TREASURE

[cavedwellers]

You are so, so sure there's treasure in the cave. Just a little bit further on than your light reaches. Juuuuust a little further.

No, further.

Go on.

This is completely safe.

Comments

[galaxyhearts]

[Ice pops. The sign outside this damn cave said there were ice pops in here, but so far he's found nothing but rocks. Damp rocks. Even perched high up on a slippery ledge isn't helping him see better.]

Tch!

[oppositeofpeople]

[he stumbles on an especially slippery rock and stops and—was that the sound of somebody else in here?]

...Hello? Is someone there?

[galaxyhearts]

[His head whips around, eyes wide. It sounded like...]

Eiji?

[oppositeofpeople]

[wait wait WHAT]

—Ankh?

[galaxyhearts]

[He jumps from his high perch, gravel crunching under his feet.

He stands and stares for a long moment, barely breathing.

Eiji.

He nods.]

[oppositeofpeople]

[this. this was not the way he expected to encounter Ankh again. for a minute he's just staring, as if he could be mistaken in the dim light, as if this could be anything other than what it looks like, as if—

and then the realization actually hits him, that Ankh is here, and he lunges for a hug without another thought]

[galaxyhearts]

[His body jolts and stiffens as Eiji barrels into him. This is a thing he'll never get used to. But... it's good. He can feel Eiji's warmth, and his energy, and he feels... good.

So he allows it to happen. For a while.]

[oppositeofpeople]

[someday he'll do this and Ankh will hug him back! he has faith. someday it'll happen. but for now even this is great: they're together and they're not fighting and Ankh... is.

he doesn't let go but he mumbles into Ankh's shoulder]

How did this—how did you get here?

[galaxyhearts]

[He cocks his head, considering the question. He isn't sure how he ended up here, once he thinks about it. For a long time, he knows he wasn't... here. In this world. He looks over Eiji's shoulder at his own hands, flexing them. Here, now. And there was a sign outside that pointed to things he desired.

He huffs out a laugh.]

Ice pops. I was promised ice pops.

[oppositeofpeople]

[helpless laughter, because that answers nothing and yet it's Ankh all over]

That's not what I meant, I—

Wait, are you from the future again?

[galaxyhearts]

[Mmm. He likes hearing Eiji laugh. That question makes him frown, though.]

Haah? The future? Did you hit your head on the rocks?

[oppositeofpeople]

No! The last time I saw you, you'd shown up from the future to help us fight a possessed future Kamen Rider!

[galaxyhearts]

[Eiji's brain must be scrambled. More so than usual. He pulls back so he can squint at Eiji's face, to figure out if this is some kind of joke or if he really believes the nonsense he just spewed.]

...

You're serious? That sounds stupid.

[oppositeofpeople]

[awkward laughter time]

Yeah, I guess it kind of does? But it definitely happened!

Except, oh man, if you don't remember it that means it must not have happened to you yet, and now I'm giving you spoilers! Sorry.

[galaxyhearts]

[He still thinks Eiji must have hit his head for what little sense he's making. But then again... what if Ankh is the one whose brain is scrambled? He frowns and looks away.]

I don't remember.

[oppositeofpeople]

That's okay! It's okay. It's really...

You being here is more important.

[galaxyhearts]

[Eiji is... irritatingly cute. It's making him feel things a Greeed shouldn't be able to feel.]

Hey, Eiji. Help me find the ice pops in here.

[oppositeofpeople]

Huh, you really think we'll find them in here? I mean, it's a cave! It's not like there's going to be a fridge in here somewhere.

I mean, I don't think there is....

[galaxyhearts]

Tch. The sign outside said there were ice pops in here.

[He's going to kick it over when they get back outside if there aren't actually any treats for him in here.]

Why did you come in here, then, if you don't think there are any? Huh?

[oppositeofpeople]

I was hunting for treasure!

...Heh, I guess you kind of were too, huh?

[galaxyhearts]

Hah... yeah.

Did you find the treasure you were looking for?

[oppositeofpeople]

[what if he takes your hand]

Yeah, I kind of did.

[galaxyhearts]

[His eyes are wide and his head snaps up to meet Eiji's gaze.]

Oh.

[What if he doesn't let go.]

[oppositeofpeople]

[looks like time to stand there awkwardly holding hands and staring into each other's eyes

Eiji's got a really dumb smile on right now]

[galaxyhearts]

[It's such a dumb smile, and he is dumb for letting it get to him. But. Eiji's hand is warm in his. And his core feels warm, even though nothing is touching it...]

Does that mean you found your desire?