I don't own Kamen Rider. Hope you enjoy!
"Shotaro, please take a case. It's been months. Terui and I can't run this place by ourselves."
His shoulders shrugged as he kept staring out the window.
He found himself in a dark cabin, it was pouring rain. Shoutaro's sobs filled the room. He looked at the date on the calendar and realized it was the day they had fought. Shotaro wasn't part of W anymore.
"Boss!" He saw himself running toward Detective Narumi. Watching the blood pour out. Feeling the suffocating sadness. He looked up and saw a figure in all white pulling at him to run.
Terror filled him, every little thing frightened him. Even Akiko's soothing voice sent shivers down his spine. Someone was missing, and even if the dopant wasn't affecting him, life without the one missing was pure terror.
Philip awoke, confused at the nightmares he had all night. All from Shotaro's perspective.
He got up, got himself dressed, and headed up the stairs.
He yawned, bringing Shotaro's attention to him. "You look tired."
"Just weird nightmares all night," Philip responded.
Shotaro had just woken up as well and was brewing some coffee. When it was done he handed Philip a cup and started on breakfast.
Nothing interesting that day except lost pet cases, but Philip soon let the nightmares drift from his mind.
He noticed he was in a bathtub, blood dripping from his wrist.
Gentle knocks on the door soon turned to the door being busted down. Terui pulled him up, wrapped a towel around him and went to sewing up the wound.
"Please promise you won't do this again. Akiko and I are worried. I won't tell her about this but you need to straighten up."
"I thought I could find him," a voice whispered quietly.
Terui looked up in understanding, "You know this isn't what he would want. He'd want you to be happy."
He found himself staring at the whiteboard, staring at the words written there for hours and hours. A few times he picked up the eraser but always set it back down, not wanting to lose the memories the words brought.
He was morphed, fighting a dopant. He knew it was the right thing to be doing, but it all felt so empty. The dopant was taken care of quickly, Terui was quickly on the scene giving a positive smile. He turned away and waltzed slowly home.
Philip blinked, again confused at the messages in his mind. Just like yesterday, Shotaro was just waking as well, up making coffee.
"Do you ever have nightmares?" Philip wondered.
"Why do you ask?" Shotaro glanced up from the frying pan he just threw eggs into.
"I've been having them a lot the last few nights," Philip admitted.
"When you've been through as much as you have, with your family and all, it's normal to have some. Just try to relax before bed and clear your mind," Shotaro suggested.
"Does that work for you?"
Shotaro ignored the question as he kept making food.
"I feel him. He's here somewhere," he said.
"You are delusional. He's not coming back," Akiko put her hand on his shoulder.
"I know I felt him."
He was falling, drifting down into the water, unable to breathe. A warm white light floated toward him and he was rising. He awoke on the shore, no one in sight. Was the light who he thought it had been?
"For wanting to be so hard-boiled, you sure are emotional."
"Akiko, please," he spoke quietly.
"I know you loved him. I know dad wanted you to protect him. But it's been a while. You need to pick yourself back up. You literally lost half of yourself, no one expects you to be back to normal. Just give us some effort. We hate watching you waste away at your desk," Akiko begged.
"I'm trying, Akiko. I'm trying," he picked up Philip's book and opened it to the note.
"I'm going to come every day and make sure you are actually eating. I don't want you losing more weight. We'll go on cases together a few times a week. If you have a consistent schedule, maybe things will start to get better."
After Akiko didn't get a response she threatened, "I'll start hitting you with the slipper again."
He heard talking, it was a conversation he remembered.
"Are you crying?"
"No," he sniffled.
"We'll be partners forever."
"Then why do you have to leave me?"
Philip awoke as a purple light flashed through his mind. He glanced at the clock, still only 3 am. He doubted he would be able to sleep anymore, so he spent the next hour researching nightmares. He finally made his way upstairs, being quiet incase Shotaro was still sleeping. He noticed Shotaro's sleeve was rolled up. Philip hadn't thought about it before, but he hadn't seen Shotaro's arms uncovered since he came back to life. There was a bit of light coming in the windows from the street lamps, and he saw the scar on his wrist, the one Terui sewed up. Had his nightmares been Shotaro's memories? Was Shotaro seeing these things every night?
He sat at Shotaro's chair and watched his friend sleep. For a while, Shotaro kept wincing. Later, a few tears dropped from his eyes. He hated watching his partner struggle so he distracted himself for the time being. By the time Shotaro woke up, Philip already had coffee and breakfast prepared.
"You're up early," Shotaro analyzed as he grabbed his clothes to get changed.
"Didn't sleep well. Plus, it was probably my turn to cook," Philip shrugged.
Shotaro plopped into the chair and sighed, breathing in the smell of breakfast, "Were you having nightmares again?"
Philip just nodded, wondering if being W so long somehow caused their minds to sync without the driver on.
That night as Shotaro was typing up the reports from that day Philip asked, "maybe it sounds childish, but would you mind if I slept in your bed tonight? I thought it might help the nightmares."
Shotaro looked up, a bit surprised but nodded and went back to his work. Philip was mainly asking it, hoping to help Shotaro with his nightmares but he would never admit it.
Philip brought up a pillow after he changed into his pajamas and climbed in next to Shotaro.
"Do you need more room? It's a small bed," Shotaro tried to scoot closer into the wall.
"I'm fine Shotaro," Philip smiled, "Thank you."
"Anything for you Philip," Shotaro reached over and turned off the lamp.
"You are my one and only partner, Shotaro."
He could feel the happiness overflowing from his chest and he almost had the desire to start laughing with joy.
"Philip?" Akiko looked at the form in front of her.
"Yeah, it's me," Philip responded.
He felt an overwhelming joy as he ran to hug the figure in front of him. He never wanted to let go.
He placed the driver on himself and instantly felt connected with his partner. It was like a ray of sunshine after weeks of rain. He always cared about the other, the two of them were one detective, one kamen rider. Partners forever. They didn't need any labels for their feelings, just each other.
Philip awoke facing Shotaro who was hugging him tight. Philip smirked as he noticed the smile on his sleeping partner's face. He snuggled his head against Shotaro's chest before drifting back to sleep. They'd have to sleep together more often.