Author's Note: This is my first Kamen Rider OOO fanfic, but I'm sure there will be many more to come... because I'm completely smitten with Ankh, Eiji & OOO. This entire fic is set in and around episode 8... consider it deleted scenes, perhaps? ^^;
And things blew up, literally and figuratively.
Everything he'd been working for, trying so hard to do, trying so desperately to save… it was all laid to waste, and, worst of all, because he'd been betrayed by those he'd trusted most.
Afterwards, the days had quickly become weeks of sleeping in parks and under bridges, of wandering aimlessly more than actually traveling… to the point where all the running began to blur together into a desireless empty…
I guess you could say I'm on a break.
And he had been, until that fateful day, when a floating arm had slapped a belt on him and turned Hino Eiji's world upside down for a second time.
Have I even had time to stop and think lately?
He realizes this rather abruptly as he spills the tiniest shred of his feelings to the photographer over their clothes-drying riverside fire, and lets the events of the past few weeks finally catch up with him. And catch up, they do.
Ankh… where are you?
Right now, Eiji can really only handle what's directly in front of him, can only take one step at a time, and yet somehow, all those steps have led him here, to a place he couldn't have ever imagined, with a partner as perplexing as the situation itself.
Magical medals, transforming belts, otherworldly monsters… it all seems so surreal, and yet, in the middle of it, this person…no, this creature…no, this Greeed reached out to him, and in turn, has given him the chance to reach out his hand to others again.
I still remember the joy of the first one…
The words he'd told the photographer echo sharply in his mind as he searches the city for hours with a pocketful of borrowed cell medals and the intuitive feeling that Ankh needs his hand in return tonight.
Was I really talking about meat buns… or helping people… or becoming OOO?
He hasn't seen or heard from Ankh all day, and even though the Greeed is generally frustrating to deal with, Eiji can't help but be worried about his mysterious disappearance.
The moment you are worthless to me, I'll abandon you…
Now, it's Ankh's words that echo in Eiji's mind as he stops on a bridge to look out over the river, the ripples of the water illuminated silver by the moon. "I know he claims that he's only using me… or that we're only using each other… but…" he mutters to himself.
I can't help but care. He'd defended the Greeed the day that they first met, and an odd bond had formed as a result.
It's hard to say whether it's luck or intuition that leads Eiji in the right direction, but when he finally spots Ankh sprawled bonelessly on the cement at the edge of the water just as the sun is coming up, his heart tightens in his chest with a genuinely surprising amount of worry.
Still, once it's clear that he's still alive, it's almost a relief to see the Greeed knocked down a notch from his usual arrogant perch and Eiji can't help but approach him with a little taste of his own medicine. "That's an amazing look for you."
After a night of painful musings on the past, the Greeed is in no mood to be teased, though, and there's nothing but angry defensiveness in his tone despite his poor condition. "Leave me alone! What are you here for?"
Eiji reaches into his pocket and pulls out the handful of cell medals. "I took a loan from Kougami." He gives Ankh a moment to process that, yes, Eiji had come looking for him on purpose, and then he continues. "I figured something happened."
Ankh is surprised, confused, thrown off, by the genuine concern in the boy's voice and he looks up suspiciously as Eiji holds out the medals, as if the offer is far too good to be true, especially after the ribbing. "What was the condition?"
He always expects the worst of everyone… Eiji's lips quirk into the hint of a rueful smile, and the desire to prove Ankh wrong rises up quick and bright. "Nothing."
"Yeah, right!" Ankh turns away, trying to keep his cool, but he wants the medals badly, and fully expects Eiji to hold them above his head. He doesn't like not being in control, and even more, Eiji realizing that he isn't always in control.
"This promise doesn't mean anything to you," Eiji jumps off the railing he's been sitting on and crosses the few steps between them, nothing but simple honesty in his words. If I don't reach out my hand, I'll regret it. "It should be fine as long as I have today's underwear and I don't die…" And just like that, he drops the cell medals into Ankh's outstretched hand. "That's why…"
Ankh immediately rises to his feet, strength flooding him and his usual air returning full force. He ruffles himself for a moment as a bird might, not wanting to meet Eiji's warm gaze. Who does something for someone and expects nothing in return? It makes no sense. "I don't get it… but without a doubt, you're a useful fool…"
Eiji gives a soft heh and glances away before replying, satisfied with the knowledge that he's right – Ankh did need his help. "Well, you're a pretty useful Greeed." He knows that it's the closest he's going to get to a thank you out of Ankh anyway.
"Tsk…" Ankh mutters in response, stalking past him and in the direction of the Yummy.
"Oi, where are you going?" Eiji turns and chases after him, not wanting to be finished with the conversation. "And where have you been, anyway? What happened? Why didn't you call me? I know you have the grasshopper can…"
All of Ankh's own words roll around in his head… If I let Eiji see me, it'll just make him more cocky… despite being a fool, he can be pretty shrewd sometimes… but they all seem contradicted by OOO's seemingly innocent and kind actions. He hasn't asked Ankh for anything in return, and aside from the subtle jab, hasn't even tried to hold any of it over his head. In fact, other than his absolute determination to protect as many people as possible, he's been largely agreeable in this entire venture thus far. "Yummy," is all Ankh finally says, not bothering to dignify the rest of the questions with real answers. He dislikes being wrong, but so far, the new OOO has surprised him more than once. It's… unnerving.
"Hey!" Eiji grabs Ankh's wrist, but when the Greeed turns and meets his eyes, he finds that he doesn't know what else to say, what protest to make. They stare each other down for a moment, but of all the hundred questions racing around in his mind, Eiji can find none to ask that he thinks the Greed will actually answer.
After an awkwardly heated pause, Ankh finally turns their hands over and drops a single cell medal back into Eiji's. "Ride vendor," he finally commands, jerking his wrist away. "Or do you want to argue some more while there's a rampaging Yummy on the loose?"
Eiji knows he's being blackmailed out of answers once again, but he plugs the medal into the nearest vending machine and takes off after Ankh without further complaint. The wind ruffling his clothing is cold in the damp early morning air, and Eiji grips the handles of the bike tightly, leaning into his ride, left vaguely uncomfortable with the suddenly racing pace of his own heartbeat.
Hours later, Eiji bolts hastily out of Cous Coussier as if he's ready to run a marathon, but instead of heading in the direction of his meeting with Ankh, he finds himself wandering the local market with heavy shoulders and dragging feet. As wonderful as it had been to see the couple reunited, Eiji can't bear to spend any more time at the quirky little shop.
I couldn't stay to hear Chiyoko ask me again. I might not be able to say no! And… I can't let Hina get any more involved in this mess!
It's a line of excuses, and maybe Eiji's just running again, but… even if he's stalling for time right now, he knows he can't get away from Ankh.
But… is Ankh really his reason for trying to turn down a job, some stability, some friendship? Or… is he just the excuse? Eiji isn't certain one way or the other, but he knows he doesn't want to make things worse for the people who've already been so kind to him.
He wanders the market for awhile, letting himself get lost in the sights and sounds and smells, but he's really just delaying the inevitable. Even buying tomorrow's pair of pantsu can't seem to lift his spirits, and he looks fairly morose by the time he meets Ankh in the park, late, to explain that he doesn't have any money left for aisu. "Look, I don't have a job or money or a place to stay right now…so, we can just sleep here again tonight, okay?"
"I don't understand you," Ankh frowns, cranky at being denied his treat in favor of Eiji's strange obsession with pantsu, but when he turns to stomp off through the park, Eiji simply follows him.
"I'm sorry, but I need them for tomorrow!" Eiji calls after him, wondering why he's even apologizing for something that shouldn't be his problem. "Why should I be buying your ice anyway?"
"I'll just take it from someone otherwise," Ankh shrugs, heading towards a less-crowded path in search of a decent tree. He's far more annoyed about the ice than about staying in the park for another night and tempted to find some more unsuspecting brats to swipe some off of.
"You can't do that!" Eiji frets, his eyes darting around for anyone that might be carrying one, as if he can somehow single-handedly protect all ice pops from the Greeed.
"Then go buy me one," Ankh pauses to survey a particularly large tree and then hops up gracefully onto the low stone wall running along the edge of the path.
Eiji makes a noise of frustration that probably has as much to do with his general mood as with Ankh. "You only think about what you want!"
"So?" Ankh tosses a sneer over his shoulder that says that he clearly thinks Eiji is an idiot. "Doesn't everyone?"
"I… I'm not going to stick around if you're going to act like that," Eiji finally attempts some blackmail of his own out of sheer frustration. Maybe I could go back to Cous Coussier, just for a night…?
Ankh hmphs derisively, wishing the human could be just a little less annoyingly stubborn. "I can dump you at any time-"
"Oh, Don't even try that after this morning!" Eiji finally calls his bluff, unable to help rubbing in the fact that he'd practically rescued the Greeed. "I know that you can't do this without me…" There's the slightest twitch to Ankh's shoulders and Eiji pauses, sighing. This isn't helping… it's better when we work together. "…any more than I can without you," he amends, a little softer. "So we've got to find a way to… to get along."
"Just shut up for awhile," Ankh finally snarls in exasperation, jumping up into the tree and grabbing for the nearest branch. Eiji's hit far too close to the heart of Ankh's predicament, but there's not a chance in hell that he'll admit to it. "Your idiotic voice gives me a headache."
Eiji watches helplessly as the bird settles himself in his chosen perch, and then he sits down on the nearby bench with a heavy sigh, rolling onto his back and staring up at the clouds drifting by through the canopy of leaves.
There's really no way around it in Eiji's mind - they each have to put up with each other's wants to get anywhere, as neither of them is really in control of the situation. And he's seen it too many times before, people waging wars, however big or small, over their differences in opinion.
Because really, in the end, all they're fighting over is the clash of each other's desires. And isn't everyone always fighting to get what they want? And if you want to stop fighting, it's either learn to get along somehow, or… or give up. The day's events flash through Eiji's mind, and he knows that he doesn't want to end up like his photographer friend, completely alienated from the things that once inspired him.
Perhaps there is a value to wanting things, even if it's simply the money for tomorrow's pantsu, a cold aisu, or job or a place with warm food and warm faces.
"Ankh, humans need their greed, don't they?" Eiji muses out loud, much calmer now. He's not going to apologize for buying his underwear, but… "It may be a pain, but that's why you're going to need to miss a meal…"
Ankh has gotten used to Eiji's nonsense by now, though, and he answers with only half of his attention, the other half on his iPad. "I'll pass on your greed for underwear." Still, he recognizes Eiji's roundabout way of trying to keep the peace, and doesn't try to pick another fight.
"Hino?" a familiar voice interrupts their conversation, and Eiji sits up abruptly in mildly horrified surprise.
After all the trouble and heartache he's gone through to try and leave her out of it, the detective's sister has still managed to track him down again. "Hina!"
"I'm sorry that it's only the attic, and it's a bit cluttered," Chiyoko is rambling loudly and excitedly as she pushes open the door to a somewhat dusty little room, hardly able to contain her enthusiasm. "But it has to be better than living in the park, Eiji! I'm so glad Hina finally convinced the two of you…"
Hina smiles at him, at both of them, really, and Eiji smiles back, and gives all the thank yous to them both, for them both, since it's quite clear that Ankh isn't going to do anything besides scowl rudely at all of them as he inspects the room. Still, despite Hina's rough handling of him, he has yet to verbally disagree with their change in lodgings.
"See you in the morning, Eiji…" Hina glances towards Ankh, at her brother's face and another's soul, but the Greeed won't meet her eyes. Still, she knows she's done the right thing and that her brother would be proud of her. That's enough for now.
A few minutes later and they are alone, with Cous Coussier left dark and quiet for the night with the girls' departure. The room is cluttered with various bits of costumes and props from the restaurant, a strange chamber lost in a cultural timewarp, but Eiji finds the eccentricity oddly soothing.
Eiji thinks about offering to share the only bed, but Ankh has already taken up residence on the highest perch in the room, curled up in a crevice near the ceiling at the foot of the bed on a flowing piece of red satin he's pulled from... well, probably from his hand, like everything else?
After turning out the lights and sprawling out on his back on the slightly creaky bed, Eiji eyes the shadowed back of his recent constant companion and makes an effort to fill the silence. They've been stuck with one another for several weeks now, but getting the Greeed to converse outside of their squabbling has not gotten much easier during that time. "It's really nice to have somewhere warm to sleep, ne, Ankh?"
"Tch… I suppose living here is handy."
Eiji continues without skipping a beat. "The nights are getting colder now that it's October… can't remember the last time I slept in a real bed… it's nice having a job again…and a…a… " Eiji rolls from side to side, trying to get comfortable, but the whole situation is so alien and the word on the tip of his tongue can't quite form. Home? Is that what this is?
"Nest?"
"A what…?" Eiji thinks he heard the word correctly, but Ankh doesn't answer him, which already feels so very typical. "Ankh?" Eiji sighs a little, and starts to ramble, the way he's done on occasion while laying in the grass of the park some nights, looking up at Ankh perched in a tree. This isn't that much different, in the end. "It's unusual, having somewhere to stay, right? And someone staying with me? It's been a lot all to take in all at once, you know… you, OOO…defeating Yummies and trying to capture medals from other Greeds… trying to help people…" Protect Hina from you, protect the detective even if he is you, protect you even when you don't want to tell me anything about what's going on…
It's only after Eiji finally falls silent that Ankh rolls over and studies the human he's chosen. He can hear the stress leaking into Eiji's words… but not because of worries over his own growing powers or their precarious situation… only over the general safety of everyone else involved. At the same time, the fact that Eiji as pleased as he is guilty about being here at Cous Coussier was written clearly all over his face when they'd arrived earlier. Peculiar boy. "There's no use in stressing. Go to sleep."
Eiji starts a little at the words interrupting the silence of his own thoughts, sitting up and swinging his feet over the side of the bed. "I can't seem to…" he sighs regretfully.
"Why are you so annoyingly restless?" Here Ankh feels he's finally making the vaguest effort at "getting along" and Eiji still seems bothered by something.
He can't quite make out Ankh's face in the darkness of the room, but Eiji somehow knows that those piercing eyes are watching him in that hawk-like way. Being here is weird. Everything lately is… is weird. I don't know why any of this is happening to me… but I have to believe it'll all work out. "I… don't know…"
Ankh watches as the human stands and reaches over the desk to fumble with the latch to the single window in the room, finally pushing it open with a creak that reveals it hasn't been used in years. A cool breeze rushes into the overly warm attic, ruffling the curls of his blond hair, and the Greed closes his eyes for a moment, savoring the touch, smell and taste of the autumn wind.
"Ah, yeah, that's better…" Eiji crosses the few steps to where Ankh is perched until they are nose to nose, one standing and one lounging, both just able to make out each other's faces in the moonlight. "It's not too cold for you, is it?"
Ankh can feel heat like sunshine radiating off of the boy, and the earnest sincerity in Eiji's eyes takes him by surprise. "Haaa?" he responds, eyes widening, unnerved by Eiji's sudden proximity.
"Too cold? For your nest?" Eiji emphasizes the word, lets the s linger like a whisper, and there's a twinkle in his eyes that reveals he's teasing. He's happy to be here at Cous Coussier, grateful to Chiyoko for offering, to Hina for persuading, to Ankh for… for returning his earlier kindness, in his own way.
Ankh recovers from his moment of surprise and reaches out with his Greeed hand to shove Eiji backwards a step, hmphing in response, but he can't help but feel a little thrown off by yet another display of Eiji's disarming kindness.
Eiji sits down on the bed again, more amused than offended, this time pulling off his clothes until he's wearing nothing but his pantsu. Flopping onto his back and pulling the worn old quilt up to his waist, he tilts his head back until he can see the stars through the upside-down open window. "I figured it out. Can't fall asleep if I can't see the sky…" he says, his words interrupted by a large yawn. "Too many nights sleeping outside, heh… having a roof is unusual… but I've got a new job now and tomorrow's pantsu...so everything will be okay."
"You really are a simple-minded idiot," Ankh counters, rearranging himself in his perch to cover his unease and to take the most advantage of the breeze. Having a safe haven again is… useful.
"You say that a lot," Eiji laughs softly, relaxing and letting the view lull him towards sleep, suddenly a lot more comfortable with the bed, his companion and where the day's steps have led him.
"That's because it's true," Ankh mutters, but says nothing else as he listens to the human's breathing finally even out into sleep. He's grateful for the quiet and the chance to continue his perusing of the detective's mind and the changes in the world during the time that he's been asleep and unaware. It's a relief to not be on the look out for danger while OOO… Eiji… is asleep.
Ankh doesn't even know exactly why he'd let that troublesome girl bully them into staying at this absurd place, but as he recalls Eiji's happy, teasing eyes… he doesn't find he has any reason to regret it either.
Yet.
It's been 800 years since he was betrayed, though it only feels like a few weeks, and even though experience tells Ankh to expect the same this time around, somehow… somehow this version of OOO feels distinctly different than the last.
Maybe it's more than simply being useful to each other…
Maybe sharing his nest won't turn out so terribly this time around…
Maybe.