Disclaimer: I do not own Kamen Rider OOO, and I am making no money off of this. This is solely for my own and other's entertainment.

AN: And it's done. Let me know what you guys think!

Warnings: Spoilers through 48. A bit of Ankh/Eiji thrown in there for good measure ^_^

Returning and Reacquiring 4: The Conclusion

The café was long closed by the time Ankh returned, but the blonde found the front doors still unlocked and a single light on in the kitchen. Wondering if it was Eiji, the blonde walked over to look in, and he found Hina sitting at the table, face buried in her hands with her elbows on the table. Ankh debated just heading up to check the attic when Hina's head shot up, eyes locking on him, and the choice was taken from him.

"Ankh," she exclaimed, "where have you been? We've all been worried about you, Eiji-kun especially."

Ignoring her question for now, Ankh frowned as he demanded, "Where is the idiot anyway? I figured he'd still be up."

Hina paused, thrown a bit by his tone. Ankh sounded much like he had near the end, back before he'd died. It was a subtle shift, nothing she could put into words, but it was there all the same and gave her a bit of hope. Cautious though, she answered slowly, "Eiji-kun is upstairs. He hasn't been sleeping or eating very much the last week and not at all since you disappeared yesterday. Date-san finally tricked him into taking something to knock him out, and he's been asleep for the last couple of hours."

Ankh frowned at that bit of information before he turned to head upstairs, but he was brought up short when Hina said quietly, "Whatever you decided to do about Eiji-kun, just…please be gentle. He cares about you so much, and he's been so worried about you."

Ankh just grunted to let her know he'd heard her and continued on his way. As if he'd needed to be told that, he already knew Eiji cared and worried, and he wasn't going to do anything cruel damn it. But…the woman did have a right to be concerned considering everything. Sighing a bit to himself, Ankh pushed open the door to their room and shut it behind himself again as he walked silently over to where Eiji lay and sat beside the sleeping brunette.

Running one hand through the other male's hair, Ankh took in his pale skin and the dark circles beneath the other male's eyes before he sighed again. "You idiot," Ankh muttered under his breath, and he was surprised when the brunette stirred a bit and opened bleary eyes.

"Ankh?" Eiji muttered, slurring the name just a bit as he struggled to focus on the figure beside him.

"It's me," Ankh confirmed. "You tried to do something stupid again didn't you?"

Eiji blinked in surprised at the familiar words before he visibly pushed them aside and answered, smiling a bit, "Kind of…"

Frowning, Ankh pulled his hand from Eiji's hair and rapped the brunette lightly on the forehead as he admonished, "You idiot. You shouldn't have, especially after pushing yourself so hard already. I was never going to leave for good, I just had to think and give myself a figurative kick in the ass."

Eiji just stared at him for a moment before he asked, hope so audible in his voice it was almost painful, "And?"

Ankh rolled his eyes a bit before he answered gruffly, "I've remembered everything, and I'm here aren't I?"

The brunette just continued to stare at him as he asked, forcing the words out even as he drifted, "Does that mean…?"

Ankh couldn't help the small smile that formed as he answered, "Yeah, things can go back to normal now, the way they used to be…maybe better than before now."

Eiji's face broke into his own sleepy smile as he muttered, "I'm glad."

Ankh sat there for a bit longer, hand moving to run through Eiji's hair again, until he thought the brunette was asleep again. He was about to stand to move to his own bed, but he was halted when he felt arms wrap firmly around his middle and Eiji's voice mutter, "Stay?"

"Alright," the blonde answered, kicking his boots off to have them land on the floor. "I'll stay."

Eiji mumbled something inaudible as he snuggled further into Ankh and drifted back to sleep. Ankh himself just shook his head as he watched the other male finally fall fully asleep, settled now that things were mostly back the way they were supposed to be. They would have to talk in the morning, and there were sure to still be disagreements in their future – it was impossible for there not to be considering their personalities. For now, though, everything was perfect, and they could both rest, content in the knowledge that no matter what came their way they'd be able to find a way around or through it…together.