the long way back

Summary: Kamen Rider W. Pre-series. After he said it, Shotarou realized it was a stupid thing to say, because of course Philip already knew that, Philip knew everything even if he didn't…well, know it yet.

Author's Note: Sometimes I sit on my porch and stick only my feet in the rain, which made me think how much weirder my family would think I was if they knew.

Disclaimer: Naw.

Summer rainfalls weren't unusual in Fuuto. Pellets of rain pounded against the window of the Narumi Detective Agency, streaking and distorting the image of the outside city. It looked like a watercolor painting. Pretty but sad, in a strange way.

Philip was nowhere to be seen. Normally Shotarou would poke his head in the garage every once in a while to make sure the kid hadn't collapsed due to forgetting to sleep, or heaven forbid, eat. It scared him, a lot of the time, how…unhuman a human could be.

But Philip was his responsibility now, the Boss left him that, which meant the detective now had to locate his whereabouts. Fortunately, he didn't have to go far. He pulled on his jacket and placed a dark fedora atop his head, mentally preparing himself for a wild goose chase around the city. Now was a good time to be thinking of the lecture he would give the younger boy.

He didn't go far. Philip was under the awning of the detective agency, barefoot and sitting on the ground with his legs stretched in front of him, his back to the main door of their home. His feet were outside the protection of the outdoor roof so they were soaked, but the rest of his body was relatively dry, only occasionally getting hit with rain when the wind blew the rain sideways.

Shotarou breathed a sigh of relief. "You know, rainy weather brings out the mosquitoes." He came up behind Philip and sat behind him, not close enough to be touching but still…hovering. After he said it, Shotarou realized it was a stupid thing to say, because of course Philip already knew that, Philip knew everything even if he…didn't…well, know it yet.

"Oh, hello Shotarou." Philip smiled brightly and tilted his head like being found in the position he was in was a completely normal thing. He wiggled his toes and the cold water splashed between the spaces, not quite filling them but trying.

"What are you doing?"

Philip shrugged. "Rain is such a fascinating thing. Did you know that the clouds are appropriately named 'nimbostratus' for their Latin roots and—"

Shotarou held up a hand to cut him off. The younger boy clamped his mouth shut but didn't seem too offended at being interrupted, instead staring at him with shining eyes. God, Shotarou thought. He was just a kid.

"I'm assuming you didn't get out much to see rain."

"Oh," Philip's voice took on an odd tone, not quite strained but weirdly…disconnected. "I saw it sometimes. Through a window."

Shotarou pressed his lips together, feeling a little sick, just as he always did when hearing of Philip's time with the syndicate. "A lot of kids play in the puddles when it rains." He says instead, completely randomly. He tries to distract himself; he tells himself his fist isn't clenched. He ignores the blood he draws.

Philip is ignorant. "They do? Why?"

Shotarou forces a smile. "Freedom, I guess. I used to do it. Sometimes to annoy their mothers." (he never had a mother)

Philip leans forward, completely enthralled, bringing his finger to his lip. "Tell me more." He commands, as though he doesn't have the knowledge of the entire universe at his fingertips. The detective's smile turns a bit more genuine and he stands up, holding out a hand.

"Why don't I show you?"