The Widower's Stand-In Puppy Is Here

Ian used to be a co-pilot in a two-person mecha, one of the very best. His sync rate with his partner, Ryan, broke the Federation’s all-time record. A fellow soldier once asked him, “You and Ryan spend all day mocking each other and getting into fights. How can your sync rate be so high?” Ian: “Uh... I don’t know either.” He didn’t know how he’d managed such a high sync rate with the ill-tempered Ryan, either. He didn’t even know how he’d somehow ended up in bed with him. After Ryan died in battle, Ian left for a distant place with Ryan’s child in his belly and never partnered with anyone again. Ian thought Ryan had already caused him enough misery, but he never expected things could get worse. For his daughter’s sake, he followed his superior back to the mecha base, where he was paired with a new partner, Leo, who was just like Ryan. Ian couldn’t help chasing Ryan’s shadow in Leo, often losing himself in the resemblance. Leo was even better than Ryan: obedient and sweet, always hovering around Ian, never talking back, like a little sunbeam of a puppy. And, just like Ryan, he wanted to kiss Ian. Ian warned himself, dazzled as he was, that no one should ever be another person’s replacement. If he accepted Leo’s love, he’d be committing a crime. He was miserable, wracked with guilt and regret. Until one day, he found out that Leo was Ryan, who had lost his memory. Ian: “Heh.” Ian smiled at Leo. “Come here. I think I still like you. Let that dead Ryan stay dead out there. From now on, you’re my daughter’s dad.” Overjoyed, Leo prayed to Ryan’s spirit in heaven: “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of your wife and child.” - Years later, after learning the truth, Leo thought back to how stupid he’d been back then: “...Fuck, I cheated on myself.” A passionate, puppy-like top × a cold and gloomy on the outside, soft-hearted dad on the inside Reader’s note: 1. As the blurb says, this story includes pregnancy, but not sx. 2. When someone tells you of your faults, be glad; when you hear kind words, bow in gratitude. Theme: Love needs to be nurtured with care.