A Throne of Fire

Of Cowardice and Chatter

Mikey sighed as he sat the sake bottle down on the living room table, sitting down on the couch in the process. Ryuken sat on a chair across from him, looking nervous, and who wouldn't be? He had just met his ex-gang boss, who had been missing for over two decades and believed dead by many... who also just so happened to be the father of his son's girlfriend.

He was way too sober for this.

Mikey seemed to be thinking the same thing, because he poured the sake into two white mugs he had brought from the kitchen. Ryuken wanted to ask him to stop before he reached the brim, but the look in Mikey's eyes told him he was a man on a mission to drown his drama in alcohol. Ryuken's frown deepened as he remembered what had happened minutes prior.

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"... What. The fuck.", Kensuke stated in a daze, and he wasn't the only one left dazed by the revelation that had just occurred. Mikey stared at the still bowing Ryuken in shock. It had finally happened. After over twenty years, his past had finally come back to haunt him. Nagi and Futa got up from their seats and walked over to him apprehensively.

"Papa, what is this guy talking about?", Nagi asked nervously. Her question snapped Mikey out of his daze, and he turned to give her a reassuring smile.

"Nothing that you need to worry about, honey. Why don't you and your sister go hang out outside? Take Futa with you.", he told them politely. The three of them looked at each other, before doing as he asked and going out onto the back porch. Mikey sighed in relief at the teenagers' lack of further questioning. He then turned his attention back to his guests.

"Kensuke, was it?", the blonde said, looking directly at the black haired boy. Kensuke stiffened and nodded his head.

"Yes sir.", he answered. Mikey frowned at him.

"None of that 'sir' stuff, just Mikey's fine. You can go outside with them. Have you eaten dinner?", the father asked. Kensuke shook his head and Mikey gave him a small smile.

"Then feel free to raid the fridge. I'd offer you some of what I cooked, but for once we don't seem to have any leftovers. There's soda in the fridge and peyoung yakisoba in the pantry if you like that stuff.", the man offered, waving a hand in the direction of his kitchen. Kensuke looked at him in disbelief.

"Are you sure?", he asked, surprised the man was being so nice to him. Mikey nodded.

"Of course. I'd feel bad if you left without eating anything.", he insisted. Kensuke nodded slowly, dashed into the kitchen, grabbed several snacks and drinks, and ran onto the back porch, sliding the door shut loudly behind him. Mikey chuckled at his nervous behavior.

Reborn got up and went upstairs without a word. He already knew what this was all about. It was in Tsuna's file. That left Nana, who got up, walked over to Mikey, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'll be upstairs.", she told him, before following after Reborn. This left Mikey and Ryuken on their own. Ryuken stood up straight, and Mikey took a deep breath. There was no avoiding this.

"So, ", he started to say "would you like to sit down?"

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Ryuken suppressed a groan of frustration. Mikey had seemed so... haunted when he had seen him bow to him, like he was a walking corpse that had come back from the dead just to harass him. That wasn't the Mikey Ryuken remembered. The Mikey that Ryuken remembered was a stern leader when he was giving orders on that platform at Musashi shrine, but cheeky and smiling during the brief glimpses he caught of him when he was with the captains and vice captains.