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Chewing on a piece of hard candy, Narumi jabs on the buttons of his console, swearing whenever he miscounters an incoming attack. His avatar on the screen is furiously dodging at this rate, picking itself back up again after that nasty hit to continue evading all the attacks.
“Narumi.”
He grunts, barely acknowledging Isao calling him out. He can feel his gaze directed towards him without needing to lift his head. With his legs propped up on the old geezer’s fancy coffee table and his long bangs limiting his vision to only his console screen, he knows he makes a sore sight to Isao’s eyes, but the old man is used to it by now, not even attempting to throw him out.
The old man speaks again, tone commanding. “Narumi.”
Hitting the pause button, Narumi clicks his tongue as he turns to look at him. Isao has both his hands folded, pressed on the table as he stares at him, a sign that whatever he’s trying to say will be serious. It instantly kills any leftover of Narumi’s good mood - not that there is a lot considering he’s rather pissed after scrolling through the countless netizens praising Ashiro Mina for subjugating a daikaiju.
It pisses him off greatly.
“What, Isao-san?” He grumbles out, swallowing the candy in his mouth.
Isao shuffles through a few papers. His eyes behind his glasses look exhausted and there’s a bandage on his forehead from his recent fight with No. 8. It wasn’t there before, so Narumi suspects he had slapped it on when no one was looking. Typical old man. “No. 10 is set to be weaponized soon.”
Blinking, Narumi licks the leftover candied salt off his fingers. “That fast?”
“We had slotted in No. 8 previously, but because of Hibino Kafka’s potential, that empty spot is now for No. 10.”
“That’s cool and all, but what does it have to do with me?”
Weaponizing Number 10 is an intriguing idea, but Narumi isn’t particularly bothered by it. He has always been stuck with old kaiju No. 1, and he prefers it so. Most Numbers Weapons are useless anyway, practically left to waste with no soldier showing compatibility to wield them. Heck, the only two current users in the nation are in this room. Isao won’t bring up this topic unless -
Squinting his eyes at him, Narumi scoffs out. “You think there’s someone? Don’t get your hopes up, old man. As if there will be - ”
“No. 10 is sentient.”
Narumi pauses, narrowing his eyes further. Of course he knows the kaiju is sentient, he had witnessed it through the drone recordings of it goading bowlcut and running amok while destroying the 3rd Division’s base. Ugh, why would Isao bring up this thing this time - ? He hates the old man for being so cryptic most of the time, like it’s not that hard to just tell him directly.
“Is it? A sentient weapon?”
Isao nods, causing Narumi to sit straight as he glares at him. “So, what? Aren’t all daikaijus sentient anyway -”
“No. 10 right now in the process of being weaponised can speak.”
“- HUH?”
He rushes his way towards the desk, snatching the papers Isao is handing over. He reads through them, activating his retinas to process the tiny and super long sentences properly while Isao explains.
“No. 10 in captivity is apparently able to project its voice and thoughts. It can make decisions and is capable of judging people. It has also expressed desires, mostly to fight, and has questioned researchers about what will be or has been done to it. It also shows resistance and a refusal to cooperate unless -”
“It can choose its owner.” Narumi concludes, flapping the pages. “And you’re going to let it do that?”
“It’s faster than waiting for someone with potential to come up.”
Can’t believe there has come the day where they are cooperating with a kaiju capable of its own thoughts and emotions. The surprise is still there, lingering inside him as he feels the same as when Isao had stopped him from killing No. 8 on the spot, a bit off-kilter but determined nonetheless. He thinks further about what this information implies, now finally understanding what Isao’s trying to convey.
“You know who it’s going to choose, don't you?”
At Isao’s nod, Narumi mockingly rolls his eyes. “It must be Ashiro, ugh. Great! What a fantastic -”
“Vice-Captain Hoshina from the 3rd Division seems to be the most likely choice.”
“HUH?!”
Narumi grits his teeth, slamming his hands on the table as he growls. “IT CAN’T BE THAT BOWLCUT! THAT KAIJU HAS BAD TASTE, LIKE LOOK AT HIS SQUINTY EYES?! WHY WOULD A KAIJU CHOOSE A GUY LIKE THAT?! ARE WE SURE THE KAIJU IS NOT JUST SIMPLY MENTALLY DERANGED?”
Isao holds his hand up, sighing before speaking louder to drown out his incessant complaints. “Let’s set your silly rivalry aside, Narumi.”
“THERE IS NOTHING SILLY ABOUT IT -”
Isao continues, unperturbed. “Do you trust my judgement? Do you trust yours?”
Narumi stops, glaring down at Isao as he gives him a hard stare. “No. 10 showed a remarkable amount of curiosity towards Vice-Captain Hoshina. I believe you know this feeling as a Numbered Weapons User.”
Breathing out, Narumi recalls when he first infused with No. 01, a silly and stubborn kaiju that popped up whenever it felt like it, always just staring at him silently. He always felt like he was an insect during those times, inferior to the looming monster in front of him. There was never any talking, nothing more than just being in silence together, but it seemed satisfied with it. In fact, as much as he hates to agree with Isao’s words, he knows that his kaiju only did so because it was curious about him. If he is generous, he'll call it a welfare check, but he is not.
If there is one thing he will fully agree about, it’s that daikaijus are extremely territorial by nature.
Even now, there’s that unease under his skin whenever he gives Isao his attention, the need to fight fight fight. He has learned to ignore the feeling, but with No. 8’s recent outburst, it has come crawling back in full force. Narumi can’t even imagine encountering Hoshina after he has proven his compatibility with No. 10, the irritation he usually feels will be child’s play to what he will eventually feel towards the annoying Vice-Captain.
He crosses his arms, looking away. “Just because the kaiju wants him, doesn’t mean he will be compatible with it. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment, old man.”
Isao is intent on staring at him - and Narumi finally realises why.
“Oh, no. No. No. No.” He punctuates each no clearly. “I WILL NOT HELP HIM!”
“What makes you think I’ll make you help him?”
“DON’T ACT INNOCENT NOW, OLD GEEZER!”
Isao sighs as Narumi swivels around, stomping his way to the door.
“What do you think of marrying the younger son of the Hoshinas?”
Narumi trips over his shoelace, screaming as he goes down with his face falling flat on the floor. A yeowch! slipping out, he rubs his face. Absolutely gobsmacked, he gasps in both pain and shock, turning his head to stare bewilderedly at Isao, eyes bulging out.
“EXCUSE ME?!”
Isao raises an eyebrow. “Do you not understand what marriage is?”
Oh, the old man’s having fun with this. Narumi grits his teeth, glaring at him as he feels his cheeks burning. He lifts himself up, wobbling as he grasps the edge of the sofa to steady himself.
“I - I know what goddamn marriage is! I mean by. What do you mean by me getting married to. To. To bowlcut?!”
“It’s a suggestion.” He nonchalantly answers. Too nonchalant for a supposed suggestion, if Narumi dares to say. He hates assumptions but this time, it’s completely warranted as he fumes out. “Explain more then.”
Isao looks at him a second longer, as if waiting for him to explode once more but Narumi doesn’t do that, practising inner patience as he impatiently waits for a reply. After he deems his current behavior satisfactory, he goes to open one of the drawers, pulling out another set of documents. This time, when he hands it over, Narumi hesitates a bit, flicking his eyes towards the old man in charge as if he can know what’s written on it without needing to actually read it.
The impromptu image of Hoshina in his full glory bowlcut, squinty eyes and mocking smile has him snatching the papers.
They are test results and observations of two Numbered Weapon Users, specifically of the married Shinomiya pair and his irritation dissipates when he realises it’s a confidentiality report of the compatibility between the old man and his wife back when she was alive. He’s in a bit of a cold shock when he reads it because he barely knows anything about Shinomiya Hikari. His nonexistent desire to understand her together with the fact he got to know Isao after her death had left him knowing the bare minimum, and much of it was a contribution to Isao being forced to talk about her.
Her maximum unleashed combat power was at 94 percent, a respectable number for a Captain. Before that however, Narumi can’t help the tiny frown as he reads the data. There’s clearly something wrong with it, the numbers are unstable with huge gaps in between.
“She had difficulty syncing with No. 4.”
“Huh.”
Narumi remembers seeing Shinomiya Hikari on television once. She was fast, light on her feet, but her strength was the opposite as she decapitated kaijus with brutal efficiency, her demeanor confident and her looks captivating. She was a favourite of the girls at the orphanage, they all would race with one another and the winner would claim to be as fast as Japan’s own valkyrie.
To associate his image of hers with what Isao told him is rather difficult.
It must have been obvious on his face as Isao goes to say. “No. 4 was stubborn. It was the most stubborn before No. 6 was weaponised. Hikari had compatibility with it but No. 4 refused to cooperate most of the time. That was until we got married.”
The collected data after the period shows massive improvement when compared to the previous one. “No. 4 became more cooperative while syncing problems became fewer until there was none. The research conducted had shown that when two Numbered Weapons Users are joined in holy matrimony, the respective kaijus can sense the shift in human dynamics and perceptions. To cut it short, No. 4 was unsatisfied that Hikari was married to me, the user of No. 2, and wanting to retain its own autonomy, began to accept Hikari more as its own rather than a part of both me and her.”
Narumi processes it all. “So.” He states bitterly. “You want me to marry bowlcut so that he can work better with his kaiju buddy?”
“That is the gist, yes.”
“Well. Here’s my answer. Fuck no. ”
Isao readily accepts his answer, not even bothering to argue, but his words do stop Narumi's need to go vehemently against the command.
"It's not only for Hikari too, I also showed better performance rate with my kaiju. It goes both ways, Narumi."
Narumi stares at him. "Who knows what being married to him will do to your performance with No. 1?"
"I can do that without getting married to bowlcut, thank you."
He stomps away, hearing Isao sigh behind him.
Looking back at it, it was one of the last few conversations he had with Isao before he got swallowed by that fucker of a kaiju. Narumi is not one for sentiments, thus the conversation is shelved back in the corner of his mind. There is never time to dawdle when he has to teach the old man’s daughter how to be better and stronger, not when he also has to keep a close eye on Hibino Kafka’s progress together with strengthening his own division and troop members. Isao left him a lot of stuff on his plate, so the topic of marriage or a person who he is not responsible for are both something he has never deemed important enough to remember.
Now, as he looks down through the reinforced glass to Hoshina struggling, he remembers it.
The first few times had been humorous, entertaining even. No. 10 is talkative, never wanting to shut up. It and Hoshina make a comedic duo, always bickering either to go left or right, up or down, forward or backward - it is expressive in a way Hoshina is not, so to see his rival fumbling and cursing his way through gives Narumi a ton of satisfaction.
However, as more attempts are made, they have now become boring and he hates to say it - also concerning.
Hoshina is not showing results.
Time is ticking away, No. 9 may attack any day now and one of their defence’s strongest forces is still not ready.
He is out of half-assed answers to give to the higher-ups at this point because clearly, how do you even begin to explain this maddening situation without sounding as if you’re incompetent or better yet, absolutely useless?
Narumi had actually stopped going to Hoshina’s daily synchronisation attempt because of this. Without fail, he gets more irritated every time he comes and this time it’s out of curiosity to see if there’s any improvisation.
Well.
There’s none!
3rd Division’s Operator whom Narumi doesn’t bother remembering the name of is furiously jotting down data while reading out his vital recordings through the mic. Narumi looks back at Hoshina, who this time is now wrestling with his own damn tail by grabbing it and yanking it back and forth, and tells himself oh how the mighty have fallen …
He turns on his heels, furiously walking out of the room and into the corridor. A few salute him when he strides past. It’s busier nowadays, with many members outside of his division coming to the base for meetings and training drills.
Narumi goes to his office, flicking the lights on while shutting the door. He steps in further towards his desk piled up with leftover paperwork and agreements he refuses to touch until he’s forced to. He pulls on one of the drawers, frowning when it gets stuck in place. Pulling it harder, he rummages through the short stack of papers in it, fishing out the report and additional documents Isao had given him a while ago.
He had contemplated throwing them out, tearing them to pieces even, but even he knows that’s too much of a disrespect to the old man’s wife. Exiting his office with the papers in hand, he heads back to the research grounds.
Hoshina appears to have stopped for today, No. 10 once again sedated and to be woken up for another day. He’s quiet, arms crossed over his tight black shirt as he seemingly glares into the distance. It’s obvious he has been left alone because when Narumi enters the grounds, no one is there except for both of them.
“Another fail today, bowlcut?” He chirps out.
Hoshina purses his lips before settling on a neutral line. “What do ya want, Captain Narumi?”
He wonders if he should ask him for a spar, watching carefully the way Hoshina’s chest rises and falls in agitation. He’s pent-up, from the pressure of attempting to synchronise or something else, who knows? Narumi licks his lips, thinking it’ll be good to wipe the floor off with him.
Then, he remembers he has training with Hibino Kafka soon and if there’s a word to describe the humanoid kaiju, it’s persistent. So, he sighs, mourning the fact he can’t rile Hoshina up further.
“You’re having difficulty syncing with No. 10.” He says in a factual tone.
Hoshina is immediately on the defensive, his shoulders tense. Must have affected him hard then. “Ya don’t need to tell me that, ya know.”
“Well, yea. What I’m saying to you is that I can help you with it.”
“Captain Narumi, I appreciate the help but I can handle this by my -”
“Oh, shut up.” Narumi cuts him off. “Do you think I want to do this too? I would rather eat my left foot than offer you help, bowlcut.”
“Eat yer left foot then.”
“OH, FUCK YOU!”
“How crude, Narumi-san.”
“You just told me to eat my own left foot!”
“Ya started it.”
He splutters for a comeback, only managing to watch in burning shame as Hoshina tips his head back and laughs, tension now gone as he regards him in a better mood, a small smile on his lips.
“I’ll hear it, I guess. What’s the offer?”
The papers in his hand have never felt so heavy when he hands them over to Hoshina. Hoshina looks at them curiously for a few seconds before taking them. As soon as they’re no longer in his grasp, Narumi announces his leave.
“I’ll be going now. Tell me what you think soon, bowlcut.”
Hoshina hums in affirmation, already flicking the papers and Narumi’s at the door when he lifts his head up, sounding very confused.
“Narumi-san, aren’t these marriage pap -”
Narumi slams the door shut.
Contrary to what he had said to Hoshina about seeing him soon, Hoshina doesn’t actually see him anytime soon.
In fact, it has gotten busier these past few days. If Narumi is not training, he is attending a strategic meeting. If he is not attending a strategic meeting, he is keeping track of Kikoru or Kafka. If he is not doing any of those, he is playing one of the many games he can barely touch with how packed his schedule is. He is not giving himself the opportunity to think about what he had just offered to Hoshina, and he doesn’t give a single glance to the synchronisation reports he had received, tossing them over to Hasegawa as he goes through other more important paperwork.
The air around the base has been heavy lately, so he’s on the rooftop after another gruelling strategic meeting where he has to defend for the nth time that yes, bowlcut is needed on the field and no, I don’t fucking care about him, I care about his results, together with just give him some damn time, you impatient old people! merely staring at the clouds while sipping a can of coke when Hoshina finally comes to see him.
He doesn’t need to turn around to know it’s Hoshina behind him. Nimble footsteps, very steady and long strides. He definitely has the most distinguished way of walking as a swordsman amidst soldiers who use far heavier weaponry.
Hoshina breaks the silence.
“Whatcha lookin’ at?”
The white clouds are slowly moving as another gust of ocean wind whips through his hair. “Nothing.”
They lapse into silence once again. There’s an uncomfortable feeling in the back of his throat, as if something is stuck there and he takes another sip to wash it down. Hoshina approaches him, standing next to the bench in the other direction with his hands clasped behind his back, a casual manner of his.
“Will it actually work if we get married?”
A simple, almost predictable question, but Narumi still chokes on his drink hearing it. Coughing, he clears his throat to see Hoshina tilting his head.
“Maybe.” He tries for a shrug only to fail it.
“Ya don’t know and still want me to marry ya.”
“Don’t go accusing me now, bowlcut. It’s a possibility.”
Hoshina hums. Narumi peeks at him, seeing his chin tucked into his chest as he mumbles. “A possibility, huh.”
Knowing Hoshina, there must be another question and he is correct as Hoshina asks this time. “How will it work?”
Rubbing the condensation off the can, he says. “No. 10 is more sentient so we predict it’ll show a faster reaction time. It may tolerate you more and won’t fight you a lot. The rest is up for debate.”
“What about us?”
Narumi parrots. “What about us?”
Hoshina shoves his hands in his pockets. “How will it work between us? Are ya going to take my name?”
Narumi nearly falls off the bench just at the mere thought of him being Hoshina Gen. He whips his head, asking venomously. “Are you serious?”
“I guess that means I will be taking your name.”
This time, he actually falls off the bench, yelping as his head hits the floor, causing stars to burst in his vision while the haunting thought of Narumi Soushirou laughs at his misery. Hoshina enters his vision, inky violet hair dark as he looms over him, clouding the blue sky as he watches him with amusement.
Righting himself up, Narumi hisses out, perplexed at Hoshina’s casual demeanor. “Why the hell are you so calm about this?”
“If it makes ya feel better, I had a few days to mull over the sudden idea of me marryin’ ya.”
Just the thought of Hoshina, always calm and collected, being surprised by the proposal has uplifted Narumi’s spirit. He can’t help but taunt out, smirking. “So, you ignored me because you’re too embarrassed or something, bowlcut?”
“No, I was busy grievin’ the fact that it’s you out of all people.”
His smirk slips off his face. That ticks him off. Perhaps it’s the exhausting debate he had with the bigwigs above him just now or his retinas pulsing from overuse, but he is not in the mood for some roundabout talking with Mr. Overthinking. Standing up, he doesn’t spare Hoshina a glance as he says.
“Do whatever you want, bowlcut. As if I want to get married to you too. Just don’t come grovelling if you need a time extension.”
He grabs his empty can of coke, ready to walk away from Hoshina’s insufferable presence, but of course, Hoshina decides to ruin it anyway by saying.
“I didn’t say I don’t wanna marry ya.”
The hideous bowlcut will be the death of him, he swears to himself. Always thinking this and that, indecisive as hell and an absolute sore sight to his eyes. He prays for patience, turning around to face him. “Yeah?”
Hoshina is silent, once again annoying Narumi that he damn well explodes. “It’s very simple! Do you want to marry me or not?!”
His silence doesn’t last long. Hoshina merely says, cocking his head. “Is that how ya propose to someone, Narumi-san?”
“F - Fine!”
Hoshina has always confused him, he can be playful and witty at one point and be the shittiest the next second. Even now, Narumi doesn’t exactly know what Hoshina wants, but he just goes with the flow like usual as he tears the metal ring off, throwing the can behind his shoulder, hearing it clattering somewhere. He kneels down, holding the ring as he looks up at Hoshina, whose face is showing surprise from the bold action. Narumi has always been bold, Hoshina should have expected this from all his taunting, really.
Narumi asks, trying not to think about how much he hates looking up to Hoshina’s shocked face.
“Will you marry me, useless bowlcut?”
Stupefied is a generous word to describe Hoshina’s reaction, he is the most dumbfounded Narumi has ever seen in the amount of time they have known each other. His eyes are wide, his mouth smally open as if he is lost for words.
For one short second, Narumi wonders if he’s doing the right thing. He has never actually known how to propose, his minimal knowledge coming from fleeting romance shows or ads featured on televisions or his phone. He adopts confidence into his posture, trying not to shift around when there is still no verbal response from Hoshina.
For his part, Hoshina actually does look as if he doesn’t know what to do. Narumi coughs after an uncomfortable amount of time has passed by, feeling the tension in his legs as he keeps kneeling.
Hoshina snaps out of it, the reddest ever blush spreading on his face after. It colours the tip of his nose, dusting his cheeks and reddening the tips of his ears. He blinks, eyes flickering towards the metal ring and to Narumi’s face, to which his blush impossibly darkens more.
Biting his lower lip, he answers, voice barely there. “I - Sure. Yes. I’ll marry ya.”
That.
How on earth is Narumi supposed to react to that?
Hoshina has infected him for sure, as the next thing he knows, Narumi’s sliding the metal ring onto Hoshina’s gloved finger. He fumbles a bit, his skin feeling weirdly clammy and his hands slightly trembling, but Hoshina doesn’t call him out for his fake bravado, only staring at his cheap ring after Narumi’s done with it.
Narumi grimaces at it, knowing that even for his standards, that is an idiotic imitation of a ring. If Isao is still here, he would beat him up for this. He says, avoiding Hoshina’s eyes when he lifts his head up. “I’ll get you a real ring soon. After No. 9 is dead.”
“After No. 9 is dead, mhm. Ya better keep up to your promise, husband.”
Nearly tripping over his two feet, Narumi gasps out, feeling as if he just got thrown from the 10th floor with how shameless Hoshina is with his remark. “You - We are not married yet!”
“Yet. Then, let’s get married, fiance.” Hoshina says with a playful smile, grinning to show his fangs as he wiggles his fingers. “I wanna show ya off. Or this ring, ya know.”
“You -”
“Let’s get married. I wanna kick No. 9’s ass, don’t you want it too?”
Glaring at Hoshina from beneath his bangs, Narumi rubs his face, not bothering to reply. Hoshina knocks him with his shoulder when he walks past. “I’ll be waitin’ for ya in my room. Better get those marriage papers ready -”
Then he does something utterly devilish, leaning in to whisper into his ear. “ - Gen-san.”
“HOSHI -”
Hoshina cackles, shutting the rooftop door behind him and leaving Narumi completely floundered, his hand covering his ear and his cheeks furiously burning.
A question keeps on looping inside his mind and it is: what did he just get himself into?
Hasegawa looks as if he is one second away from resigning when Narumi told him of his engagement.
He is stoic as always, accepting of his fate to handle Narumi's marital documents, but he doesn't cease to show his displeasure in him acting unexpectedly, especially when tensions are high nowadays. That's alright because at the end of the day, Narumi knows Hasegawa will always be by his side no matter his shortcomings.
Hoshina sits prim and proper, his back straight as Hasegawa brings out the marriage documents. Narumi slouches in his own seat, feeling Hibino Kafka fidgeting at his right and looking as if he wants to be anywhere but here. To be honest, Narumi doesn't want him to be here either, but technically No. 8 is still under his supervision and he's the only adult with proper respect for him that Narumi trusts won't go blabber his marital status to everyone else. He makes a good witness and when he first announced his arrival, Hoshina had indirectly expressed relief for his attendance.
He is surprised Hoshina hasn't brought a witness of his own. Granted, this is a marriage born out of necessity. Narumi knows he won't extend an invitation to his family considering Hoshina's obvious dislike to his brother despite not being the same vice versa, but he at least expects one of his subordinates or even Ashiro to accompany him.
Hasegawa tells him to read and sign the papers. Narumi only does the latter, not caring what the minor details are as he signs his name. Hoshina is told to do the same, to which he carefully reads before neatly signing his own name.
The overall process is anti-climatic. Narumi has never thought of himself getting married before, but he knows it usually involves fanfare, family, flowers and maybe a kiss or two - but here in Hasegawa's neat office inside Ariake, there is only a weak clap from Hibino Kafka to celebrate the fact that yes, Narumi Gen and Hoshina Soushirou are now married.
Narumi looks at Hoshina, who is watching him back with indifference. His eyes are piercing, his smile unreadable and belatedly, Narumi realises Hasegawa together with Hibino Kafka have walked out of the room, leaving him alone with his newly-wedded husband.
"If this doesn't work," Hoshina breaks the stifling silence, his expression one of gloom, the opposite a groom should be. "Will ya divorce me then?"
Narumi mulls it over. "Yes."
"My, my. How heartless, dear husband. Ya gonna leave me a divorcee?"
"I don't see why we should be married if there is no reason to."
"Don't people get married for no reason whatsoever?"
Narumi grunts, not exactly going to say that he doesn't understand why people get married in the first place. For him, it's just a means to aid Hoshina with his Numbered Weapon while also allowing him to understand his own better. This may be a question he would have asked the old man if he didn't get swallowed by the kaiju, but he did, so now he's rowing this boat all alone trying to grasp what this marriage truly means.
Because when he looks at Hoshina once again, with his almost soft smile if he tricks himself and unreadable eyes that may either be fondness or disgust, he truly doesn't understand what this all means.