arven’s last name, but he tilted his head, humming. Pretentious and contrary… “Uh… Refutation?”

“Hah heh heh~” Arven laughed– the sound was surprisingly soft, for how gruffly he could speak sometimes– before shaking his head, “Great guess, but no. Nope… my name…” Arven rolled his eyes, “Is ‘Arven’.”

He did a meaningful pause. Before giving Doppio a dry, exasperated look. “And her name is ‘Sada’. That’s it. My mother doesn’t believe in last names. Neither did my father, apparently, it was how the two of them bonded. Something something, wanting to be outside of ‘time’, something something ‘not chaining themselves to future or past generations’, blah blah… ultimately it came down to my parents wanting to feel sort of… I don’t know. Adrift in history. Like they were people just slightly outside of it, purely observers without being personally a part of it. They wanted the same thing for me. No past, no future… tsk.” 

Arven scoffed, bringing up his knee to his chest and resting on it. “No present, I guess, is what that all leads to. They were both so afraid of attachments that my dad disappeared basically as soon as I was born, and my mother vanished the second I could reasonably stay home without burning it down on accident. Not that we didn’t come close sometimes, huh Chief?” Arven said, giving Chief another pat, his expression distant and sad, “We’re a people with no attachments. Not to anything. Definitely not to each other.”

(...oh…)

(He had a really nice laugh…)

Perhaps just taking a little too long to recover from that lovely, soft sound, Doppio stared at Arven in confusion, not getting his point at first. But then it hit him. And his eyes widened, the, “Oh,” that left him this time a bit different than the one in the back of his mind. 

And…

And Doppio could clearly see, even with how Arven was playing it off, that some part of…all that, still hurt, but…

A complicated expression crossed over Doppio’s face. “I can…kinda get the idea of not wanting a past. Not letting things hold you back, that stuff. My boss is the same way, sorta, though he’s all about the present, and ensuring the future.” Though not letting the thoughts and preparations of the future cloud the present. 

“And…well…I get that.” Doppio mumbled that part more quietly, just kind of shrugging before he cleared his throat. More than once Boss had told him that he had a unique blessing, to truly not have a past, but… Well, sometimes Doppio wasn’t so sure how to feel about it. 

“...I think they’re missing out, though,” Doppio said softly, gaze fixed on the fire. “What’s the point of any observation if it’s not for anything? And you’re a cool person--they’ve just sabotaged themselves, not being around. What losers.”

Arven looked briefly irritated, to hear Doppio could understand… but as Chief flumped his head into Arven’s lap, demanding greater scratches, Arven sighed. “Yeah, well, I think anyone who’s going around trying to pretend they’re somehow immune to consequences, then they’re living in a fantasy land. And frankly, they can stay there. I found my own ‘great ecological discovery’, and I didn’t have to pretend to not be a normal person to do it. I just worked really hard. All that extra stuff is just to make them feel important.”

And hearing Doppio’s last point, Arven relaxed more, nodding, “I am cool, and they are losers. I bet my mom was one of those mean kids, like the Rabbits are. Not that she’ll ever admit it, since observing her own past is ‘beneath her’. Someone should remind her she left a kid back there. I can picture those jerks telling people a few decades from now ‘I’m a different person, what I did in the past shouldn’t say anything about me now’. Jerks. Well, I’m not forgetting the shit they’re pulling.” Arven grumbled.

Arven was, ultimately, an angry teen. Being back in highschool only increasing an angst and bitterness with the world that, even if things had been going well, probably would have given him some trouble. Kaito had been harsh on Arven for a reason: temper recognized temper. And while maybe not to the same extent Kaito did, not ever really feeling the need to physically lash out at people, there was still a bubble of angry energy that never really went anywhere. Just sat in him, waiting for something to disturb it, the already overly full cup running over and boiling his insides. 

But that said: he wasn’t much of a fighter, and wasn’t the violent type. And his revenge fantasies were mostly, in this moment, being able to call the Rabbits out for their bullying someday when their bullying past was something they wanted to bury. He wouldn’t let the world forget his mother was a bad mother, and he wasn’t going to let those assholes forget they spent their teen years throwing kids into puddles and extorting homework and coins off people. If Arven’s parents wanted to be outside of time? Outside of consequence? Then Arven was going to strong-arm everyone back into the present… with mean looks. And snide remarks. And failing grades, apparently.

“Oh, well, yeah,” Doppio nodded. “There’s not letting anxiety inhibit you, then just being irresponsible with yourself. Living like there’s no tomorrow only works until you run out of groceries.” He rolled his eyes. There were ways out of consequence, but they required planning, and an intricate understanding of the future and all the players in it. Living completely carefree was just a way to get yourself into deep trouble. 

But while Arven seemed to agree with him…Doppio’s expression increasingly grew unsure. Because…well, wasn’t that ultimately the point of progress? Not to completely forget where you came from, but to genuinely be a different person than you were in the past. To not let the chains of mistakes define you, what you were capable of. 

It wasn’t Doppio’s wheelhouse, but…wasn’t Dicea’s entire rehabilitation process when it came to the law based on that principle?

…and…what did it mean for someone like him, if he couldn’t remember his past? Was he still the same person, even if it would feel like everything happened to someone else?

Boss always said the past was nothing, and…generally, Doppio was inclined to agree. Boss was a lot smarter than him, and did tend to muse on philosophical things like that, so Doppio trusted his thoughts. 

But…what Arven’s parents were doing to him wasn’t okay. And it was clearly not okay. So, then…keeping a connection to the past was important, right? 

But…

Visibly, Doppio’s face was a human bluescreen, slightly uncomfortable as he tried to reason things out.

O.O

OoO  ♪ you broke him little senpai ♩

“Huh? Eh?” Arven asked, giving the little angel a baffled look, before looking to Doppio. “No I didn’t… wait, did I? Why? Have I been whining too much? Sorry, you’re just pretty easy to talk to… Doppio?” Arven asked, waving his hand in front of Doppio’s face. “Are you good?”

…

Doppio blinked, still looking a bit confused but… “...no… I mean, no, you’re not whining, it’s fine. I, uh…”

…

…raining outside. Fireplace. Amaina in the cup, Chief on Arven’s lap. The two of them sharing tea. 

Tangible truths right in front of them. 

Doppio let out a soft, apologetic laugh. “...man, I’m really not saying this as a way to get out of the conversation, but…what were we talking about?”

Arven was, briefly, deeply offended… before his eyes glanced over at Doppio’s notebook in his pocket. Always nearby… and he suddenly was filled with concern. Giving Doppio a worried look, idly scratching the front of his neck as the nerves lit up slightly inside of him. “Um… how far back are you unsure about? What’s the last thing you remember?”

“Uh…”

There was a subtle difference in the expression, from Doppio blanking out, from the bluescreen, but the former only lasted a second this time. 

“...your mom sends you a lot of bullshit?” he tried. “And…” Gold eyes rolled to the ceiling, thinking it through. “...and she’s a jerk.”

“...” Arven shifted uncomfortably. Not sure what he should do. “Hey, when you lose memory, are you in pain?” he finally decided to ask. “You’re missing maybe… maybe twenty minutes? I told you I didn’t have a last name and it led to me just venting about my parents for a while. Heh…” Arven grinned, “Honestly I’d understand if your brain just reset out of boredom. I was getting kind of heavy-handed there for a minute. But, are you okay? Losing twenty minutes like that?”

Twenty minutes? Honestly, that wasn’t so bad… It could be hard to tell sometimes, by the nature of memory loss, but Doppio felt like he was usually missing hours when he blanked out. Though…Boss had told him before that sometimes immediately after they had a conversation he’d forgotten everything so…maybe not…

Sighing, Doppio gave Arven a half-smile. “If that were the case, then I wouldn’t’ve gone out on you. But, nah, it doesn’t hurt. Half the time I don’t even realize it’s happening, and the other it’s…just a little disorienting, you know? Like, whoops, I blinked and finished all the dishes. But it’s usually pretty easy to get back on track.”

Taking a breath, the smile became a little more strained. “Uh…sorry.” Doppio glanced away, gnawing on the inside of his cheek. “I know it’s weird. And inconvenient. And…I do feel bad, if I just went out just for you telling me some close-to-the-heart stuff.”

“That’s alright. You were pretty engaged when we were talking, it’s not like you were ignoring me,” Arven decided, his earlier impulse of offense drained out of him and basically forgotten. “Your memory issues are pretty severe though, huh? You were talking to me like normal, and then it was just… gone.”

Arven whistled low, shaking his head, before standing up. Stretching his arms over his head, Arven offered Doppio a hand up. “Well, if you say it’s nothing to worry about, then I’m sure it isn’t. I’ll just try to keep an eye out for when you do that, so you’re not lost in the conversation. You ready to make food? I thought we could take a look through my cookbooks, see if anything calls to us.”

“Uh…yeah…” While Arven didn’t sound…anything that would normally make Doppio nervous or angry, Doppio still could only mumble sheepishly. They were pretty severe. He’d never met anyone else with…amnesia like his (though, hearing about how the heir apparent sometimes got severe migraines that could impact his memory had been…something of a relief, at least in terms of solidarity) and…it was weird, he knew. 

A man solely placed in the present, like Boss said. Doppio had no other choice. 

It was why he was so grateful for his job, really. Even with fair-hiring practices…where else would he be able to go? To actually feel useful, rather than put up with? For every time Boss sighed and repeated orders to him, there were dozens where Doppio could just work, even occasionally surprising The Boss with how capable he was. 

No one else would ever…

Later. 

Bolstering himself back up with a breath, Doppio accepted the hand up and gave Arven a grin. “Sounds good! Though, you be head chef this time--I’m sure there’s a lot I could learn from you.”

“Sure, though, don’t be as weird about it as Kaito was.” Arven frowned, heading over to the kitchen to pull out some cookbooks from where they were tucked behind the fridge. “That old man has a weird energy. I wonder if it’s a Luminary thing? It’s not like I’ve ever met one before him… he’s big.” 

Arven tilted his head a little, opening up one of the cookbooks to check it out, before wondering, “Maybe I’ll get that big soon. Our growth spurts sure are taking their time, huh?” Arven smirked, giving Doppio an amused look, trying some camaraderie with the other ‘delayed puberty’ team. “Both my parents were on the taller side, so I know it’s coming. Watch, I’m gonna sprout up this summer or the next, no doubt… hopefully.” Arven sweated a little. “What do you think about chicken?”

“I don’t think I could if I tried,” Doppio drawled, coming over to peek over Arven’s shoulder at the cookbook. He’d never seen this one before…this would be interesting! “I’ve met a couple Luminaries, though mostly immigrants, and they were all…yanno, normal people? Kaito’s just a weirdo.”

Raising his eyebrows at the teasing, Doppio laughed softly and returned a smirk, nudging Arven’s shoulder. “Or we could just be short. Your parents being tall is probably a sign for you, but who knows? Maybe this is it for us. One of Kaito’s friends, W…” Doppio trailed off, his eyebrows knitting as he worked out names in his mouth. 

“W…Wi… Wendell? Sure, whatever,” he mumbled, “She came up to, like, my nose, and if they’re drinking friends I’m pretty sure they’re around the same age. It happens.”

Peeking back at the section Arven had opened up to in the cookbook, Doppio shrugged. “I’ll eat pretty much anything, if I’m honest. I, uh…” Looking a bit sheepish, Doppio gave Arven another small shrug, as if to convey it wasn’t a big deal. “I usually go vegetarian when I’m by myself, but since my boss eats meat I do too when I’m cooking for both of us, so…it’s no biggie.”

“We have vegetarian options, you don’t have to hold back on my account,” Arven told him, flipping the cookbook to a later section, looking through the alternative recipes. “And, look, I’ll accept being a short king in five years when it really is hopeless. For now? Waiting on that growth spurt. Gonna just…” Arven lazily touched the top of his head, before moving his hands upwards, “Shoot up. You can stay small and cute if you want to, I’ll help you reach high things.”

Noticing a distinct lack of teasing at, somewhere in the back of his mind, something Arven knew was a prime teasing moment, he looked back at the fireplace, where his tea cup still was. “Amaina! Are you going to join us for cooking? …get out of my cup already!”

The sound Amaina made back was musical and indecipherable and still clearly conveyed her point: not yet, leave her alone! She was enjoying hot tub time!

“How about this?” Arven asked, showing Doppio the page that had caught his interest, “Like spicy food?”

…cute?

Cute?

It wasn’t the first time someone had called him cute. Hell, Boss regularly called him things like ‘cute’ and ‘sweet’, and, less in the vein of the catcalling from earlier, strangers had mentioned the same before. But this was the first time the term echoed in his head like the reverb of a bell, Doppio feeling warm. 

Arven called him cute…

It was fortunate that Arven had momentarily busied himself with checking up on their little angel, so Doppio could have his pleasant crisis in peace.

“Hm?” Clearing his throat, Doppio looked at the page before a grin spread over his face. “An eastern-style curry? Absolutely. Ha…”

Looking both sheepish and a little smug, Doppio snorted. “I know they’re mostly used in southern-style curries, but I tried grinding bird chiles into an eastern-style curry once? I thought it was pretty good, though Boss asked me not to make it that way again.”

“Well, we’re not feeding him, if you liked it. I’m pretty into spicy food too. I tried doing one of those spicy competition things last festival?” Arven said, reaching through his cabinets to bring out a thin, large, metal bowl, “I vomited my guts out, but for a second there, it was really, really good. Couldn’t taste anything for the next three days. Never been so happy to taste a banana, when it came back all at once.”

Pulling out ingredients, showing Doppio where to grab the things they needed, Arven kept up conversation as they worked. Doppio, Arven found quickly, was both a quick and eager sous chef, and while he might not have been literally jumping at the bit like Kaito had been, he didn’t seem any less excited to be made useful as Arven cooked. It was endearing. Sweet. Arven kept finding himself wanting to compliment every little thing Doppio did, if only because Doppio seemed to be trying so hard to do it well.

And the end result?  ♪ SPIIIIICYYYYYY ♩

Amaina gasped and grasped her neck as she tasted at the sauce, looking like she was dying… before poking at Doppio’s arm, pointing at her mouth and then pointing at his fork. Demanding more.

“You’re not even really eating it, just… conjure a tiny fork for yourself,” Arven insisted, him and Doppio eating on opposite sides of the kitchen counter. “Mmm… it is spicy though. This is really good, we rocked it.”

Doppio prided himself on his work quite a lot, and a decent chunk of that pride had come from being able to do things himself. However, he found that cooking with Arven was…fun. Arven was incredibly organized without being rigid, and Doppio could understand every instruction he was given without fail. And…well, the conversation while they cooked was nice too. Comfortable and fluid and Doppio could hardly believe it by the time the curry was ready, time having flown by, but not as a blank space. 

Just the process of cooking would’ve been enough for Doppio to be happy with it all, but the meal they made…

“Mmm…” Doppio hummed happily, even with his face starting to flush from the spice. Eastern curries were usually hardy, stick-to-your-bones punches of savory flavor, but with the extra chilis it just leveled up into something that filled every sense. 

So Amaina could probably taste it pretty well through him. 

Laughing softly, he offered another forkful for il angioletto to pantomime with as he gave Arven a proud nod. “Knocked it right out of the park. You know, I never thought to add cinnamon to the carrots in a recipe like this, but it was a perfect call. I think I’ll be taking a page out of more than your cookbooks.” Playfully, he gave Arven a wink.

Arven… turned a little red at that. And was a little surprised at himself for it. Why the heck did he get embarrassed so much around Doppio? It was weird. That was maybe the third, fourth time he just felt his skin go hot from some random thing Doppio did… maybe it was just because Doppio was pretty cool? It was hard not to find his compliments flattering.

Amaina, who was happily miming eating another mouthful– obviously her bite not actually affecting the food at all– just happily chewed away. Still bright red, but now with little smoke pouring out of her ears. 

“It’s actually a trick I learned in one of the other books. Cinnamon and carrots, right? Who knew?” Arven smirked, spinning the curry a bit before taking another bite, letting out a long breath through his nose. “...hey. I know you don’t know what she is, but has this…” Arven waved vaguely in Amaina’s direction, “Things like this? Ever happened to you before?”

Doppio smiled, happy to see Amaina’s enjoyment before he took the bite for himself. It…hadn’t been something he’d been directly thinking about, but what she said about Doppio seeing beautiful things, and her seeing him…

Maybe it wasn’t just for him. From the start she had phrased it as a sort of crusade on his behalf, but…if she could only experience things through other people, then…maybe it was for her too. Them both experiencing new things, and appreciating the usual. He wouldn’t go so far as to start going nuts globetrotting or something, but…he could make sure to try and take opportunities when he saw them. So she could have them too. 

Snorting, and then immediately regretting it as spice welled up in his sinuses, Doppio quickly took a drink of water before he shook his head. “Ack… No, not in the slightest. I think the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen before this was some old associate of my boss who claimed that the government was run by fairies,” Doppio rolled his eyes.

“My life is pretty normal,” he shrugged. “I cook, I clean, I make, like, a thousand trips to the post office. I know I probably should be freaking out more, and I did this morning, but…” He looked over to Amaina, before giving another shrug. “I mean, she’s here. No point in whining about it forever.”

“Fine. You be calm, cool, and collected about it. I’ll be weirded out and curious. Little fake angel of power…” Arven reached out and, carefully, patted Amaina on the head with his finger, who looked up curiously at him, “...I can touch her. She feels warm and alive against my finger… but I’m pretty sure everything she actually ‘touches’, is fake. She just makes it look real. It’s either that or she’s literally warping reality around her, and that’s waaaaaay more alarming.”

Amaina didn’t seem all too concerned about Arven’s deductions. She was perfectly content to keep eating curry, honestly. Besides, the truth didn’t really matter. It didn’t change anything, whether Arven knew or not. And Amaina had really already told them. It wasn’t her fault they didn’t understand. 

“Probably not the sort of thing I can learn in school.” Arven sighed, patting Amaina on the head some more, listening to her musically hum, “Good day, Professor Clavell. My friend passed on a hallucination to me. Do you think we could make it part of our next lesson plan?”

“But, you couldn’t touch or feel her until she made it so you could see her,” Doppio pointed out. Perhaps he wasn’t so devoted to the mysteries of the universe as Arven, but he could still pass on some of the data. “She was riding on your head most of the time we were walking, and you didn’t notice at all. My boss didn’t notice her this morning either.”

Whether she was warping reality, or just their perceptions…Doppio didn’t think it mattered too much. Or, rather, that both options were pretty much the same. The world was already so big and wildly out of control--someone being able to warp reality didn’t seem that much more alarming than any other impressive thing a person might do. 

(Perhaps he wasn’t the best person to comment on such a thing, though.)

Huffing a small laugh, Doppio hummed around his next bite. “Right… Each student has a personalized route of study, right? Can you just do that? Suggest something randomly to learn about?”

“You were riding on my head, little angel?” Arven asked, poking Amaina again.

 ♪ Your head is big and fluffy and sooooooooft ♩ Soft looking, anyway, she didn’t actually know. Not until Doppio or Arven patted his head. She looked to Doppio, and thought to him  { Pat his head! }

“Sort of, yeah.” Arven nodded, taking a sip of water. “You have to put together an official request, explain the goal of it, and then most tricky, you have to have someone in the staff willing to actually do the research to help teach you the material. Which is tricky if you’re the only student in the area doing that field of study, and none of the faculty have backgrounds in that field either. Sometimes they’ll reach out to someone in the field, see if they’re willing to mentor or provide material to guide us. Could also always transfer to the nearest school that can accommodate, but…” Arven shrugged, “Well, moving is a hassle.”

“...” Arven tapped at the edge of his plate, “...Amaina, are you supernatural? Can you at least tell us that?”

 ♪ Yeessss? ♩ 

“Yes, with a question mark?”

Amaina shrugged. She didn’t entirely understand what ‘supernatural’ meant. Yes? 

“Maybe I could request a class in supernatural stuff… not that that helped me with the Titan Herbs, but, well, turns out no one has any information over fantasy plant-life.” Arven shrugged, “Maybe fantasy anything else will have more information available.”

He was halfway around the counter before Doppio jolted, looking around in confusion for a moment before he pouted at Amaina, sending her a sour look. The hell was that?! That was…

(...he was usually unconscious, for things like that. Not quite Empathic demands, but demands nonetheless, and Doppio had always been a perfect puppet for them since he had first had a body to perform them.)

(“Hearing” it in his head was…alarming.)

He was not going to pat Arven’s head, stop being weird angioletto.

“Huh…” Doppio hummed as he sat back down, contemplating the process of school. “Sounds like a pain, if you can’t find the right accommodations, but…that’s pretty cool, actually. Obviously it doesn’t solve burnout, but I imagine it does deter it a bit for some people.”

Shrugging, he gave Arven a hopeful smile. “Probably! People get really into folklore and all that--even if you can’t find stuff on anything like Amaina, there’s probably a lot of interesting stuff to hear about anyway.”

“Yeah, but I’m looking into specifically Amaina. I’ve got your number, you little song,” Arven warned her, poking Amaina again… before his eyes went wide, watching Amaina’s head fall open into a near impossible open mouth gap, before biting at his finger. “OW!”

♪ I DEVOURED SENPAI NOW IIIIII AM THE SENPAAAAI ♩ Amaina shouted, though she immediately flew up and down into Doppio’s shirt, hiding away there. ♪ Victory!!! ♩  

“That hurt, Amaina!” Arven scolded, glaring at Doppio’s shirt before double checking his finger, “...well, in my head, it hurt anyway. I think? It was very startling!”

Doppio startled, grimacing a bit at the surreal…biting form Amaina took on, before he made an upset noise as she flew into his borrowed clothes. Crossing his arms over his torso, as if that could protect him when she’d already…”gone in”, he huffed. “Angelo! Stop hiding in my clothes! It’s weird and creepy!”

Though, there were slightly more important things, and Doppio leaned over the counter to look at Arven’s completely unblemished and non-irritated finger. “It…looks alright to me. You okay?”

“I swear I felt something.” Arven frowned, peering at his finger alongside Doppio, their heads nearly bumping as they stared… before Arven sighed, shaking out his hand and going back to eating. “Ah well. It’s kind of nice to know she couldn’t actually hurt us if she wanted to. I’ve dealt with plenty of things more dangerous than her, then. Nothing I can’t handle.”

Arven frowned, a stray thought coming to him… before, giving Doppio’s shirt a wary look, he reached behind Doppio’s neck, gently pulling him closer. Leaning in to whisper against his ear, “Hey… if she does start acting sketchy? Like, she hurts you… come right back here, okay? We’ll figure something out. Don’t just keep it to yourself, okay, Doppio?”

The fact that they could still feel pain from whatever she did wasn’t as comforting, but…well, Doppio supposed he’d take pain over injury every day. Some momentary discomfort he could deal with--something that lasted, or caused him future problems? Not so much. 

…and, no, he didn’t really consider the large, dark bruise on his cheek something that would last and cause him problems. Really, the biggest problem in Doppio’s mind was having to explain some random, angel-caused injury to The Boss, and since Boss had been the one to hit him in the first place…no problem. 

Doppio gave Arven a mildly surprised look as he brought him in (this was…very close), but, thankfully, he didn’t start blushing or crying again, though what Arven told him was no less caring than the other stuff. Smiling softly, Doppio gave Arven’s shoulder a pat. “Okay. You know…thanks. For looking out for me. I won’t try to be some weird hero about things if they start to spiral.”

Looking to the side, he offered a sheepish laugh. “I mean…I kinda brought you into all this so…we’re in it together, now. I’ll keep you in the loop.”

“Oh, but speaking of that… Should I stop by your school after classes tomorrow to return your clothes?”

Arven nodded, letting Doppio go so that he could lean away from him again, before starting to collect their empty dishes. “Sure, unless you want me to swing by your place?”

Huh…

Yesterday, Doppio hadn’t wanted Kaito to let go of their hug, and…now he found he was missing Arven’s hand on his neck but…in a different way. Both were warm and steady and filled him with…something, but…

Sighing at himself, Doppio wasn’t exactly prepared and loosed a nervous laugh before quickly shaking his head. “Nah, that’s alright. My place is pretty out of the way, and I’ll probably be somewhere in the city anyway. Won’t be too out of my way to stop by. And, uh…”

Gnawing on his lip, unsure, Doppio listlessly followed Arven over to the sink, automatically getting a dish towel to dry as Arven cleaned. “That girl said not to mention it, but…look, is she the type to actually mean that, or…? I don’t wanna be a jerk if I should pick up something to thank her or something. She did give up her homework, I think…”

“Which girl?” Arven asked, putting the dishes in the sink and immediately starting to run water over them, grabbing a soap and sponge and starting to clean both them and the pans they had used to cook. “...Penny? No, not really. Penny…”

Arven scrubbed at the plates, letting the water burn hot to help quicken the process, steam rising up from the sink. “Penny’s a bit… out there. Honestly, she’s kind of a jerk, though in a different way than the Rabbits are. Look, no one can prove it, but I’m pretty sure she runs the Star gang. Who, again, at least aren’t as bad as the damn Rabbits.”

“I mean, I say ‘gang’,” Arven said, the quotation marks in his tone obvious, “I don’t know, whatever you wanna call a group of morons like that… clique? Actually, ‘Clique’ might work better. Penny’s running the Star clique, and those guys bulldoze everything they touch. They’re rude, they’re messy, they’ll destroy your things… they won’t steal them, and they don’t tend to target kids like you and me. But getting in the crossfire is a great way to suddenly lose your bike when it EXPLODES in the damn BIKE RACK!” Arven suddenly growled, really putting his elbow into the scrubbing now, “Jerk!”

Doppio’s eyes flicked over at ‘gang’. He doubted there was any organization in the country The Boss hadn’t at least heard of, and naturally Doppio didn’t need to be informed of every little bit of comings and goings, but…he’d never heard of a ‘Star Gang’. 

And it seemed so for good reason. Some group of high school students would definitely be far below The Boss’s radar, and no threat to Passione. Even if…

Doppio’s eyes widened a bit. “They put a bomb in the bike rack? I think that’s a bit more than a clique. That’s…kind of making a rock and a hard place, then, if you’re just trying to go to school and have to deal with rude jerks or people blowing stuff up.”

…she still did help them, though. Well. Him. And by proxy Arven, since Doppio had asked him for help too. And while he would’ve appreciated Arven backing him up in a fight, getting into trouble really wasn’t something Doppio could afford, and Penny had just sidestepped it all. 

Maybe he wouldn’t get her a gift, but…until she proved otherwise, he had no reason to ignore or rebuff her, if they happened to run into each other. …and maybe he could do his own research, to see if a gift was warranted. He didn’t want to be rude.

“Man, sometimes it feels like work gets hectic, but your school really sounds like something else.”

“The place is a mad house. The only areas that are really, like, orderly is the library and some of the classrooms. And ‘some’ is the key word, because the teachers are just as crazy as the students,” Arven said, putting the plates up to dry, before looking back to Doppio… snorting a little. “You really are swimming in that button up. Am I really that much bulkier than you? I really don’t feel like I’m that much bigger. Hold on.”

Going up behind Doppio, entirely curious, Arven leaned on his back a little, taking his wrist carefully in his hand and bringing it up, able to see how their arms measured up right next to each other. “...Wow, yeah, look at that. What’s crazy to me is I can see you have muscle. You’re actually really fit. It just didn’t turn into any sort of bulk, huh?”

Letting Doppio’s wrist go, Arven stepped back, giving him a small smile. “Well, my muscles came from digging through a ton of rock and dirt. I actually don’t really work out, outside of that… but do you? Or do you just do something really physical?”

Weren’t schools supposed to be organized? Though, Doppio supposed that trying to accommodate for every student’s individual path and needs would kinda get things all over the place… He probably wouldn’t be able to stand it. 

Drying the plates as Arven put them up, Doppio didn’t notice him coming up behind him for a moment, making a small, surprised noise as Arven took his arm. And pressed in close. And compared their…muscles. 

(AAAAAAAAAAAAA)

Flushed, Doppio just kind of shrugged, making non-committal noises until he could sum up some words. “N-not really--like, not dedicatedly. I end up carrying packages ‘n stuff a lot, so I guess that would count as some sort of weight training, but…I guess some of this is just what I’m predisposed to. I can’t really put on any sort of bulk, though I’ve never put in a solid effort to try.”

…Arven’s muscles were pretty nice, though. He could feel that they were solid against his back. 

(AAAAAAAAAAA)

“Wow, those must be some heavy packages,” Arven decided good-naturedly, before heading back around the counter, looking around his kitchen. “You still hungry for anything? I’ve got plenty still. I think I might still have ice cream from my last trip…”

As Arven went looking for potential ice cream, Amaina decided to take this moment to pop out from Doppio’s shirt, peeking up at him.

O.O

O.O

O.O – OoO ♪ gaaaaaaaay ♩  

“What’d she say?” Arven called back, head in the freezer.

Flushing harder, Doppio scowled down at Amaina, before he just (gently) pushed her back into his shirt. His shirt that was actually Arven’s shirt, because Arven had been kind enough to offer him dry clothes, even though they were too big for Doppio because Arven was stocky and built and Doppio knew that because he’d come up behind him and--

“Nothing!” Doppio said, voice strangled. “She’s just singing again!”

Maybe Arven was right. Maybe he did get sick from being skinny. 

♪ you cannot silence the tru–mmph!! ♩ her voice ‘muffled’ as she was pushed back into the shirt, gamely pretending to be helpless as she squirmed. Obviously physical barriers weren’t actually an obstacle for her to project her ‘voice’, but Amaina wasn’t about to ruin the fun by ignoring the physicality of it.

“I do have some ice cream left! Do you like vanilla? I have chocolate chips around if you want to add that,” Arven offered, pulling the ice cream from the fridge, before staring out past Doppio, “Oh, look at that. The rain’s letting up.”

“Vanilla’s great,” Doppio said, managing to get his voice back to normal, though…being flushed pink and fighting with a little doll in his shirt certainly made it so he didn’t look normal. He had really come to appreciate Amaina a lot this day…but not for these things.

“Oh?” Turning, Doppio followed Arven’s gaze to the window, seeing that, indeed, it wasn’t just a huge downpour outside. It still looked like it was raining a bit, but it was far more manageable than earlier. 

He let out a small sigh of relief, letting Amaina go. “Well, that’s good. I, uh…” Doppio turned back, giving Arven a small smile. “This has been a lot of fun, but I think after ice cream I should head out before it decides to pour again. Don’t wanna worry my boss, and all.”

“Sure, sure…” Arven frowned a little, shuffling foot to foot. “...what are you doing tomorrow? After school, I mean?”

Doppio gave Arven a mildly surprised look before tilting his head in thought. “Tomorrow? Uhmmm… Well, I’m not super sure. I usually find out a lot of my errands day of. Uh…”

Boss would kill him. 

Shyly, Doppio glanced around the kitchen, gnawing on the inside of his cheek. “Um… If there’s not anything, yanno, company-secret-y… After I give you back your clothes? It, uh… It might be a little boring, but I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to walk with me, as I’m finishing up work? Having afternoons off like this are kinda rare for me, but…I usually have a good amount of wiggle room for things. We could…stop and get something, maybe, or I could walk you home?”

…Boss wouldn’t kill him for that much.

Arven grinned, lighting up a little. “Sure, that sounds fun. Plus, I’d get to take a peek at what it is that keeps you so busy all the time. Or we can just get some food in between one of your assignments. That sounds great!”

Arven didn’t want to come across as overeager, so his enthusiasm was presented calmly, but… Doppio was cool! Arven wanted to spend more time with the guy. So, yeah, any chance Doppio wanted to give him? Arven was going to take it…cause Doppio was a coooool guy. A cool bro! A bro who was a friend. A friend-bro. Like that weirdo Kaito had said, gotta cherish friendships and stuff! With his just a friend cool bro guy Doppio!

Amaina tried to shout gay again, but because she was a good-natured little thing, pretended to be muffled again. She trusted Doppio would know what the shouting meant.

-

While it was still wet out, it wasn’t much worse than it had been that morning, by the time Doppio had said his goodbyes to Arven and Chief, and had doubled back once because he had forgotten some of the things he’d had from his pockets. And! It wasn’t even dark out yet, so Doppio wouldn’t break his promise to The Boss! Wins all around for the day! 

While some of it was inevitable, Doppio still tried to shield his borrowed clothes from the rain and residual wetness of the world as much as he could--so no more puddle-jumping--but as he was unlocking the front door, the sun just starting to set, Doppio was riding high on the world. Aceto Doppio had beaten the odds!!

(...never mind that he had gotten harassed by some high schoolers, but that was easy to brush off, with how well the rest of the day had gone. At least for now.)

“I’m back!!” Doppio called into the house, carefully hanging up his coat and stacking his boots in a lined drip-tray by the door, avoiding slathering the clothes at the final hour, even with the trousers bunching slightly by his ankles. 

Diavolo was sitting upside down on the couch, his arms spread from one end of the cushions to the other, his long pink, green-splotched hair hanging down and pooling around a pile of open letters.

For once, his robe was off, and was in fact hanging on one of the kitchen bar stools. While the burnt ends of one of the sleeves wasn’t obvious in the dark, the smell in the air was. Burnt fabric leaving a distinct, almost acidic stench in the air. One sandal on Diavolo’s foot, the other adding to the distinct burning smell, as it had, in fact, been thrown into the fireplace. 

“...mm.” Diavolo grunted in greeting. His vision not so much as wavering at the intrusion. 

Doppio nearly did a double-take, unused to seeing Boss not completely covered, though…it did happen time to time. This seemed like less of a ‘it’s so ridiculously hot out that Doppio pleaded with him to not get heatstroke’ or a much rarer ‘Boss feeling open and fabulous day’ and more of a…

Doppio eyed the fire, giving himself a small nod. He’d buy new sandals when he was out tomorrow. 

“Boss, am I permitted to open the windows in my room to air things out? I’ll keep the shades drawn, of course,” Doppio asked, already idly tidying things not immediately in The Boss’s vicinity. “Are you hungry? We have leftovers from the past few days, but we have enough for me to make something fresh, if you’d like.”

Diavolo sighed, glaring at the fire, “...Doppio. You’ll need to go back out tonight. It would seem Meg has… run out of opportunities.” 

Diavolo had honestly more than half considered going out himself to deal with it. So great was his fury at her failings, that he had even gotten one shoe on, determined to storm out and confront her, demand answers for her failings, take out his righteous fury against her flesh… but he had gotten overwhelmed and frustrated, thrown his shoe, and slumped backwards onto the couch before resting there for the last… hour, maybe? Perhaps longer. Stewing in his frustration and hatred for the long now untrustworthy stooge.

Ngh… she wasn’t worth his personal time.

Doppio would handle it.

“Certainly your day off did not mean the entirety of the day,” Diavolo said, “So you will handle it tonight… yes, after you clear out the air. And cook. I have suffered indignities upon indignities already, today, I will not be made to eat like someone who is impoverished.” 

“Oh…” Doppio’s voice was soft, his lip finding its way between his teeth in anxiety…before those nerves gave way to anger, and he scoffed softly. “Tsk. Understood, Boss. Consider it done. For real… You gave her so many chances, how incompetent can you get…”

The latter part was little more than huffy grumbles, Doppio irritated as always by someone daring to go against The Boss, whether by rebellion, pride, or uselessness. Going through what they had in the pantry, Doppio wandered over to the kitchen, pulling some ground pork from the ice box to get closer to room temperature while he…

Oh. Probably shouldn’t wear Arven’s clothes for something like this. 

Just from that thought, Doppio felt some of his irritation melt away, softening a smile onto his face. Yeah, should keep these clothes clean. 

Crossing the living room again, aiming for his room to change and open the windows, Doppio sighed softly. “I didn’t consider the time you gave me off to be the whole day--my apologies for not returning sooner, since something so important came up.”

Diavolo, confused why Doppio wasn’t staying in the kitchen– Doppio, if tasked with multiple things, tended to prioritize food first, for whatever inane reason– glanced over at him, able to see better than usual due to the fire…

“...Who are you wearing?” Diavolo asked. Squinting at the oversized clothes.

“Hm?” Doppio startled, looking at Diavolo like a deer in carriage lights as the question processed. Then…something a little odd happened. 

Cheeks going rosy, a bashful smile came over Doppio’s face as he rocked on his heels a little. A soft giggle bubbling out of his chest, a sound that, really, neither of them had ever heard from Doppio before. “Oh, Arven lent me some of his clothes. We got caught in the big downpour earlier--gave me these to dry off in, ‘cause he didn’t want me to catch a cold, ‘cause apparently that’s a thing? I’m meant to return them, so I’m gonna change real quick to make sure I don’t make any stains.”

Diavolo squinted at Doppio. 

Inside of himself, a weird, warm feeling echoed… foreign and invasive. Unbeckoned. A warmth that turned into pleased, small little butterflies in his stomach, a warmth that made the hair on his arms stand ever so slightly. A warmth that threatened something electric.

There, echoing, shifting around the threads Diavolo had webbed around him, those threads his last real connection to a world that would dare to defile Diavolo with its unworthy gaze…

Gross.

“Doppio, come,” Diavolo ordered, shifting and sitting upright on the couch, staring at him suspiciously, “Sit at my feet.”

When Doppio did so, Diavolo took his chin in his hand. Staring at him. Trying to see if he could see the sickness on the boy’s skin. Could see the parasite peeking behind his eyes. It was such a physical thing, that warmth… surely it had more signs than that mere reddening of skin. That small stutter of breath.

Not that those weren’t disgusting by themselves.

The last time Diavolo had felt such a disgusting, intruding feeling had been when that woman he had used to relieve a brief stint of curiosity had come to him with a baby in her arms, a small little thing with wide green eyes and bubblegum pink hair, insisting it was his. And so what if it had been? Did that not mean both it and its mother was his to do with as he pleased? And it had pleased him to throw her out, threatening her life if she ever tried to shove that little creature back into his face, trying to insist it was some reflection of him…

Diavolo had no worthy reflection. Nothing could match him. He should have murdered the plaything for daring to suggest that anything that could come from her could possibly be something worth his acknowledgment… but the warm feeling, at the sight of it, had twisted through him like a disease. He had found himself… unwilling. In the moment. To leave the creature without a mother to attempt to raise it to adulthood. A moment of weakness. A moment of weakness that haunted him, from time to time, because even now, on occasion, he had someone go and look and see–

“You are aware love is a weakness, yes?” Diavolo asked. 

That pleased (smitten) grin on Doppio’s face faded at the sudden request, Doppio’s eyebrows raising in surprise. Boss’s order of What Should Be Done had seemed pretty…final, as they tended to be when he wasn’t in the best moods, and it wasn’t often he went back on them. 

Still, Doppio wouldn’t hesitate to obey, even if he wasn’t delighted to.

The smile still bright, if less flustered, Doppio came over and knelt at The Boss’s feet, tilting his chin up a little to…help with whatever Boss was doing, holding his face. He knew The Boss didn’t like to be stared at, but…he seemed pretty focused, with whatever he was doing! So Doppio just waited patiently, eyes wide and focused on The Boss.

Though, they squinted slightly in confusion at the question he was posed. Where the heck had that come from?

“Uh, sure,” Doppio easily agreed. He had some thoughts, but…in generalities? As an overarching thing? If Boss said it with such assurance and finality, then…it was probably true. “I mean… I’m loyal to you not ‘cause I’m terrified or anything,” he chuckled softly, hoping The Boss would get something out of the joke, “And I think that’s a pretty big strength of mine, but…I mean, yeah. Love-love is just a distraction from what needs to be done.”

Tilting his head slightly, though not even slightly trying to get his head out of The Boss’s grip, Doppio sent his boss an innocently imploring look with wide, gold doe eyes. “Right?”

“A distraction, a temptation… and not for you,” Diavolo told him, though he let the head go. Appeased that at the very least Doppio didn’t seem to recognize what was happening to him. No doubt it would fade quickly on its own, Diavolo only risked spreading the disease further if he called too much attention to it. When would he have time to develop a relationship with anyone anyway? “Your career is far too demanding to allow such frivolities. It’s not an option for you, not if you wish to remain useful.”

That said, Diavolo was, admittedly, curious. Love had never been a true temptation for himself, because everything had to compete with his own breathtaking beauty and grandeur, and obviously nothing could. How could one love those who were garbage in comparison? But Doppio didn’t have that advantage, so Diavolo was curious who Doppio, even subconsciously, considered someone worthy of his affection.

Unconcerned by Doppio’s wet state, Diavolo made no move to dismiss him yet, as he asked, “Tell me about the person you borrowed these clothes from, then.”

He figured as much, even without being explicitly told before. It was like he and Arven had told Kaito--they didn’t have time for dating, let alone any desire for it. While Doppio--and The Boss, naturally--built in enough time in the day that Doppio wasn’t constantly rushing around and burning out, generally? He was busy all day every day. And some days, like how tonight was shaping up to be, ‘all day’ really became all day. Taking out a few hours during some of his busiest scheduling hours to…what? Go out to a restaurant he could probably cook better than? Go take a meaningless walk through one of the gardens? Inconceivable. 

(And, god, Doppio wanted to be useful. Didn’t want to be thrown away. Abandoned.)

Though, despite all that, Doppio perked, eyes widening in surprise again as…Boss asked him about Arven. Other than initially asking about threat levels, Boss rarely asked about any of the people Doppio mentioned when talking about his day. That he was taking an interest…

(He had asked for that, hadn’t he? A father to take interest in his potential love-life. If Doppio could recognize and think about it in any meaningful way, he would’ve thought he was having a shamefully indulgent dream.)

“Yeah? Well…” Doppio trailed off, organizing his thoughts, gaze drifting around the room. “I told you he has a dog, Chief. This huge, adorable mastiff, though Arven is on-lock about cleaning up after him. His whole house is spotless! I didn’t see any dog hair left anywhere, and everywhere is really neat and put-together. Can you believe he has an automatic agitator?! And he has an ironing board set up in his room, and it looks like a permanent fixture! He irons all his clothes regularly, and plans out his outfits at least a week in advance.”

“He’s also super into cooking, like me!” Doppio grinned, his face lighting up as he got to gush about his new friend. “Self-taught, too. We made a curry together today, oh, and he had this really good tip for bringing out new flavor notes in carrots? I’m definitely gonna try it out for you next time, I’m sure you’ll love it. He’s super organized and, heh,” Doppio laughed bashfully, “Kept me right on track.”

From there, though, some of that rosy blush made a reappearance on Doppio’s cheeks, and his grin went soft and smitten again. There was…a…sort of weird fluttering in his stomach, but…now really wasn’t the time to get sick, even if thin people apparently could get sick from being out in the rain, so Doppio just…tried to ignore that part. 

“He has really lovely eyes,” Doppio gushed bashfully. “They’re this bright cerulean, and his lashes are really prominent. He’s not that much taller than me, but he’s pretty buff, since he went on this big expedition last year to find…uh… These… Rare plants. Yeah, that sounds right,” he mumbled, before perking up again, “And it sounded like an intense backpacking trip paired with an archeological dig. So…makes sense why he’s bigger than me.” Doppio half-lifted an arm, indicating the bagginess of the borrowed clothes. 

“His hair’s pretty cool too? It’s kinda striped, like a peppermint candy.”

Ugh. There was that rollback again. Diavolo strengthened the wall between them, feeling squicked out by those feelings of affection. Gross.

“He sounds entirely un-noteworthy. Nothing particularly useful there,” Diavolo decided dismissively, leaning back into the couch, sighing as he let himself relax… before giving Doppio a slightly annoyed look. “You’re dripping into the floor. Why are you content to leave a mess?”

Well, Arven was at least a little useful. Boss had allowed them to keep seeing each other, because Arven had a house closer to the castle, so that could be a safe space for Doppio to retreat to if he ever needed to (and…Arven had told him to come by, if he needed help, even if he had phrased that as help with Amaina), and Doppio knew he could still learn a lot from Arven when it came to cooking, (and probably cleaning and budgeting too, he’d learned) so…a little useful.

(But…selfishly, Doppio didn’t like Arven because he was useful. He just liked Arven because he was cool. And sweet. And caring. And brave… And really pretty…)

So, Doppio didn’t have anything to really say about that. But as The Boss leaned back, seeming to dismiss him, Doppio popped up with a squeak, looking down at the damp spot he was leaving on the floor. “My apologies, Boss! Everything will be clean in just a moment!”

With that, Doppio was left scuttling back to his room at last, a muffled thump and, “Ow,” as he slid into the hall side table, landing on his ass before scampering up again.

When Doppio managed to make it to his room, there was a small, rolling sound of thunder… before sad piano music started to play. Trickling through the air, as rain poured from the ceiling. 

On Doppio’s bed, Amaina flumped backwards, her head over the edge of the bed, her hair splayed out like a waterfall beneath her, her little legs propped up by the edge of a pillow, as she looked miserably at nothing. If the position wasn’t enough of a clue, Amaina was also wearing a fishnet webbed shirt and purple pants, as she let out a looooong sigh…

♪ weeeeeeh i am so important and boring and dullllllllll DOPPIO get me my BOTTLE ♩ 

Not about to waste any more time (gosh, there was so much to DO), Doppio started stripping off Arven’s damp clothes even while his door was still swinging shut, trying not to ruin the floor any further. So…it was only just luck that he didn’t trip over the trousers when he jumped, startled by the sudden thunder and illusory downpour. 

Picking out new clothes as he toweled down (black longsleeve shirt, black pants--he never tried to be messy, but you never knew on these jobs), Doppio gave Amaina an unamused look. “Angelo, Boss doesn’t day drink…anymore…”

“And he’s not boring either. I mean, it’s far from how brilliant he can get, admittedly, but did you hear that?” Doppio looked over his shoulder as he changed, giving Amaina a truly pleased, excited grin. “He asked me about Arven! Stuff like that never happens! And he’s looking out for me… He really is the best Boss~”

Amaina had heard that. She had not been impressed. Arven was a BEAUTY! How dare Diavolo not praise Doppio’s pretty gay boyfriend! Call him useless again, catch these hands! 

But, for once, Amaina didn’t say the first thought that came to mind, mostly because she was still curious about something she heard earlier. Flying up to Doppio, wearing her dress again, she fluttered around his gaze, asking curiously, ♪ we are going out to do something fun tonight? No staying in the dark boring house? ♩ 

At that, Doppio…paused. The question enough to keep him from the flurry of activity the night promised. 

(Doppio would do anything for his job. But…it wasn’t like he didn’t know… He wasn’t an idiot.)

…Amaina wanted to see beautiful things. In many ways…she reminded him of an excitable child. And…

Gently, Doppio reached out, his hands cupping to form a seat for il suo angelo as he gave Amaina a patient, apologetic, yet serious look. “...I know you said you wanted to stick around me. But…I think it would be best if…you spent the night with your boss, tonight. Your senpai?”

Chewing his lip as he mulled thoughts around his head, Doppio gave Amaina a slightly sad smile. “What my job is tonight is…probably not going to be beautiful. At all. So…I think at least one of us should skip out on it, okay? We can have more fun tomorrow.”

Amaina, knowing a seat offered when she saw it, fluttered down to his hands, sitting with her legs tucked in under her dress as she looked up curiously at him. 

And while she’d always be happy to go check in with Senpai– she was planning to do it when Doppio slept anyway, Senpai needed her Power to feel rejuvenated, after all, and she wanted to tell Senpai what she was doing with her time lately!-- the idea that Doppio was going to go… do something specifically not beautiful?

Concerned, worried he was maybe a little too dim to know, she told him simply, ♪ You don’t have to waste time with ugly things i have waaaaaaay more beautiful things i could show you instead tonight why not just do that instead? DUCKS! ♩ she suddenly exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement, ♪ we should go throw leaves at ducks!! Leaves and flowers! They’d look so duuuuumb!! Let’s go tease ducks! ♩  

Doppio laughed softly, giving her a fond look. “The ducks are going to be sleeping, gioia. I don’t think they’d mind that much regularly, but waking up a duck just to harass it sounds like a good way to get bitten.”

Sighing, the fondness gave way to slight regret as Doppio shook his head. “But I do have to. It’s my job. So…if an ugly thing needs to happen, just leave it to me, si? And we can go see ducks tomorrow.”

Amaina stared at Doppio… before she took his thumb. Growing smaller and smaller to comfortably hug it, though the hug wasn’t a cling. It felt more reassuring than that, like she was comforting him. Glowing, ever so slightly, a bright gold… before looking up at him.

OoO ♪ you are one of the good things in all the good things. Made of lovely parts. You can make ugly things beautiful ♩

… and then the glow ended, something done. And she nodded, springing out his hands and saying ♪ OKAAAAAAAY but I am going to SEnPAAAAI and i will tell her about the frogs and tomorrow we will tease the ducks and go see your pretty boyfriiiiieeeend okay bye ♩  

(...he was good?)

Flushing, Doppio gave Amaina an embarrassed hiss as she disappeared. “He’s not my boyfriend!”

-

Doppio really did have a lot to do that night. After Amaina left, Doppio got to work quickly mopping up any wet spots he had tracked through the house--promising himself to do a more proper mopping later--and by the time he had finished, the meat he’d put out was workable. Idly eyeing the singe marks on Boss’s abandoned robe--new robe then, too--he got to work making some soup dumplings, making up a simple miso soup to go with them. Simple, but still filling and delicious, and it didn’t take too long before he was leaving Boss with a warm, hearty meal, waving with a cheery promise to be back soon as he left. 

Though…by the time he’d gone to Meg’s last known location… A splitting migraine had ripped through his brain, forcing Doppio to nearly collapse against a wall, and though he’d just closed his eyes for a second…

Doppio woke up in a field, his shirt and hands slightly sticky. Gross… Disgusting. He was probably filthy… He needed a shower desperately. 

The sky beginning to lighten, Doppio made it home. Uncertain about what actually to report to The Boss…if not for a note he found in his pocket. A pharmacy IOU, written in long, looping handwriting, promising a notice when omega 3 fish oil capsules were back in stock. 

(Sleeping with the fishes, so to speak. Clear, but not too overly obvious what the code was for.)

Part of Doppio was glad he’d missed that interaction. Doppio had never seen what was in the dossier, but he was sure Mr. Dolce (Mr. because his medical license had long been removed and Doppio refused to acknowledge that Mr. Dolce deserved any respect for the years he’d spent in medical school, and surname only because the Passione agent always called him Aceto in some of the most horrifically saccharine tones and NOPE. No respect for that either.) was weighing every time they met if the threats The Boss had given him and Rosario were worth getting to have his way with Doppio. 

Eugh. Why were there so many weirdos in Passione?

But, another day starting, Doppio finally got his shower, before he’d have to start breakfast, and…

And…

Staring with complete blankness at the tile wall, Doppio was motionless under the scalding water. Trying to get his quick, heaving breaths under control. 

It was another day.

-

After a bit of a talk about if Kokichi could actually handle bridging Shuichi to Kaito– “We really don’t need another migraine incident, guys…”-- and Kokichi’s assurance that he totally could was met with a light bit of skepticism, a compromise was made. If Kokichi felt like he was straining at all? They’d ask Alter Ego to come pay a visit and take up some of the load. Kaito and Alter Ego talked a lot about their shards anyway, Kaito wouldn’t mind the golden cat meeting them in a more literal way, something Kaito didn’t know how to do in the casual way Alter Ego could. Getting reintroduced to Alter Ego’s shards had been an… experience. Kaito shamed to admit he didn’t really remember Taka at all, and while he did recognize Chihiro and Mondo, knowing Chihiro fairly well because she (he?) had worked with the secretaries and with Shuichi, Mondo he had only recognized because–

“God, he had those fucking pecs.” Kaito sighed, “Those biceps. I saw him take his shirt off once, and I swear, he had nine damn abs. Could have played his stomach like an instrument–”

“Kaito.” Shuichi said stiffly, “If we’re about to potentially invite Alter Ego over, can we not talk about how attractive you find them?”

“Alter Ego? Shuichi, my guy, my good, sweet husband… Alter Ego is a cat.” Kaito reminded him, leaning against his old bed, the three of them having met up in a memory of his old room. There were chimes tinkling lightly out by the massive wall opening to the balcony, the massive, heavy curtains all pulled back to let in some of the warm air of the warm Luminary day outside, basking Kaito’s large living space in bright, natural light. A smell of heat, dust and an incense that was in the back of Kaito’s mind filling the air, “I’m not attracted to cats, even if they have washboard abs.”

“What do you think, Kokichi?” Shuichi asked, looking to Kokichi, once again looking how Shuichi envisioned himself before the pregnancy, “How do you feel?”

Kokichi gave Kaito a long, dry, amused look. “I’m not attracted to cats’, he says, having a full-cat-based get-up in the closet. I’ll take your word that you’re not attracted to my mentor, but c’mon. Bad point.”

What was a good point, though, was the one Kokichi had made before they’d gone to sleep that night. 

Nuzzling up against Shuuichi’s shoulder a bit, feeling comfortable and lazy in the heat of Kaito’s memory, Kokichi gave his husbands a bright smile. “I’m all good--I told you guys, getting practice and building up to this point is something that I’ve been wanting to work towards. And so far? This is doable. I’ll let you know if I need a hand.”

“...though, honestly? I’d be up for inviting Alter Ego anyway,” Kokichi hummed. “We haven’t really hung out since the wedding, and it’d be nice to chat. Even if we kinda have full plans anyway.”

Stretching out his legs on the floor, Kokichi heaved an excited sigh. “You know who you wanna meet first yet?”

“C-cute cat costumes are not the same things as actual cats!” Kaito shouted, looking scandalized, before pointing earnestly at both of them, “I want that on the record! I am NOT down for screwing cats! Or any animals! That’s a hard no! We tell anyone that ever asks that was always a hard no!”

“Kaito, who is this theoretical person you have to tell?” Shuichi asked, sitting on the floor with Kokichi, leaning against him a little as they sat on Kaito’s large, plush rug. “Or that we have to tell?”

“Historians! Bards! Your parents and mentors! Whoever asks!”

“Kaito… how are you doing this?” Shuichi asked honestly, looking around at the still entirely stable landscape around them, “When I went on tangents in my mind, those tangents would literally appear. Like my mind shifted around us just based on whatever I was thinking. You haven’t done that even a little.”

“Huh? Uh, I don’t know… shard stuff maybe?” Kaito guessed with a shrug, “Actually, ya know what, let’s just invite Alter Ego. Maybe they know?”

Kokichi just grinned at Kaito, before shaking his head with a small chuckle. “I’m givin’ ‘em all the same answer to that question--it’s none of their business what happens in our private time. And anyone who’s gonna come out and ask a bestiality question out of the blue like that is gonna get the most judgemental, ‘get a load of this guy’ look ever.”

Sinking his hands into the carpet, enjoying the feeling, Kokichi idly reached out to his mentor. {You down for existential existence questions and hang out time? Kai-chan, Shuu-chan, and I are in Kai-chan’s mind right now, if you wanna join?}

And though Alter Ego would probably have a lot of insight, Kokichi shrugged a little, throwing his own two copper in. “Could be that Kai-chan’s compartmentalizing more too. Like…Shuu-chan’s a little too aware that we’re in his head, when we’re there, but it makes more sense for Kai-chan to be like…yeah. This is the setting we’re in, why would it change?”

“On the other side of that, though,” Kokichi hummed, “When Kai-chan and I have been exploring his imagination? Things get real fluid and shift-y.”

{Sure, but you better tell Kaito that he’s welcoming a visitor. I swear, I get dragged through the ground by vines one more time…}

The thought trailed off, because Alter Ego didn’t actually have a threat in mind. More just grumbling within his intent, already knowing a losing battle when he was heading to one. Kaito had no real control over his defenses, even his heavy bias towards his husband– original flavor– doing little to stop Saint Madison from going on a scowly, sword waving rampage if Kaito was ever anything but entirely relaxed. 

And, indeed, when Alter Ego stepped through his bridge and into Kaito’s mind, effortlessly following Kokichi’s ‘scent’ and finding where they were in Kaito’s mind, the second he put a paw down onto the rug– “GAH!”

“Nope, nope, nope!” Kaito shouted, having immediately run off the bed when he saw the golden cat, swiping him up from the carpet ever so slightly quicker than the vines could shoot up to grab their feet. “Guys, guys, we just talked about this! I have guests! I’m allowed to invite people into my own brain! Fuck off!”

The vines, as well as Kaito’s other defenses, slithered away back into the dark spaces they were hiding in. Kaito still warily watching the ground when he carefully put Alter Ego down… before sighing, “Yep, okay, we’re good. Phew. Jumpy things… hey Alter! Welcome, welcome.”

“Thanks…” Alter Ego said warily, touching the rug once, twice, to make certain the ground wasn’t going to open up, before trotting over to Kokichi. Rubbing themself against Kokichi’s knee and hip, “Congrats again on the wedding, if you’re not sick of hearing that by now. What did I hear about Kaito being fluid’y?”

“Kokichi was telling us about differences he’s observed in how Shuichi and I’s brains work.” Kaito explained, sitting down on the rug with the rest of them, now that he was there, “Shuichi says when he thinks of stuff they just appear in his mind, whether he wants to or not, and he was wondering why that doesn’t happen to me. Kokichi thinks it might be because I have a small compartmentalizing habit. Everything in its place. But that how my environment shifts is like… environments tend to bleed into each other? Like…”

Kaito paused, trying to think of an example. And out on the balcony was a sudden bout of laughter, giggles and shouts, with a strange shimmering multitude of colors now illuminating the room. Curious to see it for himself, Kaito got up, heading over to the balcony and looked down, the balcony dipping down into a long, massive slide, shimmering clearly in the different shades of the rainbow, which lead down into a floating park, the grass a warm shade of purple and the trees blowing gently a golden, autumn yellow, rainbow bridges connecting the park to other small, floating islands of dirt, each one holding a single large, quaint wooden building, some looking like homes and some looking like stores.

The people laughing and running around were only silhouettes of basic colors, their eyes and mouths white outlines on those otherwise basic silhouettes… with a notable theme. The silhouetted people all had tails and ears and light, bouncy hair. The literal only saving grace being they weren’t literally all catboy silhouettes, some clearly being birds and others being dogs, and one person chilling at the base of the tree clearly being a half-snake silhouette person.

“...you just made this now?” Shuichi balked, looking at Kaito, having gotten up to follow him. Staring at the weird floating rainbow village of animal people.

Kaito shrugged, “Stuff like this is easy. It’s just letting your imagination get away from you a little, that’s all.”

“It really might just be a personality thing.” Alter Ego agreed, still purring slightly as they rubbed against Kokichi, jumping into his arms, “Though it’s still pretty unusual, in my experience, how effortless it comes to you.”

If nothing else, Kaito was always extremely prompt in saving his guests from his defenses. And even if they were invited ahead of time (which…Kokichi had only seen keep the defenses away entirely for him, and only once or twice), his defenses did listen immediately. Kokichi did trust himself and any guests who may be regularly visiting Kaito--Alter Ego, for example--to not take advantage of his husband, but…well. For as mildly annoying as it could be, Kokichi kind of liked that it was a constant reminder. 

No one would fuck with Kaito Momota again. 

Petting down Alter Ego’s side as the cat rubbed up on him, Kokichi smiled fondly. “Heya! And thank you~ I don’t think I could ever be sick of hearing it, honestly. I’m glad you were able to make it for a bit.” Kokichi did still feel bad about ever asking Hiro to space out in the middle of the day, but…he did know that Alter Ego was better than he was about doing their own thing without slowing down Hiro too much, and, well… It was their wedding. That seemed like more than a reasonable middle of the day invitation. 

Nodding at Kaito’s rundown of his theories, Kokichi raised his eyes in interest as a new world appeared beyond the window, though his eyes lidded in a dry look as he carried Alter Ego over to see it. 

Oh, it was a gorgeous town, incredible in its construction, and Kokichi knew that if this was that kind of visit, he could easily spend the whole night exploring it. But…c’mon. Catboys. Kaito didn’t even give them different hairstyles. 

Snorting a small laugh, Kokichi bumped against Kaito’s side. “My guy’s just got a super-imagination. Worlds created at the drop of a hat.”

“Heh, I guess so, yeah.” Kaito grinned, giving Kokichi a warm look at that, before looking down at the trees, “...think they’d have some really good fruit in those?”

“Don’t get distracted, Kaito, you can’t start inventing fruit for us to find.” Shuichi sighed, even if there was something mildly tempting in sliding down the rainbow slide. “We’re meant to meet your shards today, remember? Right, I didn’t answer you before Kokichi. I was thinking… well, do you guys have any recommendations? Is it possible to meet all of them at once?”

“Um…” Kaito frowned, scratching his chin, “...I know Alter can do that, for his shards. But, I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t even know how to start doing that. I feel like if I tried, all I’d end up doing is showing you imaginary versions of them. The places they live feel sort of… um… it’s hard to…”

Alter Ego gave Kaito an encouraging look, “Even if it doesn’t make sense, try to explain it in the first words that come to you. We can try to rationalize it after, there just isn’t words of concepts for things like us yet.”

“Right, okay… the places they live feel like it's literally them. Like, the environment. And moving that around in my mind feels like it’d… break me.” Kaito finished, frowning, that still not entirely right, but the closest he could get, “Like, them moving as people feels okay, but the idea of moving those environments around? It’d be like cutting into my brain and moving it. It feels impossible, and if not impossible, kind of scary.”

“Kaito and I have a small theory that because his merged form is solid and mine is figment, that changes how we can interact with our shards.” Alter Ego said excitedly, finding all of this fascinating, as Kaito nodded along with him, “Kaito’s shards may literally be interwoven in the chemistry of his real, physical brain. That’s why visiting them requires going physical distances in his mindscape.”

“Maybe.” Kaito shrugged again, “When Alter says a ‘theory’, he really means our rambling guesses in the few times we’ve talked about this to each other. We really don’t have a clue.”

Mmm…dream fruit. Though, considering this was Kaito’s head, they’d probably be all like pears. Still delicious! But…if you could have any sort of fruit imaginable, going with the subtle flavor and juiciness of a pear was absurd when you could have things like mangos or watermelon. And Kaito would just look at him like he was crazy if Kokichi complained they weren’t sweet enough. 

But! They had a goal for the night. 

Kokichi hummed softly, grimacing at the picture Kaito painted of how linked his shards’ environments were. Definitely not worth giving him a hypothetical lobotomy just to meet all the shards at once. 

“That…makes sense to me,” he hummed, shrugging. “As a decent guess, anyway, if you guys figure out more comprehensive theories later. But, either way, the result from it is we’re gonna go one at a time.”

Almost arbitrarily, Kokichi nodded to the group. “Wanna visit Cal-chan first?”

“I was gonna recommend that too.” Kaito grinned, explaining at Shuichi’s questioning look, “Akane’s great, but she can be a little intense, and she’s definitely gonna be really attracted to you. Because of course she would be… aw.” Kaito pouted, really looking at Shuichi now, forcing himself to see the Shuichi in front of him rather then with Kaito goggles, “...your butt’s gone.”

“Kaito!”

“No, I mean, not gone, you’ve always had a juicy tush, but–”

“Alter Ego is here!” Shuichi shouted, taking off his hat and whacking Kaito in the face with it, cheeks flushed with a light spatter of pink, “Don’t talk about my butt!”

“Oh, handsome, you are not gonna be able to handle Akane first.” Kaito observed, raising his hand to protect his face from more hat swings, of which a few more came, “So, yeah, we’ll build up to her next. Though, I gotta warn you, every time I visit Caleb? I get, like… giggly. And also really flirty. Like, honestly just a lot like Akane, really.”

“You change based on who you’re visiting?” Alter Ego asked, looking fascinated.

“Have I not mentioned that yet? Oh yeah, absolutely. It happens with all of them.” Kaito nodded, before continuing, “And other Kaito, uh, ‘Kai-chan’, Prince Kaito, however you want to address him, he’s… really embarrassing. Incredibly cringe.” Kaito admitted, wincing, “I mean, you should still meet him, because he’s me and I know he wants to. Because he’s me, and we love you. But, ugh… you know how Kokichi gets embarrassed by Nellis because he acts like an immature Kokichi? Yeah, that’s my Kaito. It’s like I’m going through another edgy teenager phase. He wants all these embarrassing things and has all these dumb ideas… it’s real hard for me to listen to, honestly, he’s a lot.”

“I see. Fascinating…” Shuichi mused, reaching into his jacket to pull out his journal… before huffing, putting it back, “Right. Wasted effort. Alright, well, let’s meet Caleb first then. We have to physically go somewhere?”

“Yeah, but I can find it this time. I remember the way.” Kaito assured, looking around, before looking at the slide. Staring at it a little…

There was a rumbling sound, and then the sound of great, crashing waves. Water started to rise from the great void below, an ocean rising. The other islands started to float up, rising up to the safety of the higher void, but the rainbow slide broke away from the park island, staying connected to Kaito’s balcony, now pointed down into the ocean. And when the water rose enough to touch the bottom of the slide, a massive, swirling vortex opened up a watery tunnel, the slide now expanding down into the swirling vortex water. 

Around them, as large as a whale, a horse swam fluidly and easily, just below the surface of the water, circling around the watery vortex. Its size and strangeness incredibly intimidating, Shuichi finding himself reaching for Kaito’s hand in sudden nerves. “What is that?” He whispered, staring at the shadowy, murky image of the monster in the water.

“Uh… I think its meant to be Koh?” Kaito guessed, squeezing Shuichi’s hand reassuringly, “Don’t ask me why, I really don’t know. I just know he’s in the water. He makes sure we get to the other side alright… don’t worry. It’s not gonna hurt, and it’s only scary for a moment.”

“It’s scary?” Alter Ego asked, staring into the vortex.

“I can’t help it.” Kaito said, looking certain about this. “The ocean is intimidating. Even if you love it and know it well…” Kaito’s eyebrows furrowed, just as certain, “Especially if you know it well.”

“...alright! Jump together?” Kaito asked, reaching his other hand to Kokichi, grinning. “Take a dip?”

Mostly, Kokichi had been thinking about how Caleb had been the last of the shards they had initially visited, so it only seemed fair to him that they started with him this time. However, Kaito had a good point. Akane was a lot of fun, but she could be A Lot Period, and…a lot of the things that overwhelmed Shuuichi about Kaito in everyday life she embodied. And King Kaito…

They were still going to visit all the shards. And, just like him, Kokichi knew that there wasn’t a part of Kaito that Shuuichi would reject. But…King Kaito was a lot of things that Shuuichi, over the years, had disliked about Kaito. The entitlement, the devotion to fate…

…but also the devotion to his loved ones, different from Akane’s devotion. His absolute belief in treating them like…well, royalty, different from the calm respect Caleb had. 

It would just be an experience. Though Caleb was probably the easiest introduction for Shuuichi to have. 

Nodding that Kaito changed depending on who they were visiting--and that, in a lot of ways, his relationship with King Kaito was like Kokichi’s with Nellis--Kokichi gave his mentor a hum. “Oh… That’s actually interesting. I know you, and the others, are never really “gone” if I’m just speaking to one of your shards…but I’ve never seen you, like…with a form, if they’re out talking too, Alter Ego. Is that something you’ve done?”

Because the only time Kokichi had spoken to a shard without Kaito there, it had been that Kaito literally hadn’t been there, and…he wasn’t exactly in a state to act in any way, let alone to see if there were subtle differences in personality. 

Kokichi leaned forward, looking at the changing view out the window as an ocean rose, and he gave Kaito a soft look. As entrancing and familiar as the sea could be…well, there was a reason sailors and poets alike described it as untamable. 

Taking Kaito’s hand, Kokichi giggled and gave Alter Ego an apologetic look. “Zero days since mind water. Sorry.”

“As a physical form, for as much as that means to me, I don’t actually exist when my shards break apart like that.” Alter Ego explained easily, not looking particularly bothered as they continued, “I sort of stop as an entity, when that happens… but not as a concept? I become, in a way, the tether thats binding them all together, for lack of a better word. And when they merge back together, I remember myself being that connection between all of them, though I don’t know how much I consciously experience in the moment, its sort of hard to reflect on accurately… I’ll explain more later.”

His fur bristling a little, Alter Ego curled into Kokichi’s chest, “Why is the metaphor always water?”

Kaito stepped out first, and the group slid down the rainbow slide. 

The cacophony of colors lit up the inside of the otherwise white and blue water vortex, the sound of the violently swirling tunnel a dull roar. Past the water walls was a massive shadow, Kohtalon following their slide through the tunnel down, down, down into the ocean, the group shooting down the slide like an arrow, until the slide abruptly ended, and they free-fell as the tunnel suddenly collapsed around them, water submerging them quickly from all sides.

That brief, frightening feeling of being in the bottom of the ocean, with no idea which way was up and which was down, lost… when Kohtalon’s massive horse head peeked up into the darkness, bubbles blowing through his horse nozzles, and with the bubbles the water suddenly pulling them up until–

Caleb reached in and grabbed Shuichi and Kokichi first, pulling them up into his arms as he stood in the shallow water, only up to his knees. Leaning down, he plucked up Alter Ego, who had at some pointed latched his claws into Kaito’s head, who groaned as he sat up in the water himself, wiping the hair out of his face, “Ugh, that’s such a rough entrance.”

“Mm.” Caleb hummed, offering Kaito a hand up, Shuichi and Kokichi sat in his arms and against his chest, Alter Ego on his shoulder. Kaito took it, and the two shuffled back to the small island, “...hm. ‘Kay?”

Shuichi, who had clung to Caleb when he had been pulled out of the water, still trying to calm down from the adrenaline of the submersion, actually leaned back to see who the heck he was clinging onto… “O-oh!” Shuichi realized, face pinking, “You’re not Kaito!”

“Yeeeaaaah he is!” Kaito sighed, collapsed onto the sand, letting the sun warm him, “Just, ya know… bigger!”

“Much bigger.” Alter Ego agreed, looking down the long slope that was Caleb’s back.

That made sense. Kokichi couldn’t quite remember if it had been the first time he’d seen all of Alter Ego’s shards, but when they had met Temp for the first time--or, rather, The Templar, since Kokichi had already met Temp--Alter Ego had just kind of…exploded. Chihiro, Hiro, Taka, and Mondo all being flung apart in their respective rage, and Alter Ego, as their own form, nowhere to be seen. 

Kokichi couldn’t blame him for having to work through articulating what ‘existing’ felt like in that kind of moment. It sounded like a theoretical headache and a half. 

Jumping onto the slide, Kokichi let out a whoop of excitement as colors whooshed by in dizzying stripes, the plunge underwater almost disorienting enough to be called a nightmare…and even moreso when they were thrust into the water properly, careening into the void. 

But Kohtalon’s bubbles were much more dreamlike, and what was awaiting them on the surface…

“Cal-chan! We’re alright, thank you.” Kokichi beamed, pressing against the large man’s shoulder in a whole-body affectionate motion. “Well, you already know, but…”

Kokichi gestured between Caleb and Shuuichi. “Shuu-chan, Cal-chan, Cal-chan, Shuu-chan.”

Caleb rumbled a small, reassured sound, carefully kneeling down to gently put Kokichi and Shuichi down, something that, considering the weight of them together, he did with shocking ease. Caleb was a literal wall of muscle, Shuichi was realizing, as he sat in the sand and watched Caleb stand back up. Even slouching, which he was, Caleb’s sheer size and bulk was, uh…

…Shuichi was going to say ‘intimidating’, but that was not the word that kept coming to mind. Especially when Caleb– with shockingly gentle eyes– gave him a small, almost shy wave. “O-oh, um… hello.”

“.......h’.” Caleb tried, the word dissipating into a small huff of air. A brief flash of disappointment ran through his face, before looking away from Shuichi, still standing there stiffly. Every now and again a small puff of air coming from the base of his throat, like Caleb was trying to clear his throat and hum at the same time and wasn’t quite managing either of them, an increasingly troubled look on his face.

“Ah, right. Hey man, it’s okay, we’re not in a rush or anything.” Kaito grinned, sitting up and, resting on his palms, lounging in the sand now with a small little smirk, he patted the sand beside him, “Come take a seat, Shuichi’s gonna have a thousand questions for you to answer, as soon as you’re alllll warmed up~”

“Nh.” Caleb huffed, rubbing the back of his neck a little, “...k’”

“Warmed up?” Shuichi asked, peeking around Kokichi to watch Caleb go and sit beside Kaito, looking resigned. 

“Caleb’s smart as hell and actually a really elegant speaker, but… it takes a second.” Kaito grinned, gesturing for Shuichi and Kokichi to come closer as he said with all of his teeth, “Ya know, I bet if he had two pretty, warm motivators in his lap he’d manage to find his voice sooner. Get all snuggled in that chest– heeeeey, come on, what’d I say?” Kaito snickered as Caleb reached over and, clearly to get him to stop, ruffled his hair forward and into his eyes, “We just got married, big guy! We’re in the honeymoon phase! It’s been cuddle city for days now, you know that!”

Even being no trouble at all, Kokichi gave Caleb a brief side hug for his trouble as he set him and Shuuichi down on the sand. All of the shards were Kaito, of course, but…well, just from Caleb’s more gentle, subdued demeanor, Kokichi worried a bit more about overwhelming him than Akane or Kai-chan. Still, he could resist being affectionate no more successfully than with Kaito in any other state. 

Though he thought he could be tasteful with it. 

Sitting down with the group on the sand--from plush carpet to soft sand~--Kokichi shot Kaito an amused look. “Calling it out yourself, I think we get to give you horny jail bonks. Still,” he gave Caleb a more encouraging smile, “the point stands. No rush, Cal-chan. You can go at your own pace.”

“.....thn’” Caleb swallowed, though he looked at Shuichi again. 

When Caleb had first met Kokichi, there had been a warm, easy affection in the encounter. Calm love, easily given, though unstressed. This? Kaito peered at Caleb, a little fascinated. What was this? Caleb kept swallowing and making those small humming noises, like he was trying to brute force his voice to warm up, but was afraid about being too obvious about it. And his eyes kept going back to Shuichi. Something a little more than love there… something almost yearning.

Shuichi, in turn, seemed a little too shy to take Kaito’s prompting for him to sit in Caleb’s lap. Sitting on his knees, his back straight, Shuichi was actually looking a little shy and maybe a little overly formal. Clearly uncertain how to handle Caleb. Kaito wondered if Shuichi could recognize in Caleb what Kaito was looking at. That subtle, quiet desperation to speak to him. 

There was silence for a moment…

“Okay!” Alter Ego finally said, his whole body shivering as his shock of going through all that water like that finally wore off. His fur no longer puffing out as he hopped down from Caleb’s shoulder, to his chest, to his knee, before resting there. Looking up at Caleb, “The famous Caleb! I know you know me, but I feel the need to introduce myself again. Alter Ego, Caleb. It’s an honor to be able to meet you. I almost met you once before, but when we were going to go visit you, things unfortunately became a little hectic. I’ve always regretted not getting to follow through then, I’ve been quite intrigued to make your acquaintance.”

“......” Caleb nodded, reaching out to gently pet Alter Ego’s head and back, “...’ kno’. Mmm. Mmm…” Caleb cleared his throat again, once again somewhat regretfully looking over at Shuichi, before refocusing on Alter Ego. Trying again, “...I know. Mm. I… mhm. I w’s l’king fo… fo… foor…”

Caleb glanced at Shuichi, his face, dark already, starting to burn a deeper shade of red. Embarrassed. 

Kaito, looking between Caleb and Shuichi some more… sighed. “Wow. Ya know, it never occurred to me that my desire to impress Shuichi came, like, from anyone specifically. Color me surprised. You’re smitten, huh? Gah!”

Caleb, without having to even look, reached to Kaito and, covering his face with Caleb’s entirely palm, shoved him backwards into the sand, ignoring Kaito thrash as he complained muffled shouts into Caleb’s hand, trying to dislodge his grip, “.........” Caleb swallowed, looking more determined, “I was… looking… for–ward to… it.” Caleb said slowly. Forcing each word to come out clearly.

Shuichi, who was watching Kaito thrash in the sand, looked up to see Caleb glancing at him again… before smiling softly, “It was clearly a shame for everyone involved. You’re very charming.”

Caleb’s face– and to Kaito’s regret, grip– tightened at that. Flustered.

There wasn’t that much of a point to stop himself from feeling Kaito when they were in his mind. Nevermind body language and the ambient feelings Kokichi got day-to-day--being in Kaito’s mind and ignoring his feelings was like being in a room with chocolate chip cookies baking, and trying not to smell anything. Sure, Kokichi still wasn’t going to focus on getting every little nuance, but things were a bit clearer that he couldn’t just block out. 

That said, it was very cute, what was going on. 

Leaning on his palm, Kokichi glanced between Caleb and Shuuichi, a soft smile growing on his face. And…really, before long, little hearts floated up from around his body, feeling a little whimsical after Kaito’s grand display and…well, that was a feeling of his own hard to ignore. 

Aw, his husbands loved each other~ 

It would be interesting, if a lot of Kaito’s fascination and smitten-ness was from the Caleb-swirl of his soul, but…honestly? Kokichi wouldn’t be surprised if Akane and Kai-chan had their own ways of showing it too. They loved Kokichi, of course, but…Kaito had been in love with Shuuichi for the better part of a decade. That was a long time for devotion, and in a space where his emotions could be a little more raw…

Kokichi, while still absolutely loving this, did straighten a bit, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “Ah, yeah…that’s my bad. I felt awful for just butting in before your turn, last time.”

Kaito lit up– Caleb letting him back up– and literally pointing at Kokichi and looking at Shuichi, than Caleb, before pointing harder. Not commenting directly on the floating hearts, but absolutely determined everyone would notice the super cute heart thing Kokichi was doing. Look! Look at that! Look at how cute his husband was being!!

At Kokichi’s interjection, Caleb’s expression calmed a little, giving Kokichi a warm, patient look, before shaking his head, “...w’s ‘mportant. Nel… Nellis, Nellis, Nellis…” Caleb swallowed, forcing his tongue around the word, trying to use it as a warmup, “Nellis needed ‘s… us. Us… Nellis needed us. I wo…would’nt h’f wan’ed to…” 

Caleb let out a frustrated huff of breath, the words starting to slur together again. Shuichi smiled softly, “You’re doing fine. You can slow down again, if it helps. Kaito’s right, we’re not in a hurry… Caleb.”

Caleb’s face burned. Looking away, trying to compose himself, “...we wouldn’t… want to ign…nore Kokichi… he needed us.”

“Ugh, you’re being way more understanding than I was.” Kaito huffed, looking genuinely irritated, “I was ready to punch Kokichi in his adorable little face.”

Shuichi’s eyebrows shot up a little, genuinely surprised Kaito would say something like that, “Kaito.”

“I wouldn’t have! But man… did some plants sure as hell pay the price.” Kaito said darkly, “I was furious… hm? What’s up?” Kaito asked, Caleb reaching out to carefully rub the back of Kaito’s neck.

“...you’re… more her and him, ri…right now… careful… don’t ri…risk words you’ll regret…”

Kaito looked briefly irritated at that idea, before he grinned. Leering up at Caleb as he leaned in closer, bringing up to place a hand on Caleb’s wrist, rubbing it with his thumb as he said, “I can think of a few things I want to say that I don’t think any of us would regret~ like how I think maybe we could ask Alter Ego to head off and maybe enjoy our honeymoon a bit–”

“Wow, you weren’t kidding, Kaito.” Alter Ego interrupted, tilting their head as they stared at him curiously, “That’s so genuinely fascinating though. I wonder why being in one of your shards environment makes him lose influence over your personality? That seems backwards, doesn’t it?”

“Perhaps Caleb individually becomes more independent if he’s, well… being observed?” Shuichi guessed, raising an eyebrow as Kaito ignored them all to nuzzle his face into Caleb’s hand a little, clearly still trying to entice him. “That is very interesting. Though, I’m still curious to learn more about you, Caleb. Kaito told me you were from Fein? Do you know what year?”

Caleb, content to let Kaito do what he liked with his hand, shook his head no, even as he said, “I do… but it won’ tra…translate. We don’t… use the same cal-calenders. ‘M old, though. May…maybe a few hundred years… maybe older.” Caleb admitted with a small frown, “‘m not sure.”

Kokichi gave Caleb a soft look. He still wouldn’t have wanted things to go down as they had…but that’s the way it turned out. Kokichi learning from Kaito, all the existential questions being posed and thought upon, paired with Nellis’ temper… Being who they were, that’s how things happened. Kokichi was just glad he could make up for at least part of his mistake and make sure they visited Caleb for sure. 

Kokichi looked over in some surprise, same as Shuuichi, at Kaito’s anger, but…really, it was just because of the words. As Caleb pointed out, Kaito’s filter and feelings skewed more towards his fire and steel. It was probably a good call for Caleb to caution him, but…really, Kokichi wasn’t all that worried. 

Caleb was understanding. Kaito was furious. Both things could be true in the same person. 

And yet, Caleb had some things that were uniquely him. 

Nodding slowly, Kokichi let out a considering hum. “...well, it wouldn’t exactly narrow down the time period since…I don’t know anything about Fein’s history, or even about the country today, but… You spoke Arabic, right? That’s what’s going on when Kai-chan slips into that other language, I’m guessing.”

Caleb smiled lightly, something pleasing in his language being recognized, even if only in name. “نعم ، كانت هذه هي اللغة المشتركة لقارتنا.” Yes, this was the common language of our continent.

“Just the continent? Not the world?” Kaito asked, leaning against Caleb, even as Shuichi gave them both bewildered looks.

“لم تكن هناك لغة عالمية في ذلك الوقت.” There was no universal language at that time. Caleb explained, before seeing Shuichi look more lost, returned to Common, “Common… may have been developing in other parts of the world by th-then? B-but our contin–nent was issssolated. Isolated. Isolated.” Caleb said, sounding more confident by the last word, his words coming easier. “And had been for some time. Our goddess was at war with the world.”

“What? All of it?” Kaito scoffed.

“Yes.” Caleb said grimly. “All of it.”

Kokichi couldn’t tell you what any of the words Caleb and Kaito were saying were, really. But…there wasn’t exactly a thing like “speech” in the mindscape--at least how an Empath would perceive it. Everything was intent. So while Caleb and Kaito were saying things that Kokichi didn’t know…he could still follow the conversation. 

With all of the nuances it had, even when it switched back to Common. 

Something…a little sad came over Kokichi’s face. 

“...believing that only her people were the worthy ones, I’m guessing,” he said quietly. “Not wanting “taint” from the “heathens” of the rest of the world.”

Caleb gave Kokichi a soft look. “...” before sighing. Running his hand through his hair, looking conflicted.

“Well, if you want to tell us about it, your words seem all warmed up, my man.” Kaito grinned, giving Caleb a warm pat on the back… before nuzzling into his arm, “Ooooor, we can go back to you being super cute with our Shuichi. You know we’re married, right? Hey, have you seen the new scar? Look, look at how well it’s coming along. Is that gorgeous?” Kaito said dreamily, showing Caleb the cut on his arm, the small x’ still bright red in one line that was still healing, “My husbands, right there… aren’t we lucky?”

Caleb smiled lightly at that, looking at the scar that sybmolized everything Kaito held dear, before looking at the two ‘dear’ men in question, “...Shuichi. You…” Caleb sighed, a pained look briefly crossing his face, “...I’m sorry. You… you make me think of the past, more than I want to, sometimes. You…”

Caleb’s face tightened with pain again, before looking down… and Kaito, leaning against his arm, smiled sadly, tears in his eyes, “Dammit… you did it again, big guy. Why are we like this?”

Alter Ego looked between Caleb and Shuichi, before guessing, “Does Shuichi remind you of someone you used to know?”

Caleb took a deep intake of breath at that… before looking up. Looking calmer as he nodded. “...the similarities are… superficial. They don’t even really look alike, in truth. And, while I loved him… Alten was a harder person than our Shuichi. Crueler. There are so many similarities, though, that I see when I look at you… Shuichi, I love you for you. For who you are. I love you through Kaito’s love, which is new and consuming and its own thing, in its own way… but if you are correct? In your theory that Kaito was made to love Kokichi and Maki? Then you are incorrect that you are the factor that ruins the argument. I just… cannot imagine it is a coincidence. How much you drew our eye when we first saw you. How much you look like my first love. I cannot explain how it happened. But to call it coincidence would be to willfully choose to be ignorant.”

“...you had a love?” Shuichi asked, perhaps almost surprisingly unalarmed with the implications of what Caleb was saying, “When you lived?”

Caleb smiled, his gaze far away, for a moment, “I did. Briefly. But I loved him truly… but I couldn’t keep him. He went on, like my sister and her lover, to be something more than human. Something otherworldly and divine. A templar of the Goddess of Purity and the False Red Horned Ram, protecting their temples in the lands unknowable. He had to leave me, and I could not follow. It is… difficult. To be the mortal among gods.”

“...do you think I’m him?” Shuichi asked plainly.

Caleb immediately shook his head, “No. I have no doubts. You and him are separate entities… but I do believe the similarities are not a coincidence, though I have to assume that means something in my life, or perhaps my memories, were manipulated. My memories of Alten gave Kaito the spark to pursue you. That is without doubt too.”

It wasn’t exactly what had happened to Dicea. For the most part, there had never been propaganda or political opinions saying that Diceans were superior to any other peoples, or that they were keeping poison away by limiting their borders. The inverse had happened a few times though. Diceans weren’t better…but other people were worse. Luminaries. Magic folk. Werewolves. Zealots. The Sukowa Union. 

Kokichi had seen it again and again throughout time. But…he had also seen understanding and kindness extended, even if it had taken a while. 

But while not his own intimate understanding of his Diceans…he had seen what he had guessed Caleb’s situation in Fein had been. A god discontent to share their sandbox with all the others. 

And that was just the big picture. 

Being the mortal among gods, huh?

Kokichi sighed softly, something quietly amused in his face. “...I think I’d be more annoyed with godly machinations bringing all of us together like this if, yanno, I wasn’t benefitting so spectacularly.”

“I’d still argue that it doesn’t really change anything… though, I am more relieved now that we’ve discussed the possibility before now.” Shuichi admitted, mildly bragging, since he was the one who had brought this up back in therapy, “Your confidence that I’m not just your lover made new is somewhat comforting. I’m not sure how I’d feel, being made to be… Caleb’s? Dream guy? Just by des…”

Shuichi’s musings died down, shooting Kaito a somewhat guilty look as he realized what he was saying. “...”

Kaito, still resting against Caleb’s shoulder, idly playing with Caleb’s hand– running his thumb over the gnarled twisting scars on Caleb’s wrists– looked up, feeling Shuichi’s eyes on him. “...?” he played back what Shuichi said, before grinning easily, “I’m not losing sleep over it, Shuichi. I’m already custom designed, maybe? But that was true before all the god stuff even became a serious possibility, we both know that. Same with you and Maki and I’d still argue our Kokichi here… we’re designed people. People raised with very specific goals and purposes in mind, and you three met those goals amazingly… you guys were perfect, at what you were raised to do…”

Kaito trailed off there, looking a little sad… before wrapping his arms around Caleb’s, nuzzling in harder as he huffed indignantly, “I’d feel bad if the memory of Caleb’s, like, one true love was altered just to make me act a certain way, because that’s incredibly shitty. But when it comes to the universe trying to make me act in certain ways? I’d much rather be designed with the idea of loving people in mind, rather than the shit Tengan or, ya know… my dad had in mind. If my purpose is to love you guys, for whatever reason? Hell yeah, I’m entirely fine with embracing fate.”

Caleb chuckled a little– Kaito smiled at listening to the rumble of it through Caleb’s arm– before reaching over to smooth his thumb comfortingly over Kaito’s temple, “Me and my… group. Friends. My family… whatever we were to each other. We had conversations like this. We were all people designed with fates as well. It’s a daunting, intimidating thing. And Alten…” Caleb glanced to Shuichi, smiling lightly, “hated it. He raged against it, did everything he could to fight fate and the gods and even the concept of purpose. In a way, he succeeded. He had to align himself with a new plan by a different god to subvert the one the god who created him made, but it was his choice, at least. And…” Caleb smirked, looking pleased, “He saved my life to do it. He refused to ever admit that I was one of the reasons he did it, but I’m confident I was. I’m certain he loved me.”

Shuichi’s eyes widened at this… before his eyebrows narrowed. Looking somewhat disturbed, “...he never told you? That he loved you?”

Caleb, again, looked embarrassed. Looking away, before admitting softly, “I understand how foolish that sounds. Perhaps I’m just delusional… but in everything but words, I’m certain he told me he loved me. He was just… a hard man. Life had been cruel to him. He had a lot of anger in him.”

That was still the crux of it, Shuuichi was right. It was an interesting theory, could be interesting to view things through the lens of their fates, but…there was no point in living like everything was already decided. To take the effort and experience out of life was to not live, and the four of them had many things to live for. And…from what Kokichi knew of gods? They had neither the ability nor the desire to account for all the small things. The moments that really made up life, rather than the great swathes of what they were “meant” to do. 

Even if they were “meant” to find and love each other…what they did with their time and love together was up to them. 

Kokichi smiled softly, hearing of the love that Caleb had too. One that was, in part, shown through a subversion of fate. There was a part of him that wanted to argue that even with anger, that just made expressions of love even more important, but…Kokichi knew better now, that that battle was one not as easily fought as he’d once thought. That it wasn’t just strength and bravery and a choice to fight past it. 

But…

Kokichi frowned, something dawning on him, from what Caleb said. After a moment, something horrified flashing across his face before he reined it in. “...you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t wish to. And I really am sorry, if bringing it up is painful enough. But… If Alten saved you to align with a different one…then was that goddess…” Kokichi’s eyebrows pinched in, the words difficult to even say. “Was she… With her, was your fate…”

Caleb gave Kokichi a mildly confused look… before smiling softly. Reaching over to, like he had done twice now with Kaito, touch Kokichi in a small, soothing way, gently brushing this thumb on the side of his face as he cupped the side of Kokichi’s head gently. “You fear for me too much, too often. We put you through so much stress…”

“Pelora had no fate for me.” Caleb said, taking his hand back, “I was made by Atua. And, while perhaps its blasphemy to say so… Atua’s only ever had one idea that’s ever worked for him. And I was no different.”

“You were made to be loved.” Kaito guessed, eyes closed. Almost looking peaceful enough to sleep on Caleb’s arm.

“Mmhm. Sloppily. Desperately. Aten says that when I was designed, Atua had only a few years warning to put me together. Beings like us? It is incredibly difficult, to make someone who has a fate. The universe fights against fate, it’s not a natural way to exist. We all took an incredible amount of effort. Atua barely even managed to give me a fate in time, and in truth the odds of me even being born were dismally low. Aten called me a miracle… it’s a strange thing,” Caleb admitted, smiling lightly, “For a god to call you a miracle. No, she had plans for my younger sister, Celeste. Grand, elaborate plans. And Aten, Atua, when he discovered by accident Pelora’s grand plans for Celeste, he knew his ability to directly fight a goddess was impossible. Celeste, and Pelora, could not be stopped by force. So… he created me. Trading things he couldn’t afford and stealing what he couldn’t trade and getting on his knees and begging for help, managing to throw me together out of parts so slim and random that even the universe could not have made me less chaotically in just random pattern. Hoping, if everything went miraculously well, that Celeste would have someone to compete with her love for her goddess. A connection to humanity that would otherwise was designed to be denied from her, taken away from her violently by a man who was not touched by fate, but was depressingly dependable to follow orders… as were many, in our lives.”

Caleb glanced to Alter Ego, surprisingly enough, at that. Something heavy in his gaze. Caleb… was not sure. What he might say, if Temp were to ever follow them down here, into the sea. He had known about his father in his life, had discovered it the hard way, and over the years had found peace in it, though there had been a lot of anger first… but his acceptance of his fathers actions didn’t mean he had ever actually had a conversation with the man about it. Temp, who had been going by Alab, claiming it was short for Alabbar (Alab being the arabic word for ‘father’, Caleb’s father… not good at names), would come by to visit Caleb to see how he was doing on the island. He was always content to appear and disappear within moments or after a few words. and Caleb, knowing what Temp was doing… had been content to pretend he didn’t. Too exhausted and emotionally spent to ask the flighty young man who had ‘died’ in front of Caleb what the hell he thought he was doing, thirty years later. Caleb had been fourteen when Temp died. Did he… think he wouldn’t recognize him?

Caleb wished he resented Temp more, but too much of him understood. Caleb was one more child Temp had had, in thousands of years, and one he had been ordered to give birth to, knowing before Caleb was even born that Temp was only going to get to raise him for a part of his childhood. It was cruel, and cold, and manipulative… but so were most acts of ‘fate’.  

“So, wait… if you were born just to give your sister someone human to connect to,” Shuichi asked, adjusting the hat on his head curiously, “How does that lead to Alten rejecting fate to save you?”

“I was someone who had, however clumsily, been connected to gods and some of those most influential people in the world,” Caleb sighed, shrugging a little, jostling Kaito against him a little, whose eyes were still closed, “I may have been born with a shallow sort of fate, but that left me being full of potential for other plans. Alten’s god, Bathul, tasked him to sacrifice me in order to take a… common doesn’t have a word for it… half of a cosmic weapon in me, that Celeste had given to me to for safe keeping.”

“Wait, wait, a cosmic weapon?” Alter Ego frowned, before saying, “Sorry, I’ve been just trying to listen, but I think I’m getting lost. I know its the whole of your life, and that’s difficult to summarize, but… what happened to you? I don’t even know what to more specifically to ask, it all sounds like so much…”

“Mmm… I have a specific question.” Kaito finally said softly, peeking his eyes open, his thumbs still idly playing with the scars on Caleb’s wrists, “Where did these come from?”

Caleb looked at his wrists, before looking at Kaito, who had closed his eyes again… and frowning, told him, “The island is putting you to sleep. Go put your feet in the water, it will wake you up again. That is why the fish is there.”

“Hah… right. Right. This place makes me too calm…” Kaito whispered, “Almost forgot… kay… hey, uh…” Kaito blearily opened his eyes, “Can someone give me a hand up? I barely even want to move.”

“It’s stress I’ve happily accepted,” Kokichi said softly, giving Caleb an adoring smile. And…yeah, he knew, in this case, at least, it was undo stress, since…Caleb had already lived his life. While they were asking about it now, his role in whatever hairbrained scheme the gods were making was over, other than simply the fact that he was part of Kaito. Even if that goddess had given him a cruel fate…that story line had run its course. 

Still, Kokichi couldn’t find it in himself not to care at all. 

And while that wasn’t the case… I-it really was fascinating, learning about Caleb’s life (there was something both…schlocky, and full of comradery, learning about people who had had just as an absurd time of it as them), but…

Caleb. Caleb and Celeste. 

Caleb, Celeste, and Pelora. 

He…hadn’t thought anything of Caleb’s name at first--there had to be millions of Calebs across the world, across time. But those three together…

…Temp had said everything was a trade. He’d said he hadn’t lived in Fein…but that the empire had taken over his home, eventually. So…the location added up… 

Looked like he did know exactly when Caleb had lived. 

“...sea turtles,” Kokichi muttered, almost silently to himself. 

…did Temp know? Did this, in a way…sorta make Kaito and Addason brothers?

Face tight, Kokichi got up from the sand, rounding their group to help pull Kaito up. “Alright, hun, let’s get some ocean time.”

Shuichi looked curiously at Kokichi, hearing the word ‘sea turtles’ but not able to give context to it even a little, could only watch as Kokichi offered Kaito a hand up… and to Shuichi’s surprise, Kaito actually seemed to put some weight into Kokichi’s body. Actually leaning on him a little, eyes still closed, as he stood up, using Kokichi’s help to shuffle over to the side of the island. When had Kaito’s shoes vanished? Shuichi looked around to see if the shoes would be somewhere, but there was nothing, as Kaito stepped into the water, grunting a little as he sat down on the edge of the island… before sighing contently. Opening his eyes again, some of that sleepy edge immediately fading as he reached down to grab some water and throw it into his face, “Wow! I forgot that this place did that to me. What the hell does it mean to fall asleep in your own brain?”

Caleb reached over to give Kaito a small pat on the back, before looking to Shuichi, “...would you like to sit at the edge of the island with me?” Caleb asked him, looking away slightly, flustered, “The water is designed to make you awake and aware. Like dipping your feet in coffee… if that’s appealing?”

Shuichi smiled, scooting over to settle by Caleb, “Sitting with you sounds appealing.”

Caleb’s face burnt a dark red, before rubbing the back of his neck, nodding a little. The four settling next to the water, Shuichi taking off his shoes and putting them aside, placing his toes in, “...oh. Huh.” Shuichi blinked, “Maybe it’s placebo, but I do feel more aware.”

Kaito grinned, kicking the water a bit, “Wild, right!? That’s so cool… hah! Ha ha!” Kaito laughed, running his hand through his hair, “My brain is weird! Who’d have guessed? It’s kind of neat, right? Like, I know, Caleb, your life is your own thing, but… I feel like I’m just learning all kinds of cool things about myself. And you know what? Fuck, I’ll admit it… I like that! I like that there’s, like…” Kaito grinned, looking both pleased and somehow deeply uncomfortable admitting this, “...that there’s something special about me? That there’s things to find out. That I’m not just, ya know, I’m not… I’m not just…”

Caleb reached out and placed his hand on the back of Kaito’s neck again, pulling him in to let Kaito rest against him again. Kaito’s shoulders stiffening as he bit his lower lip, his eyes burning red, “...sn’f… fuck, where did this come from? I’m fine, I’m fine, but fuck. What’s w-wrong with me?”

“You just have a lot of feelings.” Caleb told him softly, gently massaging the back of Kaitos’ neck as he sniffled against him, “And the water takes away the numbing effect of the island. This is a difficult place for you to be, I’m sorry.”

“I’m okay, I’m okay.” Kaito insisted, furiously rubbing the tears out of his eyes… before reaching back to grab Caleb’s wrist, bringing it to the front and glaring at Caleb, “What? Are? These? The scars? I keep asking. Tell me.”

“Sorry. I wasn’t trying to dodge your question. I have difficulties getting to the point,” Caleb admitted, looking down at the scars, at the corner of his eye Alter Ego crawling back into Kokichi’s lap. “...Celeste was a chosen champion of a goddess of purity, Pelora. Known by some as the Weeping Child. Pelora was at war with all the other gods, having decided that true peace could only come from one source of true morality. Or, well, that was the line she told everyone… her people, of Fein, were tasked with conquering the world to make everyone worshippers of Pelora, and Celeste in particular was tasked with obtaining a weapon that could kill the gods themselves, with the goal of leaving Pelora ‘The One True God’.”

“But, Pelora’s worshippers are bound by a vow of strict pacifism.” Caleb explained, looking at the scars, “Which makes conquering a planet difficult. They could not cause harm with their own hands. So, to get around that, they enslaved damned souls. Souls that were already considered bound for hellfire from their sins against Pelora’s strict morality code. Us damned souls were put in bracers,” Caleb explained, pointing to his wrist, “that compelled us to obey the orders of anyone who’s name was inscribed in Pelora’s tongue. Under these orders, we were compelled to commit the sins that our priests could not perform themselves, such as battle and murder. Those of us specifically meant for those sins were called weapons, though anyone put in bracers were called Chained.”

“...I was Celeste’s.” Caleb explained softly, “The priests considered it divine intervention, that the brother of the champion, on the day she was discovered to be their champion, would have killed two people…” 

“...truly,” Caleb said, his face tightening with something slightly bitter, “What were the odds? That I would just ‘happen’ to kill the chained and priest that was dragging my sister away while our people were being slaughtered around us. Me revealing my evil nature in the same hour my sister was revealed to be their greatest hope. Remarkable. Certainly I wasn’t just a child terrified for our lives, throwing rocks and hoping it’d work out. Certainly my actions weren’t their fault.”

Caleb jumped, a little, when hands circled around his right arm… before looking down at Shuichi, who was looking up at him, with a look on him… pink flushing his cheeks, a smirk on his face.

“You speak beautifully… but sarcasm is cute, on you.” Shuichi smirked, eyes lidded in interest.

Caleb burned up, while Kaito just laughed on his other side.

In the physical world, Kokichi in no way would be able to support Kaito’s weight. However, even Kaito’s perception of that in his own head couldn’t compete with Kokichi’s mental strength, if he so wished to use it. So without much effort, Kokichi just smiled softly and looped an arm around Kaito’s back, leading him over to the sea. 

Laughing softly as Kaito woke up more, Kokichi nuzzled him and shrugged. “I don’t think it means too much? When I fall asleep in my mind, it just means I’m getting genuine rest, so…it’s kinda just like sleeping outside your mind too. We’d probably get kicked out if you did go full snooze, though.”

Rubbing Kaito’s back as, with awareness, came awareness, Kokichi listened to Caleb’s story of his and his sister’s designed fates. Of…a goddess wanting everything in her own hands, but playing the hypocrite in every facet. Of enough people benefitting from that hypocrisy that they bought into it wholesale. 

Listening to that tale…

It was barely even a drop in the bucket, as Kokichi gently pet Alter Ego in his lap, his eyes briefly going lavender, grey, brown, hazel, tawney… All united under one sentiment. 

What a load of bullshit.

A time and place that…perhaps, though Kokichi was still critical of the machinations and bullshit gods’ plans made…had needed the big change that happened. 

But…it was a time that wasn’t now, and a place that wasn’t here, and now…they could laugh about it. 

Kokichi shook his head with a small snort.

“Was that what you were trying to tell me earlier?” Shuichi asked, looking far more relaxed now, as he shifted beside Caleb, able to look at him more squarely, looking at him head on, “Before you told me I looked like Alten, it felt like you were trying to say something else. We were both… raised slaves, even if neither of us were called that. It’s an interesting thing to have in common. Was Alten?”

Caleb nodded, “Yes. To, both questions. Though, Alten was never truly damned. In truth, that was the great conflict between us. Alten had been pure, still, in the eyes of Pelora. His father, Celeste’s father, High Priest Wright, had managed to hide his own impurity for decades, raising his son as his chained. Blood tests were how we were determined to be damned or not, so if a test was needed, the priest always had his chained by his side, ready to cover his own impurities.”

“Wait, the father of the woman who was supposed to convert everyone was damned himself?” Kaito asked, giving Caleb a bewildered look, “Why would Pelora have let that go? Doesn’t that go against her divine plan?”

“Gods are not infallible, or all knowing. I doubt Pelora knew. And it didn’t actually matter. Pelora, the weeping child… the goal, for her, was never actually to conquer.” Caleb said simply, something soft in his gaze, “The world was different, when I lived, though I doubt Dicea ever knew it, and I’m sure it’s difficult for anyone on our continent to discover this. Gods were once well documented and well known… and abusive. They were old and growing mad in their age, how they handled the societies who worshiped them becoming more and more deadly or restrictive or cruel. The Goddess of Purity is the god cursed to know right from wrong, born in a symbiotic relationship with the Red Horned Ram, who is also tasked to know wrong from right. And together they are tasked with every new iteration of them to pursue a world that is more moral than not. And it is said that every new God of Purity breaks down when they are first made, gifted with the cruel knowledge of what they would one day have to do in order to keep that balance towards purity.”

“Long story short?” Caleb shrugged, looking out into the ocean, “All the gods that exist now? Are young gods. Each new Goddess of Purity and each new Ram must decide when it is time for the old gods to die, so that the new gods can live. Pelora just needed to create a champion who was willing to pull the trigger, and Celeste did, when the time came. Pelora was the first to die.”

“...does that mean there is no Goddess of Purity now?”

“There is.” Caleb said softly, “She is the Goddess of Purity, the Screaming Priestess. Though, many people have not yet noticed that. The other side of ‘faith’, I’ve found. Celeste, and all the other new gods, all decided that in their rule, on the advise of Wisdom, they’d hide themselves from the world, to not make themselves the kings and queens that the old gods were. To not intervene. They became myths as time went on, but the gods no longer directly interacting didn’t stop the religions of the old gods. When the gods went silent, people just went on with their worship, like nothing had changed… entirely unaware their gods had died.”

Kokichi…frowned slightly. Eyes narrowing as another flicker of color went through them…but this time not out of a single, unified sentiment. Almost in parody, like Nellis last time, there were parts of him desperate to chime out. Clawing at the chance to crow and correct that there was nothing in existence so simple as to be described in simple swathes of terms. 

(How such things as ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ were…entirely made up. How what the ‘so-called’ gods of their domains weren’t so simple in those terms. How the cycles of divinity, what even construed divinity, the cycles of matter and ideas and existence weren’t so clear cut.)

But…god, shut up.

Kokichi muttered as such under his breath, lightly bonking his head with the palm of his hand. Because…more than just how no one liked a pedantic ‘um, actually’er? …Kokichi didn’t want to know. Unlike his abilities, unlike his duty to the Empath community, unlike his burden to remember his own cycle and learn from his own mistakes to grow from that wisdom…

The scope of the universe really wasn’t his responsibility. And the secrets past versions of him had discovered weren’t his business. 

It’d only bum him out, honestly. 

Sighing softly, Kokichi gave Caleb a nod. “I see. I’ve heard people still worshiping Pelora today, so…that makes sense.”

Caleb nodded, “The version they worship is pure history. She doesn’t exist anymore. Celeste swore to never go back… though, she said that one day she probably would anyway. That time would take away her sensibilities and she’d start acting as erratically as the old gods… but when that happens, I trust her and Alice. I trust Alten. When it’s time for new gods again, Celeste will do what she must. And… it will be a long time before that happens. For now, I trust they’re happy.”

“...I miss them.” Caleb admitted softly, “Our time together was difficult. There wasn’t many happy moments. Not even with Alten. But I miss them. I take great comfort in the idea that they’re happy, across the sea.”

“Was Celeste…” Kaito frowned, “...ngh.”

“What, Kaito?” Shuichi asked, looking around Caleb.

“It’s a creepy question and it makes me feel gross. Kind of reminds me of our relationship, Shuichi, ours and Maki and mines… was Celeste a ‘good’ master?” Kaito winced, “Ngh. Did she take care of you? Were you guys close, despite everything?”

“...no.” Caleb said, shaking his head. “Not at all. Not for a long time. My sister hated me, for many years. In truth? When Celeste turned the weapon on Pelora, no one was more surprised than I was. And her reason baffled me. To save me, from hellfire… I had no idea she felt that way. I didn’t trust it, if I’m honest, not for a long time. For one, I was a devout follower of Pelora.”

Shuichi’s eyes widened at this, looking up at him, “Really?”

“Oh yes.” Caleb nodded, “I was fourteen when I was chained, but I was in my late twenties when Celeste chose to rebel to save me. I had long been convinced that I had earned my enslavement, and despite my damned status, I believed that Pelora had blessed me, by taking such good care of my sister. If Celeste was powerful and loved and taken care of? Why would I dare rage against a god who had given her everything in the world? It would have been… selfish. And self-centered. And if I ever felt that way, sometimes? Jealous and bitter and angry… that was just my ‘evil’ showing itself.” Caleb said tiredly, “No one was a greater defender of Pelora’s will than I was. It was why Alten hated me, for as long as he did. He thought I was cowardly and weak. Meanwhile, I was desperate to keep him pure, when I discovered what his father was doing. I couldn’t protect him from the high priest, but I refused Alten in the one way that he could reasonably manage to damn his soul, under his fathers control. His father kept him away from fights, violence, any situation that could damn a person… but, if I had let him, Alten could have… if he had slept with me, his soul would have been damned, and his father exposed. And because I was one of the handful of people Wright allowed him to be alone with, and I was mute and couldn’t tell anyone what Alten was trying to do, he tried to force the issue a few times.”

“...what happened?” Kaito asked.

Caleb raised an eyebrow, looking surprised at the question, “I’m twice his size and was raised to rip people apart with my hands. He kept trying to find ways to give himself an advantage, and I’d just pin him down and wait for him to calm down, give up. It infuriated him. Then he’d try arguing with me, negotiating with me, ‘seducing’ me…” Caleb rolled his eyes, “I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to damn him, or let him damn himself through me. Even if it meant his father got to get away with it, for as long as he did. It wasn’t worth damning Alten to hellfire, to expose him. I didn’t even love him, when I decided that. It just seemed the right thing to do… and I stand by it. Some people have argued with me, when I explained what happened between Alten and I, that I could have helped him. But as miserable as being chained was, the fear of hellfire terrified me. I wouldn’t subject Alten to it, not for anything.”

Kokichi grimaced a bit at the question Kaito asked, likely for some of the same reasons Kaito winced spitting it out. As much as, personally, and talking about the institutional level, Kokichi refused to acknowledge the indentured program as anything but slavery…talking about how Kaito had been Shuuichi and Maki’s master felt like not just poison in the mouth, but like a swampy electric current all through the brain too. 

But…like Caleb and Celeste… It had been the truth. As horrible as it was--and, truly, the more Caleb talked about what his world and life had been, the more horrifically depressing it looked to Kokichi--it…was what happened. It was reality, not some far off fantasy story. And to look away was to deny the lives that had lived it. 

Kokichi smiled grimly. As someone who had, more than a few times, been in the position of Caleb’s critics…he did understand why they had tried to fight his choices. But…he did understand better these days why Caleb had made the choice, and stood behind it. Or, rather, he could understand the rationale that Caleb had just given. 

Sometimes the world was too big. Sometimes it just wasn’t reasonable to demand people make the choice that pits them against the whole world. Sometimes…choosing something smaller, and yet just as meaningful, from the bottom of the heart, was one of the greatest acts you could make. 

And even if it hadn’t been out of love at the time…Kokichi would argue that it still had been a form of love, if not romantic. A love of grace and humanity that Caleb had ensured for Alten. 

Kokichi idly wondered if Alten had ever come to appreciate that act of love, in his silent, hard way. 

“I have a hard time imagining, worshiping a god that’s already damned you to eternal suffering… not even the Momota’s ever asked something like that from us.” Alter Ego said, their ear flickering slightly, “Even if she was taking care of your sister, that’s a level of self-sacrifice I can’t imagine for myself. Not even self-sacrifice, really… you had already been–” 

“Langols,” Kokichi muttered under his breath, mild disgust in his face.

“--punished,” Alter Ego continued, “Forced to give up everything. I can’t imagine the sort of… patience. I guess. That would require you forgiving them for that.”

“I can.” Shuichi muttered.

Kaito heard his husbands muttering to themselves, but while Shuichi’s he understood– Shuichi probably understood Caleb better than any of them– he glanced down at Kokichi, “Langols?”

A…complicated expression crossed over Kokichi’s face. “...sorry. I think talking so much about the past is stirrin’ up all the assholes in my soul.”

“...think I talked about the religious persecution that was a whole…” Kokichi gestured vaguely, “Era. In Dicea. One of the biggest arguments for it was because of the Holy Congregation of the Divine Truth, Langley. Followers called Langols. Believed that everyone was inherently damned to eternal suffering,” Kokichi gave Alter Ego a nod, “And the…point, I guess, of the religion was to repent through earthly suffering, and maybe if you were perfect and devout…and super rich and converted a ton of people and inflicted a lot of earthly suffering onto others, then maybe your suffering in the afterlife wouldn’t be as bad.”

Kokichi shook his head with an irritated huff. “...just reminded me of it, sorry.”

All the Luminaries (well, as much as Caleb or Alter Ego fit into that camp) stared at Kokichi… but it was Kaito who sputtered, “That sounds miserable. What? I’ve been trying to wrap my head around the idea of actual, literal hellfire this whole conversation, honestly, like… hellfire is a ‘mythical’ thing to Atuans. No one’s damned. That’s the point. So I’ve been trying to imagine what actually being damned is like with you, Caleb, but having an entire religion based around you already being damned? …what do they tell the kids!?”

“Probably that they’re damned,” Shuichi said grimly, while Caleb nodded tiredly, “Same way I was Indentured when I was five, Kaito.”

Kaito winced at that, before groaning into his hands, “Nngh… I hate that. I hate it. I need everyone, everywhere, to stop saying awful things to children. I need it. Fuck. I want to scream… I’m sorry.”

Rubbing his eyes some more, Kaito let his hands fall into his lap, his eyes burning red as he glared into the water, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Fuck, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorr–”

Kaito was cut off, as Caleb wrapped his arms around Kaito’s waist, and under his knees, pulling Kaito’s legs out of the water and pulling him into his lap. Kaito blinking owlishly as Caleb rumbled, “That’s enough water for you. It’s a balance. Let the calm come back a little… Kokichi?” Caleb said, looking to his husband, gesturing him to come closer, “Don’t be so distant. It’s… nice to have you and Shuichi so close, as myself. I’d… like to be nearer to you, if that is alright.” Caleb said, looking a little shy.

It wasn’t exactly what they had preached, Kokichi knew--few oppressive groups actually told you straight out what they were doing--but…as far as he knew, which, now was a very good source, the Langols had painted a miserable picture for themselves. Humans were beings of sin, made to suffer. There was no…happiness. Or kindness. Those things were actually heralded as signs of damnation. There was only power. And the more you suffered and caused others to suffer, the better you were. 

It was misery. 

And when Kokichi had said that it had been the major point in the secular crusade…it was for both sides of the persecution. A reason for people to ban religion, to look down on those that practiced it. …an extreme that people had to face, about exactly where the lines were, if religion was to be protected under the law. Where, exactly, could you draw the distinction between a religion and a cult, and where could you draw the lines of violence inflicted unto others. 

Was it something the law could dictate, if you told your child there was divine consequence for doing wrong in life? Could you truly protect someone, and yet ensure freedom of belief, if not adhering to a group norm meant choosing ostracization? 

It was miserable. It was miserable. 

And even with the laws decided, with dozens of different temples and churches and mosques and synagogues across every given community…countless years later Kokichi had still read about the Langols, and had become cruel and dismissive towards religious belief. 

And yet…he couldn’t even perform a thought experiment, wishing for a humanity better off without gods, because… It was as Caleb said. Hundreds of years later, people were still worshiping dead gods, none the wiser. Even without a person in front of them, without grand miracles, people would have an idea, and belief would be made. 

There would always be people using that belief to control others. 

…and there would always be people fighting back against that control. 

For all the pain caused…there were always people trying to heal. 

Holding Alter Ego to his chest, Kokichi chuckled softly, giving Caleb a warm look, and a sympathetic one to Kaito’s teary face. “Well, now that you’ve made room…” Kokichi scooted over, snuggling up to Caleb’s side in a familiar motion, even against a bigger frame.

Kaito had at first been a little uncomfortably stiff in Caleb’s lap, and had almost demanded to be let go– it very rarely came up, but Kaito didn’t like to be touched when he felt like this. He didn’t like hands on him, being held down or felt up, when he was struggling to not lose it in rage, or felt sick in his sadness. Too many of his partners had tried to fuck his sadness away and those were some of the most miserable sexual encounters he had ever had. He had eventually just learned to not show sadness to them, if he could help it– feeling guilty at the terrible things that happened to Caleb. To Shuichi. To Maki-roll, and his son, Timothy. He was sorry. He was sorry. Kaito would undo it all, if he could. He hated it. He was so sorry…

But as his feet dripped with ocean water and a breeze rushed over them, cooling in the otherwise warm air, Kaito felt that tension leave him. Sighed as he adjusted himself in Caleb’s lap a little, before resting his head on the larger man’s chest, letting that calm take him. He did feel better…

Caleb smiled, putting his arm carefully around Kokichi, hesitating for just a moment, looking for signs of discomfort, before letting his arm rest around Kokichi’s back and around his waist. With Shuichi relaxing on one side, Kokichi and Alter Ego the other, and Kaito calming down against his chest, it was honestly the most comfortable Caleb had been in a while. His size was useful in a practical sort of way, but being laid against as a source of comfort had always been something Caleb cherished.

“... you know. I lived as a sailor and a fisherman for many decades longer, than I was a chained.” Caleb mused, “In a way, it was a much longer, more significant part of my life, after the new gods left. The world changed, after that. People still tried to chain others, but the magic that used to work to compel obedience had died with Pelora. A great deal of abusive magic vanished with their old gods. Magic, back in those days, was heavily associated with religion, and when such a significant portion of it vanished? It became a bit of an equalizer, for a long time, that the average person didn’t have access to it anymore. There was a huge pushback against magic in general, when people realized they didn’t have to live in fear of it anymore, and that was a problem the world is still struggling to figure out, that fear of magic… but having lived through the age of magic when it was at its worst? And then getting to live in the new age? Everything was so much more peaceful feeling, for a while. Especially for my island. We lived blessed lives, the type where one had to leave and find adventure out in the world, rather then struggle as the world came to force adventure on them.”

“I lived a good, calm life, for the most part, is what I’m trying to say.” Caleb said softly, “I fished a lot. I repaired boats, and fences, and homes. I taught children how to thread nets and went to those children's marriages. I died with a promise from my god, that I’d have a family of my own someday.”

“And I did…” Caleb closed his eyes, smiling lightly, “It didn’t happen how I’d imagined, but… there was a period of my life where I was convinced I’d be suffering and screaming, right this very moment, until my soul burned away. Where my sister hated me. Where I had no loves and no children and thought I didn’t deserve any… I’m lucky. Incomprehensibly lucky, sometimes. I’ve lived a good existence.”

Of course Kokichi felt Kaito’s grief. His rage and sadness and guilt. It was inescapable even in the physical world, with how strongly Kaito felt, and in his mind? There was no chance. 

But it was like the balance of Caleb’s island. The calm, sleepy numbness of the sand, and the alert clarity of the water. As much as Kokichi always longed to help soothe his husband’s pain, to at least hear it expressed, if nothing else…it was different in this place. Just part of the constant ebb and flow, rather than Kaito falling into a true low. 

Maybe that would come later, as he sat with all the knowledge they’d discussed, but…not right now, at least. 

Kokichi peeked up at Caleb, nodding slowly as he cuddled in more. Caleb had said much the same their first visit. He hadn’t gone into his struggles as much, but he had alluded to them all the same…and he had concluded with the same truth. 

For all the pain, there had been healing. 

“I’m glad,” Kokichi said softly. “I’m happy you were happy. And…I’m happy you’re here now. Even if you got pulled into some crazy again.”

Because there was more happiness with it too.

Caleb chuckled a little. Shuichi, on the other side of him, smirked into his arm. “...you’re laughing at us.” Shuichi accused softly. The amusement in his voice taking away some of the sting of the sincere accusation.

Still, Caleb shook his head, “Not at you. At myself, really… we’ve been through terrible things, in this life. You’ve both been through terrible things… but in comparison to my last life. At least the period of time it was at its worst? I still can’t help but think of all the lovely things, this life has brought me. I did not have a Maki or a Shuichi, growing up alongside me to love and to support me. Friends who would be there through the thickest and the thinnest. And my romance with Kokichi, while difficult… so early in, I was already in love. And I already felt so loved. Kokichi gave his love and kindness and devotion so… gently, in our Kokichi’s way. You did not leave me guessing, or begging, or living and dying on the occasional smile or little laugh, not forever. You loved me, and then showed that love, without compromise.”

“I’ve had a good life.” Kaito murmured into Caleb’s chest.

“We have, yes. We’ve had it stunningly good, in this life. I’m very grateful. I have a hard time looking at any of it and wanting to complain. I’d feel ungrateful.”

“...” Shuichi frowned, sitting up. And suddenly, determinedly, standing up. Standing in the water, crossing his arms as he looked at Caleb, standing in front of him. 

Caleb frowned, while Kaito peeked his eyes open, still clinging to Caleb. “Yes, Shuichi?” Caleb asked.

“... Tengan was a nightmare on your life.” Shuichi said. Eyes cold. Stern.

Caleb gave him an uncertain look, “...yes. I won’t argue that. But you have to understand, what I’m comparing him to… Tengan was barely involved in our life, after a certain point, and–”

“Your parents were nightmares.”

At that Caleb nodded grimly, “They abused their power over people, and did terrible things to you–”

“To us. To you.” Shuichi scowled, tightening the fold of his arms, “King Leon gave away Kaito’s life to fulfill a sex fantasy–”

Alter Ego’s eyes widened. What?? 

“--and his mother protected him from nothing and no one. You. Neither of them loved you. Byakuya–”

Caleb reached out, gently touching Shuichi’s arm, “Shuichi, I know these things. Why are you angry with me?”

“Because…” Shuichi took his arm back. A chill radiating off him, “You're the side of Kaito that forgave a goddess for damning you to hellfire, out of love for a sister that was, from the little you’ve said of it, abused you. And while I know its dangerous to dissect Kaito’s personality into thin little lines, saying this is Caleb, this is Akane, this is the other one… if we did do that? Then the side of Kaito that keeps dismissing the terrible things people do to him as nothing is coming from you.”

“And I hate that.” Shuichi scowled, “You deserved to value yourself more, in your life. I hope you had that, at some point… but Kaito needs that now. It needs to matter when people hurt him. It needs to matter that his brother abused him, and that his religion humiliated him, and that the people around him hurt him. I don’t know if you’re just the part of him constantly comparing it to something worse, or if its that patience in you thats sabotaging him, but that mindset has hurt him as often as its helped. And I can’t just be silent when I’m potentially literally talking to that part of him personifie–”

“Shuichi, handsome?” Kaito sighed, sitting up. Reaching up and, unconcerned by how odd it was, taking Caleb’s face and pushing it towards himself, seeing in the stress that was building there with a small, sympathetic frown, before leaning up to give Caleb a small, lingering kiss. Ignoring Shuichi’s short, alarmed breath, seeing Kaito kiss someone who wasn’t him or Kokichi and not sure how to feel about it… before breaking the kiss and resting his forehead against Caleb’s temple, still holding the side of his face, before looking to his husband, “Can we talk about this in therapy? For one, we’re not dividing ‘Kaito’ into lines and saying this belongs to this person, okay? I’ve already decided that for myself, and I need you to respect that. If you have an issue with me? It’s with me. Not my individual shards.”

“And two… Caleb doesn’t deserve this.” Kaito said, giving his husband a hard look, “I’m not gonna let him take responsibility for parts of me you don’t like, or take the punishment for it. How he feels about his life, how he coped with it? He didn’t hurt anyone, taking care of himself. He was doing his best, and I won’t let you browbeat him for not being perfect about it. He lived his life and he did the best he could. It’s done now. We’re not acting as makeshift trials for him.”

“...three?” Kaito sighed, wrapping his arms around Caleb’s neck, nuzzling into his neck, “He loves you so damn much, handsome. He doesn’t get to talk to you a lot, as himself. He’s not gonna argue back with you, he’ll just take it. I’m not gonna let him. Don’t do this. We’ll work it out with Dr. Mariah, I promise. Not now.”

Caleb, who had been staring at Shuichi tensely, the second Kaito had stopped forcing him to look away to kiss him, let out a tense breath… before wrapping his free arm around Kaito. Letting himself lean on him, wordlessly taking that protection. Kaito setting a hard boundary, when it came to Caleb.

On the island, Kokichi had been trying to keep himself a little more stable. He might not be feeling the effects of a third of himself manifesting separately, but Caleb had explained it before, how the island made you comfortable. Complacent. 

But…the fact that he had waited for Kaito to speak up for himself was maybe sign enough that he was more affected than he thought. Though…it was good that he did.

It wasn’t like Kokichi didn’t see Shuuichi’s point, though he wholly agreed with Kaito that separating out different traits and impulses he had into his shards was just not helpful, let alone a boundary that Kaito didn’t want crossed. Kokichi was happy that Caleb had found happiness and gratitude in his life, yes. But…pain was pain. It could not be compared with anything else, and to say that you should be grateful that things weren’t worse? Maybe it was a coping mechanism, to keep yourself going, because if you couldn’t find that gratitude, then you would lose it. It was a way to survive (something that Kokichi had observed in Maki and Shuuichi too, actually). 

But it was something to untangle, once you were at a point where you did have something more than it not being as bad as it could be. It was something to look at, and mourn, and rage, and realize…that it was okay to be “ungrateful”. And “selfish”. And to want, to crave, to look at the world and demand more from it. You were worth more than things simply not being worse. You deserved good.

…but that was an entire, long, messy process…

…and they had already had that conversation more than once. And they’d likely keep having it again and again, beating the conversation until it was dead, like Dr. Mariah said. 

Huffing something like a laugh, Kokichi rubbed Caleb’s back before moving Alter Ego to his shoulders, standing to meet Shuuichi in the water and taking his hands. Giving them a squeeze and a soft, understanding smile. “We’re gonna have a real crazy session next time, huh?”

Shuichi frowned, though he took Kokichi’s hands. Squeezing them, even as he looked over him, at Kaito and Caleb. Kaito looking almost unnaturally stern, holding Caleb protectively, while Caleb ducked his face down and hid behind him.  Refusing to let Caleb take a browbeating that, any other day, Shuichi was certain Kaito would have nodded along with, without ever actually internalizing what Shuichi (and Maki and Kokichi and their mentors and Shuichi was certain so many others) was trying to tell him. 

Maybe it was just literally being in Caleb’s environment. Giving Kaito the space, the willingness, to actually have this conversation without trying as quickly as possible to get it to stop. Even if his willingness was just to set boundaries in a clear way and agree to talk about it later in a real way… but Shuichi felt his shoulders fall. Sighing as he leaned against Kokichi a little, holding his hands tight. “...sorry. Caleb, I love you. I love Kaito. I just want you both to love yourselves as much as I do.”

“...” Caleb looked up from where he was hiding behind Kaito, eyes wide a little… before he clutched Kaito tighter, who smiled into his neck, closing his eyes as Caleb leaned forward a little, “...c…” he swallowed, looking shy, “...could you… say that again?”

Shuichi, honestly, didn’t know what he meant at first… before he remembered what Caleb had said. How Alten, even to the end, had left him with nothing but context clues. Nothing but hope that his feelings had been reciprocated.

So, feeling his emotions soften a little, Shuichi shuffled forward in the water, keeping Kokichi’s hand in one hand– he had a feeling Kokichi wouldn’t be opposed to this– before steadying himself on Caleb’s other shoulder with his free hand, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss against Caleb’s cheek, “I love you very much,” Shuichi whispered, “I love you, Caleb.”

Kokichi smiled proudly--though not beaming, not wanting to be that kind of patronizing to Shuuichi. It wasn’t always like pulling teeth, especially these days, but…sometimes apologies from Shuuichi could feel hard won. But he believed in his new husband, just like Shuuichi believed in them. 

And watching Shuuichi lean in, kissing Caleb’s cheek and expressing his love… Kokichi shared a look with Alter Ego before returning to watch, a few of his hearts from earlier popping out of him again. 

To think they thought Caleb would be the easiest introduction. Serves them right, for underestimating any facet of a person. 

There was a certain degree of importance, in Shuuichi specifically showing Caleb his love…but Kokichi didn’t wait long before leaning in himself, giving a more enthusiastic smooch to Caleb’s cheek. And then one to Kaito’s head too, not wanting any part of him left out of this moment.

Kaito grinned, laughing a little, before hugging Caleb tighter. Saying a tad smugly, “See? They love us. Told you so.”

Caleb smirked lightly, giving Kaito a small, amused look, even as his face burned red from the kisses against his cheeks, “I don’t recall us ever arguing about it.”

“Bullshit.” Kaito sighed, “You know damn well we did.”

“...you were correct.” Caleb agreed, resting his head on Kaito’s, closing his eyes, “They love us quite a bit.”

-

Even miles away from home, somehow school was still a pain in Elthea’s ass. From the beginning Lluwyn had been planning to make this a substantial trip, since he wasn’t going to make the trek down from the mountains just for a week or two, but even from that his initial plans had been elongated by becoming Shuuichi and Himiko’s teacher. And now, about a month in, Lluwyn hadn’t talked at all about planning to head back to the Hollow or cross the border into Novoselic before the snow started to set in, so Elthea wasn’t gonna say a word!

The capital city was awesome, and she wasn’t going to complain about spending more time away from their sleepy little village. But that said, all the big buildings and neat parks were just set dressing if there was nothing to do. So, like any teenage girl, Elthea had taken the world for her own!

And had made friends with other teenage girls. 

Buuuuut…that meant that when school started up again, Elthea was left to her own devices until the mid-afternoon. Which she still had fun with, but…

“Uuuuuugh, c’mon!” she griped, doing a little spin on her heel as she turned around on the retaining wall of the school grounds. Having been pacing back and forth foreeeeeeever, waiting for the end-of-middle-block classes to end, and her friends to come out. Geez, she hadn’t been that early, and were the last few minutes of class really that vital? C’mon, really, just--

“Oh, hey!” Back towards the front gate, Elthea skipped on the bricks, waving at the other teen leaned against the wall, one bag over an oversized, chunky sweater while a smaller, more gift-bag-looking one was hanging off his elbow. “Look at that, a total delinquent after my own heart! You waiting for someone too?”

“A-ah?”

It was like a full-body jolt, Doppio blinking up at the girl on the wall, just…stunned for a moment. Not like he was in awe, or anything, but just…his brain taking a few more moments than usual to process what was happening, before he blinked tiredly up at her. 

And…while she hadn’t commented on it at first (likely from being a little too far away still) that…was just about how Doppio looked in his entirety. Tired. Eyes a little glazed with smudges underneath, shoulders slumped even standing at attention. Even his bangs seemed more limp than usual. 

Staying up all night would do that to someone. 

“...uh, yeah.”

Flumping down on the wall next to him, Elthea huffed back at the school. “Taking forever, right? It’s 2 already!! Just--”

Behind them, chimes rang, and it was barely a second before the doors flung open, students starting to stream out. 

“Ellie, hey! Hold up, Nellie’s in crutches today!” A girl with golden hair curled at the sides like ram horns shouted out from the crowd, giving a wave before disappearing again. 

Behind them, Arven, with his hands in his pockets and looking generally pissed off– two guys chuckling to each other behind him, heading the opposite direction, might have something to do with that– as he headed out of the school, looked up with a grumpy expression as he heard ram girl shout… before lighting as he saw Doppio at the wall. Grinning a little in what looked like honest surprise, before raising his hand to wave… and wincing when one of the guys walking past him suddenly gave him a ‘high five’. Slapping Arven’s hand and laughing and walking away when Arven glared at him, before huffing. 

“Doppio! Hey, you’re actually here!” Arven grinned, trotting up to the wall, shoving his hands into his pockets again as he moved. “I don’t know why I’m surprised, you did say you were gonna stop by… uh. Hey!” he said again. “You still working?”

Though, as he got closer, his grin faltered a little, seeing the state Doppio was in, as he asked, “Did you sleep? Did, uh… did our little friend keep you up singing or something?”

Even with how the day had gone, Doppio couldn’t help the small smile that came to his face upon seeing Arven’s, and he returned the wave… Only to glare half-heartedly at the moron who thought he came up with the beeeest joke in the world…geez. 

“Hi, Arven. I’m still working, yeah, I…” Doppio sighed, looking to the side before offering up a sheepish smile. Strained as it was. “Nah, she went back to see her boss last night. Just, uh… An emergency situation came in while we were hanging out yesterday, so I had to take care of it when I got back. Took a while.”

He shrugged a little. “I’ll live.”

There was an awkward, quiet beat for a moment before Doppio blinked, making a small surprised sound at himself before he slid the gift bag off his arm, holding it out for Arven. “Oh! Here’s your stuff, by the way.” 

Given the excuse to have a laundry day anyway, Doppio had cleaned and ironed Arven’s clothes as he’d planned, but also… Well, he usually didn’t use any oils or scented soaps with the sheets or towels or Boss’s clothes, because The Boss didn’t like it…and…maybe it was just a thing people in general didn’t like, but Doppio had taken the chance, and nestled a sachet in with Arven’s clothes. Nothing too pungent, but there would be a nice pine scent, if Arven should take a smell. 

And, well, Arven had mentioned washing the clothes when he got them back, so if he didn’t like it, then Doppio wasn’t making extra work. 

Arven took the bag and peeked inside, lighting up a little. “Wow, you got these clean in one night? Yours are still drying at home, I wish I could have had them ready for you to take now… that’s really impressive, Doppio.” Arven grinned, looking up at him. “Thanks for doing that.”

“Um, I don’t know if you’re done working for the day, but if you want you can swing by my house to pick up your clothes? Or we could go get some food…” Arven shrugged, trying not to look too eager as he looked idly at nothing very much. “I don’t know. Something? If you’re not doing anything?”

Doppio glanced away, smiling bashfully as…wow. Arven thought he was impressive? O-or, rather, that what he did was impressive… That was a nice warm feeling in his chest, huh. And on his cheeks too. 

“I try,” he laughed softly, smoothing back some fallen hair behind his ear. “If I had an early start today, may as well get something out of it, right?”

After what had happened the day before (though, arguably, still Doppio’s ‘today’) he was…hesitant. And had mostly planned on just returning Arven’s clothes at the school, then continuing on. 

But…

Doppio chewed his lip, shifting his weight a little before looking back up at Arven. “Um… I’m not quite done with everything today, but…I do have some time. We could go to yours?”

Man… For being so wet yesterday, it was awfully warm out.

“Yeah? Yeah! Cool! Uh, great.” Arven grinned, feeling a heavy spark of excitement at that, though again, not trying to be weird about it. He didn’t want to scare his new friend away by being weird and overager. Gotta play it cool–

“Arven!” 

Ugh. “What!?” Arven grouched over his shoulder, adjusting his backpack to hide behind it a little, like that might protect him from the sudden attention of the class representative. “I went to class, Nemona!”

“Heck yeah you did, I saw you!” Nemona said enthusiastically, giving Arven a thumbs up and wink… before her brow furrowed as she turned the thumbs up into a thumbs down. “But you got real quiet when the teacher started talking about our end year personal projects!”

“The year just started!” 

“Initial concept requests are due in a week!” Nemona said, getting riiiight up into Arven’s personal space, glaring down at him as she jabbed a finger into his face, “If you leave it to the last second to think about it, you’re gonna end up miserable working on a project all year you didn’t want to do in the first place! You’ve already lost a year of your education track, and as your rep I’m not letting you fall any further behind! …who is this?”

Nemona, finally noticing Doppio as Arven glared at her, brightly smiled, shoving her hand out to entice Doppio into a handshake as she said, “A new student!? A transfer!? I’m so sorry I wasn’t aware of your earlier, I’m Nemona, your class rep! Has Arven shown you around yet!?”

A smile grew on Doppio’s face as Arven smiled, his apprehension fading back. Really, Doppio had been trying his best not to get too comfortable leaning against the retaining wall and potentially passing out right there, but with Arven looking pretty happy to spend some time together? It wasn’t really like a zing of coffee, but--

Doppio jumped slightly, definitely more awake. 

He watched, bewildered, as a taller girl marched right up to Arven, berating him and…kinda fussing in a way that reminded Doppio a bit of Kaito. 

So that wasn’t the best sign. Ah…this was the class rep Arven had groaned about before, huh?

Glancing between them, Doppio tried to decide if he should intervene, but his decision was made for him as Nemona turned that bright spotlight on him. Jumping slightly again, Doppio made an unsure noise in the back of his throat, looking at her outstretched hand. 

…those kids before thought he could be Luminous. Maybe he could just say he was, and that he was more used to bows than handshakes…nnng. 

Tentatively, Doppio offered his hand to the girl, shaking hers. “I’m not a student, but, um, nice to meet you? I guess? I’m…” Doppio blanked out. He usually did introduce himself formally, full name and all, a weirdly casual offering of information that didn’t really fit his lifestyle, but…

…part of the reason he was a little more comfortable doing that was…because it was usually an easy transition to ask to be called by his last name with no fuss. No one really blinking twice at his name, except potentially to ask if he was Tsumarian, like…Winston? Did. 

…but Arven spoke fluent Tsumarian. Something Doppio rarely ran into in the big, central cities. 

Cheeks flushing with embarrassment, Doppio finally broke his awkward, elongated silence. “...Doppio.”

“Doppio! Great to meet you!” Nemona greeted, enthusiastically shaking Doppio’s hand, clasping it with both of hers before suddenly letting him go. Grinning at him as she rested her hands triumphantly on her hips. “You’re going to do great here, I can just tell!”

“He’s not a transfer, he’s actually already working.”

Nemona frowned. “Another drop out? Geez, this school’s going through an epidemic. How many dropouts does that make just this last year alone?”

“He’s not a drop out!” Arven barked… before amending, “Well, not to this school. Look, he’s got his life figured out, okay, he doesn’t need school or rescuing or any random thing going through your head right now.”

“Forgive me if I don’t buy that anyone has it ‘figured out’ by our age,” Nemona said a tad dryly, glaring at Arven as a debate they had had a dozens times bubbled up again, “They give us twelve years to figure out what we might wanna do with our futures, all these resources to try new things–”

“Here we go again,” Arven muttered to Doppio.

“--and yet you have all these kids at fifteen doing kind of okay in their first part time jobs being like ‘ah, yes, this is what I’ll do for the literal rest of my life, got it alllll figured out at fourteen’! And that’s the ones who at least have a job lined up! So many kids are dropping not because they have something they want to do, they just don’t want to do lessons! What kind of sense does that make!?”

Arven rolled his eyes. “You wouldn’t get it. School’s always been easy for you, Nemona.”

“Easy!? What, are you saying I can’t sympathize because I’ve never had to try?”

“Ugh, I don’t want to talk about this. Doppio has to go back to work, can we spare the lecture? Actually, I don’t even know why I’m asking. Come on, Doppio,” Arven said, turning to walk away from Nemona, who growled at his retreating form, “Stop worrying about me! I’m fine!”

“Prove it! Get your homework done! Write down some concepts!” Nemona shouted after him.

“Yeah, yeah.” Arven sighed, shaking his head. “What a nag.”

Doppio made some indistinct sound as Nemona just barely didn’t shake his arm out of its socket, feeling unbalanced after she let him go. That was certainly…some enthusiasm. The kind that just barreled through stuff, like him saying he wasn’t a student, but…thankfully Arven cut in to make that point again, before Doppio could just be ignored a second time. 

He thought it was kind of obvious he wasn’t a student, but…well, he supposed he should just be thankful he never got stopped and accused of truancy. Or dragged to school on those grounds. What a nightmare that’d be to explain everything…

“I don’t…really think anyone has anything figured out, to be fair,” Doppio mumbled, not exactly wanting to get in the middle of their debate, but wanting to back up his friend. And he did think it was a fair point…even if The Boss was someone who had everything figured out, but…again. It was never fair to compare anyone to The Boss. “Doesn’t seem right to disproportionately accuse some people of being flighty just because of age.”

Plus, like…

(...was he 15? Arven was, though with a birthday coming up, he’d said. Doppio didn’t think he was 15…that was pretty young. But despite the point he’d made…he didn’t really feel like he was…hm. Hm.)

Doppio blinked back into the conversation, having spaced out a bit, turning to follow Arven quickly before he was left behind. “R-right! Um…” Glancing over his shoulder, he gave Nemona a small wave before jogging back to Arven’s side. If his comparison to Kaito was right, then…nothing would stop her if she wanted to keep talking, but maybe a more formal goodbye would dissuade her…

“Oh Miss Representative!!” 

Doppio glanced back again, seeing another girl with brown hair held back in a headband determinedly walk over to Nemona…while equally determinedly dragging someone with messy green hair sloppily put into a bun over as well. 

They were home free, then. Nice.

Smiling weakly at Arven, Doppio offered a shrug. “She does seem like…a lot.” Thinking for a moment, Doppio paused before humming softly. “No pressure, if you don’t want to talk about it, but…is an ‘end year personal project’ kinda exactly what it sounds like?”

“If it sounds like a lot of work you’re supposed to do for the whole year, then yes.” Arven sighed, scratching at his hip a bit. “...Nemona just doesn’t get it. I didn’t shut down during our talks about the project in class because I haven’t been thinking about it. It’s a huge part of progression analysis, it’s one of those things that’s supposed to really help you if you wanted to sign up for particularly challenging or specific education tracks. Basically it can be used as the proof of ‘here I actually take this thing seriously and can do it, I wouldn’t be a waste of time’. It’s a big deal.”

“But it’s so hard to be motivated to pick a specific project to work on, when it kinda feels like I’m already too far behind… I couldn’t use the Titan Herbs I was working on last year for a report, even if technically it would have been perfect. Plants that can bring back a creature from the brink of death? They would have insisted I turn it in for research, not put it in my dog bowls… and it was so damn challenging to find even one, let alone enough of them to help. It took me basically disappearing from school for a year to do it.”

“I don’t know… Chief is better now. Maybe if I could just find one more Titan Herb, I could create a report about it and give it to researchers and get a bunch of resource opportunity for herbology… ugh. It just kind of feels like a pipe dream. It’s a bit overwhelming, I have a hard time thinking too hard about it,” Arven admitted, “...I think I’m a little burnt out, honestly.”

“Mm… So it’s like…a self-directed, or at least chosen thing, to start on something you want to do, and prove to people already in that field that you’re worth putting resources into? That makes sense, if you wanna bypass the entry-level stuff,” Doppio nodded, wrapping his head around the concept. He…wasn’t actually all that sure if his job was entry-level, though it sure felt like the sort of thing not everyone could do. Point in case, Doppio had…vague memories of having to learn practically everything on the fly, when he was first starting out. 

(The only thing he had never needed guidance on was…more of a feeling that spurred action, rather than any particular skill. An unshakable determination to protect The Boss.)

Humming softly as Arven explained his actual issue with the project, Doppio’s brows furrowed, already starting to try and form plans to help…but that wasn’t what Arven was saying, really. “I mean…if you literally just did the project, basically, that makes sense that you wouldn’t wanna go through the whole thing again, so soon.”

Giving a sympathetic glance, Doppio bumped their shoulders together. “...but it’s not really as if you don’t have time, right? Even if your school is saying that you have to figure it out…like, who cares? You’ve already been able to do things without your school’s help, why conform to their schedule? Just go at your own pace, you know?”

Arven seemed to consider that… before nodding determinedly, giving Doppio a warm look. “Yeah, you’re right. I don’t need these guys. I’ve done everything else on my own, why trip all over myself for help now? I’d probably be better off working on my own things anyway.”

“It’s just too much, for right now. Once I’ve caught my breath, I’m gonna blow everyone out of the water, with my next big achievement! And it’s gonna be thanks to no one but me!” Arven grinned, looking determined… before letting out a mildly exhausted puff of air, “Just need a minute, really.”

Glancing over at Doppio, Arven frowned, gently nudging him back. “You do too, it looks like. You really do look exhausted. They have you working hard, huh? You want to grab some coffee on the way, or wait for me to make you something with a little kick to it?”

“I bet,” Doppio grinned back, his cheer sincere in his belief that Arven really would achieve something great, when he was ready to get back to it. He’d already done it once, after all, and while Doppio was a busy bee himself, having that kind of track record gave him faith in Arven. 

Because, like…Arven was cool. And capable. So of course he’d do great things. 

…and even busy bees could understand needing downtime. 

Sighing softly, Doppio wound his hands in his sleeves and around the strap of his bag. “I’m no stranger to working late, but I don’t really get overnights often. Not my favorite, though I’m happy to have everything done. Just gotta be careful not to completely destroy my sleep schedule, now.”

Even if he could really go for just…curling up on the ground right here and taking a nap. 

Coffee would probably help. 

Doppio peeked an eye over at Arven. “...what kind of kick are you talkin’?” he asked, curiosity piqued. 

Arven grinned at that. “Weird ancient titan magic isn’t the only kind of herb I know. I have all sorts of things back home. Uppers, downers, things that would make you see things that could have been impressive had your little angel not come by to be a whole trip by herself. I don’t use a lot of it regularly, but it’s kind of a point of pride for myself that I know how to find and collect and use them all.”

Scratching his eyebrow, he admitted, “Though, what I have in mind isn’t all that crazy. It’s just this stuff called White Tea. It’s meant to be a really, like, healthy caffeine alternative, but I like it less for the health benefits and more because it really makes you feel awake without giving you that ‘I have to punch the sun’ buzzed feeling… or ‘sudden crippling anxiety’ caffeine buzz. You know what I mean?”

Doppio gave Arven an uneasy look. “...I’m not allowed to do hard drugs. Or…really any drugs at all, except caffeine, and alcohol, sometimes.”

Even if he couldn’t really remember the context, the incident had burned itself into Doppio’s mind. Being curious about some of the supply, and Boss immediately shutting him down, even if Doppio hadn’t even been asking to try any drugs. Right up there with saying The Boss’s name (which Doppio didn’t even know [consciously] anyway), hard drugs were things that were forbidden. 

…but caffeinated tea wasn’t a hard drug. Especially if it was peddled as ‘healthy’, so it wasn’t that crazy stuff in energy drinks. Doppio knew certain drugs could be advertised as all sorts of nonsense, but…’healthy’ wasn’t usually an adjective used. 

Humming, he gave Arven a nod, before cringing through a sigh. “Oh yeah. The first time I really started drinking coffee regularly? I didn’t really notice anything at first, so I think I ended up having…basically, like, 16 shots? I think I might’ve vibrated out of existence. If your tea isn’t like that?” he laughed, “Then…sure. I’ll give it a shot.”

Arven nodded, unsurprised. “You don’t seem like the kind of guy who’d do drugs, honestly. Too responsible… it, uh…” Arven looked over at him curiously, “Doesn’t surprise you that I do? I remember getting that line from every friend I’ve ever told that to, that it surprises them I’d do something like that. I don’t give off ‘stoner’ vibes.”

“Again, not that I am. I don’t do it every day. Just if I know I don’t have anything going on that day and the sort of… stress? Of everything is feeling a little heavy over me. It’s nice to be able to force yourself to calm down sometimes… I say this, but don’t mistake me, I’m not trying to convince you to try anything.” Arven said sternly, “It’s very much a ‘not for everyone’ kind of thing, nothing wrong with that. Though, wow, it is way better for you than sixteen shots, how are you not dead?”

Playfully, Arven put two fingers against Doppio’s neck, checking for a pulse, as he theorized, “Maybe you’re a zombie? But the caffeine was so energizing that your corpse doesn’t realize anything’s happened yet. Hmm, where’s your pulse… there it is! …Hah.” Arven raised an eyebrow. “Your heart’s kind of racing. You okay?”

Doppio shrugged. “All sorts of people do all sorts of drugs. Honestly, I kinda consider myself an outlier in that case. But…also?” Doppio smirked, nudging Arven a little. “Dude, you introduced yourself as an herbalist. I’d be more surprised if you were totally clean.”

…if Arven got his own supply, then…he probably hadn’t been around any of Passione’s dealers. Which…was good. Not that Doppio wasn’t supportive of their business! But though he mostly dealt with other roles in the gang…a lot of them were weird. Like, Doppio would be a little worried if Arven was being peddled something by Mr. Orion. It was…better he wasn’t associating with any of those fucks. 

Snorting a little as Arven gaped at the incident Doppio wasn’t sure how he’d survived either, he…uh…

(...aa…aa…)

(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA)

Doppio swallowed, eyes darting around as he started to flush, a little too aware of…of how Arven had to crook his fingers a little to get under the collar of his sweater…how he gently pressed his fingers under his jaw…h…hhhow…

It was an understatement, that his heart was racing. 

(Not that his heartbeat was particularly consistent in the first place.)

“I-I’m fine,” Doppio stuttered, heating up even more. “Just…been a long day, and everything. Might be looking at another wind, or something.”

♪ He is red because you are so PRE–TTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY duh ♩

“Ah! Amaina, what the HECK!” Arven gasped, jerking backwards in shock, though that did little to help him put distance between himself and the sudden sing-song voice coming from on top of his head. 

♪ ahhhhhhh it is a rodeoooo Ride Em’ Cow-Angel!! ♩ Amaina suddenly decided, now wearing a cowboy hat, heeled boots with little metal spurs, and a durably skirt with a matching pink jacket, ♪ Giddy-up aw you’re no fun ♩

Amaina pouted when Arven went still, no longer trying to shake her off of himself, and thus ruining the game of holding onto his hair. Arven, knowing that between him and Doppio, Amaina tended to only listen to one of them, gave Doppio a dry look and pointed at his head. “Help.”

Doppio jolted, the color of his face not helped at all, and…really, it was one bit of luck that he could absolutely not take for granted that Arven tended to just ignore Amaina’s declarations of beauty. Ugh, his heart was still feeling like the ground of a horse track. 

Sighing, trying to calm down a little, at least, Doppio held his hands out as a platform. “Ciao, angelo. Did you have a good time with your boss? I didn’t see you at all this morning, and I half-thought we really did just have a fever dream yesterday.”

…he was kind of glad for it, though. He’d dragged himself back home before he’d really consider it to be morning-morning, but…if she had appeared just a little early…

Doppio frowned a little, that tired glaze thickening over his eyes as he tugged a sleeve over his hand more.

Amaina, seeing her grandest of thrones was available, fluttered down from Arven’s hand and happily landed delicately into Doppio’s palms, immediately spinning in place as she sang happily

Ultimate Senpai! 

Singing a song at the park stadium

La~ La~ La~ La~

Ultimate Senpai, getting frustrated because 

Seagulls have raided the stadium! 

Squawk, squawk!

Ultimate Senpai, stepping in bird shit! 

Ewwwwww

Ultimate Senpai happy to see Amaina

Got her strength again!

“... if we can take that all literally, sounds like her boss may have been having a challenging night herself last night.” Arven chuckled, “Though, it’s neat that your… senpai? Sings on stages for people. Is that her job?”

♪ It is who she isssss in her soooouuul people rarely pay her for it STINGY ♩ Amaina huffed, stomping her foot into Doppio’s palm.

Doppio laughed softly at the song, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders. They had only spent one day together, really, but…having the morning to himself had really shown Doppio how…quiet, everything was on his own. Not always, he figured, since he had pretty much only seen Boss to pass on some messages before Doppio got back to work, but…everything else?

He’d missed the little angel. 

“That sucks,” Doppio hummed, giving Amaina a sympathetic look. “People should be paid for their work. Hopefully people start to recognize that soon when it comes to your boss.”

“I’m…kinda not surprised that she’s a singer, considering you, though,” he chuckled quietly.

Amaina nodded knowingly, putting her hands together and taking a bow– nothing that looked like a Luminary bow, though literally no one in this group would have any way of differentiating that– as she said sternly ♪ the singing roots are strong with this one ♩

“We’re going to go make some white tea, Amaina. Now you need to warn me beforehand if you’re gonna want a cup, because I’m not trying to sip around a tiny little person again. It’s weird,” Arven told her, reaching over to gently pet her head.

♪ I will swim in the teapot ♩

“What? No! That’ll be boiling! And still very weird!”

♪ Cook me medium raaaare ♩

“That’s not how boiling food even works!”

-

While he really couldn’t stay forever, Doppio was very happy he had agreed to hang out at Arven’s house again, at least for a while. He did have to pick up his clothes, and Arven was offering him something that would, in all likelihood, increase his productivity, so it wasn’t like Doppio was really slacking off…

But at the moment, Doppio wasn’t desperately trying to convince himself of that. Instead just delightedly petting and squishing Chief’s drooly face as the dog had gently and slowly flopped his way on top of the teen, enjoying the generously given affection. 

…really, it was only the utter delight of petting a dog that was keeping Doppio awake, as the tea kettle boiled, though…the weight and warmth of Chief was…truly quite comfortable…

“...s-so, you said it was just called White Tea,” Doppio started, desperately trying to stave off sleep. “Are the leaves it’s made from just called, like, White Herb, or do they have a name?”

“Ah, right… it’s actually kind of cool, from a herbology perspective,” Arven said, giving Doppio a mildly excited look. “And I think visually it’s pretty neat too. Here, let me show you. I have a few pre-cut and ready to go, but they really are something to look at.”

As the teapot boiled, Arven headed to the back of the house, a quick opening and closing of a sliding door advertising that he had headed outside. After a moment, he came back with two long, pretty flowers, each one still with its long, thick stem attached.

“Now, the color name is actually a bit misleading, because as you can see, the flower itself is more pink than it is white. The type of flower is called a bellflower, but the one specifically that can make White Tea are called LilyBells, because they grow alongside lilypads in pond water. Growing in the water itself is why they have these thick roots,” he explained, showing Doppio the stems, before taking a knife and, carefully, cutting down the middle of the green stem. “Now, they’re actually called ‘white’ because of the filling of the stem. See?”

With the green stem cut open, Doppio could see how on the inside was a white, mucus center. Carefully, Arven ran his knife down the center of it inside, that white mucus coming out in a gelatin-like line, before shirking it off into the inside of the teapot. “It’s white tea because it comes from white root fillings. And even then, when you have it by itself, it’s arguably ‘clear’ more than anything… want to smell?” Arven asked, passing Doppio the still uncut Lilybell, “They smell really good too.”

Doppio listened with, if not rapt attention, then very interested attention, watching Arven cut and prepare the flowers. He’d known enough that tea was made from leaves ‘n stuff…but Doppio had never actually seen a tea mix prepared from scratch, and it was fascinating… 

“Wow… You said so before, but…you really know your stuff,” Doppio admired, gently taking the intact lilybell to sniff. It was sweet…almost a little fruity, while still being distinctly floral. “From seed to cup, huh? Very cool.”

Humming a little more, Doppio passed the flower back, arm straight up in the air while he let his head thunk back down on the ground, his other hand still petting Chief’s head. “...it’s crazy that people figure out that stuff at all. You see white goo coming out of a plant, and, wow, looks like it makes a caffeinated tea. See it coming out of a different plant, and it’s bitter as all hell, and you find out later it’s rubber. It’s wild.”

…he still did cook with dandelion greens time to time, they were a staple after all, but Doppio would always be very careful about just buying them these days. There was a lot of nasty stuff out there, he’d found, when you just taste-test everything to figure out how to balance flavor. 

Arven nodded, looking pleased by Doppio’s praise as he started to cut up the second flower. “There are a lot of flowers you can eat the petals of, and others that will make you miserable if you try it, and considering how many different types of flowers there are in the world, I have to imagine there were plenty of times where someone was just looking at a flower thinking… ‘maybe I’ll get lucky’.”

“But a lot of it is stuff found so old in our histories, that the most we can do is guess how people discovered them. The common theory is that we observed how animals interacted with plant life and made a few judgment calls from there, though even that’s not exactly universal. Still plenty of evidence to suggest it was someone at some point in history just fucking around.” Arven lifted up the tea kettle to check how everything was dissolving… and twitched. “Angel. We discussed this.”

♪ draw me like one of your pot roasts ♩ Amaina said cheerfully, little lilly pads and lilybells floating in the water with her as she laid out on her back.

“You know what. What you can’t see can’t gross you out,” Arven decided, replacing the lid and ignoring Amaina’s singing coming from inside. “It’s almost ready. Would you mind turning off the burner in one minute? I’m gonna go finish up your clothes.”

Doppio snorted a laugh. “Oh no, I feel like I can relate to the person who was looking at birds and decided to try out peppers. Oh no. What an awful thing to be surprised by.” Sure, he liked chilis as much as the next guy--especially if that guy happened to be Arven--but biting into a pepper when you weren’t expecting it? He was positive something like that had to have happened in history, and it would’ve been a story for the ages. 

Heaving a sigh as he looked down at Chief, Doppio tilted his head back to look at Arven upside-down, giving him a solemn nod. “Got it. And…thanks for taking care of my clothes, and all. I wouldn’t have minded washing them myself.”

Though he had gone and washed Arven’s clothes, so…it was fair exchange. 

“Should I move the kettle off the burner too? Or are you counting on residual heat to steep it more?”

“Residual, just leave it be!” Arven called over his shoulder, heading to the laundry room.

Amaina– with a little bit of wiggling for theatrics– pushed her head out of the spout of the kettle, before squirming her way out and giving up halfway out, her head and upper body flopping out in exhaustion for her journey… before she looked up at Doppio.

♪ couldn’t stay away from little king for ooooooone day, huh ♩ Amaina teased, ♪ gaaay ♩ 

Similarly, with an apologetic look, Doppio wriggled his way out from under Chief, not wanting to give himself only a few seconds and just break his heart with the betrayed disappointment shot his way. Nnngh, it was still bad though… Alright, still few more moments for petting…

Flushing, Doppio looked over his shoulder, giving Amaina an embarrassed grimace. “We said we were going to meet up today! We needed to give back each other’s clothes eventually, and there’s no point just delaying it!”

Pouting more, he gave her a huff. “It’s not like that, alright? Boss said love isn’t for me anyway--at least he gets it.”

O.O

OoO ♪ loser say what now? ♩ 

Going over to the kitchen to wash his hands before touching any foodstuff, Doppio gave Amaina an unimpressed look. “He’s not a loser. He…” The look didn’t last for long, as a softly excited, pleased smile came across Doppio’s face. “...he asked me about Arven, wanting to know about him, yanno? Boss, like…never does that. It was really nice… And I’m not really sure what tangent he went off on, but he agreed with me that stuff like romance and dating is just an unnecessary distraction from my work, and that it’s not for me.”

O.O

O.O

OOO ♪ BULLLLLLSHIIIIIIIT ♩ 

Flying up to Doppio, after popping the rest of the way out of the kettle, she hovered in front of his face as she demanded ♪ how can I show you all the beautiful things when your weirdo walking blanket tuts tuts one of the best things!? ♩ 

Doppio rolled his eyes a little, turning off the burner and making absolutely sure the flames had gone away before he moved his arms back. “Look, other people can fall in love all they want, alright? When it’s not gross, it can be cute, and I can see that. It’s…just as he said, though--not for me.”

Briefly, something a little insecure crossed over Doppio’s face before he busied himself fussing with his bangs. “...he looks out for me, you know? It’s…nice for him to get invested in what’s going on in my life, even if he shouldn’t ‘cause that’s just a distraction too. …and crossing the boundaries of employment a little, but…”

He trailed off with a shrug. Fighting with himself, because while he was all about professionalism!! …it was nice for Boss to care. 

…like a fa…

…

It was nice. 

♪ Oooo-ho-ho-hooooo h-hecka no uh uh ♩ Amaina shook her head and sighed, before tapping Doppio sympathetically on the nose, ♪ you stay here my pretty good moron I’m gonna go get the upgraded model stay heeeeere bye bye ♩  

And with a little spin, a kiss of her hand, and blowing that kiss to Doppio, she vanished. 

“What’s Amaina squealing about?” Arven called from the living room, “I swear she’s louder than usual!”

“Nothing,” Doppio grumbled through a sigh, walking over to join Arven in the living room. “Just excitable nonsense. Seriously, what is it with everyone all hung up on dating? It’s like the thought of happily being single is unimaginable.”

“But! Burner is off and no fires set!” Doppio proudly chirped, before offering Arven a sheepish grin. “Unfortunately…not entirely a joke, when it comes to me. But I didn’t manage to destroy your kitchen in two minutes, you’re welcome.”

“Oh yeah? Sounds like an accomplishment then. Thank you so much.” Arven laughed, just finishing folding Doppio’s clothes as he approached, still warm from the iron board. “All done, by the way. I’ll put them in a bag, but they’re ready to go otherwise. Though, I’m not sure how to make them smell as good as you made mine smell. What’s the secret there?”

“Pfff, was she flirting with you too? It’s weird, right? I never know what to say when she does it, so I just barrel through it. It’s like being winked at by a five year old who knows how to curse at you,” Arven said, rolling his eyes. “Little weirdo fake angel… I’d ask where she is, but knowing her, she’s back in the tea kettle.”

Doppio laughed softly along with Arven, before giving him a more genuine smile…that morphed into a flustered, bashful one as he weakly waved off the notion that he’d done anything special. “I just put in a sachet, nothing special. I usually don’t use ‘em in my work, but I found a specialty shop for ‘em a while back and I pick up some now and then to keep in my room. It’s nice to keep things smelling fresh, you know? And that one - “

Turning pinker, Doppio quickly swallowed his words. It was…a little much to talk about how he’d sat for far longer than his busy day should’ve warranted, picking out a scent for Arven, wasn’t it? H-he had just wanted to pick out something his friend would like! A smell that would complement his whole aesthetic and vibe! A-and, like, Arven was really into plants, but Doppio wouldn’t exactly call him a flowery guy, so he’d ditched the lavender and sweet pea, perfumey ones, a-and Arven was good at cooking! But he didn’t seem quite like he’d like honey sap ones, so Doppio had excluded those, and…and the pine one just seemed to fit! Outdoorsy and fresh and…and, like, pine trees were stable and strong and made Doppio think of comforting walks in the woods or seeing Unity trees everywhere and…

Doppio quickly shrugged, burrowing into the neck of his sweater a little. Man, it was a hot day today… He’d felt a little too (insecure) strung out to skimp on comfort, so that’s why he’d pulled out one of his bigger cable-knit sweaters, but it was really looking to be a bad idea! “Hoped you’d like it. Glad you do!”

Amaina…hadn’t been flirting with him, but Doppio easily nodded along, rolling his eyes in only slightly displaced annoyance. “Super weird. And, like…” He huffed softly, mouth twisting down in a more genuinely displeased expression. “She called me a moron, and said she was getting the ‘upgraded version’? I have no idea what that means, but I don’t think she’s here right now.”

-

Kaito was taking a walk with Miyako, as it was his shift and he, admittedly, had been feeling a little restless in the room. It happened less and less often these days, mostly because he at the very least usually tried to leave to see Timothy and check in with him, but if Tim was hanging with the girls a lot and Kaito and Maki were chatting about where he was, leaving Kaito without a strong need to go make sure he was okay? Then Kaito risked spending days at a time either only going downstairs for meals or even never leaving the room at all.

The last few days had been like that, and in a random fit Kaito picked up his daughter and said to her sternly, “Baby love? We need some sun.”

Miyako, thankfully, didn’t raise up any strong arguments against it, and when Kaito got her set up in her little wolf onesie– it was a little chilly that day, for as much as Kaito wanted to get some sun– and put her in a chest strap Ikuo had gotten for him now that Miyako could reliably keep her head up, he headed out, looking for an adventure. Or, more likely, looking to grab a coffee and then sit in a quiet part of the park and watch his baby kick happily in the grass.

Which is what happened, Kaito sipping at his coffee while Miyako wiggled happily on the grass in front of him, staring up at the clouds in fascination. “Pretty, isn’t it, Miya?” Kaito grinned, playing with her feet a little.

“G’yah!”

In his brain, Saint Madison was doing her patrol, idly checking in on Kaito’s conscious thoughts, watching him play with Miyako for a moment before moving on. She checked on the other defenses– the dogs were sniffing around Kaito’s childhood memories, the vines were curling around the gate to King Kaito’s side of Kaito’s mind– before heading to check out Kaito’s teenage memories of the castle.

This is mostly metaphorical. Saint Madison wasn’t confined to physically manifesting in one place at a time to check on Kaito’s mind, like a person in a series of rooms. She was everywhere, a constant electric pulse that searched through Kaito’s mind, looking for irregularities… but she wasn’t a perfect defense. Not yet. It’d take some time and refinement, to get her to the point where her influence on every single part of Kaito’s brain was both equal, consistent, and flawless. And so while she could feel everywhere, always, whatever she was focusing on tended to be easier to see the details of, and she still had to notice something was out of place in the first place.

That could be a little tricky, sometimes, in Kaito’s mind.

For as much of Kaito’s mind as Kokichi had explored, he had never actually really ‘explored’ Kaito’s mind. He went in, he looked for something specific, then he left. Which was good, Saint Madison knew, in regards to Kaito’s privacy, but did mean she was on her own, developing around Kaito’s… compartmentalization thing. His brain’s boxes and layers that nestled into each other one by one like a set of slowly shrinking dolls, all hiding within each other.

Though it did make Miyako far more manageable, as Saint Madison opened up Tyrant Kokichi’s room and sighed at Miyako being fitted with an overly large golden crown. “Sweetbun, you’re not supposed to be here… and you really can’t be here.” She frowned, giving Tyrant Kokichi a mildly frustrated look.

“She’s my daughter, she can go wherever she likes, whenever she likes.” Tyrant Kokichi huffed, Miyako blinking up curiously at him as he continued to adjust the crown on her head. “One day she’ll inherit half the kingdoms I’ve conquered, and as I have, rule with an iron fist! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!”

Outside, on the grass, Miyako giggled. Kaito grinning as he whispered playfully to her, “But your brother gets the other half, okay? You can be a ruthless conquering tyrant, but don’t be selfish with Timothy, you each get half, sweetbun.”

Inside, Saint Madison sighed, putting her hand on the hilt of her sword… before sighing as she gave up on that plan of action, saying sternly to Miyako, “Miyako, do you want me to call your daddy? Because this is how Kokichi ends up getting notified. This isn’t a good daydream to explore anyway.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine, everything’s buried while she’s here. What, you think Kaito would want her to see that? I’m a wicked tyrant of evil, not a child abuser. Kaito’s in a dungeon right now or something,” Tyrant Kokichi said dismissively, taking out a large, heavy golden necklace and putting it around Miyako, seeing how it looked on her. 

“Kaito’s currently in the park, thinking about you and assuming he’s only daydreaming about you right now because the thought came to him ‘randomly’,” Saint Madison said plainly, before pointing to Miyako, “And his stupid paternal feelings means I can’t kick her out.”

“Yeah, what are you gonna do, hit her with your sword?” Tyrant Kokichi said, giving Saint Madison a withering look, “I’ll hang you up in the dungeon, right next to Kaito.”

“You are such a weird daydream.” Saint Madison glared at him. “It boggles the mind that you and I are the same person. Thank goodness I’ve got some of Kokichi in me.”

O.O??

The big one was like her?

Amaina, who was looking around Kaito’s brain trying to find the best way to ‘nudge’ him into thinking about Arven, had been curiously watching this exchange as she passed through overhead, planning to listen just a little before moving on. But if the tall hot lady one was a mixture of two people… oh, but! Kaito wasn’t an empath. That would explain why she didn’t end up tiny, like Chibi Amaina and Chibi Kaito. Awww, that was sad… Amaina felt bad for her. Not getting to be small and cute and adorable. Just seven feet tall with a square jaw and piercing eyes and massive breasts. Poor lady -_- she missed out, beauty-wise.

Feeling incredibly sympathetic to the poor, ugly giant, Amaina hopped down, patted Saint Madison on the forehead, before whispering in her ear, ♪ there there it’s what’s on the inside that counts anyway don’t let anyone keep you down you’re fine as you are you poor poor thing okay byeeeee ♩

“WHAT THE ACTUAL SHIT!?” Saint Madison screamed, pulling out her sword and swirling around, looking to see where the voice came from.

Tyrant Kokichi gasped, covering Miyako’s ears, “No cursing around the princess!”

“G’yah!” Miyako cried out on the grass, kicking her legs excitedly. 

“I have no idea what’s going on through your head, kid,” Kaito admitted, finishing up his coffee, still enjoying the park. “What’s got you all excited?”

“But you saw that, right!?” Saint Madison insisted, looking– and reaching– out into Kaito’s mind, looking for the intrusion… before snarling, “Vines, dogs. Go.” 

Amaina danced through Kaito’s mind, and admittedly, it was now considerably more difficult to navigate, the three defenses on full alert now, out looking for her. If Amaina had been any bigger, she had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to dodge them as well as she was, each memory starting to rapidly fill with vines as she danced through them quickly, dogs panting in the distance as she looked with a tad more urgency for a memory that would do. Oh well, she didn’t regret it. Someone needed to tell that poor, hideous, fit, toned, and tanned woman that she was pretty in her own way.

Amaina’s eyes widened as she found a more recent memory, threw herself into it, and–

Kaito blinked, looking up like he just remembered something… before he frowned a little, cracking his knuckles a little. “...did… Arven give me his address? I know I wanted to check in on him at some point, but I don’t think I… did I? Actually, maybe I did… huh…”

Kaito just suddenly knew where Arven lived, as Amaina dumped that information on the memory of Kaito worrying about Arven’s home life. Feeling a little restless, Kaito picked Miyako up and said, “Hey, sweetbun, you think we could make a slight detour? I know school’s just started up again, and Arven’s on his own… maybe we should just go make sure everything’s going okay? Check in, maybe see if we can’t invite him to a diner and chat about things a bit. You don’t mind, Miya? Aw, you’re such a good girl…”

Saint Madison, huffing as she searched the last corner of Kaito’s mind, frowned in confusion. Nothing… there was nothing there? But she could have sworn…

She had to work harder. Strengthen her connection to everything. Maybe something she could alter in the vines? Hmmm…

-

“Upgraded version?” Arven said, raising his eyebrow, “Hm… you think maybe she means her senpai? Maybe the singer lives closer to here than I’d have guessed. I don’t really know how distance works for someone like Amaina–”

♪ Distance is a thing for suckers with meeeeaaaat ♩ Amaina insisted, flopping down in between them, panting a little, her eyes little swirls, ♪ Anyway I found him you’re welcome i even faced a giant and vines and snarling dogs so you know just saying you’re weeeeelcoooooome ♩

“Isn’t everyone a giant to you?” Arven pointed out, poking Amaina’s cheek a little, “You’re like the size of my hand, most of the time.”

♪ bigger than you, shooooorttieeeeee!! ♩

“Rude.” Arven frowned, poking her cheek again. “Who’d you get, by the way? What does–”

The door knocked. Arven startled a little, giving Doppio a surprised look, before looking down at Amaina. “Wait, like, you actually brought someone physically here? Who??”

♪ the sexy guy in the dungeon ♩

“...what?” Arven asked, as the door knocked again. “Uh. One moment, coming!”

That was a possibility…though Doppio would figure that Amaina’s senpai would be an “upgrade” of Arven, considering she called him “little senpai”. 

…but, also, Doppio had just been trying not to think of Amaina’s boss as, like…a real person. Sure, he had come to accept she wasn’t really an angel…but she absolutely was still operating on some other plane of existence. So he guessed that her boss was the same way and…and that was the only acceptable situation, if he didn’t want to think about how he might’ve been committing the ultimate betrayal to The Boss. 

Considering Amaina was, more or less, trying to help him find more happiness in his life--even if he was already very happy, thank you very much--that was important for him to believe and not…yanno. Completely break down. 

Still, though. That didn’t answer who actually she meant by--

Startling slightly, Doppio just sighed at the confusing things Amaina said…only to jump again, sharing that alarmed look with Arven as a knock came from the door. 

A knock that was…real. A real person. Physically there…

Doppio fixed Amaina with a stern, worried look. “...you gave out Arven’s address to someone? That…”

Arven was already heading over to open the door. Doppio’s bag was next to the couch in the living room, he’d probably open the door already by the time he could get anything out and…

Drawing in a nervous, preparing breath, Doppio scuttled after his friend, hands drawing into fists in his sleeves. Arven was bigger than him, but…Doppio could probably still pull him back behind him, if anything happened…

Feeling Doppio back him up, Arven squared his shoulders, swallowing slightly but lifting his head up, trying to be imposing. This was his house, so whoever the little fairy had brought, Arven could handle it, as he opened the door–

Because of Arven’s height, the first thing he saw was a little purple-haired baby with golden eyes, contently sucking on a pacifier as she stared at Arven with wide, curious eyes. Wolf ears shifted on her head a little, a hoodie keeping her ears warm, as the baby wiggled excitedly in her little baby prison. 

Above her, Prince Kaito grinned down at Arven, giving him a little wave. “Hey! I caught you at home, fantastic! And…” Kaito, who had a ridiculous height advantage over both boys, able to easily see over Arven to look down at Doppio, eyes lighting up as he noticed him, “Two for one! Lucky me!”

…

…what?

Doppio could only stare at Kaito, dumfounded, though the tension didn’t quite relax from his body. Not that he thought he’d have to defend himself from Kaito--it was laughable that he’d been acting as any sort of international liaison when he’d told Arven Kaito was safe--but…

Well, it was probably a good thing that he hadn’t grabbed a weapon for the unexpected guest. Especially while Kaito was carrying--

“Oh,” Doppio gasped softly, eyes widening as he took in the tiny baby in a wolf costume??? 

As Doppio internally started screaming over the cute factor…well. It was interesting. Miyako had commented over “empty” minds before. The terror of the complete shut-off Kokichi had put himself through, the amusing tranquility of Gabriel’s mind… Doppio wouldn’t be empty, per se…but even in a highly compartmentalized mind like Kaito’s, there was still a…bulk. No matter how many sections there were, his mind, his essence, was still one, complete thing. 

In a mind that didn’t know how to be a mind, and yet still had thoughts and feelings…Doppio would feel scattered. Like a student who had left a collage project to the last minute, and had haphazardly glued all sorts of things together and was desperately hoping it’d all stay together, even with the gaps of empty paper and smears of glue beading through. A collection of things holding itself together, rather than…well. Something formed. Born. 

Eyes unable to look away from the widdle wolf baby awww, Doppio huffed something a little frantic. “...how on earth do you know about angeli too??”

Miyako sucked her pacifier a little harder, staring at Doppio.

…weird.

Not wasting any time to go exploring, Miyako immediately went in to poke her little baby fingers in Doppio’s brain, though going into him was a little… floaty. She wasn’t ‘lost’, per se, she knew she was still safely nuzzled into Big Heat’s chest, but where she had landed in Doppio wasn’t quite… solid. It was a little like being in The Wet, but without the wet actually touching her in any meaningful way. 

Hm. Soft Wet. That was this person. He was Soft Wet.

“Angeligi?” Kaito tried, blinking.

“What?” Arven said, raising his eyebrows, “What was that?”

“Uh… angreligi?” Kaito tried again.

“Are you making fun of him?” Arven asked, narrowing his eyes a little.

“What? No, uh! …could you say it again?” Kaito asked a little sheepishly.

“Angeli.”

“...Anjaligi?”

“Why do you keep adding ‘igi’, where is that coming from?” Arven sighed, glancing down at Miyako, before scooting back to open space. “Well, you’re already here. Come on in. Or were you just passing by?”

“Uh, little of column A, little of column B. I know the school semester started recently for you, Arven, and I found myself wanting to check in, see how you were doing… oh! Angali!” Kaito realized, lighting up as he walked in, “Right? Angali?”

Doppio glowered at Kaito, flushing a little in more usual embarrassment…(though it was…kinda nice Arven was calling him out for it). It wasn’t like he just regularly forgot Common words, his brain wasn’t that absurd. Just…some words came faster in Tsumarian, and when he wasn’t trying to monitor himself (like now, since Arven understood him anyway) it just…came out that way. 

“Angeli,” Doppio corrected, shuffling back out of the way as Kaito came in, before he sighed. Squinting a little as he explained, with more pointed purpose saying the word, “Angels.”

Again, Doppio looked at Miyako, some of that embarrassment fading. “...this is your daughter, right?”

“An-ge-li… angeli… anshalie…” Kaito murmured.

“You’re getting further away from it,” Arven sighed, “Please, uh, take a seat somewhere. We just made some tea, if you’d like some.”

“Aw, so polite! Where was that politeness when I was dragging you two through an alley, huh?” Kaito chuckled, looking over to Doppio before, impulsively, reaching over to ruffle his hair a bit. “I’m so surprised and happy to see you here. You guys are hanging out! I knew I had a good feeling about you two, and my gut’s usually right about this stuff!”

Stepping back to show Miyako off some more, he gave her a little ‘tada’ gesture as he waved in front of her. “It is! Doppio, meet Miyako Saihara. Miyako, meet Doppio. Doppio and Arven! And… ah! Hey, Chief.” Kaito grinned, reaching down to pat Chief a bit… before chuckling a little nervously and taking his hand back as Chief let out the smallest little bark. “Oookay, keeping my hands to myself, got it. Though, yeaaaah, sniff that baby feet.”

Chief was doing just that, sniffing at Miyako’s feet a bit, before giving them a small lick. Miyako kicked a bit, looking a little confused as to what was going on. Looking around like whatever was touching her foot might appear chest height with Dad any second.

Doppio made a small disgruntled noise, immediately trying to fix his hair. He didn’t have all day to keep re-braiding it, Kaito! “Sure… We had to return each other’s clothes anyway, and I had a little time to walk back with Arven when he got out of class. Just happened.”

And was sort of planned, but…Doppio was not giving Kaito credit for that. 

Smiling softly, giving a little wave to the baby, Doppio watched as she looked around, confused, before…maybe giving Kaito a little credit for something. “She’s really cute in that onesie. Your idea? Or your husbands’?”

“Mine!” Kaito said cheerfully, adjusting the hood around Miyako a little to pull both of the ears up a little, beaming at her. “Isn’t it great!? I get a little overzealous when it comes to buying Miya here baby clothes, not gonna lie. My husbands think it’s cute, but I can already tell there’s going to be a coordinated effort to reel me back a little as she gets older. I gotta put her in coordinated outfits while I still can, in two years it’s gonna be up to Miyako what she wants to wear, and it’s definitely not gonna match.” Kaito huffed, reaching his hand under the hoodie and rubbing Miyako’s head a bit.

Miyako, enjoying head rubs, made a small content little baby sound, looking entirely pleased. 

Adjusting his backpack where he was carrying all her baby stuff, Kaito looked around before deciding to sit on a stool at the counter, asking Arven, “You mind if I lay her down on a baby blanket on the counter, if we’re sitting and chatting a bit? She’s a little champion about it, but it can be pretty tiring for her to sit up in the sling for too long. I try to never make her do it too long in one go… anyway. What angel am I supposed to know about?”

Like he said (or thought, at least): A broken clock is right twice a day. Kaito genuinely did have some good ideas. 

Settling back on the ground to get back to petting Chief, Doppio sighed and rolled his eyes a little, a play to brush off his minor embarrassment. “Okay, so, I know she’s not an an…an angel, she did tell us, but I just got in the habit and…she seemed to like it, so I’m not stopping. But…you know?”

Raising an eyebrow, Doppio held his hands a few inches apart, demonstrating the size. “The…little doll that told you Arven’s address, I’m guessing?” Saying that, though, seemed to spark a memory in Doppio’s mind, and he scowled, looking around for wherever Amaina would decide to pop up. “Wait, hey! Kaito’s the upgraded version?! Angioletto, what is that supposed to mean?!”

Arven, who had nodded his permission for Kaito to use up the counter for baby space, had kept quiet when it came to Amaina, not sure what Doppio would be comfortable revealing to Kaito, if anything at all. Kaito was friendly enough, but he was a Luminary… caution was probably the correct call.

But Doppio seemed pretty convinced Kaito must already know, while Arven was playing with the possibility that this might actually be unrelated to Amaina, since the little angel hadn’t actually returned yet. But Arven was almost immediately proven wrong by this as, while Kaito unslung Miyako and put her on her blanket, Amaina popped her head out of his shirt, looking for all intents and purposes like she had wedged herself in between his pecs somehow, chilling out with her arms over the collar of his shirt. 

Though, while Kaito was giving Doppio a… mildly bewildered look as he talked, Arven noticed Kaito didn’t react when Amaina said ♪ Are your pretty eyes bliiiiiiind look at him this man ♩ Amaina reached over her shoulder, slapping Kaito’s chest a bit, ♪ can hold sooooo much paternal advice in him and he won't even be weird about the cloak thing okay no that’s a lie i’ve been in his head he’s a little weird about cloaks too ♩

“A little doll told me about Arven’s address? No, I… I definitely… got Arven’s address when we were all cooking together…” Kaito frowned, looking away, scratching the back of his neck as his eyebrows pinched together, “...didn’t I? Um… a little doll…”

Kaito suddenly looked pale, looking around nervously. “...you guys aren’t being haunted by a possessed little doll are you?”

Doppio glowered more at Amaina, both from her positioning and…what the hell?!? He didn’t need any paternal advice, he didn’t need parents! He’d been doing just fine without them and he definitely didn’t need Kaito as a stand-in, or to get even weirder about…caring about him…and giving him hugs…and wanting to listen to his frustrations…and…

Doppio blinked. Twice. Kaito was handsy, but…this was almost too nonchalant about a doll fondling your chest, and…with how pale he was getting…

Short-circuiting for a moment, Doppio glanced over to Arven. His entire expression reading, ‘oh SHIT.’

“WELL!” Doppio said too loudly, popping up from the ground with enough vigor to almost unbalance himself, before he almost ran over to his bag, rummaging through it. “Looks like I owe you that silver, Arven! You’re right, he believed me!”

Arven looked back and forth between Doppio, Amaina, Doppio, Amaina, Kaito, Doppio… before pointing at Kaito and saying loudly, “HAH HAH HAH FOOLED YA!”

Kaito gave both the teens a slightly bewildered look– subconsciously pulling his shirt up a little– before sighing a little, some of the paleness being replaced with a somewhat embarrassed red. “Hey, ha ha, very funny, but those aren’t good jokes to play on me. I know you kids don’t know this, but I don’t actually handle stuff like that well, okay?”

“Who’s a kid?” Arven huffed, passing Kaito his cup of tea, “And, what, don’t like dolls? Don’t like living dolls?”

“Yeah, something like that,” Kaito admitted, taking a sip of the tea… before lighting up. “Eeeey, white tea! I know this stuff. Thank you, Arven. Where’d you buy this, I really should get some of my own.”

“Grew it myself,” Arven explained, gesturing to the flowers still cut up on the counter, “Prepped it myself too.”

“Really!? Oh, that’s so cool! Isn’t that neat, Miya?” Kaito asked his daughter, rubbing her belly a little. “Isn’t Arven so talented? You’ll have to let me buy a few off of you, then, it’ll be a treat for my Shuichi.”

Kaito sipped at his tea again… his mind quietly whirring… before he grinned at them. “Won a silver on me, huh, Arven? Does that mean you didn’t think I’d be fooled, Doppio?” Kaito asked.

Behind Kaito, Doppio gave Arven both an extremely grateful, and extremely apologetic look, mouthing, “Sorry!” before he trekked over to the kitchen, trading a silver piece for his own mug of tea. 

In his defense…come on!! Amaina had clearly gone to get Kaito!! How was he supposed to guess that she’d somehow done it without him knowing?! That…was a little concerning, actually, and he’d definitely ask her about it later. If he remembered. 

…he should write down a reminder, huh. 

“Sorry,” Doppio muttered to Kaito, less sincerely than his apology to Arven, as he pulled out his notebook, writing in chicken scratch that…honestly was a crapshoot if he was going to be able to read it later, but at least ensured that no one else would be able to either. Sipping the tea…

Oh!

Doppio blinked, pausing as he looked at the clear tea before nodding a bit, and drinking more. That was…really good. And if it worked out the way Arven said it would, he’d be set for the rest of the day. Yesssss!

Glancing up at Kaito, Doppio blanked for a moment before letting out a disgruntled sigh, looking a little sulky. Just like a bratty teen who’d just lost a silver. “Really, I just thought the premise was so dumb there was no way anyone would fall for it. Guess I sold it pretty well, though.”

…mostly, he thought it would be unfair if he placed the bet in his own favor, since he was coming up with the idea on the fly. Plus, like…he worked, and Arven didn’t. This was the only fair outcome.

“Mmhmm,” Kaito hummed, sipping at his tea again, closing his eyes a bit as he considered that.

So… why was he being lied to?

Kaito considered that lightly, trying to work it out logically in his head. Maybe he wasn’t, which was always a good first way to look at it. Arven and Doppio were teenage boys, maybe they had absolutely made some sort of bet that the next time they saw Kaito, they’d convince him there was a creepy little doll running around that they called Angel, and waited to see if he’d buy it. Totally reasonable, folks did shit like that, it was a practical joke.

Why try to convince him he didn’t know Arven’s address until the ‘doll’ showed up though?

They hadn’t known he was coming. They had seemed spooked at the door, honestly. Was Doppio really just that committed to the bit, that before he even found out why Kaito had shown up out of the blue, he’d make up a story like that? Mmm, now that Kaito was thinking about it, maybe it really was just a coincidence. Kids messing with him…

Feeling less certain he was being lied to after thinking about it a bit more than he had before, he still hadn’t quite let go of his first instinct though. For a moment there, he had been sure. Certain he was being lied to…

He’d keep an eye on it.

“You might have a talent for acting, Doppio!” Kaito agreed cheerfully, putting his cup down. “Hey, I learned about this open mic event at the bookstore Shuichi visits a lot; I was thinking of attending this week to do a monologue. You guys think you’d have any fun doing something like that? Going and performing for a small crowd? I could invite you!”

“I’ve only spent time with you once, and I feel like I’ve already heard you do a few monologues,” Arven replied dryly, “And I don’t perform, so no.”

“Shame. Doppio? Would you want to go?” Kaito beamed, looking hopefully at Doppio, “Waku might be there!”

Doppio gave a deep grimace, scrunching himself into his sweater as he sipped his tea. “Hard pass. I have no interest in acting, and I’ve already had a day off this week. And an emergency came up while it happened, so I’m not gonna ask for any more days off for, like…a while. Urgent situations can happen at any time, but I’m gonna wait until it seems like things are going to generally calm down.”

Another sip, before Doppio’s eyes went wide, looking at the ceiling. “Waku,” he muttered. “Not Wendell.”

…maybe it was a dick move. And kind of against the advice he’d offered Arven earlier…but while he did stand behind that, if Arven was burnt out, he didn’t need to conform to his school’s schedule…

It also sucked majorly being yelled at if you didn’t complete an assignment. Or worse, having people be disappointed in you.

“...uh, hey,” Doppio nodded to Arven, “I really shouldn’t stay for too long but…while I am here, did you want any help with your homework? That…project thing that girl talked about.”

Day off this week?

As Kaito gave Doppio a more concerned look, Kaito couldn’t help but turn his attention back to Arven, lighting up a little. “Oh? Actually, I wanted to ask you how school was going too–”

Arven did give Doppio a slightly annoyed look, before sipping at his tea with a huff. “It’s dumb, it’s just the stupid year project. I’m half considering not doing it.”

“Wait, year project? Like, you have a year to do it?” Kaito asked.

While Arven explained it reluctantly, going over many of the points he had told Doppio earlier that day, Kaito had nodded along, his brow furrowing more and more as he heard it. A massive project where you had to do a bunch of personal, external research, huh? That was a challenging concept, no doubt, but if he was understanding the incentive… “This is kind of like a grant proposal project then, right?”

“Hm?” Arven hummed, looking annoyed the more and more he talked about it. “What’s that?”

“Maybe Diceans call them something else. Or maybe they’re so common you don’t need a name for it… or you just don’t know what they are, which is also fine.” Kaito grinned. “But back home, if you were looking to gain resources and support for your chosen field, especially if it was more niche and specific, you could put together a grant proposal that was basically like a massive research project proving to potential patrons that the field or thesis deserved greater support. The school’s basically mandating that its students pick, research, and support a field of research they’d personally want to work in, right?”

“Uh, I guess, yeah,” Arven said with a frown. “Home as in Luminary?”

“Yeah! Though, in Luminary, it’s considered a pretty higher education thing, the sort of thing where you’ve already put in four more years of schooling on top of basic education and wanted to get funds for a masters in something,” Kaito explained.

Arven raised an eyebrow… before chuckling a little behind his cup. “So, Dicean high school students do what your country’s master level programs do? Wow, I feel way less dumb for being overwhelmed, then.”

Kaito’s grin faltered a little at that… before deciding to focus on, “Hey! You’re not dumb! Why would you even say that?”

“I mean, no, obviously I’m not dumb… just academically, kind of.” Arven scoffed, looking away. “Everyone else did a big project like this in their freshman year to prep for doing this one this year, and so I’m behind everyone else since I missed a lot of school last year. B-besides, it doesn’t matter if I do it or not, they probably wouldn’t be able to help with my career anyway–”

“Aren’t you an herbalist?” Kaito said, looking entirely confused. “How on earth will they not have resources for you here? Dicea is literally a massive garden, there’s no way there’s no herbalogy resources available in your capital.”

“Well, maybe, but as far as I know I’m the only kid studying plants in our school, and they’re not going to make an entire career path for one kid–”

“Heck yeah they are!” Kaito shouted, standing up, bearing his teeth a little… before glancing down at Miyako and, seeing her watching him, forcibly relaxed his face. Picking her up and bouncing her in his arms a little, though still saying sternly, “It doesn’t matter if you’re one guy, you’re Arven… what’s your last name?”

“Just Arven.”

“Arven of the house of Arven!” Kaito continued, refusing to be deterred by weird naming conventions, “If they have to make a whole plant grant program just to support your research, that’s what they’re going to do! With my support, sidekick, you’re going to make a research project that they can’t ignore and the, the, whatever it’s called here, dean?? Headmaster? Your school’s gonna bend over backwards to get you all the resources you could possibly need!”

Arven gave Kaito a mildly incredulous look. “You don’t even know what our school board positions are called, what makes you so confident?”

“Pff. I can learn that stuff. Don’t you worry about that end of it, I’m on the case for that.” Kaito huffed, patting Miyako’s back a bit. “You focus on the research and leave the rest to me. What’s the first step of your paper?”

“Okay, I haven’t even kind of agreed to any of this,” Arven reminded him dryly, “...but I have to come up with a thesis concept, basically. Something I’ll develop my research on as a starting point.”

“Easy! We’ll just brainstorm a bit! Do we have a dartboard anywhere?” Kaito asked, looking around, “Dartboards are great for brainstorming!”

As Kaito looked around, Amaina looked over from Doppio’s shoulder, having just appeared there. ♪ upgrade ♩

Doppio gave Arven an…only mildly apologetic look, for that. He really did just want to offer his help while he was around--he didn’t exactly have an excu - A REASON to come over and see Arven tomorrow and…it seemed like a big deal. Even if it was something simple, or Arven decided not to actually go through with the project, if they could come up with something that would get his teachers and that class representative to chill out a bit… He just wanted to help. 

And…well, he did sort of know what he was doing by bringing it up in front of Kaito…but as he watched in slight astonishment, just the degree of gusto Kaito took to helping Arven out…he’d underestimated it. 

Shooting Amaina an unamused look, Doppio settled on a stool at the kitchen counter and ripped a fresh sheet of paper from his notebook, handing his pen over to Arven. “Even if it’s too much work to really start up again…might as well write down the Titan Herbs, right? I thought teachers just eat up ‘showing the thinking process’ stuff, yeah?”

Doppio huffed a little. “Still think they should believe you about it. Just having Chief walk into a room should be evidence enough to get you last year’s credit.”

Arven gave the paper a tired look, something deeply exhausted in his gaze… but as he looked up at Doppio, he smiled a little. Some of that exhaustion edging out as he took the pen, dutifully writing ‘Titan herbs health benefits’ on it, as he explained, “I don’t have any of the herbs left anymore, all I’d be doing is showing them a dog that was sick and got better, with nothing but my word as to how it happened.”

“Titan herbs?” Kaito asked, giving the paper a curious look, “What’s that?”

So Arven explained that next, again, largely how he had explained it to Doppio. “It took me basically that whole year, but eventually I managed it. And now Chief’s doing better than ever… I just don’t know if I’d be able to find it again.”

Kaito frowned, having listened to all of this quietly. “...hey, Arven, what did those herbs look like? Like… if they looked like white puff balls with little black splotches in them–”

Arven rolled his eyes. “No, I did not feed my dog spores from the Dead Forest, no. That sort of plant couldn’t grow in Dicea even if it wanted to. The silver roots that grow it only grow in two, maybe three spots in the world. It’s really hard to grow silver trees.”

“Wow, you do know your stuff,” Kaito said approvingly, before pointing at the paper. “Okay, it’s the first idea, but that’s already an awesome idea though. You're saying the issue is you’d need a real one for research?”

“Yeah,” Arven nodded, “They’re hard to find.”

Kaito frowned, before shaking his head. “No, that seems backwards.”

“What?” Arven asked.

“You don’t need physical proof of your thesis to get the research grant, you get the research grant in order to get help to get physical proof of your thesis. No wonder you feel like you don’t need this, you already did the part they’re supposed to help you with on your own… which is very impressive, by the way! High five!” Kaito said, putting up his hand, grinning when, reluctantly, Arven high fived him. “But! It sounds like more knowledge and research on these herbs could be hugely beneficial to the medical field, and considering how challenging it was to get what you needed, putting together the paper exploring the things you already know about them could get you the excavation team that you actually need.”

Arven’s eyes widened ever so slightly. “...excavation team? What, like… like my mother?”

Kaito, who had already heard all about that, shrugged dismissively. “Who cares if she does that, that’s not important. What’s important is that an excavation team assisting you could be exactly what you need in order to prove and advance your research into these guys. Yeah, that’s your enemy… you don’t need direction, you need resources…” Kaito murmured to himself, nodding his head. 

“That’ll be the focus of your proposal then. Here’s a really cool, potentially really helpful herb that you already know how to find, here’s the request for resources you’ll need to pursue it. I think that’s what you should focus on, Arven… What do you think? Is that something you’d want to commit to for the next year?”

“It sounds like a lot of work,” Arven admitted, tapping his pen against the paper, “...but having a team to help me collect more of them would be really helpful…”

Arven muttered to himself a bit, jotting more clear and concise ideas around the proposal down, while Kaito looked on happily. Kaito, after a moment, grinned at Doppio, gesturing to Arven with a nod before whispering to Doppio, “Pretty cool, huh?”

Doppio made a face at the mention of Poppy. What a fiasco that had been… As usual, Boss had been able to spin some positives from it, using the government’s suddenly far more critical eye when it came to drug trades to sever and dispose of certain ties no longer useful (or actively detrimental) to Passione without having to do more than lift a finger…but protecting the parts of Passione they still did need, and having to quickly come up with a new way to operate under the new investigations?

Boss had been stressed out for months. Doppio had almost seriously considered stomping his way all the way up to Danganronpa himself to burn down that damn forest. 

Thankful that Kaito bypassed the ‘mom’ subject himself, Doppio perked up at the mention of an excavation team. “Oh, yeah! Like, when you were telling me about the hot springs, Arven! You said there’d have to be a whole lot of process to go deeper in the caves--that’s a premise you’ve already done prep work on, and could direct to a team.”

Listening to Arven mumble about the logistics of the idea, Doppio watched on, impressed and happy and…(lightly flushed and smitten)... Jumping slightly at Kaito’s whisper, Doppio blushed more before nodding emphatically. “Obviously! Arven’s super cool, and he’s really smart… We were talking about it before--he can totally do all this stuff, he just said he was worn out from doing it already. If it’s a project he wants to take on?”

Doppio grinned brightly, an absolute certainty of faith gleaming in his soul. “Then he’s going to be amazing.”

Kaito gave Doppio a mildly surprised look… before he grinned. 

Awwwwww, really? Oh that was so fucking cute. Hell yeah.

Reaching forward and grasping the back of Doppio’s neck, giving him a gentle, friendly shake as Kaito chuckled, Kaito pulled Doppio in a bit, whispering to him, “Yeah? Say that a little louder next time, I’ll fight anyone who says flattery isn’t a solid way to charm someone. Play fast and loose with those compliments, tell him when he’s impressing you and trust me, he’s gonna want to do it way more often. The best way to show affection is to just straight up tell someone you like them, okay? Anyone who suggests anything else is just insecure.”

Doppio went along with the shake--not that he really had the mass to resist it--but his smile faded, confusion lighting up his face instead. “...I mean, sure? I did tell him I’m sure he’ll do great. But…I’m not really sure what you’re talking about?”

Pulling away a bit, Doppio huffed, rolling his eyes. “People are being so weird lately, I swear…”

Looking back to Arven, Doppio hummed. “So, do you think you’ll propose that class too? Or just go all into this?”

Kaito had leaned in close to whisper, and while he didn’t actually mean to not listen to Doppio’s response… well, he was suddenly too busy looking at Doppio’s cheek. 

Doppio was wearing a pretty heavy layer of makeup, which wasn’t necessarily noteworthy by itself, but… the coloring was off. In a way Kaito couldn’t see without being literally right next to his skin, but…

“I’m not sure. It does feel like a good idea, honestly. Your point that I’ve already worked out the logistics of what I’d need to get further into those caverns is a really good point, Doppio. Like, I know what it took for one person to do it, and I bet I could make a really accurate guess of what I’d need in a team of people. Maybe I should just commit to this idea, if I’m going to do anything. Right?”

“Right, right… Hey, Doppio, let me pull you aside for a second, there’s something I want to ask you about,” Kaito said, taking Doppio’s arm and sternly pulling him from the stool.

…well, it wasn’t like he had much of a guess at all, so…if the project was just…all school was? Then, yeah, that made sense to focus on it. If high school was just taking on personal research projects, then Doppio didn’t really get why classes were a thing, but, hey. He wasn’t the person going. 

“Makes sense,” he nodded. “No reason to divide your attention and half-ass two things. Uh…”

Doppio had barely glanced over at Kaito, just even more confused, but… Look, it was a reflex. He really couldn’t help it. 

“A-ah!” Gasping in pain, Doppio flinched, his arm jerking in Kaito’s grip, which only made him grit his teeth against the increased pain. “Let go!”

Kaito’s eyes widened, and he let go. “Woah, wait, are you oka–”

“Hey!” Arven was around the counter like a whip, putting himself between Kaito and Doppio, glaring and gritting his teeth. “What are you doing!? Leave him alone!”

Kaito frowned, now that the initial shock was done thinking that had sounded like a yelp of pain, about to insist Arven get out of the way so he could check on it… before his face went grim, seeing what was in Arven’s hand. Taking a step back and quietly raising his hands. Looking extremely serious as he said quietly, “Arven, my baby is not even a foot away from us. Put that away.”

Arven blinked, before looking down at his hands. He honestly barely remembered grabbing the knife… before glancing over at Miyako, who had spat out her pacifier in favor of chewing on one of her wolf ears. Miyako wasn’t paying attention to what they were doing, her gaze focused on Amaina, who was slowly and lazily changing color in front of her. Her body turned towards Miyako, but her eyes staring blankly at Arven.

“...u-uh, I’m not going to cut anyone, just…” Arven reluctantly put the knife down on the counter beside him, Kaito notably sighing in relief at that, “But why did you hurt Doppio!? He was just sitting there!”

“I didn’t… hey, Doppio? Now would be a good time to speak up, kid,” Kaito said sternly, looking over Arven’s shoulder, “What’s up with your arm?”

For a moment, Doppio just had to breathe through the pain, as he got his arm back. It had been fine, just going about his day (and the dull throbbing that never quite went away was “fine”, in his books, since it was something he could ignore), but the amount of pressure Kaito had put on it made it feel like his arm was being flayed apart…

Unfortunately, a lot of things happened in that moment. 

(...it was…kind of nice, that Arven wanted to defend him like that. But Kaito didn’t deserve a knife pointed at him, least of all in front of his daughter.)

His gaze flicking over the kitchen in anxious uncertainty, Doppio paused before gently tugging Arven’s sleeve twice. “It wasn’t… He didn’t… K-Kaito didn’t hurt me, Arven, I…”

Shrinking more into his sweater, still not looking at either of them, Doppio held his arm up, pushing down the thick sleeve just enough to barely show his wrist before quickly tugging it back up. Or…to barely show the start of a bandage wrap around it. “...it’s fine. Just…startled me when he grabbed it… Not his fault,” he muttered.

Arven gaped when he saw the edge of the bandage, looking far less certain what to do now as he floundered a little. “Doppio, are you hurt? Are you okay, what happened–”

“Arven, hey, go put that knife away,” Kaito instructed, eyeing Doppio warily as he put a hand on Arven’s shoulder to steady him. “And go grab your first aid supplies. Doppio, I’m taking a look at that, okay?”

“Shouldn’t we take him to a healer? It sounded like you opened something when you grabbed him,” Arven insisted. “We should find someone who knows how to deal with wounds like that.”

“Arven. Knife. Now,” Kaito barked, giving him a frustrated look… though he relaxed a little when Arven, jolting, took the knife and moved around the counter to put it away. “And grab those supplies, like I said.”

Softening his tone, Kaito said to Doppio, “Hey, let me take a look, okay? If it was taken care of properly, it shouldn’t hurt that much just by me touching it. Let me see what it is, get it cleaned up… look.” Kaito grinned, pulling up the sleeve of his own shirt, showing Doppio some of the scars that lined his arm. “I’ve taken care of some bad cuts myself, I know what I’m doing. Let me see.”

There was no way he was going to a healer, even if Arven insisted…but Doppio flinched a little, before returning Kaito’s frustrated look, if briefly for the moment he could bring himself to make eye contact. “Don’t yell at him.”

…but Kaito did have a point. It wasn’t hurting until Kaito grabbed him, but… W-well, Boss wasn’t usually in the habit of grabbing him like that either, but if he did… He’d been told not to get hurt! And…well, technically it might’ve not been yesterday, the day Boss had told him that, so maybe he still had a case, but who was he kidding, Boss hated it on ANY day when he got hurt! Because he was a good boss, and good bosses didn’t let their employees be injured, and it was just that Doppio was too stupid and inept and useless--

Letting go of a shaky breath, Doppio only hesitated for a moment longer before pushing up his sleeve more properly, revealing a neat bandage wrapped from wrist to elbow. It could almost pass for being nothing more than a bandage, if not for light dots of dried blood spotting down the top of his arm. 

And…well, Doppio knew that Kaito wasn’t just asking to see the bandage, so…

There were three nasty looking gouges in Doppio’s arm, running down the length towards his wrist before they spiraled right at the bottom, as if Doppio had turned his arm while whatever had made them were still in him. They were spaced out and concerningly wide, the wounds definitively not slashes, as if from a blade. More as if something had pierced his skin near his elbow and had been dragged down. 

For as bad as they looked, they weren’t bleeding anymore, and they had obviously been tended to…except for the middle of the one closest to the underside of Doppio’s arm, which was beading blood, reopened. 

Doppio looked off to the side, his shoulders hunched in as he waited to be reprimanded. 

Kaito, admittedly, stiffened a little when he saw the gashes. 

These were fight wounds. Not a spar, not a fistfight, but actual battle wounds. The kind of thing that happened when you brought up your arm to protect an area of your body that couldn’t survive wounds like this. It was– “Thanks, Arven, here,” Kaito said, reaching around and, covering view of Doppio’s arm with his body a bit, reaching towards Arven to grab the medical box he had brought to him. “I’m gonna need this, Doppio nicked his arm pretty bad on something. Hey, do me a favor, would you? Could you take Miyako outside for a bit, I don’t want her to have to smell any of the cleaning formula I’m gonna use.”

Arven shot Doppio a concerned look… before nodding, deciding he could ask Doppio about it later. “Uh, I’ve never held a baby before.”

“Just cradle her head and support her against your chest, and try not to let her eat anything on you. You’ll both be fine~” Kaito grinned, watching Arven shuffle over to Miyako and carefully, somewhat nervously, pick her up. Maybe Miyako would have been annoyed at New Touch, but she was still pretty enraptured by Amaina, who was now dancing in slow, easy spins on Arven’s shoulder, still gently changing colors. 

As Arven headed outside, Chief, in turn, flopped his head onto Doppio’s lap. “Good dog,” Kaito murmured, opening the box and taking a look at what he had, before taking a bottle of cleaning alcohol and dabbing it on a cloth. “I’m gonna run this over the bleeder, okay? Just for a little bit, I want to kill any infections that might have gotten in. You’re gonna be okay, alright?” Kaito promised, before offering his hand for Doppio to lean his arm into. “Can I see? It’s only gonna hurt for a second, the next bit’s gonna feel a lot better.”

…he didn’t deserve it, but…Doppio did appreciate Kaito hiding his arm from Arven. Saving whatever scathing, biting thing he had in store for just Doppio alone. Doppio had always considered The Boss kind beyond words, that he was gentle and affectionate, if disappointed, when he had to clean up Doppio’s messes…but he didn’t have such high hopes for the rest of the world. This was just…dumb, he was so stupid…!

Barely glancing at Kaito, just seeing his physical directions, Doppio offered up his arm, trying to keep it lax to minimize the bleeding. Nng…it would be so unsanitary if he bled all over Arven’s kitchen… He’d stay to clean it, of course, but…Arven would be so grossed out and disgusted…seeing what a failure Doppio was. Can’t even keep his blood in his body. Pathetic. 

“S’ fine,” Doppio mumbled, unconcerned with the sting of antiseptic. Looking around the kitchen, he gnawed on his lip before chancing speaking up again. “...it…wasn’t your fault. You grab really hard, but…you didn’t know.”

“I have a big, bullish grip that’s gotten me in trouble more than just with you. Now, take a big breath for me…” Kaito grinned, carefully patting Doppio’s wound with the alcohol. He wasn’t expecting a big gasp like Doppio had given before, but he wasn’t expecting Doppio to look unphased either. Too used to it. “There we go, great job. Alright, next step, let’s put some ointment on it. You’ll get that nice, cool feeling from that. I’ve always loved that feeling, when it gets all cold and the pain goes away.”

Grabbing the ointment, double checking its content before popping it open and squeezing some out, Kaito got to work rubbing it into the wound, keeping Doppio’s arm supported by his elbow so that Kaito could get to the underpart easier. Trying to think of what to say…

“I’ve gotten into a lot of fights, ya know? And have seen more of them. And I’d still say these gashes are pretty bad, Doppio,” Kaito said gently, grabbing a hand cloth and dabbing around Doppio’s arm, cleaning up the blood. “No one should hurt you like this. It’s not okay.”

Doppio usually did feel relieved when it was time for ointment…but usually because by then it had usually been long enough that The Boss was done being disappointed in him, and was just…kind. Started telling him how important he was…mio vito. 

…and just how was Doppio treating that life, huh?

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Doppio clenched his jaw. Perhaps being a bit bolder because Kaito wasn’t his boss. “I know, okay? I know this isn’t okay… I-it’s not… I’m not trying to get hurt. I’m not trying to be careless. I just!”

Words died in his throat, his sentiment only able to be expressed through a huffy growl in his throat. Doppio clenching his other fist…before letting it go. Pausing, before gently petting Chief. Finally glancing over at Kaito with a sort of beaten down, quiet desperation. “...I’m not trying to throw my life away,” he said softly, almost pleading to be believed.

Kaito gave him a startled look at all that… before shaking his head. Reaching for some fresh bandages as he said, “Someone attacking you with a knife isn’t you being careless, Doppio. That’s someone hurting you. They shouldn’t have done that. It shouldn’t have happened.”

“I’m not saying it’s your fault, Doppio. I don’t know how this happened, and, by the way? I do want to know,” Kaito said sternly, starting to wrap Doppio’s arm, “...but I know how hard it can be, to tell people when someone hurts you like this. So at the moment, it’s more important to me that you know it shouldn’t have. No one should hurt you like this.”

Sighing, checking the bandage, Kaito asked, “How does it fit? Does any of it hurt? …you’re not stupid, Doppio. Or careless or ‘throwing it all away’ or whatever other way you want to dance around that idea. You're bright and dedicated and on top of things. You didn’t earn this by being stupid.”

Doppio had looked away again, as Kaito started to speak, but his gaze was snapped back, filling with confusion. …what did it matter if someone should or shouldn’t have hurt him? It happened. People hurt other people all the time, and…that was just how things worked. The only things you could control were your own actions, so…if Doppio had gotten hurt this badly, then…it was because he wasn’t strong enough or smart enough or determined enough to overcome that obstacle. 

It didn’t matter what other people were doing. 

…still…it was nice to hear that Kaito thought that, in some weird world where you could control other people…he didn’t think people should hurt him. And…it was nice not being blamed for being hurt. Even if it felt like a very fake thing. But Doppio couldn’t exactly argue that because…

Mumbling that the bandage was fine, Doppio flushed a little at the praise before sighing. Looking away again. Saying quietly, “...I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to: I know,” Kaito said, before sighing, rubbing the back of his neck. This next bit was the tricky bit, really. He had been in Doppio’s shoes too often to underestimate what a damn brick wall getting someone to admit who had hurt them could be, especially if they didn’t have any real incentive to tell. Ngh… where was Dr. Mariah when he needed her… or Kokichi, for that matter.

Deciding maybe the direct approach was the best approach to try first, Kaito asked, “These look like knife wounds. Deep ones. What happened, Doppio?”

Doppio huffed, this sigh a little more overtly annoyed. Taking his arm back, he rolled down his sleeve again before indulging in dual-handed dog pets. “No, that’s what I mean. I don’t know what happened.”

Grimacing to himself, red spread out over his freckles…except where both it and they were muted by his cover job. “...I just found them when I took a shower this morning. I don’t know how I got them… I didn’t want to worry Boss, so I just tried to bandage them best I could.”

“You don’t know…?” Kaito said, a tad skeptically… before covering his mouth a little. Thinking for a moment. “Did you black out? Is that what you’re saying? Wait, I thought your blackouts only lasted, like, a minute or so–”

“Can we come back in?” Arven said from the backyard door.

“Give us another minute, Arven, we’re just getting some things cleared up!”

“She pooped.”

Kaito hesitated, before running his hand over his face. “Atua give me strength… we’re not done talking about this,” he told Doppio sternly, getting up to head to the backyard. “Come on, give her here, I’ve got her. Miyaaaa, you really picked right now, huh? Come on, baby, before we get a little baby rash, yeah?”

As Kaito continued to murmur and fuss over his daughter, grabbing his backpack and heading to the side to put her down on the floor to change her, Arven went to Doppio. “Everything okay?”

For a moment, Doppio just glowered at Kaito, pissed that he wouldn’t be believed. Sure, for a lot of people, ‘I don’t know’ was just a shut down, diverting answer, but he had a lot of reasons for it to be genuine, and Kaito knew that. 

But…babies needing a diaper change kind of took precedence over talking, especially now that the ‘open wound’ issue had been solved. 

Sighing, Doppio gave Arven a dry, tired (nooooo the tea was supposed to help that!) look, lifting his arm a bit. “Physically, yeah. Apparently got into a knife fight, according to Mr. Injury Appraiser, though.”

While Kaito seemed pretty focused…well, he had said they weren’t done talking, so Doppio just leaned back against the counter as he explained. “And I never said they only lasted for a minute…I think. I’m pretty sure the norm is, like, a few hours, and I’m about 80% sure the longest one I’ve had was for about a week.” He squinted at the air. “I’m pretty sure.”

It was absurd to think he’d just been sleeping for that long, after all. He was pretty sure a person would die of dehydration before the week was up.

Kaito listened to this, and because Miyako was staring directly at him as he changed her, he smiled brightly and said in a soft, sing-song voice, “Doppio~ people don’t pass out for a week, Doppio~ That’s called being in a coma and coma patients don’t tend to get around much~ Let alone into fights~”

“You got into a knife fight!?” Arven shouted, now looking very concerned… before putting his hands into fists, bringing his shoulders up a little as he grit his teeth. “WIth who? Though, oh… you might not remember, huh…” Arven suddenly lit up, asking, “Do you think you might have written it down?”

Doppio gave Kaito an unamused look across the room. He never said he passed out either…though at some point, sometimes, he could guess he did. But…a lot of the time when he blacked out? He woke up in a completely different place than the last he remembered being, and, like…what? It sure as hell wasn’t The Boss moving him, and who just out in the city would move him into alleys and, like…not a hospital, or even a bench…or without mugging him?

So it was just his body moving around, right? Or him just not remembering what he was doing, but, like…even more confusing and nebulous than his usual lapses in memory were. 

Which at least someone seemed to remember! Giving Arven a thankful nod for his consideration (and willingness to also fight whoever had given Doppio the injuries), Doppio…doubted he would’ve written something like that down, but he gave Arven a soft smile anyway, reaching over to grab his notebook. “Maybe.”

Flipping through it…

Buy nu robe 4 B+sandles (spiders? Neutral? Mb safe)

That was today, no…

Buy 🐟 cap, 2nd, 24, down, left, right, left36,▮▮▮▮

Doppio frowned a little, before squinting at his handwriting. God, why was it so bad… Sighing, he looked up to shake his head at Arven. “Nope, just my usual stuff.”

Kaito finished changing Miyako, before picking her up and whispering to her, “You are such a good girl, look at that little belly, does our Miyako eat well? Yes, you eat so well, little bulgy tummy, I love you so much~” Kaito gave her little kisses on her stomach, ignoring Miyako kneeing him in the jaw, before placing her back down, dressing her back up in her onesie. “Good little Miya~”

Glancing over at the boys, Kaito watched them read through Doppio’s notebook. …shit. What was Kaito going to do? Doppio didn’t know who had hurt him, but those gashes were serious, not to mention the shiner. The shiner could have been dismissed as Doppio just getting into a brawl with someone, which happens and Kaito wasn’t necessarily worried about that… but gashes? That’s a fight for your life. Basically, someone had tried to kill Doppio, and Doppio didn’t remember anything about it.

Worse?

He didn’t seem worried about it either. That was maybe more alarming than anything. What was Doppio doing that serious injuries like that didn’t seem to phase him? It’s the sort of thing that’d have infuriated Kaito with Maki, once upon a… time…

“Hey, Doppio, you and your boss's relationship is purely professional, right?” Kaito called over.

Doppio glanced up at Kaito, pure surprise on his face, before he lifted an eyebrow and nodded. “Of course! Boss is super professional, and that’s something I pride myself on trying to achieve too, you know?”

After a moment, though, he gave Kaito an unamused look, though it wasn’t without understanding. “He’s not creepy with me, if that’s what you’re getting at. I think Boss couldn’t be less interested in getting close to anyone, let alone me.” A shrug. “I just work for him, yeah? It’s a job.”

“Mmhm.” Kaito nodded. “And you don’t have anyone else here you check in with? Family? Friends?”

Arven raised an eyebrow. “He has me.”

Kaito lit up at that, bouncing Miyako in his arms. “Hell yeah he does… alright! I feel less bad if I’m not, like, stepping on the toes of someone else who’s already looking out for you, so! Because you were attacked and you don’t know who did it? I’m making it a personal project to check in on you, okay? Like… like regularly,” Kaito said, grinning fiercely, “Like, you’re either gonna make it easy on me by meeting up with me once a day, or you’re gonna make it hard on me by making me look for you, kinda regularly. Since no one else is.”

The softer edges of his understanding faded away at Kaito’s next question, Doppio starting to get a little frustrated, but…

Oh.

That was quickly forgotten, at least temporarily, as Arven answered for him. Doppio could argue his own case, but…Arven placing himself in Doppio’s corner, and immediately? Like…no hesitation at all, and even acting like it was such a forgone conclusion it was dumb to ask…

Turning red, Doppio looked to the side, hiding a smile. 

However, that temporary moment was a good estimate. 

Looking back to Kaito, Doppio frowned. “Are you serious? I don’t need a stalker. And I don’t have time to make an extra, unneeded stop every day. And some days I don’t even come into the city!”

…and…the easiest place that Kaito would probably suggest meeting would be the castle, since it was right in the center of the city and a common meeting place… But…Prince Kokichi lived there too…

Doppio started to sweat a little. “Look, he’s not a freak, but my boss looks out for me too--how the hell do you think I could keep this job anyway?!”

Kaito grit his teeth, narrowing his eyes. “You hid this injury from him, didn’t you? I don’t really care what he is then, he’s not the guy that’s gonna help you with this. Someone attacked you, Doppio. You’re lucky it’s me that found out, anyone else would be telling the guardforce whether you wanted them to or not. I just don’t want you to disappear some random day and no one have any idea anything’s happened to you.”

Doppio remained obstinate for another moment, before his eyes widened and he suddenly paled. 

…he’d hid his arm from The Boss because he didn’t want to worry him. But Doppio had hidden his face because… It hadn’t even occurred to him that Kaito would tell the Guardforce. If he told the Guardforce…then he’d be taken to a healer. And they’d try to get a statement. And he’d be… In their files, he’d be…

(...what would it mean to disappear one day? If he’d appeared one day then…what… How would that… What was…)

While his pallor remained, all expression turned off on Doppio’s face, like someone had flicked a switch. Him going “blank” again. However, instead of lasting just a second or two, explainable by him trying to think of something…

…it just kept going. Gold eyes dull and staring at nothing.

Kaito gave Doppio a dry look, unimpressed. Doppio had a pretty good depressed thousand yard stare, but Kaito had been on the other end of Kokichi’s dissociative self-destructive episodes too many times to be intimidated by Doppio looking ‘blank’. Still, he could see what he had said had hit a nerve, so…

“Look, it’s simple, what if, like…” Kaito sighed, patting Miyako on the butt, “...every other day? I meet you at Mid-Valley High, at the end of the school day? I already want to stay on top of Arven to keep an eye on his school stuff–”

“Me? How’d I get dragged into this?” Arven balked.

“--and you seem to usually be in town around that time anyway. A quick check in! Just letting me see you’re good, no new injuries, or handling new injuries if they’ve shown up, annnnd you both can talk endless shit about me together after I leave ya be from the checkups,” Kaito negotiated. “...or?”

Kaito frowned, looking stern. “You force me to make your safety someone else's problem. Cause that’s the point we’ve gotten to.”

Doppio…didn’t really hear what Kaito was saying. Or notice he was talking at all. Or…kinda realize that reality was a thing that existed. All there was, was a quiet, simmering panic, the kind that would often preclude an explosion. 

He couldn’t be made useless. Couldn’t become useless. He had been made to be useful for a use, he had a purpose that was the only reason he ever existed in the first place and if Kaito made him useless then

Doppio had to make it stop

…one second

…two

…thr

ɹɥʇ…

…I,ɯ ɯɐʞᴉuƃ it a personal project to check in on you, okay? Like… like regularly,” Kaito said, grinning fiercely. “Like, you’re either gonna make it easy on me by meeting up with me once a day, or you’re gonna make it hard on me by making me look for you, kinda regularly. Since no one else is.”

Doppio felt warm, and flattered, and…happy, but…somehow, there was a panicked pounding in his chest, and a fierce, pounding headache that, in less than a second, was instantly thundering through his brain. It…it felt hard to breathe, and like…

A little confused and…feeling a little like he’d been slapped, like a rubberband had snapped on every inch of his skin, Doppio could only do one thing, obeying the wild, panicked instinct in his head. 

Like he had walking home with Kaito and Waku that first night, one moment Doppio was sitting on the stool, and the next there was only an outline of his form, quick footsteps sounding from the entry way before the door opened. Doppio booking it away. 

“D-Doppio!?” Arven said, looking around in confusion. “Woah, he’s fast– Prince Kaito, what are you doing!?”

“Come on Miya, it's running time with Dad again.” Kaito grinned, an intense, focused look on his face as he quickly put the chest seat back on, putting his daughter into it and, putting her wolf hoodie up, grabbing his backpack and throwing it on. “I’ll see you soon, Arven, I think your concept is solid, don't worry about the teacher side of it, I'm on it!”

“Are you seriously going to chase him!? Kaito, are you out of your min– aaaand he’s gone,” Arven said, scratching his chin a little as he stared at his left open front door. “...those guys are weird,” he told Chief, giving him a pat on the head.

Ruff, Chief agreed.

-

Miyako watched the world zoom by with fascination, biting around her pacifier as her world went BA-BOOM–BA-BOOM–BA-BOOM. Big Heat’s hands were secured around her forehead and stomach, steadying the sling as Big Heat did waaaaaay more than a jog for once. It was neat. The wind in her face! 

Meanwhile, above her, Kaito was gritting his teeth, running like his damn life depended on it.

Was he aware that literally chasing Doppio across the city was maybe not the… most responsible thing he could be doing? Kinda. Like, logically, maybe. But Kaito was following his heart! And his heart was telling him this dumbass needed to be chased! If he let Doppio just literally run away from Kaito’s help, then he wasn’t going to be accepting his help in any other way either! 

Now, where, where, where– “DOPPIO!” Kaito shouted, seeing Doppio turn a corner, “YOU GET RIGHT BACK HERE! I’M NOT GIVING UP!”

Doppio didn’t know where he was going, or what he was doing, and there even was a part of him screaming in outrage and mortification, saying that he was being so suspicious and weird sprinting through the city like this, and there was a smaller, worried voice reminding him that he’d left his bag and notebook at Arven’s house, and how was he supposed to do anything without his notebook, not to mention all his supplies that he needed to bring back home. But drowning both those voices out was less of a coherent sound, and more of a desperate need to run, to get away and not have that happen it couldn’t happen it…i-it…it wasn’t supposed to… This wasn’t supposed to happen. This was wrong. This was wrong! This was--!

He couldn’t breathe. And in the end, that ended up being the loudest voice. Because Doppio believed he needed to breathe, so…oxygen was kind of important. And it turned out that running full-tilt at the onset of a panic attack wasn’t so great for that. 

At the edge of a small park, Doppio stumbled, falling to his knees and skidding a bit, throwing up a mouthful of stomach-acid-y tea as his chest heaved violently. Desperately trying to suck in air, and failing. 

O.O

Amaina stood in front of him. Gently shifting colors. Warm and hypnotic. 

{It’s so big out here}

And in that was her warning. That all the good things were out here, but that his fears were out here too. And she couldn’t make those fears go away. The dangerous things go away. The everything.

But she had brought him an upgrade.

And when Kaito panted, falling to his knees next to Doppio, Amaina vanished. Kaito huffing and wheezing a bit, still with his hands protectively around Miyako. “...wow! I haven’t run like that in, shoot…” Kaito grinned, laughing a little, still panting, a line of drool escaping at the edge of his mouth, looking at Doppio… before frowning. Some of the joy in his adrenaline becoming more jagged and alarmed as he realized, “Ah, shoot, shoot, I know that look. Okay, okay…”

Scooting away from Doppio half a knee back, giving him space, Kaito said gently, “Hey, hey… I know it’s hard to talk, but can you describe what’s around us? Can you tell me what you see?”

It was what had scared him in the first place. That over-exposed, raw, everything feeling that, even with a year and a half of experience, still felt just as terrifying and painful, sometimes. There was no going back, now, and Doppio truly loved the good things, but…it was hard. 

And it was hard doing it alone. 

But he wasn’t alone, really. 

Doppio could sort of hear Kaito (this time) but it sounded far away and garbled, like he was underwater. Like the world was detached, even the grass far away under his hands…but the pain pulsing through his head, and starting to shoot through his chest was a little too present. Though his arms were the only things keeping him from faceplanting, Doppio still brought a trembling one up to grip his chest, quick, desperate, half-formed gasps and wheezes shaking him. His eyes squeezed shut in pain and panic. 

“Okay, okay, Doppio? Listen to me, I’m going to touch you man, but…” Kaito worriedly looked down at Miyako, debating with himself a second before deciding he couldn’t risk it. Quickly unstrapping himself, Kaito put Miyako down and behind him, out of thrashing or ‘random panicked slugging’ range, before refocusing on Doppio. “Sorry, sorry, I’m back, I’m back, you’re doing great…”

Doppio wasn’t, he was clutching his chest and panting like he couldn’t catch a breath, but, well, that was fucking panic attacks for ya. Hopefully worst comes to worst Doppio would just pass out briefly. Scooting forward, Kaito murmured, “I’ve got you, you’re struggling to breathe, right? Come here…”

Kaito put a hand on Doppio’s chest, pushing him slowly up. As he did that, he positioned himself behind Doppio, so that Doppio was mostly leaning on him, before taking his right arm, saying as he lifted it, “This is going to help you open your lungs, kid. It’s okay, I’ve got you, just focus on your breathing.” Kaito whispered, pulling Doppio’s arm well above his head. 

It took a second, but on one of the next gasps, it sounded like it actually went through, Doppio’s eyes fluttering open for a second. And it still sounded like a struggle, but…they kept going through. Slowly, Doppio actually breathing in oxygen again, each breath getting a little deeper. 

Just as slowly, his body relaxed back against Kaito’s, the high-strung tension easing back and letting him let the prince support him. 

And eventually, Doppio coughed shallowly, shakily letting go of his chest and wiping his mouth with his sleeve, before he blinked blearily, things sliding into focus, if a little hazy from exhaustion. 

“...K… Kaito?” he stuttered, voice soft and raw. “What…what happened?”

“You got yourself a case of the zoomies,” Kaito joked lightly, though there was something deeply tired in the joke. “Just focus on your breathing for a second.”

After a moment, feeling Doppio’s breathing remain consistently even, he lowered Doppio’s arm, leaning back on one of his hands and leaning his head back, letting himself calm down by looking at the sky for a second while Doppio leaned against him. Still catching his own damn breath, honestly… before glancing down at Miyako. Making sure she was still good.

“...Hey, Doppio, wanna see something cute?” Kaito whispered, before reaching around Doppio’s chest and pointing towards Miyako, who was staring in fascination at a butterfly, which had rested on the edge of her hoodie, just within her range of vision. “That’s the first time she’s seen something like that. Imagine, the first time, seeing something as pretty and strange as a butterfly. What a moment, huh?”

“...Sorry, man.” Kaito sighed, running his hand over his face, wiping the sweat away. “I didn’t mean to send you into a panic attack. I knew when I said that I wanted to see you regularly that it was going to be a big ask. Just didn’t realize how much.”

The headache wasn’t helped much, but…everything else was. And…it was a little easier just to…deal with everything, when… When he didn’t have to worry about falling off the edge of the earth. Someone else holding him, while Doppio just breathed. 

He looked over at Kaito’s indication, smiling softly at the scene there. That simple wonder on Miyako’s face…

(It had been similar to his own, in all honesty. It had been a terrible day for work, but…Doppio had lost hours, slowly wandering around the city he’d long since forgotten, seeing all sorts of insects for the first time. Sitting in a patch of dirt in a garden, watching beetles roam over his hands, marveling at the feeling of their little feet, the colors of their shells, the smell of the earth around him. All just existing.)

“...your daughter is really cute,” Doppio said softly, watching the butterfly slowly move its wings with that same appreciation. 

Blinking slowly, he tried to think back on what had happened, but… (it was disjointed, parts not flowing together as they should) it just made his headache flare up worse. Letting go of a breathy sigh, he mumbled, “Was that it?”

Just…seeing him? But…there was more to it than that. Something terrible…but a precipice that now seemed far away, like Doppio was safely behind a generous guardrail. Unable to see what laid in the drop. 

“...I don’t want to be useless,” he mumbled softly, eyes dropping to the blades of grass. “It’s…laughably generous how people treat me. I know I’m…” 

A sigh. “...I’m okay, really. I don’t need someone else checking in on me too.”

“Uuuugh.” Kaito sighed, collapsing backwards, laying on the grass, wrapping his arm around Doppio’s chest to drag him back with him. “Uuuuuuuuuugh I have so much more respect for my poor huuuuusbaaaaaaand.”

“And my other husband, honestly. And my Maki-roll. Ugh.” Kaito grunted, staring at the sky. “Laughably generous… Doppio, it’s really dumb how much you remind me of me. Like, extremely annoying. Man, is this how frustrating I am all the time? It suuuuucks.”

The arm around his chest was only needed to keep Doppio from sliding off Kaito, really. Like he’d told Arven, Doppio never really worked out on purpose, but he figured he could do a few sit-ups if he tried! But…right now? It felt like all his muscles had turned to jelly, and without Kaito propping him up, Doppio went right down with him. 

Not so much with the mood, though. 

Pouting, Doppio made a put-out sound in the back of his throat, grousing, “I really don’t see any similarities… If you think I’m so annoying then just…g-go away.”

“No,” Kaito said simply, “I don’t want to. You’re not getting rid of me, not until I’m convinced you’re okay, and honestly, by this point even that might not send me off.”

“And we have so much in common. It’s honestly a little ridiculous. But, don’t worry about that, because it’s not about me, okay?” Kaito huffed, giving Doppio a light, clumsy pat on the forehead. “Similarities or not, annoyances or not, I’m just… worried about you. And I can’t bring myself to just ignore that. If I try, you’re gonna end up in all my future stress dreams, trust me. You’d really be doing me a favor, letting me look out for you.”

Doppio scrunched his nose at the pat, kind of…half trying not to feel comforted by it. Easy, simple affection…

“What a gross way to put it…” he sighed, before closing his eyes. Just for a moment, though. There were too many wonderful clouds out to just ignore them. “...I didn’t really think I’d be able to get rid of you. You just keep coming back, and you’re too much of a bully to be shaken off.”

“...thanks for helping me,” Doppio said quietly. “Now, and with my arm… I… I really don’t have time to…go off and make a stop out of the way every day, though…”

“Er, Sir?” Above them, but not too close, a person looked over the scene with mild concern, addressing Kaito. “Are you and your children alright? Should I get help?”

Kaito couldn’t help a small, warm grin at the thank you, his chest warming with pride. Maybe he was actually getting through after all–

He couldn’t help the seize up. A burst of alarm running through him, as he quickly sat up, adjusting Doppio into his side, before quickly reaching for Miyako, picking her up and cradling her to himself, before broadening his shoulders, shielding Doppio behind him a little, as he grinned at the stranger. “We’re good! Everything is good over here! We were just running around and catching our breath!”

Easily, the stranger offered a smile back. “Alright, just wanted to check on you. Enjoy your day!”

Doppio frowned a little at how his trembling arm struggled to keep him propped up, but he elected to ignore it as his cheeks reddened. “...I’m not your kid. Even if you seem like you’re Boss’s age.” Which, obviously, meant that Kaito was probably old enough to be his dad, but…

Sighing, Doppio started pulling himself up. “...I left my stuff at Arven’s. And I should probably get going anyway…lotta stuff left t’....uung…”

Barely even on his feet, Doppio swayed, black spots crinkling in around his vision before he seized himself into staying up, letting go of a small, shaky breath. He’d…been awake for…about over a day and a half now, huh…

“I’m your boss's age?” Kaito mused, watching Doppio get up. Wow, the guy started his own business pretty young, huh– “Wooooah, woah, woah. Easy there.”

Kaito was up in a moment, steadying Doppio, giving him a small frown. “Ugh, you live so far away from here… if Arven’s okay with it, I want you to take a nap there. Maybe even spend the night, you don’t look like you could manage a walk all the way home, even if I walked with you.”

Doppio’s brows furrowed and he very slightly shook his head. “...gotta finish work. N Boss is gonna worry if I don’t come home tonight… Think I got kidnapped ‘r something…”

He could…totally make the walk back home. He’d dragged himself back from worse. And Boss had been so upset yesterday… Doppio needed to be there. Show off all he’d managed to accomplish during the day, maybe get one of those happy, approving hums… Make things better. 

(...he wanted to sleep so badly.)

Waiting to see if Doppio was gonna fall again, Kaito let him go before adjusting Miyako to be riding his chest again, Miyako herself now blinking sleepily. Very exciting day, for a little baby. New people, new bugs, a whole lot of running, cool light shows. She was beat. 

“Ugh, why are all the little brats in my life also, like, crazy workaholics.” Kaito huffed, rolling his eyes, before poking Doppio’s arm– because he was a bully, notably a little hard, making Doppio stumble on his feet a little, showing off how tired he was– and saying, “What do you have left to do? Maybe I can cover for you.”

“No way,” Doppio grouched, voice firm. Boss would never accept it, for one, but also…that was his work. He wasn’t going to let anyone else mess it up. (...or do it better, faster, without as many mistakes… After how poorly things had gone lately, maybe just…convincing The Boss that Doppio really had become useless to him… To everyone.)

With a breath, Doppio pulled himself more upright and crossed his arms. Very gently. “I need to…” A blink. “...uh…” Almost that blank look, but a little worried, as Doppio uncrossed his arms and patted his pockets, frown deepening. “...where did I put my notebook…?”

Uh oh.

It would be…very bad, if anyone read through that.

“Notebook?” Kaito asked, looking around their feet, before shaking his head. “Not here. Come on, we’ll retrace your steps in case it fell, but likely it’s just back at Arven’s place. Come on.”

Starting the slow walk, keeping an eye on Doppio as they moved, Kaito said, “Alright, well, if you don’t want me to help, what if I made a trip down to your place and told your boss that I benched you for a night. I saw you were looking out of it and forced you to take a rest. I mean…”

Kaito rolled his eyes a little. “I know being a prince around here doesn’t mean much, but. I am used to taking the brunt of people being mad at their, uh, ‘employees’ doing something ‘wrong’. I’ll just say I made you do it.”

“Oh…that does make sense…” Doppio mumbled, eyes narrowing as they started the slow plod back home. 

…Arven’s house, not home. Except for Arven and Chief, he supposed, but…he and Kaito didn’t live there. And didn’t live together. 

…man, why did his ribs hurt? It was like someone had punched him, but from the inside. From…what? Just a little gasping session? What bullshit…

Doppio cringed. “Absolutely not. You’re not my boss, why would I listen to you? And he was disappointed enough that I basically gave our address to strangers…” A blink, before Doppio looked up at Kaito, surprised. “Wait, you remember where I live?”

“Hah! Why would you listen to me… ugh, sometimes I miss home,” Kaito admitted, a wary grin on his face. “Do me a favor and don’t mention I said that to… honestly, literally anyone. But man, helping people with stuff was sooooo much easier when I had literally every advantage a society could possibly offer. God it was easier.”

“Course I do, why wouldn’t I? I remember it’s a long ass walk too… oh, my bad, Miya~” Kaito said, patting Miyako’s stomach a bit. “Ugh, okay… okay. How about this. When you’re done with your work? You come back to me, I’ll sign out a horse, and I’ll take you back home?”

Even back in Luminary, Doppio couldn’t understand still why anyone would listen to Kaito, like…half the time. Sure, the guy was almost painfully bullheaded about helping people, and had some genuinely good musings about the world…but he was also a total weirdo with weird ideas. Like with anyone, he supposed, you had to weigh anything anyone said against your own sense. 

A mild bit of distress scrunched Doppio’s eyebrows, joining the surprise. There went his plausible deniability… But maybe…

A deep, heaving sigh, as Doppio worried his lip to shreds. “There’s, um… Nevermind, that doesn’t matter. But, uh…I mean, it’d depend on if Arven’s okay with it?” Even if he had said he had plenty of space yesterday. “...I could…write a note, for my boss, and…you could bring it to my place? Just leave it in the mail slot… A-and I could just…wake up a little later and get home late…”

Kaito lit up, immediately nodding his head, before thumping Doppio on the back a bit– grabbing his shoulder so he wouldn’t fall forward– and grinning. “Yes! Absolutely, I can do that. It won’t even take me long, I’ll rent that horse either way and be there and back in, like, a half hour. Juuuuust in time to make certain my kid Tim is actually doing all of his homework tonight.” Kaito huffed, looking a little tired. “I mean, he probably has, I’ll be like the third person to ask him. But sometimes it’s third time the charm before he’ll admit there was some text or chapter he had to read that he didn’t feel like.”

Patting Doppio on the back again, he said, “Look, trust me, you need the rest, you look like a strong wind will blow you over. I’m sure your boss would agree with me if he could see you right now. You won’t be able to give your work your all if you’re running on no fuel.”

It really was mostly Kaito keeping Doppio from face-planting and…that was pretty good, since he wasn’t sure he’d have the reflexes this time to catch himself. Also…his arm was pulsing dully again, and the impact from before probably hadn’t helped. What an awful day…

(Arven had called him impressive, though…)

“How many dang kids’ve you got?” Doppio mumbled, mostly to himself. “Bursting with paternal energy… Can’t believe she’s right… Not an upgrade though…”

Rubbing one of his eyes, he sighed. “...I know… Just…hate this. I knew today was gonna be rough but…I’ve done all-nighters before. ‘N there wasn’t anything too strenuous today. Should be fine…”

“Kid, you literally have your arm cut open in, like, four deep gashes,” Kaito said dryly. “That would wear out someone who didn’t pull off an all nighter. Just the act of being injured can really mess with your body. I have two big scars on my back, both between my shoulder blades? When that happened to me, I couldn’t keep my eyes open for more than twenty minutes at a time for the next whole day. And before you say you should be able to do better, I need you to keep in mind that I’m physically literally, like, two of you. Anything that hits me hard would hit you harder.”

“...do you find wounds like that on you a lot?” Kaito asked.

Doppio glanced over, pouting at Kaito. “...but I am younger than you. And if you got hit in the back, that’s closer to vital stuff. People can easily live without their arms.” A sigh, before that moody pout was directed out at the street. “...but I get your point. …even if I think it’s dumb, since they’d already started to scab over.”

A small huff. Eyes tiredly roving over the street. “...not a lot,” he mumbled. “Think the worst I had before this was this awful bruise on my side, and that was a long time ago… Most of the time I don’t find weird stuff like that just randomly.”

…it was just other weird stuff. 

Kaito sighed, admittedly a little relieved. This was still a bad incident that Kaito was going to keep an eye on, teenage frustration be damned, but at least it wasn’t a regular thing. That was a small weight off Kaito’s mind. 

“I have lots of great points, you brat.” Kaito grinned, reaching over to ruffle Doppio’s hair again. “You just need to hear what I’m actually trying to tell you. Speaking of, don’t forget to watch ahead of you too, I know you want this notebook back, but I don’t want anyone to shoulder tap you just because you were distracted. Here, stay close to me, it’ll keep your rough arm safer.”

“...it’s kinda interesting, isn’t it?” Kaito said, keeping his hands protectively in front of Miyako, the same way he always did when he was out in crowds. No spills today… “Arven’s school assignment? I think it’s a very interesting opportunity given to him… What do you think you’d do for a project like that, if it was you?”

“It doesn’t happen because I’m distracted,” Doppio groused, though he did shuffle a little closer to Kaito. Whatever the actual reason turned out to be, he did figure that maybe he’d have a little more luck with a wall of a guy carrying a baby next to him. “It happens because people are inattentive jerks.”

…though, sometimes, it was because he was distracted. It was hard to keep focused, when there were so many things to see out in the world. 

Glancing over at Kaito, Doppio hummed flatly. “I dunno… Other than planning meals, I don’t really make projects for myself. And I kinda like that. I don’t think I’d really know what to do with myself, just on my own…and it seems lonely. I’m happier helping other people with their plans.”

“...what about you?” Doppio asked after a moment. “I guess the fact that you haven’t just done it is sort of an answer, but…what sort of big passion project would you take on?”

“Hmm…” Kaito had mostly asked the question to see if there was any part of Doppio that maybe would like to be doing what Arven did, going to school. But Doppio hadn’t sounded like he was hesitating. So maybe not. Still, what would he do?”

Kaito tried to imagine himself doing a master level program… and felt the tip of his ears burn, Arven’s point that Dicean students were doing this as basically children a, uh… well. They did do education differently. Hell, Dicea was so much better in everything else, maybe Kaito should be less surprised how much quicker their education track was.

…ugh. Whatever. What had the question been? “What would I do? Um… I had an idea once that maybe the castle could use a nursery, or I guess, like, in-castle childcare. I’ve kind of noticed that none of the staff that I’ve talked to have children. It’s not like I’ve talked to everyone though, but it really seems to be more the exception than the rule. Though, maybe people with children don’t work at the castle because it makes childcare an issue? Like, correlation, ya know? Um…”

Kaito frowned… before turning a little red. Laughing a little sheepishly. “...I’d maybe be putting together a trade agreement to start increasing our sales of steel, uh, raw iron, to Dicea. Uh, ‘our’ meaning Luminary’s, I mean. Like, whatever we have now, is absolutely going to need to be renegotiated, big things could be happening with steel soon, like, revolutionary forms of transportation that require so much raw iron… but, well, someone else is going to do that, no doubt, when the time comes. Seriously, Doppio, if you ever hear about ‘trains’? Get excited! It’s gonna be incredible!” Kaito said, lighting up a little, “Imagine being able to get across the country in a matter of days. Like, that sort of thing!”

Those…sounded a lot bigger than a school research project. But, then, Kaito was an adult, and an Ouma…even if he wasn’t an Ouma-Ouma, so…that probably made sense, that his scope would be bigger. Starting community programs, or re-negotiating trade deals. The kind of stuff that was Boss-level. 

Doppio was curious what Kaito meant about big things happening with steel soon, but right after, the prince explained himself and… Tired gold eyes widened, fixated on Kaito. “...’trains’? Is…that possible? Even with a light load, it still takes weeks from one border to the other, just from the sheer fact of distance. Something covering that space in days? It’d…” Doppio trailed off, his gaze rolling upward. “...it’d take something moving at like…thirty miles per hour, consistently, even accounting for, like…breaks. That…sounds impossible.”

…but the impossible was possible. 

Blinking, he looked back at Kaito. “...something like that needs a lot of iron?”

Kaito lit up, excited at Doppio’s interest, before explaining in earnest. He explained, as much as was reasonably possible without having the paperwork in front of him, Miu’s ideas and the potential resources needed for a project of that scope, but what the completed project could potentially accomplish. 

“She’s still not entirely certain what she’d use as fuel yet, she’s got some big ideas using electric line that she’s still trying to work out, but the sheer rails alone?” Kaito said, before explaining to Doppio some of the deeper logistics of Luminary’s mining system, going into detail the manpower such an increased production line would take. 

“That’s actually one of the things I’m most excited by,” Kaito admitted, “There’s a lot of vulnerable people in Luminary right now, like, economically. A lot of people who are probably going to be socially blocked from doing jobs that before no one had to pay them any sort of consistent salary for, or are going to be undercompensated for it because jobs don’t want to cover the new costs. But! The mining industry has never used Indentured labor.” Kaito explained, “Mining is so dangerous that workers didn’t trust any workers that were forced into it, they didn’t think any Indentured who was forced by conditioning to act in certain ways could problem solve in the rapid fire way mining accidents would require. But if they suddenly needed way more labor, and the Indentureds didn’t, uh….” Kaito bit his lower lip, “...well, the conditioning’s gonna wear off at some point. So that will make them prime candidates! The mining community and the ravine and canyon towns around them could be the perfect places for a ton of people to get a new start, all about to head into a new economic boom.”

“I really think it could be just the opportunity my country needs. New fields opening up, an economic boom, a train and cargo system that could bring in and transport food quicker and more reliably… if Miu could actually make it work? It’d be incredible, a game changer,” Kaito continued to rant, caught up in his own wonder and excitement.

Doppio eagerly soaked up Kaito’s ramblings like an excited sponge, keeping mostly quiet, but nodding and humming, keeping Kaito going…not that he really seemed to need much prompting. For being the answer to a pie in the sky passion project, Kaito had clearly put a lot of thought into the idea of ‘trains’, along with simply learning everything about them he could from Miu. 

Miu Iruma, Doppio could easily guess. There was a dangerous chance of making faulty assumptions when it came to new inventions and developments in Dicea but…you did have a damn good chance of being right if you attributed them to her. 

But…the reality of a hyperspeed transportation device, new trade routes both within Dicea and potentially internationally, the economic effect that would have on Luminary, both from supplying material, and from the labor pool, which would affect the social classes…

He needed to tell everything to Boss.

Doppio had half a mind just to jog home right then and there, but the moment he put even a little pep in his step, his knees shook. Trying not to fall, Doppio clung onto Kaito’s sleeve, just steadying his breathing for a moment before he looked back up at the prince. “...all that’s…insane. In the best way. Everything in the world would change from it…”

Again, Kaito lit up at Doppio’s enthusiasm, clenching his fist and saying, “Right!? Man, it’s like my skin is on fire when I think about it! Traveling great distances, that fast, in essentially a metal ship on land… gah! It’s so cool!”

Kaito pumped his fist a little, before laughing, looking down at Miyako, who was sleeping contently against him, and patting her a bit. “Well, it’ll be cool for the little ones, anyway. It’ll probably be a long time before they’re built, and that’s just assuming all the different countries can actually negotiate all the random things they’ll need for their own train projects. It’s a looooong term dream… but it makes me happy to think about it.”

“I feel like giving everyone the ability to travel is just one of those, like… unambiguous ‘good’ things, ya know?” Kaito grinned, eyes dazzled and a little far away. “Like it’d just genuinely make the world a better place. Wouldn’t that be cool?”

Rushing only made for sloppy, poorly done jobs. But you didn’t have to just sit around and wait for the future on its own schedule either. Bureaucracy would make things take a million years…but there were other ways around that. 

Gosh, he really had to remember all this to tell Boss later. 

“Incredibly,” Doppio nodded, before giving a little half-sigh, squinting as he reached up to rub one of his temples. Geez…okay, okay, he got the picture. He didn’t usually use pain killers--no drugs--but…maybe he’d make a small exception today. 

Seeing Arven’s house come up, Doppio fixed Kaito with a serious look. “...okay, so I’m gonna write up a note, so don’t…d-don’t try to sandbag it or anything to my boss, okay? He might not even be home,” he lied. “Just let my words explain.”

Kaito smirked. “Come on, I’m not going to do anything crazy. Do I seem unreasonable to you?”

Doppio gave Kaito a very tired look. “Yes. You just chased me, like…four blocks. What kind of sane person does that?”

“I call that well developed social skills.” Kaito chuckled. “Let’s go get that note made.”

-

Kali stared down at the paper, eyes burning into the unmarked line. Her red corrections consistent up to that point--naturally, since that’s where she had been working up to. 

But she had already corrected that line. 

Putting down her pen, she looked to the side, jaw clenched as her eyes fell on a sheathed sword. That world had been a living nightmare, but sometimes…sometimes Kali missed the Apocalypse Sword. Being The Red Mist, unconfined to a more literal cage, cutting down beasts in her path. Lopping off the misaligned limbs of that abomination, cutting down that flaming joke of a bird, going head to head with that thing they had once called a girl, a hunter in her own right, until sense left her, marking her true nature just as monstrous as the rest… Even if some of their stories had called them human, Kali had known better. A Sephiram that had been one of the ones to make them. No…to take them. 

No Tulpa was ever human. They simply became one day, and only grew more destructive and disgusting with each meaningless day that passed. 

Severe lack of reality-destroying swords aside…this world was better. Their true second chance, where the world spun properly. Kali had been able to see all her siblings grow up. Had been able to call them siblings. Had felt the warm care of a mother, a love that meant more than just a nice meal. 

So why would Carmen sit back and let that be taken from them? 

A world with monsters wasn’t a safe one. For anybody. Especially a monster that played with time like a tennis ball. Kali knew better than anyone, except perhaps Dinah, the utter futility of fighting the monsters. They couldn’t be killed, not in a way that mattered. 

But they could be slowed. 

And even if it took her time and time again…Kali would not let monsters steal this world away too. 

Getting up from her corrections, the tall, scarred woman grabbed a pack of cigarettes and a coat, heading outside. She needed a break. 

-

Of course Arven said yes, and not just because Prince Kaito looked like he might slug him if Arven sabotaged what he was guessing was a long argument trying to convince Doppio to not walk home in the state he was in. Arven was happy to have Doppio, excited, honestly, and when Prince Kaito left, he told Doppio so again, though adding, “You really do look like you’re about to collapse. What happened? Why’d you run like that?”

Doppio sighed, half melted into Arven’s couch, though he gave a little shrug. “...I’m not…really sure, honestly. I just panicked. I…”

Frowning, Doppio looked at the backs of his hands, just sitting in his lap. Same as they ever were, really. Had been some dirt on his palms from where he’d fallen in the grass, but he’d washed up once he and Kaito returned, since, one, gross, and two, he didn’t want to leave any dirt stains on the note he’d sent Kaito off with. Just…his hands. Tanned, freckled, nails kept neat and short. Fewer scars than even he’d expect, with all the mishaps he had. 

…they weren’t red. Even though that faint stinging feeling all over his skin didn’t quite feel like a memory yet. 

“...I don’t know,” Doppio said softly. “Did… Did you notice anything weird?”

“Weird? Um…” Arven paused in the gentle stirring of the soup he was throwing together, wanting to give something to tide Doppio over before he made anything more solid. “...well, kind of? Nothing to do with what happened to you, but I had this weird moment right before you bolted where I…”

Arven frowned, tilting his head a little. “For a second, I felt like I knew what Prince Kaito was going to say, like, a few seconds before he said it. Like, word for word. Which I only bring up because in that same moment I felt a little dizzy… I hope the gas wasn’t still on in my burners while we were all talking. Maybe that was why we were all acting so weird… well, Prince Kaito weirder than the last time we saw him.”

Doppio glanced over to the kitchen, gnawing on his lip. Arven too? To a point, Doppio was willing to believe it was all just in his head, because a lot of things were, but…even if it was just the slightest thing, if someone else thought it too…

“Yeah? That’s…” Doppio sighed, burrowing into his sweater. “...I just have this feeling… It was stronger before, but even now, still…that something’s wrong. That…something wasn’t supposed to happen, maybe? It…” 

…maybe he was just blowing it out of proportion. He wanted to explain, sort of, that he just felt…bad. But…he’d also just had a massive panic attack, and like Kaito had pointed out, he had an (arguably) severe injury, so that kind of made sense. It didn’t explain all the other weird feelings he’d been having lately, but…Doppio wasn’t really one to trust his feelings on that sort of thing. 

“...maybe you’re right. I’ve heard carbon monoxide poisoning can make people do some really crazy stuff.”

“Right. Like threaten to stalk someone.” Arven scoffed… before his brow furrowed, “Or, no, wait… um…”

There was a brief silence, Arven going over his memory of what happened… before shaking his head. “Uh, implying you’re gonna stalk someone. Seriously, where does that guy get off? Like, I know he’s trying to help, but the way he’s going about it is so aggressive. Who literally chases someone? It must be a Luminary thing.”

Looking over his shoulder, he said, “Well, I’ll double check the burner in a second, but for now, hungry? Made some soup. See if you can guess what’s in it… oh, wait, do you have any allergies? Really should have asked that first.”

…the words…felt right in his mouth. Doppio didn’t think Arven was wrong, but…that wasn’t what happened, was it? Or…

Sighing, Doppio let out a little frustrated puff of air. “I swear, every other Luminary I’ve met was just a normal person. Maybe it’s more of a royalty thing. But, speaking of aggressively helping?”

Though he…really didn’t want to, Doppio pulled himself up from the couch, squinting against the black spots reappearing in his vision and the weakness in his limbs until he could get over to the kitchen counter. At which he gave Arven a small, teasing smile. “The knife seemed like overkill, but…thanks. You really weren’t kidding about being ready to rumble, huh?”

Doppio wasn’t really used to anyone defending him…ever, and the fact that both Arven and Kaito had was surprising, but Arven going so far as to defend him with a weapon? With no hesitation… He’d been in too much pain at the time, and he also didn’t want Kaito to get stabbed, but…

Hm. Maybe he was actually more uncomfortable with that? Because that weird squirming in his stomach was back…

Whatever. 

Settling down next to the stove, Doppio shook his head. “I don’t have any that I know of, and I’ve tried out a lot of random stuff while I’ve been figuring out new recipes. Hmmm…” Considering it, Doppio gave Arven another teasing grin. “Well, I’ll give it a shot on my own first, but I might ask for a hint.”

“Oh! Oh man, I really did do that, huh,” Arven remembered, his face turning red, though not necessarily flustered. Honestly looking a little uncomfortable as he sipped at the soup before grabbing some more seasoning, shaking it in. “That was… I’ve never done anything like that before. Honestly, I’m not really a fighter, every fight I’ve ever been in I’ve gotten my ass beat. I just… he’s a lot bigger than you, and you were suddenly yelping in pain…”

“But, Prince Kaito was right, his daughter was right there, and there I was waving around a blade that was literally half the size of her.” Arven shuddered a little, shaking his head. “I wish I hadn’t done that. That kind of freaks me out to even think back on, honestly. I’m a little surprised he didn’t do anything once I put the knife down, like slug me or something. I almost wouldn’t have been surprised, by that point.”

“The hint is that the main ingredient you can really only get in the fall,” Arven smiled lightly, shaking off some of the disturbance of the memory, “I prepped the ingredients only yesterday, actually. Super fresh.”

Doppio gave Arven a curious look. He didn’t really understand why Arven would be uncomfortable… Reflexes like that were, like…super good self-preservation instincts! Doppio had been on the other end of a blade often enough to be impressed with Arven’s sheer speed…and even more since he did it to protect someone else. 

But he didn’t have to understand why Arven was upset--if Arven said he was, then Doppio believed him, and…well, it probably meant that there was more that Doppio just didn’t know. That happened a lot. Still…

“I dunno…” Doppio hummed, tapping his chin. “Maybe, like, way later, but I think we all would’ve freaked out more if he’d hit you. Other than chasing me? He really seemed like he knew what he was doing, through all that.” Doppio furrowed his brow. “...he didn’t yell at me at all, once he saw my arm. He was just…calm and worried, and he kept saying weird stuff like how it was wrong that someone hurt me. Makes me kinda think he’s been in that position before.”

It seemed like he knew exactly what to do for his panic attack too--enough to recognize it as a panic attack and…well, now Doppio had a name for that kind of thing. Even if what happened at the park seemed more…dramatic. 

Shaking his head, Doppio gave Arven a grateful smile before finally trying the soup, closing his eyes as he let the flavor linger on his tongue. Letting out a small, happy hum. “Hmmm… Well, first, this is really good!” Doppio brightly praised. “Thanks for feeding me. But…hm. This…is a sugar pumpkin soup. …fall spices? …coconut milk, instead of cream. And…” He considered the flavors. “...maple syrup? I thought it might’ve been honey, but there’s a little…”

Peeking an eye open, Doppio gave Arven a small, sheepish grin. “Am I close?”

Arven raised an eyebrow, taking another spoonful and sipping at it– mmm, better– before saying, “Of course it was wrong for someone to hurt you. Why does that even need saying? That’s obvious.”

Though, his confusion at Kaito’s ‘no duh’ statements were brushed aside as he lit up at Doppio’s compliments, smiling. “Wow! You got all of that just from tasting it? Doppio, you have a really sophisticated pallet, that’s so impressive! The only thing you missed was this,” Arven said, bringing up the small, brown seasoning he had sprinkled more into the soup. “Nutmeg, though that’s probably what you attributed to the maple syrup. There is also maple syrup, but it’s literally the smallest amount, just to add a little sweetness. Most of it is the nutmeg.”

(...Arven too? …maybe he was missing something…)

Doppio was stunned for a moment as Arven lit up, before he turned red and looked away, a wobbly, bashful smile growing across his face as he shrugged, picking at the hem of his sweater. “Well…yanno, there are a lot of common things in pumpkin soups, so…if you have an idea of what might be there, it’s easier to guess at what you’re tasting.”

It had been a skill developed out of necessity too. When all his early dishes came out tasting horrible, or just bland or missing something, Doppio had gone through a lot of trial and error trying to figure out his mistakes. Helped him figure out what to change on the rare occasion Boss didn’t like something in a dish. 

Still red, Doppio glanced back over as Arven let him in on the secret ingredient, nodding attentively. “Huh, I see… I see recipes all the time calling for nutmeg, but I have a hard time figuring out what it really adds. That it can mimic maple syrup in this dish? Interesting…”

Arven looked a little surprised at that, glancing down at the seasoning in his hand. “Really? You don’t see the point of nutmeg? Have you ever tried it by itself? Here,” Arven shook a little of the nutmeg onto his finger, before holding it out to Doppio, “Give that a try.”

The red fading now, Doppio grimaced. “No, I have, but…” Then, he blinked, looking at the amount that Arven had put on his finger. Not much, that was. “...oh, that seems a lot smarter.”

Blepping his tongue out--quite like Chief’s style, honestly--Doppio leaned forward, tasting the spice. And not having his throat seize or his sinuses burn or crying a million tears. 

“Hmmm,” he hummed, tilting his head back and forth as he took in the profile. “...that’s so weird, still. It’s kinda like bayleaves, though while actually having its own thing going on. That kinda warm, nutty, not quite…spiciness, but…you know. But actually in stuff, it seems to enhance other flavors a lot more.”

Arven smiled… before laughing a little after watching Doppio blep against his finger. “You looked like my dog for a second, Doppio. Oh, that reminds me, I’ve got to feed him. Ah, there he comes.”

Arven smirked as he watched Chief, who had been snoozing in his dog bed, immediately lift his head at the sound of being fed. Lazily getting up and slowly trotting over before, very specifically stepping on both of their feet, flopping down, looking up at them with patient expectation. “What, you ol’ thing? Why do you think that’s helpful in feeding you? I have to be able to move, big guy.” Arven laughed, shuffling out of Chief’s plop before heading into his cabinets to grab the dog food. “Soup’s ready, by the way. Bowls are in the cabinet above you.”

Doppio snorted softly, watching Chief make his way over. “I could only be so lucky. Don’t think the world could handle the cuteness if I could look like Chief for more than a second.”

Similarly extricating his feet from Dog Prison, Doppio hummed his thanks, heading over to grab bowls for them. Reaching up, though, he had to pause, squeezing his eyes shut, until the moment passed, and he could continue. And…honestly food probably would help, but…

Giving Arven a shy, mildly uncomfortable look, Doppio shifted his weight before speaking up. “Uh, hey… Like, no biggie, since we’re gonna eat ‘n stuff…and you’re already letting me stay over. But…I mean, you know your stuff with plants. Do…you have any painkillers?”

“Oh, yeah, of course!” Arven said, opening up one of Chief’s pre-made meals, filling his bowl and patting Chief on the head as he lazily trotted over. “What sort of pain level are we talking? I’ve got things that will take the edge off, things that will numb your skin, and things that will give you an out of body experience. Try, uh… 1-10, 1 being something I got over the counter, 10 being ephemeral experience.”

“It’s not bad,” Doppio said, headache coming in waves that felt like they’d knock him out if he let his guard down for a moment. And not even thinking about how the dull throbbing of his arm was starting to send brief cold shocks to his fingers, or how his ribs ached like his chest cavity was nothing but bruises. 

(Truly, the fact that he was asking for painkillers at all was a concerning sign.)

“Uh…I guess it wouldn’t really matter if something makes me drowsy, since that’s kinda the point for me right now,” he hummed, lazily tracing his spoon through his soup. “Maybe a two?”

Amaina, falling out of the ceiling and flopping onto Doppio’s head, bounced off of it, flinging forward, before catching herself holding onto the tip of his nose. Looking up at him with big, wide eyes, before saying ♪ lets play a game its called Can You Stand After A Small Wack In The Faaaaace you first ♩

And then, pulling back her head, she– honestly pretty lightly– head butted him between the eyes.

“Whaa--! Huh?!”

The thing was…Amaina wasn’t a physical force. But her effect was very good at simulating one, and considering the trouble Doppio’s brain often had discerning the two…

It was lucky that he’d let go of his spoon, considering the way Doppio curled in on himself, practically hunched over the counter as he made a wet, pained sound, his head reeling. His whole body tilting to one side as his balance vanished. 

♪ rough first round for pretty boy it’s really anyone’s game ♩ Amaina said, flying down to observe Doppio on the ground as Arven quickly rushed to his side.

“Amaina! Geez, would you cut it out! You know what, if Prince Kaito wants to lecture anyone, maybe we should throw you in his warpath! Geez… wow, she really laid you out. It… it didn’t look like that hard of a hit, honestly…”

Arven frowned, rubbing Doppio’s back a bit, a little conflicted. He wanted to take Doppio’s word that it wasn’t that bad, but… “Ya know, you were just saying it doesn’t matter if it makes you sleepy. Let’s give you some of my harder stuff, it’s gonna knock you out, basically, but honestly I think you need the sleep. Come on, you can take my bed today,” Arven said, putting his arm around Doppio’s waist and hefting him up, though he clearly was struggling a little to support Doppio’s weight. “C-come on then! Let’s get you set up into bed and then I’ll bring you the stuff.”

“...j’s surprised me…” Doppio mumbled, rubbing his head. Ugh, he’d be totally fine if the headache just decided to give him a break… He could usually deal with them fine on their own, even…if this was a particularly bad one. 

Leaning some of his weight on Arven, accepting the help up, Doppio made an uneasy sound as he squinted at his friend. “Really…it’s not that bad. I don’t need anything that hardcore… A-and I don’t want to put you out of bed, your couch is really comfortable!”

Taking a breath, and attempting to support more of his own weight, Doppio offered up a small smile. “I didn’t ask if I could stay over just to force you into playing healer.”

“To be fair, you didn’t ask me at all: your weirdo stalker did,” Arven pointed out, helping Doppio into his bedroom, though he let Doppio take his own weight to put himself into the bed. “We’ll call this me getting to test out one of my mixes and you being a very patient and willing guinea pig. Not that there’s anything dangerous in it. Think poppies, but without all the weird extra stuff associated with that word now because of the Dead Tree spores. Just normal poppies but mixed to be painkillers.”

As Arven went to go get the mix in question, Amaina plopped down onto the bed with Doppio, sitting next to him as she watched Arven exit. ♪ … he has a nice butt ♩ she decided, before looking up at Doppio, ♪ and you have a broken head so let Doctor Nice Butt take care of you ♩

…wasn’t that opiates? Maybe Doppio was getting his drugs confused…it’d been a long day. And…well, he trusted Arven not to give him anything too strong. Boss was probably already going to be worried, hearing about how Doppio needed to make use of a safehouse for, potentially, the night. He didn’t need to be concerned with Doppio potentially being out for the next day too. 

Looking over at Amaina as she appeared again, Doppio frowned, before flushing lightly. He didn’t know if Arven had a nice butt! He wasn’t looking, because bros didn’t check out their bro’s butts! And…

Doppio flashed her an annoyed look. “I’m not broken! Just…” The frown eased, as he gently rubbed his temple again. “...different. Broken things don’t work anymore.”

♪ broken things need maintenance and spit and polish and drugs from a nice butt ♩ Amaina shrugged, ♪ and then they feel better ♩

Amaina glanced over at Doppio, then his arm, before fluttering up and latching herself onto it, ♪ broken things can be a sign to others that you need them too but now they know so we can be done with this now ♩

La marea saaaaaale

All better, all better

Go away, go away, little pain

All better, all better

Kiss the boy, sing the song

All better, all better

Time goes Bing and Time goes Wrong

All is good, all is better

And then, with a warm glow and a flourish, she kissed his arm… before pulling at his sleeve, ♪ open it uuuuuuuup i wanna see if i am GOD ♩

…some broken things could be fixed. And some broken things, like his old flashlight, still had a use, even if their main one didn’t work anymore. And…with some help, sometimes broken things could be made into something new. There was a degree of effort needed, but…if people were willing? Then a broken thing didn’t need to be thrown away. 

Doppio looked over, smiling slightly as he recognized the song Amaina began to sing. It was a little cute… He didn’t think she was Tsumarian in, like…any way, but her picking up the phrase from him…it was sweet. An effort in kindness, showing that she wanted him to be okay and…

He blinked at the glow, a little startled as he remembered the other thing that happened when she had sung that song and kissed him. And…

Tentatively, Doppio pushed up his sleeve and started carefully unraveling the bandage Kaito had put on before, softly gasping through his nose. 

It wasn’t like there had been no injury at all, but…all of the gashes were closed. Reduced to jagged lines of raised, new skin. Flexing his hand, they didn’t…mysteriously re-open or…and the pain was gone…

(...it had made sense that his burn could be instantly healed, to Doppio. It was incredibly minor. The gashes, while not actually taking off his arm, Doppio could recognize as being pretty severe, so…well, even with angel magic, they couldn’t disappear right away. It might’ve been an odd sort of logic, but it was his.)

“Angioletto…”

Thunder crashed! ♪ I AM AMAINA ULTIMATE POWER QUIVVER BEFORE MY JUST AND TERRIBLE REEEEEEIIIGN i think i can heal you so that’s pretty cool ♩ Amaina said cheerfully, swaying happily before hopping onto Doppio’s lap, looking up at him imploringly, ♪ you can thank me by giving Doctor Cute Butt 10 kisses, STAT! ♩

“Who the heck is Doctor Cute Butt?” Arven asked, coming back in with a small cup of what might have been tea, but was otherwise just some warm liquid in a cup… before he gawked at Doppio’s arm, “Woah! Woooooaah, am I seeing things? That looked way worse earlier, didn’t it? Did Prince Kaito do that?”

“Can you not heal normally?” Doppio asked, brow furrowing a little in confusion before the rest of Amaina’s words got to him, revving up the color in his cheeks again. Which only got worse when Arven walked through the door, a-and…well! Thankfully there was something a little more interesting to talk about, no need to question anything else!!

Holding his arm up a little more for Arven to see, Doppio cleared his throat and shook his head. “No, Amaina did. She healed a burn I got yesterday too, though…I kinda thought that one might be a fluke? But this is…”

Doppio turned his arm around. “...like, it doesn’t hurt anymore either. I think…it’s really healed.”

“Wow, really?” Arven said, putting the mug down on his desk before hurrying over, “Here, can I see? Just kinda wanna make sure I’m not seeing things… wow, those have really closed up. You did this Amaina?” Arven asked, taking Doppio’s arm and gently looking it over.

O.O ♪ I Am A God ♩ 

“Well, no, probably not, but you do apparently know how to heal. Which is incredible,” Arven said, reaching over to give her a little pat on the head. “Good, that makes me, maybe… thirty percent less mad at you for all the shit you pulled today.”

OoO ♪ AMAINA WIIIIIINS ♩

“Well, okay, with her having done that, now where’s your pain level at?” Arven asked Doppio. “And no offense, but if you say ‘two’ again I’m just gonna shove that mug in your hands and bid you a good night.”

…

…he’s just looking at your injuries, you weirdo. Calm down. 

Still, Doppio couldn’t help his flush or his quickening heartbeat, glancing away as he tried not to think too much about how nice Arven’s hands felt, or how gently they maneuvered around the healing slashes. The guy was a master herbalist, of course he’d be gentle! No reason to get all worked up over it. 

Letting go of a small breath, Doppio gave Arven a sheepish grin. “Well…it is better, but I mean…just my arm on its own wasn’t something I couldn’t handle. In general, I guess…” Doppio glanced around Arven’s room, clearing his throat awkwardly. “...maybe an eight.”

Arven looked briefly surprised at, even with the healing, the sudden jump in number… before he nodded, getting up to go grab the cup. “Alright, then refined poppies it is. Now, ideally this is going to knock you out right away, but that kind of depends on your system. Some people can apparently manage to stay awake on these for a little while, like close to an hour, or if they’re made of tougher stuff, even a good chunk of the day. But it’s recommended you take them when you’re ready to sleep, because odds are you’re going to pass out, and if you don’t, then you’re one hundred percent going to be loopy as heck.”

Passing Doppio the mug, Arven smiled, “And, if you’ve heard of the harder stuff, Opioids? Yes, it’s made of the same thing, no, that’s not what this is. I really don’t have the equipment to make opioids. It’s a whole different process that refines this stuff into crazy high levels. I’d take you to a healer before giving you opioids, basically is what I’m saying.”

(...Arven had said that he expected stuff to just zoom through his system…)

Nodding slowly, Doppio tried to take in everything Arven was telling him, if not committing it to memory, then…getting to a place he could understand it. The risks and intended outcomes and all. Sure, he’d never been to a healer, but…

He blinked. 

…he…had to have been, right? At least when he was younger… He’d told Kaito that, hadn’t he?

Slightly jolting back to attention, Doppio internally winced, clearly having missed some of the explanation, but… He gave Arven a small grin and a soft laugh as he took the mug. “I’d kinda hope so. I did tell you I don’t do any hard stuff.”

Shrugging a little to himself, Doppio sipped from the mug before taking a deeper drink.  It did still taste like poppy seeds. Though immediately he blanched. “Wait, I seriously didn’t wanna take up your bed tonight.”

Arven smirked, sitting next to him. “Let’s discuss it again in ten minutes, after you drink that.”

♪ don’t worry i will protect your virtue ♩ Amaina reassured Doppio, patting his elbow reassuringly.

Arven squinted at her for that. “...okay, I know you like to tease, Amaina, but I don’t love that implication, okay? At worst, I’m just gonna make sure Doppio’s clothes don’t strangle him in his sleep.”

♪ i will make sure your virtue is mostly intact ♩ Amaina amended after a moment of considering this, patting his elbow again.

Doppio sighed, continuing to sip the refined poppies. …unfortunately he couldn’t attribute the return of the Stomach Squirms to it, since…it’d been happening for a few days now. Maybe Arven had something for that, too. 

Rolling his eyes, he poked Amaina’s head gently with his free hand. “Babbiddiu. Stop being a little weirdo, angioletto. That stuff’s just creepy. Even if it is comforting to know that, in a different situation, you’d look out for me.”

Another sip and…something…weird happened. 

Things started to feel…far away. Not quite like they had during his panic attack, like he was struggling and grasping for anything, only for it to slip away, but just that things…were quieter. Less intense. Honestly, it kind of reminded him of…

“...oh,” Doppio said softly, pupils starting to creep wider. “...it’s like before.”

“Before what?” Arven asked good naturedly, keeping a careful eye on Doppio’s hands, not wanting his friend to spill hot water on himself. “Taken something like this before?”

“No, never did drugs,” Doppio hummed, looking at his hands too. He…knew that the cup was warm. That nice feeling that seeped into your hands, like a sneak peek to what it’d do to your ribs in a moment, once you drank. Drinking something warm in the winter was one of the best feelings. Oh, but…yeah, he knew it was warm, but…it was entirely a conceptual thing. Like he wasn’t really touching anything. 

Double-edged sword, that. 

“...I’m not sure,” he said softly, back starting to slouch. “It’s hard to think about. Like being awake wasn’t really…being awake. It was dark, though. Like being under a quilt. Kinda had to go out of my way if I wanted to see anything and…I never really had a reason to.”

“Oh yeah? Sounds like a peaceful way to sleep for a bit. Lucky for you, I have a quilt we can use,” Arven said, looking to his closet. “I’ll dig it out in a second, but, how does your pain feel? Can you still feel it? What number you at?”

“...I don’t know if I was asleep,” Doppio mumbled, eyes narrowing a little…before sliding shut, only to blink back open. “Maybe I was… Kinda liked always being asleep. It was quiet… But it’s a lot of fun being awake, now. Seeing everything.”

He did another one of those slow blinks, slouching more, though this time he tipped to the side a little. “Mm. Better. Don’t really feel much of…anything. Though…I dunno if that’s better. The big is a trade, I guess… M good at numbers. One of the only things I was really good at.”

Humming, Doppio didn’t open his eyes after the next blink. “...I like the number two. Like my name.”

“It’s a good name. Makes me like the number two, too,” Arven agreed, gently taking Doppio’s mug from him, quickly putting it down on a hard surface before going back to Doppio. “Alright, weird jokes from Amaina aside, I am going to take off your shoes and then tuck you into bed, and if you feel too warm once I get the quilt on you, it’s alright for you to take more clothes off, I don’t really mind. Here, let’s lay back… oof, I wish I had asked you to lay against the headrest to begin with. Okay, don’t laugh at me, I’m gonna try to pick you up for a second–”

Arven put his arms under Doppio’s knees, around Doppio’s back, took a deep breath and– “Ooooh, yeah, no, nope, you might be skinny but you are still a whole entire person,” Arven sighed, instead opting to steady Doppio as he said, “Think you can shuffle yourself longways onto my bed?”

“Oh…yeah. S’a thing. Wouldn’t be as bad on the couch…” Even out of it enough to not bother opening his eyes, Doppio still found it within himself to pout in Arven’s general direction. 

Though, as Arven put his arms around him… 

“Hmmm…”

Bonelessly, Doppio loosely hugged his friend, leaning entirely on Arven before he opened his eyes just a tad. The gold just thin rings around enlarged pupils. “...s’if you don’t give up your bed f’r me. I can make any reality possible if I try…impossible is possible…”

He wouldn’t be able to stay even a foot off the ground if he tried to walk. 

“...comfy. ‘Maina said stuff in my brain t’ pet you ‘n it freaked me out. But you are comfy.”

“Oh, you can, can you?” Arven laughed lightly, though his face did turn a little red as Doppio leaned so much into him. Whelp, looked like he wasn’t going to be super helpful turning. “I think changing reality to make me put you on the couch after I did so well getting you to take the bed would be a little mean, Doppio. Save it for better things, like the next time Prince Kaito wants to barge in to force me to do homework.”

“Amaina asked you to pet me?” Arven clarified, giving Amaina a dry look. Amaina, who at some point had decided to gently dance around the bed, refused to look even momentarily ashamed. “You know, if you did what I do and just ignore her when she says stuff like that, she might stop saying it to you. I’m convinced she just does it for reactions. Alright… let’s do it like this. Let’s just put you on your side like this… and there we go, now let's get those shoes off…”

As Arven worked to make Doppio a little more comfortable, Amaina danced up to Doppio’s face, before petting him gently on the nose. ♪ Doppio feels happy when he’s here little senpai ♩

“Yeah? That’s good,” Arven said, going around to the top of Doppio and, with a grunt, pulling his shoulders up so that he was laid out more on the bed. “Okay… is it worth it to roll you to the center… I feel like you’re gonna fall off if I leave you on the edge like this.”

Doppio frowned slightly, closing his eyes again. “...don’ wanna ignore her. Sucks to be ignored… Feels like ‘m dying…or like I stop existing… S’ lonely. Don’ like being lonely… Don’ want angelo to leave…”

Maybe he got attached too quickly, but…he liked Amaina. Felt a weird sort of understanding with the little doll. A sort of peace and solidarity and direction that… Well, normally Doppio was okay with, because he didn’t think about it, but when he had to think about it? Her reaching out to him felt like a lifeline. One he had been poorly treading water without. 

…felt ungrateful. He wasn’t unhappy in life, before she showed up. 

(...he’d just had a lot of highs he’d never had before.)

“...s’okay, Arven,” Doppio mumbled. “Don’ really move, sleepin’... Boss said it looks like ‘m dead.”

“Yeah? Okay then,” Arven said, grabbing his pillow and putting it under Doppio’s head, before heading to the closet to get the promised quilt, as getting Doppio under the covers by this point would be a fool's game. Besides, it was a nice quilt, and it sounded like Doppio liked nice quilts.

Putting it over his friend, Arven looked at Amaina as she made quick work to snuggle in with Doppio, making herself at home as she tucked herself in and laid next to him on the pillow. “Amaina, it sounds like Doppio’s really going out of his way for you. I’m going to look past all that weirdness with Prince Kaito and giving him my address today, but you really shouldn’t take Doppio’s kindness for granted.”

♪ we trade beautiful things ♩ Amaina said, almost dismissively, closing her eyes as she snuggled in more, ♪ he shows me frogs with squishy bellies and new pretty words, i show him dads with wolf cubs and new pretty little senpais ♩

Doppio sighed softly, the weight of the quilt comforting. The sensation of being surrounded by something on all sides… It wasn’t quite what it was, the last time he’d felt like this but it was close enough that he could almost…pretend. 

A dark, cramped space, where existence had a very nebulous definition. He didn’t have to think or be scared or worry about anything… Just point out helpful things, and be kind when he was overthinking or scared or worried. Most of the time…just sleeping. Doppio liked sleeping. 

But…

“...helping me not be scared of everything out here,” Doppio mumbled, adding onto Amaina’s point. “...more to see… outside of…D…”

From there, Doppio’s breathing softened to the point it couldn’t even be heard anymore, his body going completely still, other than the slight movement of his chest, if you knew to look for it. Dead asleep. 

-

Arven had set up a small bed on the couch, leaving the fire burning late into the night as Chief, content to get both boy and firetime, had hopped up onto the couch and laid his massive body on Arven’s legs, effectively trapping him for the night. Arven didn’t mind. Chief’s presence on him had often been a comfort for sometimes otherwise long, lonely nights, especially when Arven had gone through his brief phase of being afraid of the dark. Age and, honestly, exposure had forced Arven to deal with that particular fear, but Chief had been a huge source of comfort during the worst of it.

When he heard soft, padding footsteps, he sleepily called up, “If you’re looking for the bathroom, it’s the door across from my bedroom.”

“Thanks,” came a small, whispered response, before it was quiet once again. 

It was the middle of the night, still. Which made sense. Arven had given him the poppies around the late afternoon, so he’d been knocked out for…quite a few hours. When Doppio had woken up, feeling the call of nature, he half considered thanking Arven for his hospitality and heading home, hopefully not catching Boss awake. But, uh…even a little more awake, as he used the bathroom, Doppio still felt a little…wavy. And while he could probably make it home…he had just as much of a chance of passing out on the side of the road.

And, like…he didn’t want to be so clearly out of sorts when he got back home. 

It was late, and Doppio really should just go back to sleep to get the drugs out of his system, but…

After that lapse of silence, those soft pads returned to the living room, Doppio peering over at the couch. “...are you doing okay? I can stand up…clearly, so we can switch, if you want your room back.”

Arven sighed, shaking his head, eyes closed, “Nah, that’s alright…”

Though, as he did that, his eyes fluttered open, looking up cautiously at Doppio. Misty green eyes shifting slightly in color as they danced in the firelight. “...are you awake now?”

Doppio laughed softly, in a weird space of being too tired to care that Arven’s eyes looked really pretty reflecting the fire and he was staring…but also, like, always caring about that. “More than before, definitely,” he quietly snorted, running fingers through his bangs. “Uh…sorry if I said anything weird.”

“I was barely paying attention, if I’m honest,” Arven admitted, yawing as he sat up, scooting out from under Chief and scrunching into the side of the couch, offering Doppio a seat next to Chief, “You were pretty loopy, and while that can be a lot of fun to listen to, I was mostly concerned with making sure you weren’t going to fall off the bed the second I looked away. Though, you were right. You sleep like the dead. I checked on you once, not entirely certain you were okay.”

Doppio hadn’t meant to keep Arven up, but…well, if he was offering the space… Taking the gap, Doppio pulled his legs up to his chest…which was just covered by a thin raglan shirt, his sweater left in Arven’s room. Even if he hadn’t moved in his sleep, his hair was pretty messed up (no thanks to Kaito’s ruffling, no doubt) so Doppio pulled out the tie, idly running his fingers through it. 

Snorting, Doppio sent Arven a small grin. “Sorry if I worried you. My boss said kinda the same thing once, when I’d fallen asleep on the couch…I think. Apparently he wasn’t sure if I’d stopped breathing or something, I was so quiet. I imagine that can look kinda freaky.”

“It’s alright, Loopy Doppio warned me, so it wasn’t so bad. Still, just had to make sure. The stuff I gave you wasn’t that strong, obviously,” Arven said, gesturing vaguely to the currently awake Doppio, as if that was proof enough, “But nothing is one hundred percent without risk. I wouldn’t have wanted a rare fluke to shut down your lungs or something.”

Chief, huffing a little, scooted forward and dropped himself onto Doppio’s lap, still wanting warm boy to sleep on. Contended, he closed his eyes again to fall back asleep. Arven idly patted the dog on the head and murmured, “Good boy… you know. You’re the first person I’ve ever had spend the night.”

“It felt strong,” Doppio huffed softly, shaking his head a little. “Feels strong. I feel like that’s the longest and deepest I’ve slept in…” His eyebrows drew in a bit. “...a while. And I still kinda feel like if you asked me to carry a cup of water in a straight line I’d water the whole ground.”

It wasn’t bad, though. Doppio didn’t like feeling fuzzy-headed, like he really needed more roadblocks in his work, but it was just kind of…comfortable right now. His head and chest didn’t hurt anymore, and falling back asleep just sounded…nice, rather than a waste of time. Though, sitting by the fire between a dog and a pretty boy was something Doppio didn’t want to miss out on either. 

…

…a-a friend. Not… Geez, Amaina was getting in his head…

Smiling softly, Doppio dropped his legs, allowing Chief to flop his way onto his lap. He didn’t want to keep Chief up either, but…something told him that idle pats weren’t going to be an issue. 

Doppio glanced over at Arven at his admission, a little surprised. “Yeah? Well…you’re the first person I’ve spent the night with, so…” He offered a small smile. “I guess we’re equal on that?”

“...just never got around to inviting your other friends?”

“Never wanted to make it a habit.” Arven admitted, leaning back into the couch and idly brushing his hair over his eye, it clearly a subconscious habit, “My friends already came over all the time during the day because it’s just me living here, and while it was always cool to hang out with them, I realized early on if I didn’t set some boundaries my house was going to become the new community rec center. Besides, I always liked the break after spending all day socializing. I like my friends, but that didn’t mean I wanted to be around them all the time.”

Doppio nodded slightly, still trying to fix the tangles in his own hair. (...he wondered if Arven’s really was as fluffy as it looked, and Amaina said…) “That makes sense. You’ve made a really welcoming place here, so…I can get that your friends would wanna stick around until you kicked ‘em out.”

He gave the other teen a sheepish look. “Sorry for breaking the streak.”

“Don’t be.” Arven smiled lazily, still looking a little sleepy, “It’s kind of nice. You’re, ya know… your own thing. Different from them.”

Lazily watching Doppio fuss with his hair, Arven suddenly chuckled, “I always thought my hair was long and unruly. You keep it so tight in that braid, I never realized how long it actually is. It’s a good look though. Just don’t know how you keep up with it.”

…different. But nice? 

Hmmmm…

Deciding to reason that the warmth on his face was from the fire, Doppio glanced over to Arven in mild surprise…before the warmth ramped up enough that the fire was no longer a plausible explanation. Though, a small, flattered smile twitched up on his face. “Oh…thanks.” A little shy, Doppio twirled a pink end through his fingers, before letting it fall back over his shoulders. “I’ve never really kept it short, so…I never really think that much about it, I guess. The braid definitely helps keep it out of the way, though.”

Gnawing on his lip, Doppio gave Arven a slight nod. “I think your hair is pretty cool--the striped look is neat. And you really pull off the half-bang thing, making it look purposeful and cool, rather than whatever this is,” he huffed, blowing his own bangs out of his face.

“Yeah?” Arven asked, running his hands over the band a bit, a thoughtful expression on his face. Considering something for a long moment, before asking, “I’ve got a scar under it. Do you want to see? It’s kind of gross looking.”

Doppio gave Arven a half-surprised look…but it didn’t pull him out of that comfortable, drowsy state as he nodded. Offering up a small smile. “Sure. I mean, you saw my arm all cut up earlier, so I still probably will win the gross gambit.”

Arven smiled lightly, trying to sound flippant and casual as he said, “Alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. And no throwing up on my dog. It's always an event to get anything out of his fur.”

But for saying all of that, Arven still hesitated briefly, before pulling his hair back, showing Doppio the side of his face that his bangs covered well. Tensing slightly as he did so, deciding not to look at Doppio’s expression, preferring just not to see what Doppio might think of it. Arven wasn’t sure why he wanted Doppio to know what he looked like, under the hair. He had known plenty of people far longer who he had never even considered showing. He just… felt like it was important for Doppio to know. Early. So that Doppio could… Arven wasn’t sure… (make informed decisions).

The first eye-catching thing was that Arven very clearly couldn’t actually open his left eye. The skin had melted over it and healed that way, sealing it shut. And around the left side of the eye, like a crescent, his skin had wrinkled and layered into tight, pink clusters of skin. It wasn’t a huge amount of his face, but the damage was notable, impossible to miss. 

Arven smiled uneasily, still staring at anything but Doppio’s face as he shrugged a little, “A bit gnarly, huh? It was a cooking accident when I was a kid. It was dumb, I was trying to work with grease oil for the first time and I just… slipped when I was handling the pan. Splashed it right back into my face. It was so fast, it all happened in a couple of seconds.”

Tucking his hair back to let Doppio get (the full picture) a good look, Arven patted Chief’s head and said, “Chief actually saved me that day. I was in so much pain and so disoriented that I couldn’t get up off the ground. Realizing I needed help, Chief literally body slammed the front door down and started barking and harassing people outside until someone finally thought to follow him. Only had to get close to the house to hear me still making a ruckus inside. Took me to a healer, but the damage was done. Haven’t been able to use this eye since.”

“...you can tease, if you want, but if you call me cyclops, I’m going to actually pout. It won’t be cute. I hate that nickname.” Arven warned.

Doppio’s eyes widened slightly as Arven lifted his bangs, but…his reaction really wasn’t all that dramatic. Arven had been right--it was an intense scar, the kind of thing that Doppio didn’t even have to hear the story behind to know that it had been something Arven didn’t just walk off. But, still…

(...he really was awfully pretty. Arven really did pull off the half-bang look, but seeing his full face… Man. If Doppio had a hard time looking away before…)

“Doesn’t seem that dumb to me,” Doppio huffed softly. “Even more used to it now, working with hot oil is kinda anxiety-inducing. Must’ve been terrifying as a kid.” Glancing down to the snoozing dog in his lap, Doppio joined Arven in giving Chief pets. “...very good dog. You two have really been through a lot, huh?”

Raising an eyebrow, Doppio shook his head before nudging Arven’s shoulder gently. “You won’t have to worry about that, then. You didn’t go off calling me, like, Scarecrow or whatever when I told you about my brain stuff, so I’m not gonna suddenly go middle-schooler on your ass.”

Pausing, Doppio tilted his head a little. “...would you rather I try to walk on your left side, then? So I’m not just keeping in your blind spot?”

Arven finally looked up, a little surprised at Doppio’s casualness, the lack of shudder or extreme sympathy in his voice… and found himself relaxing significantly as Doppio looked back at him without flinching. Genuinely undisturbed. 

“Actually, that would help, yeah. I mean, I’m used to it, I’ve been without that depth perception for a long time now and honestly I can’t even remember the difference now, but…” Arven laughed, letting his hair fall back into his face, though not with as much urgency this time, “Things do tend to sneak up on me from that direction.”

“Would have been nice to have my very own guardian angel around to heal it when it happened, I’ll admit.” Arven said, looking around, like Amaina might just appear, “That was pretty amazing, what she did earlier. I’m glad she could help you. Seeing you injured like that…” Arven frowned, a tension suddenly in his body, “I really hated that. I didn’t know what to do about it, but I was pretty worried about you too. I was kind of relieved Prince Kaito insisted on looking over it, honestly.”

Doppio nodded, finding his gaze lingering on how Arven’s hair fell back in his face. Brushing against his nose slightly, and…

(Hm. Okay, maybe he was still more tired than he thought, because Doppio had to press right down on the impulse to brush Arven’s bangs back into order.)

“You never said anything before, so I figured it wasn’t a big deal, but…I mean, you can tell me if there’s stuff you’d rather I do…or not do.”

Huffing an amused little sound, Doppio looked down at his healing arm, the raised skin still pretty apparent in the fire light, but…yeah. It was kind of absurd, in a lucky way, that Amaina could heal him. The kind of thing that a lot of people would’ve been lucky to have at certain points. 

Though, soon, Doppio’s amusement faded as he heard genuine worry in Arven’s voice, and he looked over, apologies on his lips…and more. 

Actually…wanting to tell Arven about the other stuff that happened when he woke up, sometimes. The disorientation and panic…the disgust. The things that, at one point, had forced Doppio up against the nearest wall in horror, but now just…were things he had to deal with. 

But…

Doppio looked away, self-consciously rubbing his arm a bit. “...I’m sorry. I really didn’t want to worry anyone with it…”

“It’s not really something you have to apologize for. I just don’t like to see you hurt. It… pissed me off. Not at you, just…” Arven sighed, rolling his eyes, “It’s not your fault I did this, but apparently you just inspire a ‘come to the rescue’ feeling in me. Which, you know what, maybe is fair. The first time we met was a big fight too that made me way more emotional than I feel like I get normally… something about you! Just..” Arven laughed lightly, “Makes me emotional? It’s weird when I say it like that, sorry. You keep inspiring ‘big’ feelings in me.”

…

It…it wasn’t like Doppio really thought there were a lot of people that, specifically, liked seeing him hurt. But… But…Arven not liking it. And…wanting to come to his aid. And…

Doppio went scarlet, his heart starting to pound in his chest. 

Big feelings, huh? Out ‘here’...every good thing.

Hooh. HM. Well. Doppio suddenly felt overly aware of his hands…even if resting on Chief seemed normal? A-and the slight space between him and Arven…barely anything, from when he’d nudged him. Shoot…and his stomach was doing that weird, fluttering thing again. 

“UM!” Doppio’s voice cracked, feeling a little…breathless, honestly? “W-well… S-sorry if that’s a bad thing? You said, like, the, um, boom, thing wasn’t so pleasant… And…I mean, me too, s-sorta… I mean, I’ve never really had friends, so…kinda all this is new, um, emotional territory, I guess? Um…”

With Chief in his lap, it wasn’t like Doppio could just get up and leave…but also, that wasn’t something he wanted to do. Which was weird, since that was kind of his MO for…situations. No, honestly, Doppio just wanted…

(A hazy memory of Arven putting his arms around him. An even hazier, more detached memory of…something.)

Doppio couldn’t get his gaze to stay in one place, but it kept flicking back to Arven. His heart speeding up even more every time.

“Hah, no way.” Arven smiled, looking fondly at Doppio, “How did you avoid making friends this whole time? You’re so… cool. And neat, and interesting. You’re really attractive. I imagine people had to have been throwing themselves at you.”

“...if that’s not weird to say?” Arven realized, tilting his head slightly, looking suddenly a little sheepish, “I mean, you obviously know you’re attractive, I’m not pointing anything out that isn’t obvious. Barely a compliment, more just a matter of fact, you know?”

(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA)

Was he having a heart attack?! This felt like a heart attack! Arven had called him cool before (and Doppio could barely wrap his head around that) but…neat, and interesting, and…

Arven thought he was attractive AAAAAAAAAAAA WHAT SHOULD HE DO HE wAS GOING TO DIE!!!

As Doppio internally imploded and short-circuited, externally he somehow managed to grow even more red, shrinking into his shoulders a bit as he could only give half-hearted shrugs, a wobbly, flattered smile shaking on his face. “I-I dunno… People have flirted with me before, so…I guess, you know? But it feels kinda…s-surreal hearing it from you. Considering.”

Swallowing thickly, shifting under Chief, Doppio gave another half-shrug. “I’m kinda… It makes sense why people don’t like me. And…I-I usually only have, like…more than passing conversations with people from B-Boss’s company, so, like, coworkers…” Doppio gasped in a small breath, actually…starting to feel a little dizzy.

“Oh! I didn’t mean to make it weird!” Arven suddenly stammered, looking alarmed at Doppio’s ‘surreal’ comment, putting his hands up placatingly, “I just, you know, it’s obvious, right? You must hear it all the time! Did I make it weird?”

And then, really looking at Doppio, Arven squinted… before reaching out and putting a hand on his head, “Are you okay? You’ve gotten really hot. Maybe I should get you some water.”

Making a mildly despairing sound, Doppio shook his head, waving his hands a little. “It’s not weird! I-I-I just meant…you know! It’s surreal hearing you say, um, that, since I-I’m pretty sure you’re one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen!”

WHY DID YOU SAY THAT AAAAAAAAAA

“Objectively!”

Short-circuiting again as Arven touched him, Doppio made a sort of garbled sound, gaze stuck fast to Arven this time, though the flutters and rapid heartbeat weren’t abated in the slightest. “I-I’m fine!”

Arven stared at Doppio… before subconsciously bringing his hand back to straighten out his bang over his eye. Looking a little stunned as he said, “...really? Me?”

Over by the fire, Amaina was eating imaginary popcorn, just idly staring. 

O.O ♪ ……..nooooow kiss ♩

Arven, startling at the soft sound of Amaina’s musical voice, glared at her slightly, before shaking his head. Getting up as he said a tad gruffly, “I’m gonna go get us both some water. Maybe it’s the fire, just feels kind of warm in here. Um… yeah. Water. You want a lemon in yours, Doppio?” He called over his shoulder, hurrying to the kitchen.

On Doppio’s lap, Chief’s tail thumped a few times. Someone was in the kitchen. Perhaps treats were in his future.

Doppio hoped Amaina was deafened by his internal screams. 

(Kissing…was that what that memory was? That didn’t seem right--he’d never kissed anyone before. And…something about the memory was…kind of unpleasant. He didn’t have time for relationships, of course, but…Doppio hoped that he’d like his first kiss.)

(He didn’t see how he couldn’t, if it was with the same gentleness that--NNNNNN)

“S-sure!” Doppio stuttered back, just stuck for a moment before he put a hand over his mouth, trying not to…make gross sounds, as he tried to get his breath back. Arven was right, it was way too hot over here…

Glancing at Amaina, once he was reasonably sure he wasn’t about to pass out, Doppio gave her a desperate look as he whispered, “Angelo, am I dying? What’s happening?”

Amaina huffed, looking a little exasperated, before putting her popcorn aside and fluttering over to Doppio. Landing on Chief’s head– who only ruffed slightly– before patting Doppio on the hand sympathetically, saying quietly and gently ♪ no no no stupid you are just blinded by the cute butt it happens to the best of us no need to be embarrassed ♩

Concerned by the look on Doppio’s face that he might not ‘get it’, Amaina brought up her hands– which both inexplicably suddenly had tiny sock puppets on each hand that looked an awful lot like Doppio and Arven– she sang-song, shaking Doppio’s sock puppet ♪ hello sweet doofus senpai it is both a nice day and you have a nice booty ♩ then shaking the other sock puppet and saying in a slightly lower octave ♪ Oh Do-po-popopo, i apparently can’t take a hint to save my life but i also think you are veeeerry pretty and have a nice butt ♩ then shaking Doppio’s sock again, she sang ♪ okay well if we both feel the same way then it’s time to do the smooches ♩ an octave lower ♪ the whaaaaaaa–? I am sooooo emotionally constipaaaated what are the smooches?? ♩

♪ and then ♩ Amaina said, staring Doppio dead in the eye as she slooooowly brought the two faces of the sock puppets close together, hovering them just a breath away from each other ♪ you blush over lovey dovey comic books as you both try to figure out how smooches work. Together~ ♩

There were no butts involved! He and Arven had been talking face to face, and Doppio didn’t even watch him walk to the kitchen because it was dark and Doppio was too busy feeling like his insides were having a conniption fit to focus on anything! Especially butts, because bros didn’t check out their bro’s butts!

Scowling and flushing at the puppet show--though he was very relieved that she hadn’t actually made the puppets…smooch. Or anything else--Doppio huffed, covering his face before weakly glaring at Amaina through his fingers.  “...I wouldn’t call Arven a doofus. He’s really smart…”

“A-and I know how kissing works,” he hissed in an embarrassed whisper. “I don’t need to look through adult comics to figure it out!”

♪ no you don’t ♩ Amaina said, holding up both her sock puppets to look up at him, ♪ i bet you don’t know how to smooch even a little bit ♩

“Alright, alright, I’m coming back to the rescue. Amaina, what are you doing to poor Doppio?” Arven frowned, coming back with two tall glasses of cold water, along with a treat for Chief, “What’s with the sock puppets?”

O.O ♪ i am teaching sex ed ♩ 

“I would not trust anything you have to say on that particular subject,” Arven admitted, passing Doppio a glass, but also passing him the treat, “Here, that’s for Chief. Thought you might like to feed him.”

Chief, sniffing once, twice, ruffed softly before looking up expectantly, barely opening his eyes as he sniffed more for the treat. Amaina, with her stage suddenly moving its furry dog head, yelped as she tumbled backwards, falling dramatically down Chief’s back.

Somehow, there was a part of Doppio that still retained enough sense to know that arguing that he did know how to smooch, what, like it could be that complicated, would be…ridiculous. And would probably prompt Amaina into demanding that he prove it, probably with “Doctor Nice Butt’ and…

…

Doppio gave Arven a grateful look for his much-needed rescue, though he choked a little at the thought of Amaina teaching sex ed. Groaning softly, he took the treat and offered it up to Chief, the joy of Dog healing his heart. “There you go, buddy. Midnight snack.”

Sighing, he gave Arven a slightly flustered look. “Uh, thanks. I…think you were right--fire’s warm, and all. Sorry for…being weird.”

“Not just you, not just you. I made it weird first by pointing out how attractive you are. Just sort of felt like one of those ‘no duh’ things, but I can see I embarrassed you a little.” Arven admitted, sipping at his water, “Between me and miss ‘everything is gay’ here, I gotta imagine you were starting to feel a little boxed in.”

“Oh, that was actually one very sweet thing you said earlier.” Arven realized, reaching out to give Amaina a light pat on the head as she finished climbing determinedly back onto Chief’s head, even as it shook like an earthquake while he chomped happily on his treat, “I encouraged you to ignore her when she said stuff like that, and you said you didn’t want her to feel lonely. I thought that was cute.”

“...you did kinda make it sound like you feel lonely sometimes, though.” Arven frowned, sipping at his glass, “Which was… less cute.”

Ngh, it didn’t help that he was still saying it.

Fuh. Still too warm. Gotta drink that water. 

Taking a loooooong, much-needed drink, Doppio looked over curiously, not…really remembering that conversation, and figuring it had been while he was falling asleep earlier and…well. He did feel that way. He couldn’t always indulge Amaina, especially if they were out in public or around people who didn’t know, but…

It seemed incredibly sad to him, to only be able to be seen by one or two people, and…singing and talking out into that void, only to be ignored. An unfathomable loneliness that he had a hard time feeling okay about subjecting her to. 

Because…

Mirroring Arven’s frown, Doppio looked away. He…couldn’t tell Arven the other stuff. But maybe…

“...sometimes,” he quietly muttered. “Not a lot--living with someone does help that.” Even if sometimes Boss made him feel alone even if they were only a few feet apart. “Just…doesn’t feel great when it happens. Feels…”

Doppio huffed a disbelieving sigh. A little exasperated with himself. “...sometimes I get this weird feeling? Like… Like I was suddenly given the ability to… Talk. From nothing. But…where I ended up, no one wanted to listen, and I was told to be quiet. So…I could still talk to myself, but…that’s not the same, and when that starts to get to me I…wonder if it would’ve been better to stay nothing.”

A pause, before Doppio made a face. “...that’s a weird-ass metaphor, and…it’s not quite right, but…yeah.”