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The last time Nitou had found himself in this neck of the woods was almost a year ago honestly, the fight with the phantoms and then returning to school had certainly kept him preoccupied. Things without Chimera were….still an adjustment to him, his body never quite feeling right and hunger never truly leaving him in the way he was sure other humans were not meant to feel it. But still, as scattered and hectic as life had been, he’d moved forward like everyone else. Haruto traveled now helping people as he could, the others had taken on their own blossoming careers and aided in their own ways, and they were still friends (having come to consider Shunpei, Haruto, and even Rinko friends was always an odd thing to have re-dawn on him). So he thought to maybe check in with another friend he’d made through all of that, even if glancing. Maybe the other had forgotten, but it wouldn’t hurt right? And he was in the area either way so...
He didn’t have the other’s number so he couldn’t exactly just shoot him a text could he? When that whole business with the guy who looked like a candy wrapper and the others from space wanting to kill them for having magic happened, he’d ended up fighting alongside a pretty interesting guy. One of those dinosaur sentai people, as much as he didn’t really know much about the sentai part. But the head crest and wings and oh my god that giant dinosaur robot had certainly painted the dinosaur part pretty clearly for him. He spoke a bit strangely too, way too formal and serious, but despite it they’d somehow ended up sharing a meal together at some cafe or other he seemed to know of. Now granted, out of suit explained a lot of his mannerisms just at a glance, though the story behind it seemed utterly unbelievable. Well, for anyone who wasn’t Nitou who at the time had an ancient old magic monster living in his body that threatened to consume him if he didn't feed it the souls of phantom beasts and all.
A 400 year old samurai though…well, he certainly got a lot of new experiences under his belt (Ha) if nothing else from all the wizard business. But would that Utsusemimaru guy even have a phone by now then, would he know how to use it? He’d gotten from Haruto the red one’s number at least since they seemed to kinda hit it off well too, but who’s to say how these people worked and if they were around each other outside of battle enough for it. The ex-rider groaned as he ran fingers through his hair and wandered about the town, getting to actually take it in now that space cops weren't trying to kill everyone…He shook his head hard and picked up his walking speed; that had really been a weird day even with everything about almost being sacrificed and unleashing hell and all that.
He found himself distracted between his still ongoing debate of even finding the other man at all and trying to see what was around to eat and see while he was here that he failed to keep attention on the most important thing: what was right in front of him. One moment he was trying to match a map on his phone to the buildings around him, and the next he’d felt quite the solid collision into something (someone?) and a sharp “OW!” was punched out of him as his forehead and nose smarted from the impact. Caught off guard, he couldn’t help but let momentum carry him knocking him on his ass to the sidewalk below and he hissed as he rubbed at his already reddening face. His eyes were still squinted shut as he tried to assess the damage just by feeling along his face, checking for tenderness or breaks anywhere, and so yet again at first he missed what was in front of him. There was a soft gasp and a rush of fabric: it seems the one he ran into had knelt in front of him to check on him, ‘ the least they could do I guess,’ Nitou thought sourly.
“Oh dear spirits, I must offer you a thousand apologies and then thrice more for this injury! Are you alright? I am no healer, but perhaps I could help in some way to make up for this?”
The voice he was met with was absolutely frantic, dripping with concern and he could feel hesitant gentle touches hovering just at his shoulder; like the person was trying to reach out, but not letting themself actually do so. It was a bit of a deeper voice that was being pinched taught with emotion, making it come off softer than it could be. Nitou raised his free hand, waiving it a bit to dissuade the attempt at mother-henning he could feel coming on, he recognized it from experience. He was already blinking open his eyes, getting his bearings once more while the man in front of him continued his bit of well meaning floundering.
“Look, it’s- it’s fine man, just a bruise or something at the worst I think. No need to be all over me, just-” he almost paused as along with his offhand words he felt the sudden lack of presence from the other leaning over him. Had he scared him off so easily with that?
“Hey, if you can just help me find somebody around here, we can call it even alright?”
Maybe a local would be far better at helping lead him to one of their heroes, they were much flashier than he and Haruto tended to be as far as people knowing who they were. Though as he finally moved his hand out of his face and opened his eyes fully, the view he was given was far from what he had been expecting:
Long black hair pulled into a silky ponytail behind him, glittering gold coat almost as long as the man wearing it was that shimmered with the light of day, a sword of some sort strapped to his back and peaking over his shoulder, and the most genuinely concerned and wet eyes he’d been met with in quite the while. He was almost taken in, shocked to notice with the close distance that what should have been warm brown seemed flecked and broken up with unnatural gold, like…
“Woah…like lightning or somethin’...” He mumbled aloud.
The man before him stiffened in surprise, blinking in confusion and pointing quietly to himself. He had lowered his head a bit, looking up to meet the beast’s gaze with a soft expression of wonder and confusion, a silent “who, me?” obvious in his body language. It was quite cute and demure for how tall and out of place the guy looked otherwise, and it made Nitou shake his head a bit in bewilderment at the thought even crossing his mind.
“Ah, don’t worry about that, forget it. Just…wow what a get-up, you just walk around like that?”
Now a certain bleach blonde currently wearing 2 vests, a jacket, and a shirt over top a tank top with fur around his waist and boots really had no room to speak, but it seemed the golden clad man did not deem it fit to point that out. Which was fine by him, but it did instead lead to said man instead looking at himself a bit self consciously and digging his hands to grip at his legs he knelt on more tightly. Great, now he felt bad and his face hurt. Nitou awkwardly patted the man on the bicep, both for attention and an attempt at reassurance and he offered a stilted smile,
“Hey man, don’t worry about it. It uh…suits you? Just very…flashy is all. Don’t worry about it.”
The swordsman seemed to relax a bit, half appeased at least in front of this man for the moment. Though what went from self awareness turned to sudden sharp focus on Nitou himself, once demure nervous features slowly shifted to shock and dawning recognition. Nitou didn’t know if he particularly liked the sudden attention any more than he did the look he’d felt a bit earlier as the man worried over him. Though before he could voice anything of the sort, the man shot forward, gripping his shoulders firmly outright now as he exclaimed in wonder and delight,
“Nitou-dono!?”
He blinked - once, twice…
“...dono?”
The other man nodded, whether to himself or Nitou though was up to guesswork, and he continued on,
“Forgive me further still for not recognizing you at first, it has simply been so long…no, that is no fair excuse. Please forgive my transgressions, it is a wonder to see you once more! Ah- come, let us be upon our feet, shall we? It would be best not to continue amidst the street and be a bother…”
Despite his stature, the man stood effortlessly from his seiza position, graceful even and he’d slid his grip from shoulders down to take Nitou’s hands to guide him up as well. Nitou wasn’t a small man either, and yet he’d felt like he’d been carefully helped up like some maiden in a kids book or those tv dramas, and he shook his head hard to knock the image out of his mind because that was crazy, c'mon man get it together! He tugged his hands out of the other’s grip and took a half step back, abruptly slapping his palms against his cheeks as if to refocus his own thoughts. The raven haired man winced, reaching out tentatively to stop the other, or perhaps to check on him again, but Nitou ignored it to press further.
“Hold on, hold on, where do you think you know me from? I’ve only been here like…one other time before now, and the only one i’d talked with then was ....”
He paused, suddenly squinting quite hard with a contemplative pout. He held a hand over his mouth and he stepped closer to inspect the man in front of him, said target stiffening up at the attention and closing in on himself where he stood but otherwise politely acquiescing. The blonde hummed and hawed as he looked the swordsmen up and down, circling him like an animal trying to get a good sniff (and wasn’t that pretty much what this was) before he returned to be in front of the other again. He still looked baffled, like the man before him in himself was on the tip of Nitou’s tongue. Around this city, formal old speech, knew him out of suit, the gold…
“No way, Utsusemimaru?!”
Utsusemimaru himself seemed to visibly relax and brighten greatly at the other’s finally recognizing him and he nodded, a tight warm smile finding its way to his features.
“I didn’t even recognize you, dude, you look so…so….”
“...um, futuristic?” The samurai got that hopeful little look on his face like he was hoping for a yes and expecting a no, so Nitou could only possibly reply with a bright,
“Sure, yeah! I mean, last time I saw you, you were still walking around wearing museum artifacts. So all this is kinda…a lot? It’s good though! Good for you dude, It just took me by surprise. And you’re so…soft? No, wait, I mean like…you’re not as intense and serious as before I guess?”
He was fumbling a bit, but less out of awkwardness so much as trying to scrounge memories of a brief encounter in the middle of a much bigger mess all while he was put on the spot. Well, at least this saved him trying to get a hold of the guy himself? That was something. Utsusemimaru blinked in quiet surprise at the appraisal, but instead of any sort of offense, he seemed more…embarrassed? The samurai nervously glanced away, fidgeting with the seams of his sleeves as he spoke slowly.
“That is…um…well…I was caught, so it were,” he laughed nervously, uncomfortable but not quite upset.
“I was under the impression that weak hearts make for poor camaraderie, so…I had acted as if one I am not. It was a bit foolish, on my part, but I was caught having slipped from such a facade by one of my precious comrades, Amy-dono. She…helped me to be more of myself, and I am ever so grateful for the patience of the others for my foolishness and cowardly actions. Since then, I have strived to be more honest, with myself and to others.”
He had still yet to meet Nitou’s gaze, so it was quite sudden when he fell into a low sweeping bow, ponytail slipping over his shoulder to add more accidental flourish to the whole display.
“This one must deeply apologize once more to you, equally my comrade and yet I had lied to you so deviously, I am most ashamed for doing so!”
This time, the ex-wizard had enough sense to lunge forward and push at Utsusemimaru’s shoulders trying to make him right himself again. He had hands full of confused doe-eyed samurai and wow his eyes really were so damn striking , wait- not the point. Okay, he took a deep breath before smiling reassuringly as he can and offering,
“Hey now, it’s fine don’t worry about it, yeah? Look, uh, you don’t need to keep apologizing for everything, it’s whatever, so let’s just…how about lunch? That always makes me feel better and talking over good food worked for us the first time right?”
Nitou finally relaxed with a none too hidden sigh as he got an energetic nod and a nervous smile in return from the other man. Good grief, this guy was a bit of a handful huh?
He had learned extremely quickly that Utsusemimaru was well known in this city after all, from children and their parents to shop owners and old ladies, they all rushed him for some favor or question or a wave his way as they passed. It turned out, the wayward samurai had taken to the city as a bit of its personal stray that helped out during the day. He seemed to not work a job really, so he spent his time outside of fighting with helping people or watching and playing with the local kids. Quite frankly, it sounded so picturesque for an apparent hero, like it came right out of a tv show for kids, and yet here he was. A living legend and cartoonish level warrior for children all in one walking with him to some little diner he knew of.
He was also learning that the samurai was honestly a pretty shy and sensitive guy for as visually striking and intense in combat he’d been before. He’d hidden it well by answering Nitou’s flurry of questions and losing themselves in good food at some cafe Nitou had found, but maybe if he tried to look back he might have picked up on some things that made more sense now? He shrugged it off, content to get to know the guy all over now instead, now that things were calmer for both of them it seemed. What kept getting his attention most about him, once the initial shock had passed, was how concerned and attentive he was. He barely knew Nitou, and yet it was like long lost friends or a prodigal son reunion between them practically.
“Have you been able to return to school? Where have your travels taken you since the end of your conflict? Are you eating regularly, are you and your friends alright? Are you finding things okay since coming to this city? Do you need anything or a place to stay?”
Each question was filled with so much genuine concern and utmost focus, not a hint of pleasantry to them like most would say for the sake of politeness hoping you said no or gave a basic answer. He was a bit overwhelmed by it all, but going off how easy it was to make the man close in on himself like earlier, he answered each question best he could even if a bit awkwardly.
“Well, I am back at school. Have to redo a few of my 200 levels but otherwise, my old professor wanted me back and has even got me on as an assistant! So - I'm getting to be out in the field more than stuffy classrooms most of the time which is pretty great. So far we’ve done a few sites here in Japan but all last month we shot over to South America so i got to see how the modern cultures are over there compared to all the research and reading I’ve done on the area. It was…honestly pretty valuable, to put things in perspective y'know?”
He only really caught himself after he’d finished rambling, and he scratched his cheek with a weak grin,
“Ah that probably got kinda boring for you huh? Sorry ‘bout that, I don’t usually get asked about that kinda stuff except from my granny.”
“Oh, n-no no, please do continue! It is admittedly not all things that are familiar to me, however…the way you looked when you spoke of it, it would be an honor to get to see that expression once more, Nitou-dono.”
The samurai offered a warm but shy smile and Nitou couldn’t help but stare: literally where did they fucking find this guy…this was getting too much, Nitou needed a moment to collect himself but he wouldn’t get any reprieve given they weren’t even at the diner yet to eat. This was just the journey conversation. He coughed awkwardly and looked away, his arms crossed and his face totally not warm at all.
“W-well…it’s not like it’s anything too big. Uh, the guys back home are doing alright I think? Haruto, the wizard guy who got on with your…red guy? He’s traveling around now too helping people still, and the others are all getting on fine I guess. Uhh, you don’t gotta worry about me, I always have a place to stay no matter where I go. I keep my camping gear packed up with me at all times,” For emphasis he patted the backpack still on his back like you would the side of a horse or car.
“Always gets me through, no problem haha! And though I won't ever turn a free meal away, things are pretty alright in that department too these days. Chimera’s gone now, so I don't gotta worry about him threatening to eat me or anything now I guess. It’s kinda weird honestly, thinking about it but that’s one less - OOF!”
He was cut off by a sudden flurry of gold and blue and then he was…being hugged? It didn’t last long but it had certainly been pretty solid around the shoulders before quickly shifting to a looser but equally as warm grip on his hands; Rough calloused hands partially obscured with gold fabric held the young man’s own hands between them, and though he wasn’t the mushy type for people like this certainly, he couldn’t find it in himself to shout or yank away either. Not with those glittering almost glowing eyes and the sudden awareness of odd branching out scars crawling across those very hands that held his on closer inspection.
“Wha-huh?” Was all he could get out instead.
The man seemed near tears, if not actually was, from the news he’d received and he couldn't hold it within himself so easily. When he spoke, his voice cracked a bit with emotion, but his smile was the widest Nitou had seen it so far.
“That is most wondrous of news!! To know you are able to continue the path you were meant to and are no longer suffering such an insurmountable burden, it puts my heart at ease. You have fought so long and hard, so to be rewarded as such by all this…” He sniffled, bringing Nitou’s wonder to certainty - oh he was crying for real now.
“Your life is your own once more, Nitou-dono. I am sure you will do such amazing things with it.”
The smile he gave was watery but still so painfully genuine, and Nitou was once again struck hard by the sincere and intense words spoken to him. He felt his own face warming, less out of organic emotions so much as feeling compelled to join the other, but he fought it off. That said, the way it made his whole chest bloom with a feeling he had really only felt for his grandmother was as fuzzy and pleasant as it was baffling. Was this what it was like, was this the kind of thing she thought about for him all the time but kept unsaid? And how was this guy so open like this??
Nitou finally shook himself and stepped back, pulling his hands from Utsusemimaru’s though not too roughly. All the same, wet eyes somehow felt even more so with confusion but quickly the samurai offered a surprised squeak as Nitou firmly wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He dramatically held an arm over his eyes, hiding any last fought off battles against the cryfest before declaring loudly.
“That’s it! We’re gonna go get that lunch and it’s gonna be totally awesome and I'm gonna tell you every story I've got from the last year!! You got that, Utsusemimaru?”
Nitou glanced over at the man in his grasp who was still a bit confused, but softly his next words tumbled out of his mouth with an unsure smile,
“M-my comrades have taken to calling me Ucchii…for short. Um…you may do so as well, should you wish, Nitou-dono.”
Ucchii?!?! Where did they get this guy for real???
“Alright then, Ucchii. Let’s go already!!”
He tugged the other along with a renewed determination, all the while the gold ranger in his grasp was tugged down to stay in his grip and also was acutely aware they weren’t going the right way. But how could he stop him with that look on his face? So maybe they were a bit late to that planned meal and conversation, but either way it was a warm reunion nonetheless, they were in no rush.