Goldfish Bowl

——————- There were decorations all over Rakuen once again. Reservations for birthday parties required preparation, and Kazuki looked around, pleased. He was almost done and just needed to finish some of the food.

Plenty of food was set up for the evening already, mostly snacks and candy. "Don't touch that," he reminded Sein and Nicht, who sat on the counter and stared at a plate of cupcakes. "You know the rules," he added, returning to the kitchen side. The mini-Fafners looked at him and nodded vigorously, and he ignored them and set to work.

Which he maybe shouldn't have done, as some time later there was a slight rustling sound, though he didn't get to react to it as the Rakuen door opened and Soushi entered. "Kazuki? Did I make it before you close for the party? Some coffee would..." He trailed off at that moment, stopping to stare at something. "What are you two even doing?"

His comment caught Kazuki's attention, and he peeked over the counter, only to find Sein and Nicht near an open bag of cotton candy on the table. "Hey! Get away from there this instant," he said in a scolding tone. "What did I say about staying away from the party stuff?" Sein and Nicht looked at each other and backed away from the bag, though they sat on the table and stared at it. "Let those two out of your sight for a second, I swear..."

"You tell me," Soushi said with a hint of a smirk. "They see something new, they're all over it. Curious little buggers. Seriously, now. Have you two never seen cotton candy before?" He took a few steps closer and sighed. "Also I think you're out of luck, seems like they got into the stuff," he added, nodding at Nicht, who had something pink hanging from his shoulder spike.

Kazuki looked at them again, then at the bag on the table, not appearing very impressed. "Well I can't exactly serve cotton candy that some silly Fafners have rolled in, can I? Could you remove that bag for me?"

It was too bad Sein and Nicht took that as meaning they should remove it instead of Soushi, and they both floated up that instant, grabbing the bag and making it towards the door with it. Soushi rolled his eyes and turned to grab them - too late, as Mizoguchi opened the door right then, a heavy looking box in his hands, and the mini-Fafners took the opportunity and vanished outside.

Mizoguchi looked at the two of them then at the mini-Fafners floating away puzzled; Kazuki just plain facepalmed. "Put some coffee in the thermos for me," Soushi said, heading towards the door. "I am going to need that coffee once I catch those morons."

——————- 

The bath was ready; Kazuki had called to him a moment ago, and Fumihiko made it to the bathroom, welcoming the chance to relax after the long day. Not that he was even the first one to make it there, he noted, because as usual, Nicht and Sein were already waiting outside the door.

It wasn't exactly uncommon to find them waiting; rather, this seemed to be an everyday occurrence by now. They were part of the household, Fumihiko reasoned, and it wasn't like they bothered him. The miniature Fafners liking baths was perhaps a little ridiculous, but at least they didn't have to be forced to wash, which was a good side, maybe. If they needed to be washed every day, he didn't know, but it didn't matter.

How it had happened, Fumihiko wasn't sure of the details. He sat down to wash himself, watching as the two tiny Fafners, as silly as it looked, set to do the same. Kazuki had said that they had just followed them into the bath at some point and flopped down in the water, then decided they loved it. Soushi of course had scolded them for not washing first - which had now led to them washing themselves.

What point was there for a miniature Fafner to take a bath, that Fumihiko seriously hadn't figured out. Did they like to feel the water's warmth, perhaps? Probably that. Maybe they just liked the company. They were quite thorough with the washing, as least, and Sein shook water off himself then flew over and took a washcloth, moving to wash Fumihiko's back. The tiny Fafner wasn't exactly very good at doing it, but he tried his best, Fumihiko sat there and let him. It wasn't like he could complain.

He rinsed himself and watched the tiny Fafners do the same. A somewhat amusing sight, but Fumihiko didn't laugh. The two were one hundred percent serious about this for some reason and happily flopped down into the bathtub with him. They did seem quite happy floating there. Floating, definitely, since there was no way the two could reach the bottom of the bathtub unless submerged.

Kazuki had once complained that Sein liked to swim around, though Fumihiko had never seen him do that. Maybe this came down to the two behaving themselves around him, or something. He had after a few times stopped caring about the fact that it was two full-armored albeit tiny Fafners in the bath with him. If they liked it, it was fine.

——————-

"You know, Kouyou," Kazuki said from behind the Rakuen counter, pausing what he was doing - which was, washing the dishes - and looked over at the pair sitting on the other side of the counter. "There's something I've kind of been wondering about."

Kouyou simply smiled and nodded a little, and Soushi adjusted his glasses before he took a sip of his coffee then looked at the two curiously. Or he would have, had he not found himself slapping Nicht on the arm a second later. "No. Stupid Fafner. My coffee. How many times does this have to be explained to you? Kouyou, tell him."

"He can't help it," Kouyou said. "He's a part of you, and because that's your coffee, he automatically counts it as his."

"I guess I should pour him his own cup again," Kazuki noted. "Seems to be the only way of keeping him away from Soushi's cup. Anyway..." His eyes went from the dark purple mini-Fafner sitting next to Soushi's cup, looking all miffed, to Sein and Vier, who were happily sitting on Misao's shoulders. Misao, who was sitting over at the table next to the window, didn't seem to mind at least and was just happily enjoying his Melon Soda. "About this tiny Vier being here. I mean, Sein has Mark Elf's old core, and Nicht has original Vier's... See what I'm getting at?"

At that point Nicht made another attempt for Soushi's coffee, and Soushi simply picked up the cup and finished the contents, smirking at the mini-Fafner and in return getting Nicht to shake his fist at him. It was sometimes amusing how human they acted, Kazuki had to admit. "Kouyou, what I'm saying is," he then continued. "Technically, you're Vier's core. How are you both here?"

A curious smile rose to Kouyou's lips. "It has to do with how these things are us, in a way," he explained. "This miniature version of Vier exists because it's another version of me. Essentially, we share the same core, which is, I am the core, but thanks to this island, I'm here. Vier exists as a representation of the Fafner version that functions as..."

He continued his pseudo-scientific lecture for another moment, and Kazuki just stared at him. "You lost me," he finally said.

Soushi turned in his chair and gave Kouyou a long look. "You just made half of that up, didn't you?"

"But that's exactly how it goes!" Misao from behind them cut in. "I think!"

Kazuki shook his head and sighed, watching Sein happily climb down Misao's arm to sit down on the table and seemingly start a conversation with the miniature Eurus-type Festum that sat there. "Oh, yeah, and speaking of cores and existences," he said. "What's up with the mini-Eurus, anyway?"

"Everyone else has one!" Misao replied with a grin. "And they're part of me. So kind of same as this," he added, picking the miniature Vier out of his hair.

Back at the counter, Soushi rolled his eyes. "I seriously can't believe you guys. Whatever you say. May I have another cup of coffee?" He requested from Kazuki. "...And please give this sulking moron his own cup already."