Author's note: This fanfic takes place after the series. A one-shot. May contains , dedicated to aneki (ansfair) who got me into this series. She deserves to get spoiled by EijixAnkh fluffy story. Plus, I didn't really intend to write the fights. This fic is focused on the relationship between Eiji and Ankh (plus the OC).

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the AU plot.

Characters: Eiji Hino, Ankh, Izumi Hina from Kamen Rider OOO

RIVALRY, POPSICLE AND PRECIOUS BOND

Another day had begun today. The sun's shinning bright and the cafe was lively as usual. Hina and the others were so busy preparing meals and serving the customers—except Ankh. He sat down in the corner of the room as he bit his popsicle and choked it down his throat. His eyes were glared at the man who sat in front of Eiji.

Few feet away, Ankh chewed angrily. His attention was somehow didn't put into his surroundings, so that he didn't even realize when Hina approached him.

"Ankh..." Hina tilted her head slightly, seemed like observing the male's face. When she didn't get any response from the guy, Hina frowned a bit and followed Ankh's sight.

"I see..." Hina nodded.

There was a new customer this morning. He was mentioned by Eiji as his father's friend's son. Hina seemed to concern about it, wondering why this guy seemed to bother Ankh so much. The only possible reason was that this guy was a yummy's host...? She couldn't tell, of course.

"Tch." Ankh shoved the last bite of his popsicle as he got up from his seat. "How irritating!"

"E-eh! W-wait! Ankh!" Hina grabbed Ankh's arm causing him to turn around.

"What is it now?!" Ankh growled and made the other customers looking at them both.

"Etto... I'm sorry!" Hina let him go and bowed. "But... could it be... he's a yummy's host?" she lowered her voice so that no one except Ankh could hear her.

"Tch." He turned and walked away. "He's just pissing me off. That's it."

Hina wanted to say something, but Ankh didn't even look at her anymore. The blonde walked off the room, leaving the girl clueless about everything. But of course Hina wanted to know. For her, Ankh was more like her... comrade? It made what bothered Ankh was her concern as well.

"How mysterious Ankh is... I wonder what's bugging him like this—"

"Uh, Hina-chan...?" Eiji surprised her from behind. "Where does Ankh go?"

"Eh! Eiji-kun?" She should pull herself together now! "I... I don't know. He was just... I feel like, something is bothering him today..." She didn't know how to put it into word; how to explain it to Eiji, while she couldn't even explain it to herself about Ankh's sudden bad mood.

"Geez... He's going without telling me again?! That guy... seriously!"

"Eiji-kun!" A guy appeared between them. "Ah, so you are Hina-san, am I right?" He offered her his hand to shake. "I'm Matsumoto Hikaru, I'm Eiji-kun's childhood playmate." He shook her hand gently.

"A-ah... Yes, Matsumoto-san, I'm Izumi Hina. Nice to meet you." She smiled at him.

"Nice to meet you too, Hina-san!" He smiled. "So, you surely have a pretty girlfriend, Eiji-kun!"

"E-eh?! Girlfriend?!" Eiji and Hina shouted almost at the same time, causing the guy named Hikaru startled.

"Eh... She's not my girlfriend—well, she's like—"

"Yes—I mean we're just—"

"Ah, it's okay you two! I'll introduce you to my fiancee when she returns from Europe later, 'kay?"

"Tch," Ankh sat alone in the park, carrying two popsicles in his hands (well, he's planning to buy more later, since now he cared enough to carry money in his own). "Eiji, that bastard! How long he'll be planning to slack around with his friend at a time like this?!"

That man! His sudden appearance seemed to make Eiji happy—somehow... If Ankh recalled (he listened to a bit of the conversation between that guy and Eiji) they were growing up in the same town and going to the same school until Elementary. They had to part because that guy's father decided to send him abroad. Tch, who cared about that story, eh? Of course, Eiji did. But Ankh? He couldn't careless.

"If he gets in the way, I'll definitely choke him to death!" He bit his popsicle again. It was the third on since this morning.

Hollow. It was how he felt, but however, Ankh didn't want to acknowledge it. The feeling that actually bothered him was not because he afraid of losing his life. But it's more like... he was afraid to lose Eiji?

"No way!" He bit a big bite of his chocolate popsicle and chewed it roughly. "Disgusting! That human, tch."

"Ankh..." A soft woman voice surprised the Greeed (although Ankh preferred to hide it from her). "Eiji-kun is worried that you're going to do something—"

"Bad, huh?" Ankh finished the sentence for her. "Humans are interesting, I guess." He let the girl sat beside him. "You should stop worrying about others, especially me, that's quite irritating! Eiji too!" He threw the stick away and jumped away from the bench.

"It's not like that..." She shook her head. "I know... you don't have any responsibility about my brother's body anymore since you got your own, but... considering that we are friends—"

"That!" Ankh pointed his Greeed's finger toward the girl. "I hate how all of you consider 'us' as friends! Heh... don't get cocky just because I don't kill the rest of you!"

"Oi, Ankh!" Another voice came from the other side. "Hahhh... it's really impolite to talk like that to a woman, right? Considering she let you use her brother's body once before..." Eiji walked toward him, crossing his arms over his chest. "What is it? Buying popsicles yourself? Ma, ma... at least let me know that you're going to have a walk, Ankh."

"Tch." Ankh clutched his fingers and threw his sight away from the brown haired guy. This guy, that woman, everyone just seemed like pissing him off today. And Eiji's friend as well. Just... everyone! "Look, Eiji, sometimes you and your friends should learn how to not stick your nose into other's business!" With that, the blonde decided to walk away, just at the moment his arm was grabbed from behind.

Hina.

"Heh... I told you, right? Don't stick your nose into my business. Unless you wanna die now!"

"I know something is bothering you, Ankh. It's not like we're going to meddle into your personal life. Just... if you need someone to share about something, just come to us, okay? I don't like to see my friends like this—"

"Ah, yeah. I'll remember that. And maybe you should too; I'm not your friend. So stop referring me to one, get it?"

"Ankh!"

"Hina-chan that's it!" Eiji ran toward the girl and let the Greeed go. "I understand your feelings. But in the mean time, it's probably best to leave him on his own, okay? I'll talk to him as soon as he get back to Cous Coussier." The guy offered her a smile.

Just what's going on? Ankh couldn't elaborate this tickling thing inside him. Anger, sadness, and any other 'emotional' feelings that he couldn't comprehend started disturbing him. For a Greeed, he didn't understand anything but desires. That made him lack of feelings, and surely, it became a problem when he mingled with humans.

"Oh, you're that guy from before!" Someone approached him with a wide smile on his face. "I'm Hikaru, Eiji's fr—"

"I know you. I'm just not interested in you." Ankh quickly cut off the conversation before it got everywhere and bothered him again.

"A-ah... I'm sorry if I bother you... I thought you're Eiji's traveling's buddy..."

Ankh turned to face the guy, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "What did that stupid guy tell you?" His question, once again he couldn't manage to ask politely.

"Oh... Ah, yeah... Eiji said you guys met in Egypt. I wonder how Egypt looks like... Ah, Eiji is so lucky that he can travel everywhere..."

"Tch." So that was what Eiji told his friends, they were friends, meeting in the middle of the desert? Well, Eiji surely had a great imagination! "So have you done? What do you want Eiji to do?"

"Eh...?"

"Don't play dumb, you bastard!" Ankh scowled. "I know you asked something to him, didn't you? So that you can gain friendship or whatever it is."

"Eh...? I'm sorry... but there's nothing like that. I merely meet him because it's been long time since the last time we met." He smiled. "Besides, we are already friends."

"Tch. I see. Then you can get the fuck out of my sight now. I don't have time to chat—"

"Eh? What is it?" Hikaru furrowed his eyebrows when Ankh suddenly cut his words.

There it is! Ankh wasn't so sure before, but now this voice made him certain about one thing: there was a yummy somewhere near this place. He's got to be fast and tell Eiji about it. This was the time for him to collect more and more medals, so at least with only six of his core medals, he could manage to stay alive longer.

"Tch. I have no time to talk to you, I've got a job to do,"

"E-eeh?! Wait a moment! I'll go with you!"

"Tch... you—!" Ankh knew it couldn't be helped. He grabbed the guy by the collar and said, "You, call Eiji to meet us right now!"

"Eh? Why... what's happened?"

"Bastard... We have no time for explanation! Just call him now!"

Just at the time, a strange-looking monster appeared before their eyes. Ankh couldn't identify to whom this yummy belonged to. Not only sealed away, his fellow Greeed has been destroyed, cracked into pieces—even he himself was once dead. So it's impossible for them to create a yummy. This yummy, was somehow looking like an angel rather than a monster. White fur covered her chest down to her torso, a wing that looked like a bat's wing adorned her back, but her face was marmoreal.

"Shit!" Ankh stopped his pace. "Eiji's better hurry up!"

"Ankh!"

"Baka! You're late!" Ankh threw three medals to Eiji and let the guy henshin. "I haven't identified this yummy, but I presume, there's someone who create another despair."

Eiji shook his head, completely puzzled with Ankh's statement. "What do you mean?" Eiji furrowed his eyebrows after he received three of Ankh's core medals. A Tajadoru combo? It's rare for Ankh to let Eiji use this combo to begin with.

"Just defeat it as fast as you can!"

"A-ah... yes, yes!"

A quick movement, the yellow creepy creature supposed to be a yummy attack OOO at the opening. A single powerful kick landed right on the Rider's chest, throwing him feets away.

"Shit! Don't let your guard down! Baka!" Ankh stepped out of the reach while trying to guard Eiji's friend.

"W-what is that thing? Why does Eiji—"

"Tch. He's even creepier than this before," Ankh scowled again at the guy. "For your information, Eiji is no longer that little cute boy who plays sand with you. Heh."

"I know... But this is—"

Eiji charged the yummy with his punch. It hit the yummy's head, and he could see a crack on it just like a marble's doll. But it wasn't the end, another counter attack was charged against the rider, a thousand needles were shot at him, and Eiji couldn't help but get away to minimalize the injury. As he stepped away, he charged his fist with flame. A second later, it shot toward the yummy, and hit it right on its body.

The yummy was blown—but it wasn't destroyed. The medals were somehow gathered and re-built the body. Eiji didn't even have a time to startle. He had to put this to an end.

"Eiji! Stop fooling around with that combo!" Yes. It certainly got in Ankh's nerves. Tajadoru had a power which surpassed the others' combo. And this fight was ridiculously annoying for him. Eiji must have exterminated this weaklings few minutes ago. That bastard... he's surely made fun of me!

"G-gomen!" Time to get serious, he thought.

Eiji put the core medals into the Taja Spiner and Kujaku Wings emerged from his back, levitated him above the ground as he focused on the target.

SCANNING CHARGE.

"Prominence drop!" Eiji performed a graceful flying drop kick, which successfully hit the enemy, destroyed it into pieces of cell medals.

"Is he okay?!" Hikaru ran toward Eiji who's already dehenshined. His energy was consumed by the combo and he was lying on the ground, looking at Ankh who gathered the medals.

"Ah... yeah." Eiji smiled and tried to sit on his own. "You'd better go home Hikaru. I'm fine."

"But your wounds..."

"Heh... Do you think he's going to die that easily? Enduring the effect of Tajadoru combo without being killed is good enough—not to mentioned that he's beaten up like that—"

"What are you saying?!" Hikaru stood up, grabbed Ankh by the collar. "Are you okay seeing your friend like that? I mean—look at how Eiji fought to protect us!"

"Oi! Stop it you two!"

"Tch! Shut up! You don't know anything!" Ankh smacked the guy's hand off of his collar (both of them seemed to give a zero fuck to Eiji though, and instead, continue fighting).

"Yeah! Perhaps, I don't know anything about it! About the monster, and how Eiji turn out to be a Kamen Rider. But I know something you don't know. Eiji is a brave guy. He stands before us to protect us. He values the bonds between us! I—I probably didn't know what has happened to him. But I certain about one thing... that he won't make fun of our friendship. And you!" Hikaru pointed his finger on the blonde, "You too! No matter how insolent your mouth is, or how harsh your attitude toward others, he will still... he will still consider you as his friend. Remember that!"

"Heh. Do you think that kind of words might touch me? Listen carefully you bastard, that guy," Ankh pointed at Eiji, "Won't protect anyone without my power. That is." And with that, the blonde turned around and waved his hand toward Eiji. "Thanks for the cell medals, Eiji. I'll wait in the Cous Coussier."

"Ah, yeah..." Eiji stood up and grabbed Hikaru's shoulder. "That's it Hikaru. He's... that kind of guy. He won't hear you unless you clash your fist against his." He sighed.

"How could you... how could you keep up with that kind of personality?"

"Saa..." He shrugged.

"Eiji-kun!" Hina welcomed Eiji, let him sit as soon as he entered Cous Coussier. "Ankh has returned few minutes ago."

"I see... Ah, I'm glad that he decided to go back here instead of wandering around."

"Etto... are you okay? I heard from Ankh that you fought a yummy?"

"Yes. But it's not a big deal. I've defeated it with the help of Ankh. You don't need to worry, Hina-chan!"

"Heh... getting cocky, Eiji?" A voice came from the corner of the room.

Ankh. As expected. The guy was chewing on his popsicle. A smirked adorned his face. Eiji couldn't helped but scowled ever so slightly at the Greeed. However, he had promised to himself that he would let Ankh eat anything he wanted including the ice and sweets (well, Eiji actually will only buy one popsicle for each day). Eiji took a deep breath and exhaled strongly it as if he was going to fire like a dragon.

"I really... really really need to talk to you, Ankh!" He made his way toward the blonde and casually dragged him out of Cous Coussier (and seriously, why didn't Ankh protest it?).

"What now?" Ankh wear that bored face as he walked down the road with his partner.

"I... wonder if you're getting used to it..." Eiji started, glancing through the corner of his eyes as he waited for a response from the Greeed.

"What the hell are you trying to say?" Ankh sniffed.

"That..." How should he explain it? Talking to Ankh wasn't supposed to be this difficult—well, he could just start from the beginning. "Well... Ankh, put it simple, you're asking me for a 'life' once before. And you got it."

"Okay, I'm listening."

EH?! He's listening?! SERIOUSLY?! "Um... uh, well... So..." The arrived in the small playground where few children playing sands and having fun. "When someone is living a life, they will have a lot of things in their life. Not only items of belonging, but also things like emotions." He stopped by on a Popsicle counter and bought two.

Ankh's eyes were fixated on Eiji as the brown-haired guy handed him a chocolate popsicle.

"Here," Eiji smiled. "Emotions are many. Sadness, gratefulness, anger, love, and more countless emotions left."

"Heh... are you going to give me a good speech now?" Ankh chuckled. "Go on."

Geez... I know, he wants me to continue without having any interest in it. This guy... "Well, do you understand it now? That you have a life now. So you will experience that thing called emotions. Feelings. Something like that."

"Heh?"

"Look, Ankh." Eiji sat on the bench and arranged some good words to express his feelings. "About what you did to Hikaru earlier, it really wasn't necessary. He's my friend, and no matter how they are now, I will do anything to protect them."

"Do you get serious now, Eiji?" Ankh furrowed his eyebrows. He really disliked how Eiji talked to him right now.

"I do." He sighed. "That's why listen carefully."

"Tch."

"Hikaru, just like Hina-chan, they always do their best to protect this bond between me and them. And I won't let anyone, including you, to mess with it. Didn't you see how Hikaru stand against you, even though I know he understands his place that he won't be able to defeat you if the two of you involved in a fist-clash? Do you understand why? Because he didn't want anyone to break the bond between him and me."

"Tch! Why would I care about it?!" Ankh got irritated by Eiji's words.

"I know what you have said to Hikaru, Ankh. I just didn't want you to hurt him."

"I'm not hurting him. I didn't even lay my finger on him."

"You did hurt his feelings."

"Tch! Why would I do that, baka?!"

"Because he hurt yours."

Eiji's words were somehow like a sharp knife stabbed right on a throbbing heart. Ankh was taken aback. He didn't say anything upon hearing it. Was it true? That Hikaru had hurt his feelings, so that he was trying to put a revenge on him?

"Heh, funny."

"It is not!" Eiji snapped.

"Wha—"

"Ankh, listen. I won't let you do that again, okay?"

I see... so Eiji choose that guy instead of me? Ankh sighed and looked away—for the second time (even though with the different matters) he was betrayed by the Ozu.

"Okay. You're done. I know I'm dealing with an Ozu." Said Ankh.

"No. I'm not." Eiji grabbed the blonde's arm and turned him around. "I will certainly protect my friends. But... Ankh, all this time you see me as the same Ozu of eight hundred years ago. But I'm not. There," he hit his fist lightly on Ankh's chest. "In your heart, what you have toward Ozu is hatred. A hatred because you were betrayed by him."

"It has nothing to do with it, you moron!"

"It does!" Eiji put his hands on Ankh's shoulder and nodded. "You trusted Ozu, but he betrayed you. Now that I become an Ozu, you don't want to trust me because you're afraid that I'm going to do the same mistake. You're trying to hurt people around me because you think it will hurt me too—and satisfy you. Do you know what, Ankh? I'm a different man, from that one of eight hundred years ago. I might be weaker. But my heart will be stronger. I value my bonds with my friends. And you, I value my bond with you, more than anything in this world!"

"What are you babbling about?!"

"Because of this bond I have between us, I'm able to reach anyone and protect them. Do you understand that, Ankh?"

"..."

"I'm sorry..." Eiji looked down. "I never want you to leave ever again. But I don't want to lose my friends as well. I... I'm just so useless if everyone is not around. And I always want you to get along with my friends. I'm selfish, aren't I?"

Ankh furrowed his eyebrows and sighed. "Saa..." He patted Eiji's shoulder. "You're right. Everything you said. I just... I want to trust you, but it's difficult. Being betrayed by such power was pretty scary that even I won't be dare to dream about it." He smirked. "But your words are pretty touching, Eiji."

Ankh snickered as they walked home. The sunset was seen in the end of the horizon, and Ankh couldn't be more thankful since he knew what to decide this time. There were only two options though, to trust Ozu or not—well, this case, he probably won't be able to trust Ozu. But Eiji, he thought different about this guy. Eiji, despite of his stupid nature, was a really well-mannered human who wouldn't violate the power he had entrusted to him.

Let me trust you, Eiji.