#daitsu

There were many reasons he did not participate in the Rider War, but knowing another Kuuga suffered in his place was only a regret.

“And when he freed the Grongi, he turned into one,” Daiki continues. “We fought for a few months. Then Natsumelon and Yuusuke arrived.”

He looks over, and sure enough there is Onodera and Yuusuke talking animatedly while Kadoya and Deca—Hikari watch.

“I’m glad they did,” Daiki says, explaining nothing and everything, and then he turns back to Kaoru. “And you?”

“The belt was discovered alongside the Grongi,” Kaoru says. “I used it on all but a whim, when they attacked. We killed several dozen within the next year, but they killed thousands.”

“I’m sorry,” Daiki says. “It must have been hard fighting a year, alone.”

“I wasn’t alone,” Kaoru replies, and it’s his turn to turn to Yuusuke, who winks at him when he catches his eyes. He sighs. “Occasionally, I wish I could have been.”

He couldn’t. Without Godai Yuusuke, he could never have held onto himself from start to end. But even now he occasionally wonders at the burden Godai has had to carry for him in their fight.

He doesn’t need to say more. All it takes is one glance between Daiki and his own friends to understand.

——•——

“So how do you deal with you partner not talking?” Yuusuke asks, willfully ignoring Natsumi and Tsukasa sitting right next to him.

“I mean, I took him on a trip around the world,” Godai replies. “Don’t think that’d work for you.”

“Probably not.”

“We are right here,” Tsukasa says.

“I know,” Yuusuke says, just as Godai does. And then they laugh. Godai looks around then and whispers in Yuusuke’s ear.

“Catching him after a nightmare helped,” he whispers. “He felt bad, but it got better.”

Yuusuke nods, putting “watch them sleep” on his notepad.

He loves them, but all three of his partners desperately need a lesson on talking about their emotions.

“It’s good to have a brother,” he says.

“You aren’t even from a Kuuga World,” Natsumi points out. “It’s probably Kiva, if it’s anything we know.”

Yuusuke shrugs.

“Who could say for sure,” Godai says, and then the two Kuuga’s exit their corner and head over to the others. Yuusuke turns to Daiki with a smile as Daiki sits down next to him on the couch and smiles back.

“You okay?” He asks quietly, and Daiki nods.