Rating: T
Pairings/characters: Kiryu/Yuusei
Warnings: slash? idk why else you're here...
Summary: Kiryu's returns from his "trip" and runs into Yuusei first.

Written for Artemis_Ignitan

Sunset

Yuusei found himself on this bridge more and more often recently. He knew Jack and Crow were worried about him; they thought he didn't notice, but he saw the glances they gave his back and each other whenever he pulled on his helmet to ride out. So far, neither of them had followed him here, but it was only a matter of time.

Tonight was an especially nice night to be here. Clouds lingered along the horizon and through the sky. The setting sun painted them orange, pink, and purplish-red. This point on the bridge over looked the ocean, which reflected those colors right back at the sky. The only sounds were a few engines that came and went behind him, never staying long enough to be a bother.

A breeze whispered past him, tickling his face with his bangs. A sudden chill danced through his back and through his shoulders and arms. He shivered a little. The clouds on the horizon looked like there would be rain tonight.

"You shouldn't be out here if you're shivering, Yuusei. You'll catch cold."

Yuusei tensed in spite of himself. He knew that voice.

The last time he'd heard that voice it had been screaming at him.

"Kiryu," he murmured. He didn't look back. He didn't want to know how Kiryu was looking at him.

"I come back from Peru, visit you first, and you won't even look at me? Thanks, Yuusei."

Yuusei tried not to flinch, he really did. But he did glance over his shoulder.

And it was Kiryu. He wore the same clothes he'd been wearing when he woke up those months ago, his old maroon shirt and dark jeans. The yellow marker on his cheek stood in stark contrast to Yuusei's memories.

And he had a helmet under his arm. A D-Wheel stood parked on the pavement behind him, painted deep blue and orange...

...like the one he'd had as a Dark Signer.

"I'm sorry, Kiryu," he finally said, looking away again. "I couldn't save you after all. I'm sorry I failed you."

"Failed me? Yuusei..."

Footsteps, and then Kiryu's hands were on his shoulders. He tensed even more. Was Kiryu going to try to push him off the bridge? He couldn't blame him...

"Yuusei, I'm the one who should be apologizing, not you. You were trying to help me and I didn't realize that until recently. You were always trying to help me. Even when I was trying to save you..."

"Kiryu..." Yuusei blinked back at his old friend. He'd told him what had really happened that night, but Kiryu wouldn't believe him. Did he really just need time to see the truth...?

Kiryu's arms slipped down around his waist. Yuusei found himself leaning back against him, enjoying the warmth that came with it. And the feeling of maybe having his friend back.

"I'm sorry, Yuusei," Kiryu murmured. Yusei felt something hot roll down his neck, then another drop and another. Kiryu's arms shook a little around him. "I'm so sorry I didn't trust you. You can't forgive me. I don't deserve it."

Yuusei shook his head, squeezing one of Kiryu's hands. "Of course I can forgive you. You're my friend. I couldn't abandon a friend like that."

Kiryu just started shaking more at that. Yuusei squeezed his hand again and look back out across the ocean. Kiryu didn't cry unless he really needed it, and he hated when anyone acknowledged that that was what he was doing. He'd said it made him feel too weak. Yuusei could let him get this out in peace.

"Thank you, Yuusei," Kiryu finally murmured. Most of the sky was either gray or the same color as his shirt by then. Yuusei's breath caught as a pair of lips ghosted over his neck, over the place Kiryu's tears had been falling before. It wasn't unpleasant, though, and it wasn't unwelcome. Just surprising.

"Let's watch this until the stars come out," Yuusei said. "Then we'll go home, Kyosuke."

Kiryu's only response was to lean around and press a light kiss to the corner of his lips. Yuusei smiled and relaxed against his chest. His family was complete at last.