[TW: Manipulation, Knives]
~.~
"It's too late for apologies."
~.~
[Meanwhile]
"Huh...?" Takemichi muttered as he observed Mikey's jacket being blown back and forth by the wind. He had been listening to the blond commander's voice up until this point, hearing the tone of joy it contained.
"There's a new third-division captain to welcome," Mikey repeated, tucking his hands into his pockets as a huge smile was plastered onto his face.
Takemichi was stunned by the sudden announcement, as well as the expressions of Mitsuya, Smiley, and Mucho. Even though he had only been gone for a few days, a lot had happened in the interim. Nonetheless, he should have anticipated this. It wasn't long after Pah served a year in prison for his crimes that a potential runner-up took his place.
Who earned it, however, was the real mystery.
It couldn't be him...could it?
The blonde felt a lump in his throat as he followed Mikey to his enormous motorcycle, "Babu," and after climbing aboard, he made sure that not a sound was made until they arrived at the Musashi Shrine.
And, eventually, they made it.
As usual, a large group of members had formed a line to await the commander and vice commander's return. It was strange how they were unaffected by the cold and how the breeze almost burned the backs of their necks.
God knows it was affecting Takemichi.
And as he struggled to hide his shuddering, he closely followed behind the commander of Toman, almost feeling small compared to him. And the way everyone bowed to him? It was almost scary.
Takemichi took another gulp, clenched his fist, and dashed to join the rest of the Toman members in line, trying to ignore the odd looks he was still getting. He then dashed over to Mitsuya to divert his attention away from them, making sure to stay extremely close.
And with that, he returned his gaze to Mikey, who had taken his place on the Shrine's podium. And, as usual, he appeared to be a colossus in comparison to everyone else, and his tough demeanor only added to this impression.
Then, after taking his rightful place above the rest of Toman, Draken marched up to his side, his arms neatly placed behind his back as he took a deep inhale. Then, he spoke, his voice booming across the entire area, "We are here! To officially name! The new captain of the 3rd division!!"
Immediate murmurs are spread across the small crowd as everyone's heads turned to one another, sprouting out their guesses on who might be the one to fill Pah's empty spot.
"So who do you think is gonna get chosen...?"
"Peh maybe..."
"Yeah, not gonna happen. As if they'd pick the guy who attacked Draken."
Takemichi takes another big gulp before sweat beads form on his brow. He had every reason to be concerned; Pah's position was about to be filled, which meant that whoever was in charge of Toman would be working alongside Draken and Mikey. And who knows how that'll turn out...
He just prayed to whoever was listening that it wasn't who he was thinking it was...
"Captain of the Third Division! Take a step forward!! "Mikey yelled, immediately summoning the one who was supposed to take Pah's place. Everyone stiffened almost instantly out of sheer confusion. Even Takemichi wasn't sure if the order was directed at him or not.
'Is he...calling for me...?' He thought, knitting his brows together as the crowd was once again filled with murmurs. Then, someone spoke.
"Come on." The voice said.
At that moment, the men in the group began to raise a loud commotion as they heard the sound of footsteps along with several people being pushed aside for no apparent reason. Then their eyes narrowed out of disgust.
Takemichi, on the other hand, couldn't quite see the male just yet until he finally made it to the very front of the crowd, slowly passing by him with a mean glare on his face.
'Yeah...of course, it wasn't gonna be me...' He blushes out of embarrassment.
Such a ridiculous thought made him feel even dumber than usual. It wasn't until the two males marched past him that his embarrassed smile vanished. Then, almost as if in a movie, everything slowed down and time came to a halt.
The two men storming past Takemichi were intimidating to say the least; one was about 7 feet tall and the other was probably no taller than himself. But that wasn't the source of his sudden bad mood. It was the face of the shorter male.
Has he... seen him before?
When the shorter male turned in his direction, immediate air caught in Takemichi's throat. Everyone else saw it as a passing glance, but Takemichi? It was either a mocking or triumphant expression.
Takemichi's breathing became labored as he finally put the pieces together. That look, those glasses, the way his aura radiated only bad news? Everything had finally added up. And Takemichi couldn't help but mentally scold himself for not noticing sooner.
'I've seen him before...' He thought, slowly rotating from his frozen state and turning his focus back to the two males. And as they approached Mikey, the shorter one sat in front of the commander, with his back turned to him.
It was like a sign of immediate disrespect. It was gross. And everyone within Toman made that known.
"Hey! What the hell is your problem?!"
"How dare you put your back to the commander?!"
The huge uproar was getting out of hand, although it was completely justified. For someone who was recently elected captain of the third division? Why was he being so disrespectful to his commander? In other words, why was Mikey allowing it at all?
However, the tall man to his right spoke up on his behalf, immediately silencing the crowd, "Alright listen up you grunts!" The tall male boomed, "Toman's new captain of the 3rd division is sitting here right behind me! Tetta Kisaki!!"
Takemichi's heart dropped to the ground in an instant, his eyes wider than ever, almost about to pop right out of the socket. The name. That horrid name.
"I was scared...just so scared... of Kisaki...and (Y/N)..."
"Kisaki's the enemy."
"Get her away from him..."
Takemichi's heart began to pump at a million miles per hour, 'That's Kisaki?!' He thought, 'I didn't expect him to just show up right in front of me!!' The surprise was shocking, but once it passed, it was replaced by rage, pure rage.
'What should I do?' he pondered; his breathing growing more hectic, 'What should I do?!'
"I've seen this guy before!" A random member spoke.
"He's from Moebius!" Another voice rang.
"What's Moebius doing here?! get the hell out!"
"Yeah! Piss off!!"
Another sudden uproar is begun as the entire Toman began to shout in unison.
"Piss off! Piss off! Piss off!!"
Despite the uproar, Kisaki remained silent, not uttering a word as his gaze just stared out into the distance. It was like he wasn't even there. He didn't even care to speak in his defense.
How could Mikey allow such a guy to storm into Toman?
On another note, it wasn't long before the uproar became irritating, and Draken stepped up, veins protruding from his brows as his patience ran dry, "Shut up! This is Mikey's decision! Anyone who doesn't like it? Step forward!!"
Immediate silence is given in retort. Of course, no one truly dared to go against Draken or Mikey, but seriously? Kisaki? A former member of Moebius entering Toman? It was almost completely insane. It was insane.
But it didn't faze Mikey in the slightest. He soon stepped up once the silence consumed the men standing before him, "We gotta be ready to take on Valhalla!" He roared, "This new 'Valhalla' we're facing? Is so huge that Moebius is like nothing next to them! To beat them, Toman will need to grow too!"
The mere mention of Valhalla's power causes everyone to purse their lips. Despite Toman merging with Moebius, it wasn't because they were more dangerous than Moebius, but because they had dozens more soldiers on standby.
"Tetta Kisaki here has done a good job at keeping our generation in check while he was with Moebius!" said Mikey, almost seemingly coming at the aid of his new 3rd division captain, "We'll need him on our side to fight Valhalla! So Kisaki's the new captain! Remember that."
Mikey's words came out almost like a command; in fact, he made certain that every word he said was imprinted in the minds of those around him. Not to mention that he was well aware that his authority was everything and that no one dared to question his word.
Is he, however, blind to Kisaki's suspicion? Or did he have no other option?
Dozens of thoughts began to race through Takemichi's mind as Mikey dismissed the meeting, he couldn't even hear anything besides the fast pace of his breathing, 'Shit! This is the worst scenario! Not only is Kisaki in Toman, but he's jumped straight to being 3rd division captain!'
Everything was certainly turning into a shit show. And before anyone else could exit the premises, Kisaki finally spoke, "Commander!" He rang, standing to his two feet before rotating into a bow, "Thank you, sir."
In retort, a brief silence is given, almost as if Mikey didn't want to accept the gratitude, but he still released a low, "Right," before continuing his journey toward the back of the Shrine.
It wasn't until he was a good 20 meters away that Draken finally murmured something under his breath, "What is Mikey thinking...? Is he out of his mind...?" But almost no one heard his murmurs of concern, and, in Draken's case, he'd like to keep it that way.
Upon being utterly distracted, Kisaki then motioned for his right-hand man to leave while standing upright and gazing off into the distance. Then, as he turned to face the crowd in front of him, his gaze met Takemichi's. And, seemingly out of nowhere, a shady grin appeared on his face. It was the same triumphant and mocking expression that had been present earlier.
At this rate, Takemichi had been completely set off, 'At this rate?! Hina's gonna—'
He couldn't even finish that thought before the memory of Hina stuck into his mind; the way her eyes were filled with tears as she escaped the gruesome fate she was given. It infuriated Takemichi.
It wasn't fair.
It wasn't FAIR.
Without any hesitation, Takemichi raced up to Kisaki and struck him across the face, knocking his glasses right off of his face with ease. It was so quick that not even Takemichi had enough time to think over his actions.
All he could do was stand there, his fists still clenched as his breathing finally simmered. But once he finally recollected himself, anger spread across the rest of Toman, including Draken.
"What in the hell?!" He roared; his teeth gritting with pure fury. And as his eyes remained glued to Takemichi, the now alerted commander, Mikey turned to glance back at all the ruckus.
Mikey's ears are then immediately filled with the confused murmurs of everyone in Toman, including the other captains.
Takemichi now had everyone's attention on him, and the fact that he wasn't even in Toman made him an even bigger target. Not to mention that he now created a personal vendetta against Kisaki. And as Kisaki spat out a tiny ounce of blood from his busted lip, his vice-captain interjected with his glare, "What the—?! You outta your mind?!"
Takemichi didn't even respond before Draken added himself to the conversation, "You ain't even in Toman, what the hell are you doing?! Ruining the ceremony?!"
The sound of Draken's enraged tone made Takemichi feel even smaller. Why did he have to screw up so badly? He was supposed to gain everyone's trust and, hopefully, gain admission into Toman. But now? Everything has been ruined...
He then looks in Draken's direction, stammering, "Draken I—... I wasn't—" He is immediately cut off by Mitsuya, who was also approaching him with his fists clenched, "Takemitchy?! Have you gone nuts?!" He yelled, his lavender brows knitting with rage; the veins protruding from his brows were about to burst at this point.
The blonde couldn't even get a sentence out before almost every captain within Toman took a step forward, their fists clenched with irritation and annoyance. They could not believe that Takemichi— an outsider, just punched their new captain and ally. It almost was like a slap in everyone's faces, including Mikey's. And they knew better than to let that fly.
"Hey! You spitin' in Mikey's eye? Is that what you're doing?!" raged someone from the crowd, "You got a death wish?!"
More beads of sweat spew from Takemichi's forehead, he couldn't even conjure up a good excuse.
What could he even say? "Oh, I was just punching the dude who is the reason my girlfriend dies in the future"?! It would've made no sense and he would've looked even crazier.
He was supposed to earn their trust, but now? He blew it. "No— it's not like that at all guys!" Takemichi huffed, his breathing returning to its labored state, "I was...— I was just— trying to—!"
"Hey, so what's going on here?" A voice interjected, it sounded oddly familiar...deep, yet cocky.
At that moment, everyone's expression changed from furious to disappointed, alongside them, Takemichi also turned his head in the direction of the voice. That's when a tall boy, with luscious long black hair, marched onto the scene. His eyes were like the color of acorns, and his teeth were as sharp as a feral dog's. He was certainly familiar.
It wasn't until the male walked up the stairs of the shrine that everyone finally spoke up in hushed murmurs; they all were seemingly gasping in awe.
"Baji..." Mitsuya mumbled.
Baji? As in the first-division captain?
Takemichi's head rotated toward Baji, watching as he stopped in his tracks; now grinning from ear to ear, "Looks like I nearly missed the fun," he said. The mere sound of his voice made Takemichi's brows knit in pure confusion.
'Baji...? Who's that...?' The question had barely left Takemichi's mouth before, seemingly out of nowhere, Baji charged up to him and punched him across the face; nearly knocking the taste from his mouth. He then repeated this action again.
And then he did it again.
And again...
And again for good measure.
Large amounts of blood began to ooze from Takemichi's nostrils, almost completely bruising his nose. After a while, Takemichi noticed black spots forming around his eyes; if Mitsuya hadn't held Baji back after the first five punches, Takemichi would've definitely passed out.
"Alright, that's enough," Mitsuya grumbled, shooting the meanest glare possible toward Baji. Despite this, Baji didn't let up. "Let go, Mitsuya. or I'll kill you." He mandated, retorting with a glare of his own.
Although the threat seemed genuine, Mitsuya only ignored his comment, retorting with a question, "Why are you here?" The question made Baji go silent. Instead of answering the question, he freed himself from Mitsuya's grasp, turning in the direction of Mikey.
"Mikey!!" He bellowed, still withholding his mischievous grin. And though his grin was plastered across his face, it didn't bring one hint of happiness to Mikey's face. Instead, the commander merely asked the same question Mitsuya had asked.
"Why are you here, Baji? You've been banned from attending our meetings, remember?" He argued, barely raising his voice above an agitated murmur.
Baji's ego was only inflated by the simple reminder, "Yeah, I do. And I just slugged this asshole in the face," he retorted, observing as everyone in the crowd quickly turned their attention back to Takemichi, who was still bleeding from his mouth and nose; releasing low pants.
After a moment of silence, Baji then shrugged; raising a curious, yet sarcastic brow, "Does this mean I'm finally gonna be fired? Y'know, for ruining your precious meeting?"
Mikey couldn't understand the question, and no one could even tell what he was thinking. He only stared for a minute, scanning Baji's expression, possibly hoping to find an ounce of bluff behind his solemn expression.
Then, he spoke, "Baji..."
It wasn't a yes nor a no, it was just...a breath of disappointment.
The call of his name only made Baji's eyes narrow, and his smile completely disappeared, "Fine, I'll join Valhalla." He announced, watching as everything fell to silence again and the wind blew more furiously than normal.
Then, he turned to walk away, "After all? You don't want any more trouble, do you, Mikey?"
Mikey was immediately riled up by this, and his initially neutral expression quickly changed to one of utter rage. And as the male with black hair continued to walk away, he roared, "Baji!!"
But this did nothing but bring a victorious smile to Baji's face, and before he could exit the premises, Baji turned toward all of Toman, "So, your first division captain is just gonna go ahead and resign. And starting right now? Toman's former captain becomes its enemy." He beamed, listening to the perplexed murmurs of everyone around him.
And, with this, he was gone.
Everyone was completely taken aback by Baji's sudden declaration, and they weren't even aware of Kisaki's menacing grin as he put his glasses back on his face. It was as if he was almost satisfied with the drama going on around him, "Looks like Toman's a mess."
With this, Kisaki quickly shifted his focus to Takemichi, marching up to him with a mean grin, "So, hey? Takemichi?" He called, his tone appearing almost soft and friendly. It immediately took Takemichi back as he turned around to face him.
"Face or gut? Take your choice." He beamed, his eyes closed as he flashed a soft grin.
"Wha—?"
"Personally? I'd pick your face." Kisaki interjected, still withholding his odd grin. With this, Takemichi took a step back with his brows knitted, "Gut... my gut—"
BAM
After that, the blonde boy receives a quick punch to the face, knocking him out in a matter of seconds. Before losing all consciousness and falling face-first into the concrete below, he heard a smug laugh and a muffled, "Bet you tightened your gut, didn't you?"
Then everything turned pitch black.
~.~
Upon coming to, Takemichi is immediately met with the bright shine of the moon's glow, nearly blinding him upon contact. He then groans to himself, struggling to lift his head off the cold ground, only for it to plop back down with a pang, "Ow..." He hissed.
How did he get like this again...?
'Oh right.' He thought, 'Kiskai punched me... but why did I punch him...?' A brief pause is had before that sinister grin that painted Kiskai'f face, flashed in Takemichi's mind, 'Kisaki's the new third-division captain...he's moving up. Meanwhile, my plan was to become the head of Toman, in order to stop Kisaki, and to stop him from manipulating (Y/N)...'
His lids widen slightly, 'Wait a sec...? Where is (Y/N)...?'
The mere question left Takemichi dumbfounded for a moment, but it was short-lived once the sound of shuffling could be heard directly beside him. He then sat up with a gasp, completely spooked by the sudden sound.
He then turned directly behind him and was met with a familiar grin.
It was the commander of Toman; Mikey.
Takemichi wanted to feel relieved to see him, but then again, he couldn't help but feel as if Mikey was secretly hiding his impending rage. After all? He did crash an important ceremony. But before he could even utter an apology, Mikey spoke with a grin, "You awake?"
His bright smile definitely soothed the taller blonde, it almost calmed his nerves entirely, "M-Mikey! I—"
"You don't like Kisaki, am I right?" the shorter blonde sneered. Takemichi only stammered in response to the humiliating question, then sat back down on the steps below him.
He was unable to justify his actions or explain why he punched Kisaki, as was to be expected. Nonetheless, Mikey displayed no signs of frustration or perplexity. In a way, he appeared to understand Takemichi's actions.
With that, he then turned his gaze to the stars and parted his lips, "You know...? Growing an organization is tough." He mumbled, "You get some new guys in, and then the old guys leave," his frown widens.
Takemichi is immediately struck with the realization of whom Mikey was referencing.
Kisaki was made third-division captain, but... Baji left Toman.
In reality, Mikey was discouraged about losing Baji. In fact, he was upset. And this further troubled Takemichi.
"There's still such a long way to go in order to achieve my dream..." Mikey resumed, "I knew it wouldn't be easy, but in a lot of ways, I guess I should've expected this from the get-go."
A subtle gulp is given byTakemichi, "Yeah..." He huffed, lowering his gaze toward his feet, "But, Mikey...—"
"I need something from you, a favor." The blonde interjected, not batting an eye at the mere call of his name.
Takemichi is taken aback, but nodded regardless, "Yeah? What is it...?" he inquired, watching as Mikey froze for a moment; then he forced a sad grin, "I've got...this childhood friend. Well, we were just neighbors actually; we weren't super close or anything." He snickers mid-sentence, lowering his head as he struggled to maintain that soft smile.
'Mikey's childhood friend...?' Takemichi pondered, 'If that's the case? They must be pretty crazy.' he softly snickers to himself.
"You know? The guy was always picking fights with me. And I'd kick his ass every single time." His smile grows wider, slightly more genuine. This causes Takemichi to mirror that soft expression, "Picking fights with you?" He scoffed, "That guy must've been nuts!"
Mikey only nodded in agreement and turned to face Takemichi, making direct eye contact while parting his lips once more "Yeah? Well, he's the guy who punched your lights out earlier." He concurred, observing as Takemichi furrowed his brows in confusion.
"Uh, Mikey..." He murmured, pointing to his cheek, "I kinda got punched by two guys...so which one?" He inquired. The question immediately made Mikey's expression fall once more, "The first-division captain...Keisuke Baji..."
A soft gasp flew from Takemichi's throat. Did he mean, the same Baji who left for Valhalla...?
"That Baji is pretty unpredictable, huh?" Mikey teased. The comment made Takemichi's expression turn sour, "Yeah... I still have no idea why he wanted to punch me." He pouted, listening to the sound of Mikey's laugh.
"He's always been like that," He said, tipping his head back out of pure amusement, "He'd punch a guy 'cuz he was tired. He set a car on fire 'cuz he was hungry."
The information made Takemichi's stomach turn, not because of what Mikey just told him, but because of how normal it appeared to be, "Huh... I see..." Takemichi inputted; his brow twitching with concern.
'This guy goes way beyond being 'unpredictable'...' He thought.
"Anyway..." Mikey resumed, "That's what he's like...he was there to help us start Toman."
Takemichi's face lights up with surprise, "He was a founding member?" He inquired, watching Mikey's expression fade; despite this, he responded, "I was in middle school, first-year, when Toman was created," he mumbled, "It was Draken, Mitsuya, Pah, Baji, and me."
He then sighed, his eyes dropping to the staircase as flashes of the past were sprinkled in his head. The reminiscing only made him feel worse.
"So... the five of you...?" Takemichi inputted, watching as Mikey nodded softly, "That's right," He responded, "We all got together and established this team. Which is why...—?" He pauses, a soft smile once again returning to his face.
"—...Takemitchy, I want you to bring Baji back to Toman." He steals a glance at the taller blonde, "I...kinda liked the guy, y'know? Think you can do that—?"
"Yeah!!" Takemichi interjected, shooting to his feet as he stood over Mikey, "If that's what you want, Mikey? You got it!" This brought another genuine smile to Mikey's face. But it didn't last long before Takemichi spoke up again.
"But, uh... do you think I could ask for one thing in return?" He muttered, rubbing his forearm out of fear. Mikey only nodded with a low, "What?"
"Kisaki..." He squeezed out, his fists balling at the mere mention of that name. it felt like venom on his tongue, "You gotta get Kiskai outta Toman!" He mandated; veins popping from his brow.
"Huh?" Mikey inquired, his expression falling slightly irritated. Takemichi's fists grew tighter, almost causing his nails to puncture the skin of his palms, "How could you bring someone like him into your gang?! I can't explain it right now but... Kisaki's— he's— bad news!!"
"But I'm just...another one...of Kisaki's soldiers..."
"Save (Y/N)... save her from him..."
"He's gonna...— He's gonna destroy Toman in the future!! He's gonna hurt—"
Takemichi's sentence is immediately cut short once Mikey stood to his feet, tucking his hands in his pockets as another furious wind blew by. Then, he grinned, "Ok." He sneered, watching as Takemichi stood there, dumbfounded.
"Wait— really?" He gasped, his jaw now planted on the floor.
Was it really... that easy?
"Well— okay, Mikey! I promise you won't regret—"
"On one condition."
"Huh...?" Takemichi gasped, watching as Mikey released another giggle. But then, the commander's face just...fell.
"I'll let you in on a little secret, Takemitchy," Mikey murmured, leaning back and focusing on the stars in the sky, "I never really intended on bringing Kisaki into Toman. After witnessing the harm Moebius had caused to innocent bystanders in addition to Toman. I was certain that the only thing I wanted more than anything was to prevent Moebius from ever hurting anyone again, both inside and outside of Toman."
He then clenched his fists, "Later, however, Hanma declared that Valhalla was our new enemy and that, given their numbers, they were a threat. " His eyes cultivate, "I've already witnessed how strong he is. No matter how many times I hit the bastard, he never went down. He is a freak of nature and extremely dangerous."
Takemichi's breath catches as an image of Hanma flashes through his brain, "Wait...you fought Hanma too? But that means— what happened to (Y/N)... was because of him?!"
Mikey falls silent, causing Takemichi's worry to skyrocket, "Why didn't you both tell me?! Fuck...! I knew she got hurt but—... I shouldn't have left her! Especially with Hanma...!"
More silence is granted in retort, "Mikey, say something—!!"
Mikey's throat grows dry and his body stiffens, "Takemitchy, (Y/N) and I... haven't talked in two months." Takemichi is left stunned, his face paling quicker than humanly possible. He then pauses for a moment before responding, "Two... Months?"
His pupils begin to shake and his fist unclenched, "Wha...what happened?"
Mikey sighs with a shrug, his expression not showing any sort of emotion, "It all started back at the hospital. After Hanma nearly beat her to death." He states nonchalantly, "I visited her to get an update on how she was feeling, I remembered how Hanma left her in bad shape so I... took it upon myself to see her. And when I walked in? She was fine."
A tiny bead of sweat leaks from Takemichi's temple, "That's good though...right? So how did things go wrong...—"
"Just pay attention, Takemitchy." Mikey hissed, his voice slightly raised. Mikey's fists are then clenched, and the taller blonde is immediately silenced. "She appeared to be fine on the outside, but when I asked Althea to leave. She finally said everything she was thinking."
Takemitchy nodded, understanding all too well what he meant by that. They both then sat back down as the commander resumed, "Hanma got in her head, made her feel weak and worthless. I couldn't express to you how defeated she sounded... and the way she looked at me... her eyes looked so...soulless."
Takemichi perks up with protest, "That's not like (Y/N) at all...! She'd never just...— give up like this...!"
Mikey falls silent once more, twiddling his fingers, "Can you say that with complete certainty, Takemitchy?"
The taller blonde is taken aback, "Huh?" He exhaled, zipping his lips as he was met with a deadly glare from Mikey, "Can you be sure? That she has never ever been like this before...? Emotionally drained, losing hope little by little?"
More sweat spews from Takemichi's brow as he stammered, "Uh...yeah! She's my friend... I...I don't— she's never..." He quickly bites his tongue, the dull glare that Mikey was giving him was too intense. He couldn't even bring himself to form a simple response.
"Why? Too afraid to talk to your own friend? What, do you not remember how to properly approach me?"
How could he? After all, with (Y/N) done in the future, he couldn't even be sure if she was ever a 'trusting and good person', to begin with. So, he sighed, planting his face in his arms; feeling as the fabric from his red hoodie brushed against his face.
"You're right, I don't know anything...! I never did, Mikey..."
The immediate defeat only made Mikey sigh alongside Takemichi, "Back at that battle, Hanma made sure to cut the only thread that truly held (Y/N) together. And now that he's done that...I think it also cut any ounce of trust (Y/N) actually had... in me..."
Takemichi looks up from his sleeves, staring at Mikey's pitiful expression, it was almost heartbreaking, "So? She told me to piss off." His head tips back, "And? I left...even when I heard her crying on the other side of the door...I left."
Takemichi turns to stare at the sleeves of his hoodie, fidgeting with the soft fabric. "Heh...that definitely sounds like (Y/N)..." He painfully sneered, losing his smile in almost an instant, "The (Y/N) I know— I remember... never liked losing a fight, if anything she would always protect others before herself."
Takemichi lets out another empty chuckle, "I remember when we first met...? (Y/N) comforted me when I was alone, and she didn't crack a single smile." As memories flooded back to him in waves, he slowly lifted his pinky "She even offered her protection in exchange for my to continue being a crybaby. Saying it out loud is kind of silly..."
His lips purse slightly, and his smile disappears, "Ever since then, (Y/N) kept me outta trouble, protected me from big bullies, even if she wasn't strong enough to defeat them." A tiny brown leaf flies by, dancing in the night's breeze, "(Y/N) was...my hero."
Mikey hums in response, seemingly in a daze upon receiving this newfound information, "Sounds like you know her better than me... So, I gotta ask..." His head rotates toward Takemichi, "Has (Y/N) ever been...happy?"
Takemichi stiffens momentarily, his eyes glossy with tiny tears. He then shakes his head, immediate denial rushing through his body in an instant, "I can't really tell ya, Mikey...! (Y/N) has gotten so good at hiding her true happiness that...—"
"...—Not even I can peel off this 'mask' she's been wearing..."
~.~
"What's with the scared look, (Y/N)? You were so confident earlier when you hit me with that broom." Kazutora pouted, cupping his cheek with a mischievous grin. The gaze only further drove a cold shiver down (Y/N)'s spine.
"Listen, Kazutora. I don't want anything to do with Hanma. I'm not even in Toman. So, whatever information he wants from me? It'll just be pointless, 'cuz I don't know shit!" (Y/N) protested, struggling to scurry away from the oncoming male.
Kazutora only released a low chuckle, it was raspy and grim, almost psychotic, "Trust me, my boss is well-aware that you're not in Toman. H also knows that you're a free woman, and hate feeling weak...—" He bends down to one knee, just barely a foot away from the poor girl, "...—don't you agree?" He purred.
(Y/N) grits her teeth, "I'm not gonna repeat myself, fuck off. Or I'll use more than a broom to hurt you."
The blonde and black-haired male only clicked his teeth, standing back to his feet with a shrug, "Fine, continue to be stubborn." He pouted, turning to walk away almost instantly.
Was it really that easy to make him go away? No, it's never that easy.
In the fraction of a second that followed, Kazutora stopped walking and reached into his pocket, seemingly in search of something. This set off alarms in (Y/N)'s head, but as she jumped to her feet, her eyes were immediately glued to something she recognized.
A tiny piece of peach leather...with a kitten on the front...
(Y/N)'s heart drops, and her eyes grow wide.
"Now that I've gotten your attention..." Kazutora murmured, his back still turned to the girl, "Let's go. Before someone else gets hurt."
"For years, (Y/N) clung to others for comfort. Considering her parents were absolute assholes. That's why she loved her sister so much..."
As her feet subconsciously followed behind Kazutora, a lump formed in (Y/N)'s throat as immediate defeat washed over her entire body, and every step she took made her feel as if this was a trap.
After all, what did Althea have to do with any of this? Althea could have left her wallet at the mart, and Kazutora could have seen it and used it as bait to trick her into thinking she was being held hostage.
But then again, she couldn't prove he was bluffing either.
"Kazutora...please..." (Y/N) murmured, clutching the sleeve of her work uniform. This draws the attention of Kazutora as he responded with a delighted hum, "Please, just... if Hanma really does have her... tell him to let her go."
The jingle of Kazutora's earring makes its natural sound as he tilts his head to the side, "Hm? What's up with the shift in your tone? You were so feisty earlier? Are you really that concerned about your best friend—?"
"That's not it!" She interjects, watching as Kazutora's smirk is immediately wiped away, "I've already lost...too much. It's already difficult for me to live without...someone I cared about. But her? What does she have to do with this?!"
Kazutora falls silent as he walks forward, his hands in his pockets. "She wasn't even present during the fight with Moebius! I was. I fought Hanma! I helped Mikey! I did all that shit and didn't get a single goddamn 'thank you'!!"
(Y/N)'s voice echoes throughout the allies that the pair passed through, frightening any small creatures that may have been lurking in the shadows.
"I'm always helping people, putting myself in harm's way so others can survive, and yet—?! Everyone around me... only asks for more without ever asking if I needed help!!" A few huffs are released after (Y/N)'s short outburst, though it felt like forever. She didn't notice how Kazutora was now facing her, smirking.
"Well, if that's the case? We're more alike than I thought."
(Y/N) quickly narrows lids with perplexity. "What...?" She panted, observing as Kazutora approached her, his head tilted to the side, "You're in pain, (Y/N). Always giving and giving, and yet never receiving anything in return, am I right?"
A soft gasp releases itself from (Y/N) throat, causing her to stumble back in slight surprise, "No, that's— I didn't mean—"
"That's what you said, wasn't it?" Kazutora replies, his face moving closer to (Y/N). She could almost feel the breath coming out of his nostrils. Though, s he, on the other hand, refused to be intimidated, "What exactly is your point? Do you want to help me? 'Cuz if that's the case? Why the fuck would I want your help?!"
Her thumb then points directly behind her, "You broke those guys' legs! You're fucking—... you're psychotic!"
Kazutora grows tense at the mere word 'psychotic' and his expression struggles to maintain its grin, "All your life, you've been trying to make others happy. Keep them close because you knew you'd be nothing without them." A subtle gulp is given in retort, but (Y/N) still withheld her protesting demeanor.
"You try to please people, but something always goes wrong shortly afterward..." Kazutora takes another step forward, "It hurts, doesn't it?"
"You don't know me," (Y/N) hissed, her gaze falling to her feet. Though she scorned to admit it, Kazutora was making her feel small, he was getting into her head, and she despised it.
But, despite such, Kazutora persisted, "You want to be free, don't you?" He hummed, his hands placed behind his back as a soft breeze went by, "Don't you want people to hear you for once?"
A soft scoff is released as (Y/N) rolled her eyes, "Nice try, but I grew up learning things a bit differently. In this world? The only way you can earn freedom and peace? Is through hard work. And I refuse to see things any other way."
Laughter could be heard after such a feisty response, such a reply was almost— no, it was hilarious, "Hard work? And how has that been going for ya?"
(Y/N) parts her lips to scream back in Kazutora's face, but nothing came out except an exhale. A low, inaudible, exhale, "I don't have to tell you shit, you sick fuck." She huffed, her head now lowered in utter defeat.
This pleases Kazutora. He was finally breaking down what little strength (Y/N) tried to harvest.
"I've had enough of people like you hurting me." She says, her fists clenched and her teeth gritted, almost as if they could shatter in seconds. "So, with what little strength I do have? I'm gonna stand my ground."
Horrid silence spewed through the air as the tension between the two figures only grew more severe, but even so, Kazutora beamed, "We'll see, (Y/N)... we'll see."
The whistles of the wind begin to blow as the two figures stood there in absolute silence, until...
"(Y/N)!!!" A voice rang, coming from deep within a nearby alleyway.
"Althea!" The tall female's eyes widen in surprise, and she is filled with worry once more. "Hang on, I'm coming!" she cried, her fists clenched as her legs raced toward the tormented voice. She then pants, her legs burning from the speed with which they carried her.
And, with time, they halted. And the sight she saw next nearly made her heart stop.
There he was, per usual. Shuji Hanma; holding a knife to Althea's throat.
He didn't look upset, or angry, just amused. And per usual, he carried that awful smirk with him, "Hey, (Y/N). You haven't changed a bit~" He purred, watching as Althea shuddered beneath his grasp.
(Y/N)'s eyes remain wide as her entire body stiffened, "Hey... take it easy, Hanma... You got what you wanted, I'm here now...!" She persisted; struggling to hide the shakiness in her hands, "Just...let her go—"
That's when the tall male began to laugh, his head falling back as his cackles rang throughout the entire area "Oh, please, (Y/N)! You cannot be this stupid." He laughed, releasing a few snorts in the middle of his sentence, "You may be here right now? But you haven't given me what I want yet." That's when the blade dug deeper into Althea's soft skin.
She flinches, and so does (Y/N).
"I asked you about, what? Two months ago? To join Valhalla." He pouts, "I tried to be nice and let you decide on your own... But? Sadly, you decided to lay low, hiding from me in hopes that I couldn't find you."
His sharp blade then retracts itself from Althea's neck, and points toward (Y/N), "But? I'll always find you, my dear~"
Althea whimpers slightly as a tear spilled from her eye, "(Y/N)..." she cried out, her hands bunched to her chest out of pure fear, "I don't wanna die..."
The taller female was forced to choose between giving Hanma the answer he desired or putting Althea in danger.
'Think, (Y/N)...THINK!!!' She pondered; her eyes scanning from Hanma to Althea, 'Why won't you move...?! You weak...useless...piece of trash...'
"Tick tock, (Y/N). I've already given you enough time to make a choice. And as you may be aware, I occasionally lose patience." His blade rises once more "Should I start a countdown? Or are you too delicate to decide for yourself?"
(Y/N) stiffens again, her breathing growing more labored in a second.
"I guess it's because of her parents that forced (Y/N) to find comfort in others. Like Nala, for example."
"It could've been because she was her older sister but...I think Nala was the only person that treated (Y/N) like a human being. And... when she lost her..."
"She fell apart."
"10..."
"9..."
"Her parents blamed her for everything, her sister, her failing in school, everything. So, she's been forced to try and pick up where her sister left off."
"That's why she works herself to death, she tries to please people in hopes that someone would commend her hard work. But, her parents never did."
"8...7..."
"The truth is...? I think (Y/N) has grown more unstable since Nala's passing. And she's losing sight of how to truly made good decisions..."
"5...4...3..."
"And I think... now more than ever...(Y/N) is willing to suffer for everyone else's happiness, no matter the cost. Even if it kills her."
"(Y/N)... is losing herself... in order to make others happy..."
"2..."
"I'LL DO IT!" A voice rang, causing Hanma and Kauztora to hum in confusion.
Then they smirked, "what was that—?"
"I'll do it, I'll join Valhalla. I'll be your loyal servant, your dog, whatever it takes, I'll do it!!" (Y/N) shuddered, her legs giving out in an instant as she formed a full bow, her hands scraping at the ground as fear consumed her.
"Please, not her... not Althea. Please..." She hiccuped, her tears falling to the ground as everyone around her watched in awe, "Please, Hanma. She's all I have—...! I—... I have nothing left... I'm nothing without her..."
Hanma raises a cocky brow before lowering the blade from Althea's neck, instantly freeing her. He then smirked even more as the short brunette clung to (Y/N)'s shaky figure, "See? Was that so hard?" He purred, kneeling before the two girls.
"So emotional, aren't you, (Y/N)? It's almost sad." He cooed; his hand traveling toward the poor girl's trembling figure before Althea smacked it away, "Just fuck off! Both of you! You got what you wanted!!" She screamed; her voice cracking repeatedly.
Hanma is slightly agitated by the gesture, but moves away anyway, "I suppose you're right." He shrugged, rising to his feet once more, "Kazutora! Return the brat's wallet! We're done here." He ordered, watching as Kazutora reached into his pocket for the small piece of leather, which he then tossed in the direction of Althea; who made no attempt to grab it.
And as the two boys began to walk away, Hanma halted again, turning over his shoulder with a grin, "Oh, and (Y/N)? As your new boss, I want you to remember this date for me."
The two girls lift their heads in confusion, watching as Hanma turned away in victory, "October 31st. That's the day we take on Toman...—" He took a few steps forward, watching as Kazutora chuckled alongside him, "...—And that's the day? We kill 'The invincible Mikey'."
The two girls' eyes widen in shock, but before they could protest, Hanma and Kazutora were gone, leaving the petrified girls in the dark alley, crying and clinging to one another.
"If that's the case, Takemitchy...? Then..."
"..."
"I want you to bring (Y/N) into Toman."
"And by any means necessary? Get her away from Hanma."
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷