Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Daiki hadn’t expected to find the retainer of the once ‘evil king Ohma- Zi O’ as easily as he did, he thought coming back to this world would give him clues and point him in the right direction maybe. He hadn’t actually thought he’d find his target in one go still hanging around here where he’d been left. He didn’t really know what to expect would happen to the other, nor can he say admittedly cared at the time, but what he got sure wasn’t something he would have bet money on. It seemed in this ‘ideal’ world and timeline Tokiwa Sougo had created, he had failed to pencil in a spot for his loyal attendant.

The mentality Daiki had taken was to start at wherever Sougo and his little group was and, by proxy, maybe find a clue or sign of either version of Woz he was looking for. Instead, he had shown up to the school grounds of the highschool the kids attended and though everything was peaceful and students were in class, one decided anomaly had made himself known. From the courtyard looking up, he found a flash of dark green and black perched on the edge of the roof as lithe as a cat on a fence. Sharp and unnatural lavender eyes looked him over, and though the expression he got was a schooled and prim smirk, it felt like he was staring into the maw of the dragon standing guard at the gate as it were.

“Mind if we have a little chat?” 

He was answered not with any words, but instead he was quickly taken off guard by the sudden rush of…fabric? Woz himself was swallowed by a swirl of suddenly expanding and stretching gray and in moments, Daiki found himself equally taken up within it just to, in what felt like seconds to him, get spat out none too gently into an empty field at the outskirts of a local park Daiki was sure did not connect to the school grounds they had been at before. He did his best to pat himself down as he stood, his rough handling being more hassle than with deliberate intent to harm him from what he could tell. All the while, Woz stood a couple yards in front of him, arms crossed and book held close as always from what the treasure hunter could recall before.

“I don’t suppose you’re just passing through, DiEnd-san, no?”

“That’d be Tsukasa’s deal, I'm the treasure hunter of us. But speaking of riders keeping roles that aren't theirs, since when did you turn watchdog?”

“Since waga Maou ordered that I was to stand watch over this new world. I am to record the new future he carved out for this world from afar, and I do so think your existence here means to disrupt things even more than if I myself stepped in.” 

Woz spoke with an almost teasing smile, but just as before, his gaze felt pointed and the threat to his words was hard to miss. Still, Daiki was always a cheeky thing and even if it bit him in the ass, that wouldnt change now for what at least appeared to be someone younger than him. Not at this point, not if even Schwarz and Tsukasa at his worst in Dai Shocker didn’t budge him.

“I don’t want any trouble, though I'm not afraid to give you some if it means I get what I'm looking for. I'm here looking for you actually.” Woz raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. Daiki laughed and waved his hand a bit as he corrected himself. “A different you, I mean.”

“...they should all be rendered out of existence, the others are from timelines waga Maou corrected and prevented.”

“Ah- hold on, others? As in there’s more than just the two?”

“I’ve known of at least three others myself, though I'm sure in technicality there’s as many iterations as there are potential outcomes of this world, or at least the old one.”

Daiki furrowed his brow, mild confusion already starting to edge into headache territory.

“I am a singular point, of sorts. No, perhaps that is not quite right…I am a constant existence across all timelines; there will always be a version of me seeking to further the future of that particular timeline in some fashion, however the person or force that each iteration supports is different.”

“So…no matter what world you’re in-”

“This is still to some modicum the end result, yes. I will not make choices outside of what befits being Woz, simply put. Now, I'm assuming it is most likely White Woz you’re looking for though, the one who supports Geiz-kun as the ‘savior’ of the world, yes?”

The blue rider was still reeling from the sudden information, one hand on his hip and the other rubbing awkwardly at his head. These days it wasn’t often he was the last to know something in the territory of timeline and world hopping and the shenanigans they caused, but this had taken a bit of the wind out of his sails honestly. He was already at a disadvantage in this exchange both in power and in the fact he needed something from the other rider, now finding out this kid was exempt from the reset like he and the others at the photo studio made this trickier, he wasn’t working with the most information or power here as he expected and so he was a bit unsure what to offer or twist to get the assistance he needed.

“Yeah, that’s the one. Due to some of the pocket dimension bullshit Schwarz was dealing with towards the end there, a reality where that White Woz was still kicking around came about and it seems he escaped that reality into this one at some point before the reset so he still was able to make it here. At least briefly. Long enough to be a pain in my ass and steal from me.”

“You see I'm not the one you’re in pursuit of, so why engage me then DiEnd-san?”

“Well, to be blunt with you kid, I need your help. I need someone with powers that counter or outmatch mine, and given you’re currently still here at all means you still have all the memories and abilities I need to do that. Plus, wouldn’t it do to have you deal with your own other half..third? Whatever, I'm assuming here you’d want him dealt with as much as I do, since he can screw up things here for that Zi-O kid and his friends too after all.”

Woz’s smile finally fell giving way to a grimace outright, his eye twitching a bit to go with it as irritation and some other more viscous emotion passed his features it seemed. Daiki wasn't quite sure what exactly that meant for him beyond having gotten Woz to bite at the bait he set out, this was much easier than he could have imagined for sure.

“To the end of maintaining things how they should be, I will aid you as far as it aids waga Maou and his friends. However, I have stipulations.”

“Always a catch, huh. Alright, shoot. What’s your deal here?”

“No contact with them, not even an accidental meeting of eyes. I was not to approach any of them and neither are you. Even if their regained memories fade, that is too much. They’re not to know we exist, none alone about the previous timeline.”

“Your call kid, just…sounds like you got the shit end of the stick from the sounds of it.”

Woz blinked at him in surprise at the response, his reaction a bit unguarded and showing his confusion.

“I’ve no clue what you could be referring to. It’s an honor to-” He was cut off with a wave of a hand and a loud exaggerated groan.

“Yeah, yeah, honor blah blah he’s your king or whatever, you have got to get more personality traits than that if we’re going to be spending a lot of time together on this whole expedition here. Now, c'mon we got planning and sightseeing to do.”

Daiki unholstered his gun from its place at his hip, loading a card into it so as to open a curtain to take them from this world. He paused when he caught Woz stiffening from his peripheral. He looked up fully to inspect the other, waiting for any further reaction as he moved on to ready the gun with its signature “RIDE” call out from it as he extended the weapons center piece to shoot out in the space next to them. When the gun was fired and the curtain formed, Woz looked between the book in his hands and back at Daiki a few times before seeming to steel himself, he slowly made his way ahead, and in a flash of gray and white, they were taken in by the shift in reality and were making for their next destination.

Chapter Text

Yusuke wouldn’t say it aloud to him, but the word he would use to describe Daiki’s new little stray was “lost.” He seemed to always be looking for something to do or somewhere to be, not inherently cautious of the new place and strangers they all proved to be here at the photo studio, but he never seemed comfortable either. Any time he wasn’t off with Daiki in some world or other looking for...whatever it was he was helping the treasure hunter with (some alternate version of himself? Yusuke thought that’s what he heard, but surely even for them that was a bit much wasn’t it…), the seemingly otherworldly young man would reside with them. He didn’t offer outright, but if asked to help with anything he’d take up the task without fanfare, even if he wasn’t sure how exactly to do what was asked of him. It seemed a mixture of pride and a genuine curiosity to learn fueled him, and Yusuke was glad to give me something to do when he could. As Eijirou wasn’t able to upkeep the routine and was bedridden most days at his current age, Yusuke did all the cooking for whoever was at the studio at any given point. So when Woz kept spending his afternoons watching him from the doorway as he cooked with little much as a word, Yusuke decided he needed a helper.

Woz wasn't incompetent in the kitchen, but he wasn’t a prodigy either; he seemed to have a grasp on the rough basics of cooking enough to follow instructions and then a few odd dishes he seemed overly intimate cropped up from time to time as well. The one time Yusuke had asked if he had any particular food preferences, he gave a bit of a sad smile when he quietly offered the reply of apple pie. He couldn’t place the emotion behind it exactly, but all the same he could tell it was important so any time Woz was there for dessert at their home, he’d try to make some variant of apple filled pastry, and if the bit of warmth and surprising gusto that came from the retainer were his payment then he was quite happy to keep doing it. For as skin and bones as the taller man was, when it came to apple pie he could eat enough for their entire household and then some it felt like; it was the only time he saw Woz eat or really do anything in excess.

He wasn’t afraid to take up space, no he wasn't courteous enough to feel a sense of intrusion, but he did seem overly used to not taking up space like this nonetheless.

“Neh, Woz-kun. What did you used to do in your world, when there wasn’t fighting going on i mean.”
Yusuke had broached the question casually enough across the table in the parlor one day, light filtering in onto the wooden tabletop between them in the early afternoon hours, both taking to skimming through some books that had been picked up in a recent world just for something to fill up the time. Woz had looked up at him in attention and he smiled, it was a thing of formality rather than joy usually though this time it seemed to carry some genuine emotion behind it.

“Watching over waga Maou, Geiz-kun, and Tsukuyomi-kun was…fun. It was utterly mundane and usually just following along in waga Maou’s flights of fancy and youthful whims, but…it was fun. I still do watch over them of course, it was the last command of waga Maou to me, however I do think nowadays it is…”

He paused, unsure how to continue. Emotions did not halt him so much as a willingness to be forthright, and Yusuke decided to save Woz the stress of it and he simply nodded and tapped his fingers against the table just loud enough to get the direct attention of lavender eyes to meet his warm brown ones.

“Well, as long as you’re here you don’t need to worry about feeling lonely or anything, no matter how this business shakes out with Daiki-kun, you’re always welcome back here alright? If it’s for a day or if it’s for good, we have the room for you anytime Woz.”

Woz flashed the Kuuga rider a tight lipped smile, and Yusuke was kind enough to not point out it felt more like a grimace of acceptance than a smile. Instead, he simply kept on chattering about his own hobbies before and after moving into the studio with the others, hoping that listening found Woz better than being the center of attention.

Chapter Text

The door rattled on its hinges as a flurry of green and black seemed to rush into their studio without so much as a word of greeting. Natsumi had the mind and intent to boot to chew out the perceived intruder, not afraid in the slightest even if at first she didn't recognize who it was. She could take care of herself just fine, boys or not. Though as she made it into the main parlor area to meet her intruder properly, she was surprised to find Woz there, pacing a hole into the floor of the room. She stood against one of the pillars of the room watching, giving him the time and space to explain himself at first for his sudden appearance and actions. 

It had been about a week since Daiki had assured her that the business was taken care of that he had been working with the younger man for, so she was a bit disappointed but accepting of the idea she wouldn't see him again or get a proper formal goodbye, not unlock many of the friends and guests Tsukasa had brought through their doors over the years and worlds. But that seemed not to be the case as here he was once more, albeit an absolutely bundle of nerves and more wired than she had ever seen him in the month and some they had lived together. He was covering his mouth with one hand, his fingers digging in uncomfortably at his cheeks while his other hand did its best to loosely grip the book ever present with him and with the rest of his grip he pulled at his hair on the side he let it grow out on.

“Woz?”

She took a few steps closer, not reaching out yet but wanting to get his attention to try and figure out what was going on in case he was hurt or something happened that he needed help with and was stalling from explaining. In an instant, he had stopped dead in his tracks and his head whipped up to look at her, a look of near panic on his features. He all but threw down his book to the floor at his side out of the way before he stalked up to her and spoke with such an intense urgency she worried he was heralding the end of the world (wouldn't be the first time for either of them, but she’d rather it not be something so dire).

“They remember me. Not right, not completely, but!...They remember me, our battle with the other man known as myself, they remember DiEnd-san, they’re still kamen rider and have access to their drivers and ridewatches, things weren’t reset again! They…they know who I am, they’ve been waiting for me, they-”

Natsumi closed the little distance left between them and she reached out to grab Woz by the wrists. They were thin enough for even her to grip without much hassle, and the contact was enough to startle him into silence, though he practically vibrated now instead with emotion and energy.

“Breathe for me, I can't understand what you mean unless you tell me properly, and like this you’ll just wear yourself out. Okay?”

Woz stared her down for a couple beats, but to her relief he closed his eyes and nodded once, doing his best to school his breathing to something manageable despite his hummingbird heartbeat in his chest still setting a tremor in his frame. 

“Waga Maou, Tsukuyomi-kun, Geiz-kun, all of them to some degree can now recall who I am and some choice pieces of the old timeline. They…in times previous since waga Maou rewrote this world where he was given back his memories out of need for his powers, even without his intervention to make it so, they would all once more forget the past and reset on their own to this new more peaceful timeline. They would give me their ridewatches once more and cease to know their being riders, their past, their…me. But this time is different, something changed in this timeline itself, they have retained it, if anything they might recall more, they…”

They had remembered and forgotten him more than once before…

“Oh, Woz…” 

She tugged a little to pull him towards her for a hug, he didn't work with her, but he didn’t pull away so she took it as close enough to consent and she pulled him the rest of the way to hug the tall boy around the waist.

“You have them back now, right? That’s a good thing isn't it?”

They separated and when she looked up to meet his gaze again, she was thrown by the utterly pitiful expression on his face. He offered her a toothy smile that didn't quite mask the panic dancing in his eyes, and from how his voice broke he was far from content.

“I am unsure?” 

His words trailed into a high pitched laughter, near hysterical in tone and he wrapped his arms around his middle as he turned from her to walk around the parlor again, working himself back up once more to where he started. She was worried he might actually worry a hole in the floor if he kept at, but before she could try to get his attention again she shouted in shock as mid pace, Woz had stopped near one of the rooms support pillars and simply let himself lean sideways against it and drop to the floor without a flinch of trying to reflexively stop himself like most people would have.

“WOZ?!”

The look he had was utterly despondent as mumbled aloud.

“What if it’s a test…one big test to see if i’ve been listening to his commands of me, and if I talk to them again I fail. I’ve never failed before, not with waga Maou, what will become of me then…”

Natsumi grimaced, looking down at the other. She wanted to scream in frustration, she had no idea what to do with this type of situation, at least not when it was someone she wasn't willing to punch or pressure point jab. He was genuinely upset, but whatever this was couldn't possibly be helpful. She caught sight of white and purple in the corner of her eye and with relief she turned and called out with a soft “c’mere a sec!” to Kiva-la. The little bat fluttered up to her, a sultry hum on her little lips in a questioning tone.

“Go get Daiki for me, would ya? He’s supposed to be in this world just out in town getting groceries, i think he’ll have a better idea what to do with-”

“What happened to Woz?”

Natsumi sighed, hearing Yusuke’s question across the parlor as a third rider entered the fray of this…whatever was happening. She looked at him and then back to Kiva-la to try and show she was speaking to both of them best she could without needing to repeat herself.

“Woz’s friends remember him now and he’s taking that…poorly? He’s a bit confused right now and I don't have enough context to be able to help him sort it out.” 

“I’ll go round up the cutie to help clean up that little disaster for you, no problem. But I expect some repayment when this is all calmed down, okay?” 

She winked towards Yusuke, and when he blushed slightly, she giggled and with a few wing flaps she was gone out the door off hopefully towards wherever Kaitou Daiki was. That handled, Natsumi turned her attention back to Woz who had now made to lay face down on the floor, burying his face in his arms against the floor so none of them could see him. Yusuke had crouched down beside him, offering some sympathetic strokes of his hand down the other’s back in an attempt at a soothing gesture. He didn't complain so Yusuke took it as hopefully doing something or other and kept up his ministrations. The sight was cute if it weren’t such a ridiculous situation.

It was far longer than Natsumi was hoping for when Daiki finally made his way back through their doorway, and when he did she was surprised to find he wasn’t alone. 

Oh great, more people in the middle of this, just what we need.

Woz had quieted down for a while now, still on the ground but Yusuke had managed to convince him to at least sit up against the pillar instead of laying next to it. And since the position change, Yusuke had taken to braiding small strands of the boy’s hair in another attempt at being soothing or comforting without outright hugging or patting him since Woz never seemed the most adept with traditional affection.

“Yeesh, I didn’t think it’d be this bad, kid. Hey, Zi-O, go do something about your…Woz, he’s been at this for apparently hours now.”

“Woz?!”

At the sound of the second voice, Woz’s eyes widened impossibly wide and he whipped up with a sharp inhale as he made eye contact with their new guest. 

“W-waga Maou…”

Sougo looked a bit uncomfortable at all the adult strangers in the room, offering a quick awkward bow and half smile before he turned to slowly walk over and kneel down next to Woz on the floor. Woz looked as if he was holding his breath, not daring to breathe or blink or look away from Sougo even slightly.

“Hey, we were wondering where you’d ended up after everything, is this where you’ve been staying?”

Woz didn't seem able to give an answer, his face open and vulnerable as he looked at the smaller boy in front of him. Sougo seemed undeterred though, offering a warm smile and he situated himself more comfortably to be cross legged on the floor.

“I’m sorry it took so long to remember everything, and it’s kinda a little hazy in a lot of places, but I do remember you! How we used to live together and how you’d always support me. How you’d walk with me home from school even when I didn't really know you well yet. Oh! Geiz and Tsukuyomi have homes and parents this time, so our upstairs is open and kinda lonely, so if you wanted to you could come stay like you used to! The others come over every morning anyway and usually end up staying for dinner too, so it’s basically like living together, it’s a lot of fun. This life has been really nice and fun, but I think it’d be even better if all four of us got to enjoy it together again. Don’t you?”

He giggled, leaning forward a bit and smiling a bit wider. Woz looked torn between a few expressions before he released the breath he’d been holding all this time, shaking his head in exasperation as he covered his eyes with a hand and titled his head up and back again the pillar behind him.

“You’re the one who ordered me not to approach you all, so that your lives could go on undisturbed by the plight of the timeline and riders as they were before. I did not wish to intrude or go against your wishes, waga Maou.”

Sougo hummed, tilting his head a bit before countering with, “Well that’s pretty stupid. The me from the other world kinda sucks a bit for that one then.”

Woz made a punched out sound, somewhere between a laugh and a gasp. 

Sougo ignored it, nodding to himself as he came to some kind of conclusion all on his own. 

“Yeah, those are some pretty mean stupid orders, it’s way better with all of us together. So…new orders then! I command you to hang out with us again and live in my spare room across the hall at my house, so we all can get to know you all over again and be riders together. If you want to, I mean.”

Woz let his fingers slide apart so he could peek out at Sougo and he outright laughed, it was tired but full of a fondness none of the residents of the photo studio had ever heard from him without some kind of veil of loneliness or sadness with it.

“If those are the whims and wishes of waga Maou, I shall not betray your expectations. Just…may I join you separately tomorrow morning? I would like some time to…recompose myself, before properly returning to your side. I'm not in a condition fit my station at the moment, i wish to not be a-”

“What do you want for breakfast in the morning?”

Woz paused, and he let the hand over his face fall to his lap as he let that fondness spread into joy outright now, his smile curling his lips with how it spread across his face now.

“Apple pie, please.”

Chapter Text

“So, tell me again why I'm chaperoning this little visit?”

“Because if the studio moves without us, we need either you or Daiki to be here to curtain us back, and Daiki is off in another world right now so that leaves us to our passing through rider for today. Besides, you’re fond of them, you just won’t admit it. You’re not gonna hate it.”

Tsukasa sighed, but he let a small smile quirk the edges of his mouth as Yusuke and Natsumi laughed next to him. They were walking up to the clock repair shop where the kids could usually be found after school, only half of them lived there now though it seemed they still gathered all the same in this timeline as before. Tsukasa had brought an old stereo with them, a peace offering for Sougo’s uncle to fix that had been lying around the studio. It wasn't a clock, but from what he heard, his uncle wasn't exactly picky. Yusuke opened the door for them, and they entered, prepared to wait for the kids to arrive in due time.

As expected, they were set up at the wooden table in the shop floor space and given some tea by Junichiro, who was simply happy for the company even if the requested item was ‘beyond his expertise’. He had assured them it would be within the hour that Sougo and his friends should be arriving, once they mentioned knowing Tsukuyomi and Woz. They had thrown the excuse of wanting to see how their friends’ were doing and to meet their other friends as well, and with the prospect of more friends for Sougo, Junichiro was more than happy to accommodate them with no further questions asked.

When they did arrive, Woz had caught the door for the others, and at first it was assumed it was simply a sense of manners or due to height order. However, from the expectant look on Sougo’s face aimed at Woz, there was some kind of intent behind it. The photo studio trio perked up in curiosity, not having announced their presence in lieu of seeing the giddy atmosphere the kids brought with them right out the gate. 

“Do you have to do this every single time? It got old awhile back, I’m telling you.”

“Oh, let them have it. It’s practically a ritual for them, and it encourages Sougo-kun to do better in school to earn more of them, so I don't want anything deterring that enthusiasm personally.”

Natsumi looked to Yusuke as if he could figure out what they meant, but he just offered a shrug and a lopsided smile as he awaited what exactly all the delay was for. Their attention was drawn back to Woz as the tall young man cleared his throat and stepped forward with a sense of gravitas, gesturing wide with an arm towards the smallest of the quartet and a wide proud grin on his face.

“IWAE! Behold, the young high school student Tokiwa Sougo, future Maou hailed as the most powerful and most righteous, the most beloved Maou in all of history across all worlds! For today he unveils yet another triumph along his path towards the ascension to his proper title. Iwae!”

Sougo preened very visibly under the pomp and circumstance, holding out a paper in his hand for the others of the room to look at as he smiled his own proud grin. It was a quiz paper, the grade written in the corner being a red marker written “91”. Tsukuyomi laughed and gave a small polite clap while Geiz rolled his eyes, snorting as he leaned against the wall connected to the stair banisters. Tsukasa chose now to announce himself, catching the dropped jaws of his partners at the table and feeling kind enough to not leave them in suspense.

“Good job little king, what subject was it in?”

“History!” A couple beats passed before- “WAIT, THE DECADE GUY?”

“Tsukasa Kadoya,” Woz let the grin on his face soften to a polite smile, though the look in his eyes was a bit less than inviting when he looked over the magenta rider in question. Upon glancing over to the others with him however, his expression softened once more and his smile reached his eyes properly.

“Yusuke-san. Natsumi-san.”

He nodded his head to each of them in greeting. Tsukuyomi and Geiz felt a little awkward, not familiar with the remaining three of the quartet that had decided to take personal investment in them, and they their way towards the kitchen and dining area in the back with a nod of their heads and a hand motion to Sougo and Woz so as not to be caught between whatever business they had with their king and their…Woz.

“What brings you this way to our home?”

Natsumi opened her mouth to speak, but Tsukasa cut her off.

“They wanted to make sure you actually did what you were told and stuck around instead of running away like a bad doggie when you got too scared. Isn’t that nice of th-ehhehahahaha!”

Before he could finish his teasing of the retainer, Natsumi had stood up from her seat and while he was distracted, she had jammed her thumb right into his neck in her signature laughing pressure point attack. True to form, Tsukasa was left laughing hard enough it sounded painful, almost a cry more than a real laugh and it sent him kneeling on the floor gripping the table’s edge for support. Yusuke sent him an exasperated head shake before looking at Woz and rushed over to him, a smile on his face and excitement in his features.

“Where did that come from!? That was amazing! You…,” he grabbed Woz by the shoulders despite being shorter and looked him up and down, “you look a lot happier! How is it being where you belong with your family?”

Woz deigned a light dust of pink to tinge his cheeks, especially with Sougo still in the room and smiling mischievously at his retainer, tucking away this moment to tease him over later. Woz could tease and taunt with the best of them, but he didnt take it in kind well at all and Sougo loved to push his limits, especially with how much more he got away with than anyone else. He wanted to be a kind king who helped people, but that didn't mean he didn't want to have fun with it, so maybe he was a Maou after all.

Natsumi walked around Tsukasa to also now take her turn to appraise how her once sorta charge-in law was doing. She looked at Sougo and offered him a smile and a wink before returning to look at Woz.

“It’s good you’re settling in comfortably enough and have a place to belong. But yeah I'm wondering too, where did you pull that little show out of? I’ve never heard you so…lively!”

Sougo tilted his head, scrunching up his face a bit in a sense of confusion and disagreement.

“He’s always done that. I mean, before it was in battle mostly, but…that’s just Woz.”

Yusuke returned Sougo’s stare with one of his own, and he shook his head.

“He never did anything like that with us, he was honestly kinda…subdued.”

All parties turned to look at the man in question, and Woz simply chuckled awkwardly, half bowing with a flourish and a hand delicately over his chest.

“Am I not he who rejoices waga Maou with all I am? Is that not my role as loyal retainer, to celebrate and support his victories and achievements for all to know and hear? It is only befitting that I do so when in his presence as called for, and without him I've not one to rejoice have I?”

Natsumi and Yusuke looked at each other, a silent understanding between them before they both gave fond if not teasing smiles to the younger boys with them.

“So what you’re saying is, you do it when you’re happy with the people you love? And with us, you were just depressed you couldn't be with them?”

Woz’s composure fought to maintain, his eye twitching as he fought to upkeep the practiced smile he wore with his earlier explanation.

“Ah..that’s…to put it as such is rather…”

Sougo wasted no time in leaning as far as he could over the front counter to shout into the back area that connected to where the others were, his words interspersed with giggles.

“Hey! Guys! Woz is being forced to admit he likes us and missed us, get out here!”

Woz all but cried as he looked at Sougo utterly aghast.

“Waga Maou!?”