Love which Conquers Over Time
So, with all the doujinshis/fanart being put out of Saru with Schoolboy Misaki, I wanted to make a fic about something similar. SaruMi/MiSaru; Sort of AU; Drama/Romance – Kind of a bittersweet story
Rated: T for language; suggestive themes
Disclaimer: GoRa/GoHands up in this K Project Biz.
Note: I guess with every happy/lighter story I write, I like to follow it with more of a drama-focused one. I actually have another one to finish up, but after that I'll hopefully get out my next large cast fic out.
So, in order for this fix to portray both sides, each side is labelled as such when it focused on the nineteen year old version of Saruhiko and Yata.
Misaki's Side - Unknown
"Ughhh…" Misaki groaned as he laid on the cold concrete below him. "What the hell just happened?"
Yata opened his amber-colored eyes and gazed up to the sky. "Huh? It's day time? Did I get knocked out?"
His body felt like he got launched from a giant slingshot and then flung suddenly to the ground. A constant throbbing pain emanated down his backside.
Trying to ignore the pain, the little crow sat up and tried to recall the events leading up to this point…
Misaki and Saruhiko - Together as One
Before heading to one of his part-time jobs, he saw the traitor of HOMRA-Fushimi Saruhiko, sitting on the railing outside his workplace. "Saru! How the hell do you keep finding out where I work!? It's really weird! You're giving me the creeps, you stupid monkey."
Saruhiko smirked. "I just want to find as many ways to annoy you as I can, Mi-Sa-Ki!"
"Do you god damn Blues really have this much free time on your hands? Some people have to do real work to pay their rent you know." HOMRA's vanguard, with a face expressing anger and annoyance, spat at Saruhiko. He charged past him in attempt to enter his workplace.
"Oh, the heartwarming tales of the poor. You really are pathetic, Mi-Sa-Kiiiiiiii!" The Blue made sure to stretch out the smaller man's name just long enough to cause him to turn back around and glare at Fushimi.
"ALRIGHT BASTARD, YOU WANT TO FIGHT?" Yata shouted as he began to surround his body with a bright fuchsia-colored flame.
"Any time you're ready. Let's do it." Fushimi drew his sword out of its sheath, imbuing the blade with a blue glow.
The crow and the monkey chased each other around the streets of Shizume City—something that occurred on a weekly basis. It was another battle added to the many that had already taken place before. As their colors collided into each other, a beautiful purple hue penetrated the night sky and danced with the two with fluid movements.
To those who did not know that a vicious fight was taking place, the vivid shades of red, blue, and purple would have seemed artistic and mesmerizing. Yet for these Blue and Red clansmen, they knew it was nothing more than their war paint for battle.
The two were so immersed in this fight, that they did not even realize that they had both entered an unknown territory of the city. "Have you gotten weak Saru? You look like you're becoming exhausted already. Ha!" Yata sneered.
"On the contrary, I have become a lot stronger since I abandoned you and HOMRA. You can just keep on barking your big talk, but we both know who's weaker in the end."
"You bastard!" Misaki began to lunge toward the blue-eyed man, but was interrupted by the shouts of the men further down the dark alleyway.
"Hey granny! Don't think you can just get away with apologizing when you bump into someone. Someone as big and important as myself can't have scum like you getting my clothes dirty with your dirty hands! I hope you have the money to pay for my cleaning bill!"
"I…I'm sorry gentlemen. I swear I didn't run into you on purpose. Please spare me. I do not have a penny to my name," a meek voice replied.
As the amber-eyed man got closer to the scene, he realized that the woman had pale grey irises without any pupils. "Is she blind?" wondered Yata.
Regardless of this fact, it annoyed him that a bunch of street punks were picking on an old, defenseless, elderly person. The Red clansman could feel his blood begin to boil as he approached the group of men before him.
"Mi-Sa-Kiiiii~ where did you run off to—" Fushimi's words began to trail off as he peered into the alleyway and saw chestnut-colored hair amidst a sea of yakuza-looking people.
"OI! What do you bastards think you're doing picking on an old lady like that? Are you fucking brain dead?" barked the little vanguard. "You morons should scram while you still have the chance!"
Fushimi let out a long sigh. "Why is it that Misaki gets in fights wherever he goes? It hasn't changed since middle school when he used to scream at all the neighborhood punks from different schools," the Blue thought to himself. "Ugh, I guess I have to pull him out of this…"
Before Saruhiko could intervene, the tallest man with a large scar running across his left cheek grabbed the crow by the collar and screamed, "LITTLE KIDS SHOULD KEEP OUT OF THE BUSINESS OF GROWN UPS! DO YOU WANT TO DIE?"
At that moment, the Blue clansman lost his nerve. How dare anyone lay their filthy hands on Misaki. Only he was allowed to tug at his collar and touch his body. Saruhiko began to glow a deep red flame as he sent two of his fiery throwing knives into the large man's shoulder, making him instantly drop Yata to the ground.
"ARGHHH! What the hell is this? Two little punks!? I'm sick of this. MEN, GET THEM BOTH!"
At least ten men came at the two from all sides. Standing back-to-back, they protected each other as they fought off the men. Although the battle finished in a little over a minute, it felt like days for the street gangsters as they were barraged with a series of fiery attacks raining upon them. As ordinary civilians with no sort of color abilities, they were mere rodents standing before a prowling, deadly predator.
"We'll get you for this some day!" one of the men shouted as they quickly hobbled away from the alley.
Yata spat in their direction before turning to the elderly woman, who remained quiet the whole time. "Hey granny, are you alright? Did they hurt you at all?"
Though he hated to admit it, Yata was a soft and caring person who detested those who bullied the weak. The thought of a group of adult men picking on a granny put him on edge.
"Misaki, do you ever think before you jump into situations? Are you really that brainless?"
"Shut up! There was no time to think. Oh, and stop calling me by that name. It grosses me out when you say it!"
"Mi-Sa-Kiiiiii"
No matter what, every conversation they had since Saruhiko's betrayal always ended up in an argument. It remained questionable if the two could converse without trying to kill one another. It seemed absolutely hopeless to even try to salvage the friendship.
"Shitty monkey! I'm going to—"
Yata's words were cut off as he felt a hand place itself on his chest. The crow looked at the elderly woman, who also had her other hand-small and frail, against Saruhiko's chest. Although she was blind, it appeared as if she were gazing deep into their souls.
The blind woman opened her mouth, and in an almost trance-like state, she began speaking. "I can sense that both of you have good hearts, yet they are filled with such a heavy burden of regret and suffering. In return for saving me, I want to help you two find peace and happiness in your lives. Good luck, little ones."
At that point, Misaki felt something grab ahold of his body. It then felt as if he were falling down a dark, endless pit. Suddenly, he felt his body slam into the ground and then…
Misaki's Side – First Encounter
"Ahh, right. So that's what had happened." Misaki then assumed that he had been knocked out or drugged or something, as he couldn't remember the latter events clearly.
First, the crow picked himself off the ground and dusted the dirt and debris from his clothes. He would need to go back to his part-time job and see if he had been fired or not.
Misaki glided on his skateboard, feeling nostalgia as he passed his old middle school. Yata, too focused on staring at the building, didn't see the male student in front of him before it was too late. The two collided into each other with a loud crash as Misaki's skateboard was flung off of the curb and right into oncoming traffic, which ultimately sealed the fate of the board.
The crow was the first to look up as he saw the thin and pale student on the ground, feeling around for the glasses that had been thrown off his face during collision.
"I'm so sorry kid! I wasn't paying attention. Are you alright?" Yata asked as he handed the pair of glasses to the boy.
"Yes, I'm fine…" replied a soft voice. A familiar voice. One that he had heard many times before. The vanguard's eyes began to widen as the blue-eyed student stared at him in confusion.
"…Misaki?"
Before Yata sat Fushimi Saruhiko, age fifteen. Still in absolute shock, the Red clansman began to mutter to himself, "What the hell is going on here?"
Saruhiko's Side - Confusion
Saruhiko groaned as he laid on the ground. He was suddenly knocked back by some strange burst of air after the elderly woman had touched the arguing duo moments before. The entire alleyway was a cloudy haze, too thick to see anything clearly.
As he reached around for his glasses, the Blue felt a warm body lying against his chest. "Ahh, Misaki probably got thrown back as well too," Fushimi thought.
As he began to put his glasses back on, he grabbed the smaller man by the shoulder and said, "Misaki, are you alright? What was—"
As the smoke cleared away, Fushimi's eyes widened in surprise. For some reason, Yata was no longer wearing his usual attire. Instead, the chestnut-haired boy sported a uniform that appeared to be what the two had worn in middle school. His hair also seemed longer, styled in the way he had in his younger days.
The little crow was curled up, fast asleep in Fushimi's lap. The Blue's eyes darted around the alleyway, searching for the old lady. She was nowhere to be found.
Fushimi wanted answers. What did she do to Misaki? Why did he look like how he did in his middle school days? "Well, there's no use in thinking about it here."
Saruhiko slowly got up, still holding the small boy in his arms, and he began walking down the street back to Scepter 4's dormitory.
As the sun rose and began to fill the room with light, the smaller boy began to rub his eyes. With a yawn, he sat up and stretched. "Ugh, why does my body hurt so much?"
Misaki, who about to place his hand down onto the bed, felt the gentle rising and falling from what appeared to be a human body beside him. "What the? Haaaaaaaa!?"
Misaki gasped out as he realized he was not in his own bedroom. There was a larger man sleeping beside him. Yata immediately became flustered and tossed a pillow at the unknown man's face. "W-w-w-who the hell are you? What the hell am I doing here, you bastard!"
The blue-haired man opened one of his eyes slowly, blearily looking at the small figure in front of him. "Misaki? What is wrong?" Fushimi said softly with a yawn.
That voice. That voice sounded familiar. It was a bit deeper than what he was used to, but undeniably, there was only one person out there who said his name that way. The small crow desperately swiped the glasses off of the bed stand beside him and slammed the glasses onto the blue-eyed man's face.
"Oww, Misaki what are you doing? That hurt!" groaned the Blue clansman.
Misaki couldn't believe the person he saw lying in front of him. Despite being older, the person beside him was none other than his best friend. Feeling sweat droplets forming all over his face, Yata opened his mouth and whispered, "…Saruhiko? Is that you?"
Misaki's Side - Disbelief
"So you're telling me that you are not Yata Misaki, age fifteen, but you are really Yata Misaki, age nineteen?" Fushimi said in disbelief. "This joke is really lame even for you."
"I'm not joking around here! I'm being serious! Somehow I got thrown back in time or some weird shit like that!" Misaki shouted.
"Then why are you almost the same exact height? Why do you look exactly the same as you did when you were younger?"
Misaki twitched at those words. It was true that the vanguard stayed about the same height since middle school. It irked him even more to know that Saruhiko teased him incessantly for looking like a middle schooler, despite almost being an adult. It really annoyed him to know that even in his younger form, the monkey still would be taking a shot at his child-like appearance. "Will you just shut up already and believe what I said?"
"Was this idiot always this frustrating back then, or was it because I know of Saruhiko's true sadistic nature now?" he thought as a scowl appeared on Yata's face.
The blue-haired boy sat quietly for a moment. His eyes then suddenly opened wide, and the crow could have sworn that there was a glimmer of hope shining in his blue eyes. "So wait Misaki, does that mean you and I are still close to each other when we both become adults?"
"Tch, no way. The older version of you is a sadistic, twisted bastard that betrays me and leaves me."
"…What!? Really?...That is really…disappointing…" The glimmer in his eyes disappeared and an empty, saddened expression soon replaced it.
Yata suddenly felt guilty. He had just told the younger Fushimi that he grows up to be an unlikeable person. This was the same as him bullying someone. The vanguard sighed and placed a hand on the blue-eyed boy's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."
"Well…what are you going to do now?" Fushimi asked.
"Obviously I'm going to try to find a way back to my real time, but before that..." Misaki looked straight into Saruhiko's eyes. "Saru, do you still have the spare apartment key to my place?"
Standing within his old apartment, the crow felt nostalgia again as he scanned the tiny room. He had video games strewn all over the floor. There was a bag of potato chips and a pile of manga lying on his bed. A pile of dirty clothes sat in the corner of the room. "Actually, now that I think about it, nothing has really changed since I grew up and moved out of this place," Misaki thought.
The chestnut-haired man scanned around the room until he found what he was looking for. "Aha! There is my skateboard!"
Misaki's old skateboard wasn't as nice as the new one he bought after joining HOMRA, but the crow couldn't help but to remember all of the tricks and jumps he learned riding it.
"Saru, you won't know what I'm talking about, but I'm going to go over to the Red clan's home base, HOMRA."
"…HOMRA?"
"Yeah, I might be able to get some help from them with this whole time travel shit."
"I don't get it. What kind of organization is HOMRA? Is it like a gang?" Fushimi asked timidly.
"In the future both you and I joined that clan. Well, at least you did until you betrayed us and went to join the damn Blues instead," Misaki said through clenched teeth. "Anyway, all of the members wear the mark on their bodies to show proof that they are worthy enough to stand beside Mikoto-san. Once they see my mark, they will at least know that I'm really a clansman, and hopefully they will help me."
Yata grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled it down to expose his chest.
"What? I don't see anything there, Misaki."
The crow quickly looked down in panic. The red flame mark was no longer engraved on his chest. It looked as if the mark had never existed. As his palms became sweaty, he mumbled under his breath, "Really. What the hell is going on here…"
Saruhiko's Side – The Boy and the Monkey
"Heeehhh…so what you're telling me is that you're not really fifteen year old Saruhiko, but you're really age nineteen?" Misaki said as he stared at the older man in front of him.
It had been a long time since the amber-eyed boy looked at Fushimi without any hint of malice or annoyance. Surprisingly, it made the blue-haired man feel a bit uncomfortable as the younger version of his best friend gazed intensely at his face, analyzing every inch of it.
The story itself sounded really fishy, and Saruhiko knew that if someone told him the same exact thing, he would dismiss it as some lame joke or something. But this is Misaki we're talking about.
The smaller boy suddenly grabbed onto Fushimi's hands and shouted out, "Wow! That's awesome! So how did you manage to do it? Did you end up inventing some crazy time machine in the future and take over the world!?"
Yata was so giddy that he appeared to look more like a puppy wagging his tail. To him, it was weird to see his friend with a new hairstyle and older features, but it was exciting at the same time.
"No, I actually have no clue what happened. Also I don't know why you are here instead of the real Misaki from this time."
Instead of taking the time to think about this strange situation, Misaki continued to ask questions excitedly. "Hey Saruhiko! What's with those clothes you're wearing!? Is that some sort of uniform for school or work or something? Where are we anyway? Is this your apartment? Hey, hey, do we live together in the future or something?"
To the Blue clansman, the excited little crow in front of him looked so…cute. He forgot how it felt to actually be doted upon by his best friend.
"I now work in Shizume City's enforcement department, Scepter 4. This is the dormitory where I'm staying in."
"Wow…I always knew you were smart, but that sounds really amazing, Saru! What about me? What do I do in the future?"
Saruhiko bit his lip. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Yata about HOMRA or the current situation of their relationship. Well, if anything, he might as well make it sound as bad as possible. Maybe then he could convince the younger Misaki to follow him instead. "You ended up joining a bunch of loser delinquents and have trouble every month trying to pay your rent or feeding yourself."
"Wha…WHAT!? REALLY?" Misaki shouted out. "So, does that mean you and I aren't together in the future?"
There was a look of disappointment on the chestnut-haired boy's face. The two always talked about staying together after middle school was done, and they would both try to find something worth spending time on.
Saruhiko sighed and stared straight into the boy's eyes. "You shouldn't worry about it, you idiot. Anyway, do you want to eat something?"
Suddenly he felt the little crow's arms wrap around his shoulders. "Yeah, let's go! Oh, and Saruhiko, show me around your workplace. Maybe if it's cool enough, I'll try to get in myself so we can be together again!"
The Blues eyes opened wide. He felt a burst of joy surging through his body at the thought of his Misaki, who sounded so willing, wanting to follow him and stay by his side. "Why couldn't the Misaki from today want to do this…I don't get it," he thought bitterly.
The two stood up and walked out of the dormitory. Saruhiko couldn't help but to smile as he saw the smaller boy talk excitedly close beside him.
Misaki's Side – A Face Long Forgotten
"Wow, looks like your middle school uniform still fits you well, Misaki," Saruhiko said as he looked his friend up and down.
Yata could feel his face grow hot as he stared into the mirror. The fact was that his clothes, from when he was age fifteen, still fit him. It irked the amber-eyed man greatly. Even more so, the fact of the matter was that the fifteen year old version of his best friend was still taller than him.
"Are you really going to go to school with me tomorrow?"
"Yeah, I might be able to figure something out or find a clue there." Misaki began to change out of his uniform and into his sleep wear.
While he watched his friend remove his shirt, Saruhiko slowly analyzed the older Misaki. Although his height didn't change that much, his body was more muscular than it used to be. His hair was cut shorter and even more unruly. Although he still had a baby face, he did have some features that made him appear more adult-like. All-in-all, it was definitely Misaki, and the blue-haired boy was happy to be by his side.
"Oi Saru, why are you staring like that? If you have something on your mind, speak up. No one is going to understand you if you don't say anything." A little hint of nostalgia entered the crow's mind as spoke these words. When the two had entered HOMRA, the chestnut-haired man would often catch his best friend gazing at him silently. Like a broken record, Yata constantly reminded Saruhiko to open up instead of hiding what he was thinking. Though unhappily, the vanguard of HOMRA could admit that one of his weaknesses was the lack of ability to read other people's thoughts or feelings. The less time the two spent together, the worse it became-especially when Fushimi betrayed HOMRA and left him for the Blue clan that day.
"Ummm…no, it's nothing."
Yata looked at the clock. It was already 10PM. The little crow turned to Saruhiko and asked, "Hey, it's pretty late right now. Do you just want to stay over for the night?"
The Red clansman was actually surprised by his own comment. When was the last night that he and Saru actually slept in the same room? If he were back in his original time, he couldn't even stand being within the same vicinity of the monkey, yet after seeing his old best friend standing beside him, it made Yata feel relaxed and comfortable.
Although his first reaction was happiness, the blue-eyed boy had to remind himself that this Misaki was the adult version of him. As he briefly discussed earlier, the two weren't on good terms with each other. It made the boy fearful that Yata would hate him too. "Ummm, I would, but…where would I be sleeping tonight?"
Misaki didn't even stop to take that into consideration. Because Yata's apartment was bare-bones and very tiny, there wasn't enough space on the floor to put a futon down, so in the end, the two would always share a bed together. Would it be awkward if they slept beside each other?
"I can just move some stuff over and sleep on the floor somewhere," the crow said, not wanting to scare Fushimi. After all, he was a stranger in a way.
Saruhiko shook his head. "No, it's your room, you should sleep on the bed."
The Red clansman began to feel irritated, as this back and forth, formal conversation was beginning to frustrate him. "Ahhhhh, why don't we just sleep in the same bed together? It should be fine."
"But—"
Misaki cut off the blue-haired boy. "Just shut up and listen to me, Saru!"
The crow didn't mean to snap at the boy, but his mind was playing a tug-of-war game between Saruhiko's older and younger self. In the end, it'll just be easier to be nice to the boy,since as of right now, he was the only person who could help him search for clues.
Yata went over to his bottom drawer and pulled out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. "These are yours right? Put them on and come to bed. I'm going to sleep now."
Misaki had still remembered where the blue-eyed boy kept his clothes. It made Fushimi feel a bit hopeful. Maybe he and his future self aren't completely on bad terms, as the crow still recalled little details about him. The boy quickly changed into his sleepwear and walked over to the lamp. Saruhiko pulled the switch and approached the bed. Yata had really fallen asleep within the few minutes of their conversation.
After he turned off the light, Fushimi crawled into bed beside the crow. The bed was really intended for one person max, so they had to squeeze in together. Saruhiko blushed as he was close enough to feel Yata's breath on him. The boy stared at the face that was inches from his, which was reflecting the moonlight beaming down from the window.
His sleeping face was still the same. Misaki's scent was still the same. His warmth was also just right. It seemed that age didn't take away any of those qualities that the younger boy loved. Saruhiko removed his glasses and after placing them on the bedside table, the blue-eyed boy closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.
The chestnut-haired man was the first to awaken, as the sunlight began to peek into the apartment. The crow let out a big yawn as he opened his eyes. When his vision began to focus on his surroundings, Misaki jumped a bit, almost forgetting that he and the younger Saru slept together last night. The man looked down to his waist and saw the blue-eyed boy's arms around him. Yata began to recall the many times he had woken up to find Fushimi's arms wrapped around his body, hugging the Red clansman close:
"Saru, I woke up this morning and found you attached to me again!"
"Misaki, I told you that my body gets cold at night, and I inadvertently go towards something warmer. You know, since you are a single-celled idiot, you should sell yourself as a personal space heater because you won't be able to find someone who will hire you for any real job."
"What!?...SHUT UP!"
Yata glanced over at the peaceful face resting on the pillow beside him. How many years has it been since he saw such a vulnerable, defenseless expression? The only face that the vanguard ever saw from Saruhiko was his annoying smirk or a look of anger. Misaki couldn't help but to smile as he gazed upon the monkey's long eyelashes, the pale, smooth skin that used to rub affectionately against him, and his thin, but moist lips he used to kiss every day…
The little crow felt his heart jump as he quickly shook himself out of his deep thoughts. "What the hell am I thinking about? I'm supposed to be focusing on getting myself the fuck out of here," he muttered as he crawled out of bed.
He knew that Fushimi was not a morning person, and it would probably take a few times to get him up. Yata decided that he would make breakfast for the two of them first, and then he would drag the shitty monkey out of bed literally by his feet. As the Red clansman peered inside his fridge, he immediately cringed. Not learning how to cook until he had entered HOMRA, Misaki could see he only had boxes of leftovers or half-eaten convenience store bentos.
"Ugh, looks like we'll have to grab something on the way out."
Yata turned back towards the bed, ready to awaken the blue-haired boy from his slumber.
Saruhiko's Side – Finders Keepers
"Heeehhhh, the place you work at is so cool Saru! And the food is a hell of a lot better than the convenience store food we always ate," Misaki said as he began to slurp his white miso soup.
The little crow was as messy as always when he ate breakfast. His table manners were also as bad as ever, and Saruhiko could see food strewn all over the table in front of them. Yata even had a bit of rice stuck to his cheek.
Suddenly, an idea popped into the Blue clansman's head. With a devious smile, he said, "Misaki."
"Hmmm? What is it Sa—"
Misaki stopped speaking as he could feel a warm tongue against his cheek. The chestnut-haired boy shot up out of his chair as he began to stutter, "W-w-what the fuck are you doing out in public, Saru!"
Fushimi could see the face in front of him glow a bright pink. "You had a piece of food stuck to your face, Misaki."
Expecting to be punched or kicked a few seconds after, the blue-haired man was surprised when he saw Yata relax and begin to smile.
"Oh, was that all? If you're going to do something like that, at least tell me ahead of time, you stupid monkey."
It really was Misaki from the past. He figured that the crow had come from the time when the two had actually become intimate with each other. The blue-eyed man could feel joy surging through his body.
However, the flames of happiness were quickly extinguished when he heard a certain annoying female voice behind him. "Fushimi, what is the meaning of this? Why is this person here at our headquarters?"
As the amber-eyed boy saw the blonde Scepter 4 officer in front of him, he quickly shrieked out, "Kyaaaaaa! It's a woman!"
Yata buried his face inside the front folds of Saruhiko's jacket and began quivering. Awashima Seri was actually a bit surprised by this action. She knew that her intimidating look would occasionally make people blush or avert their eyes from her direction, but she never had straight-out made someone hide away from her in fear.
The blue-haired man clicked his tongue and scowled. "This probably will sound far-fetched, but this boy here isn't the Yata Misaki from today, but a younger version of him from the past. I don't know how, but he suddenly appeared before me yesterday."
Awashima gave an ice-cold stare into Fushimi's eyes. "Who? What? Are you seriously expecting me to believe such a story? You've sunk to a new low even for you, Fushimi."
Completely annoyed by his nagging superior, Saruhiko grabbed onto the crow's shoulders and flipped him around to face Seri.
"Kyaaaa! What the hell are you doing, Saru!" Misaki shouted as he felt the blue-eyed man begin to tug on his shirt.
"Although I shouldn't have to bother, I'll prove it to you that this isn't the vanguard of HOMRA. His symbol isn't th—"
The third-in-command's eyes widened in shock as he saw the flame symbol on the boy in front of him. "…Why Misaki? Why do you have that man's mark on you?" Fushimi said, seething in anger.
The crow looked down at his left shoulder. "Hmmmm? What do you mean 'that man's mark?' Don't you remember that's the weird birthmark I was born with?"
Saruhiko clicked his tongue again. "Seriously, what the hell is going on here?"
After about ten minutes of bantering back and forth, the Lieutenant finally let Saruhiko and the boy go in promise that he wouldn't bring him to any of Scepter 4's working spaces. Though, it was actually quite strange, as Awashima did not recognize the crow as a HOMRA member.
"Isn't he just a civilian? I don't think I've ever seen him around before. Is he a new member of the Red clan or something?"
The words coming from Seri's mouth confused Saruhiko even more, but he wanted to get something straightened out before anything else. Back in the blue-haired man's room, the two sat in silence on the bed together.
Fushimi was the first to break the silence. "…Misaki, did you come from the time after you've already joined HOMRA?"
The smaller boy had a befuddled expression on his face. "Huh, what!? What the fuck is HOMRA?"
Could Misaki be lying to him? No, that's not possible. The chestnut-haired boy had always been the worst liar, as the boy wore his heart on his sleeve. He couldn't find an explanation for this. "Well, he doesn't seem to know anything about the Red clan. It's best I keep him away from that trash for now," he thought.
When Fushimi looked beside him, he could see the little crow leaning forward on his hands and knees, looking at the Blue clansman.
Cute. Yata Misaki was too adorable back then. His pink, soft lips…his curious gaze coming from his beautiful amber eyes…his firm and round ass…
The Blue clansman quickly snapped himself out of his thoughts. Would it be corrupting a minor if he did anything to Misaki? "I guess he's technically the four years younger version of Misaki, but his body really is almost identical to his nineteen year old self. There would be no harm in just hugging and kissing Misaki occasionally. Besides, Misaki was the one who so willingly wanted to stay with me since he came to this time period. Finders keepers, right?"
After making up his mind, Fushimi began to pat his lap. "Misaki, come sit here for a bit."
Although he turned a bright red color, the smaller boy began to crawl onto Fushimi's thighs and sat down facing towards the blue-eyed man. With a gentle smile, the Scepter 4 officer gently kissed Misaki on the forehead and embraced him closely. Maybe having this version of Misaki wouldn't be bad at all.
Misaki's Side – Woes of a Single-Celled School Boy
"…Misaki. I know that you are stupid, but why the fuck are you getting even worse scores on your exams than you did when you were fifteen?" Saruhiko said in disgust.
The crow's cheeks turned a rosy pink color. "…S-s-s-shut up! It's been a while since I've done any of this kind of stuff! You and I both quit school after we joined HOMRA!" Yata was beyond humiliated. Their math teacher had given a pop quiz first thing in the morning. It was just simple algebra, yet to the chestnut-haired man, it might as well have been rocket science. "AHHHH, FUCK! WHO THE FUCK CARES ABOUT THIS SHIT!? NO ONE USES THIS CRAP OUT OF SCHOOL ANYWAY!"
The entire class became dead silent as they turned and stared at the amber-eyed man sitting in the back corner. Saruhiko clicked his tongue as he stood up, grabbed his bag, and gripped onto Misaki by his arm, dragging him out of the classroom.
"Oi, Saru! What the fuck do you think you're doing!?"
"Shut up and just follow me."
The two had relocated up to the roof. The blue-eyed boy sighed and glared at the man in front of him. "You really haven't changed at all have you? You're still just the same single-celled moron that you were four years ago."
"WHAT!? YOU WANT TO FIGHT!?" Misaki stood in fighting stance, ready to throw a punch at the damned monkey's face.
Instead of rising to the challenge, Fushimi opened his bag and handed Misaki a bento box. "Here you idiot. Lunch."
The vanguard was taken aback. He had grown so accustomed to fighting with the monkey that he didn't even think about solving the issue without violence. Saruhiko was always rough and abrupt in his way of speaking, but then he made up for it by being kind and helping Yata out whenever he needed someone to calm him down or to help him.
The two sat side-by-side, eating their lunches peacefully.
"Ah, Saru! You are picking out your vegetables again! You know, you never quit that bad habit of yours even when you're older. No wonder you grow up to be so lanky and sickly looking."
An idea suddenly popped into the Red clansman's mind. He quickly grabbed a piece of green pepper with his chopsticks and turned to his friend beside him. Grinning mischievously, Yata said, "Hey…Saru…I'm going to make you learn how to eat your vegetables now. Here, open up."
The blue-eyed boy instantly began to lean away from the older man with a look of annoyance. "Stop that Misaki. I refuse to eat any of those shitty, revolting vegetables."
"Hmmmm, really now? Well, I'm older and stronger than you now, so I'll force them into your mouth if you don't do it willingly!" Misaki tackled Saruhiko to the ground and attempted to push the pepper between his lips.
The blue-haired boy began to thrash about as Yata put his entire weight against his body. Although he didn't physically increase in size, the Red clansman had become a lot stronger than when he was younger. Misaki managed to get the vegetable past his lips and into the boy's mouth before Fushimi managed to push the vanguard off of him.
"…Misaki…you bastard…I'm going to kill you," the boy said as he spit the pepper out of his mouth.
Saruhiko grabbed his milk and took a chug, trying to wash away the terrible taste in his mouth. Then, a plot for vengeance appeared in the blue-haired boy's mind. "Misaki, if you want me to eat vegetables so bad…THEN I'LL MAKE YOU DRINK YOUR MILK TOO!"
Fushimi dove at the little crow and managed to straddle himself on top of the man. With a chuckle, he began to bring the bottle closer and closer to his lips. However, to Saruhiko's surprise, Misaki propped himself up with one arm, and he grabbed onto the boy's hand, moving the milk right against his mouth.
"Misaki?" the blue-eyed boy asked as he saw the man below him take a drink from the bottle.
With a smirk, Yata replied smugly, "Unlike you Saru, I've grown up and learned how to drink my milk. You're the only one still stuck on avoiding vegetables."
Fushimi felt his face grow hot as he began to blush furiously. Misaki had this new level of confidence and pride within him, and somehow it was strangely enticing. The boy could feel his heart beat faster as he continued to stare down at the man below him.
The crow gave out a loud yawn and relaxed back onto the floor of the roof. "Oi Saru. Do you still have that music player that we used to listen to during lunch every day? Get it out and play some music. I want to listen until I fall asleep."
The blue-haired boy slowly got off of the Red clansman and went over to his bag. He grabbed the player and returned to Misaki's side. Giving the left ear bud to the amber-eyed man, Fushimi laid down next to him. Placing the bud into his right ear, Misaki closed his eyes and smiled. As the music played softly in their ears, the older man couldn't help but to feel relaxed and content. It was just like how it used to be—two best friends side-by-side, connected to each other by the two ear buds.
The crow felt a desire within him, secretly wishing that the two could continue to remain like this together. Before drifting off to sleep, Yata thought, "I wouldn't mind staying like this forever."
Saruhiko's Side – A Short-lived Euphoria
"…nnnn…Saru…wait!...It's too big!"
"Shhh…Misaki. Didn't I tell you to just leave everything to me?"
"B-b-but…ah! This feels strange!"
"But you look real good right now, Mi-Sa-Ki~"
Yata spun around and looked towards the Blue clansman with an excited look on his face. "Does I really? Do I look like a Scepter 4 member?"
As Saruhiko put the final pin in place, he stood up and took a good look of the crow in front of him. Misaki really wanted to try on one of the Blue clan's uniforms, so the blue-haired man snuck into the uniform storage room, and he grabbed the smallest sizes he could possibly find. Even with the smallest sizes, it was quite baggy on the amber-eyed boy. However, with a few pins here and there, the Scepter 4 officer managed to make it fit the petite figure in front of him.
"Yeah, it suits you perfectly," the Blue clansman said with a gentle smile.
"Though…you said there's a test to get in right? I'm probably too dumb to pass it…" the smaller boy had a look of disappointment on his face.
Fushimi placed his hands upon the chestnut-haired boy's shoulders. "Isn't that why you have me here, Misaki? I'll teach you all that you need to know."
The smaller boy's eyes lit up in hope. "Really Saru!? And then we can be together!"
Saruhiko pulled the boy into a warm embrace. "Yeah, together forever."
Yata hugged back as he affectionately rubbed his cheek against the Blue's chest. "So, can you take me out now on a tour of anything fun and new in the city since middle school? I want to see what kind of games they have now at the arcade!"
The Scepter 4 officer began to think. "As long as I keep him away from HOMRA's headquarters, I should be fine."
"Sure, let's get you changed and swing by the new game center that opened about a year ago."
Suddenly, a strange feeling began to rise within the blue-eyed man. He felt himself become light-headed for a moment. As the dizziness subsided, Fushimi reached over to the chestnut-haired boy to help him remove the uniform. To his surprise, as he reached for the body, he felt his heart begin to pound furiously. Before his fingers could touch Yata's body, he saw them begin to fade away and become transparent. His hand seemed to have past right through the little crow's body.
"What the…am I just imagining this? It can't be real…" the Blue clansman thought to himself.
When he looked back at his fingers again, he saw them completely normal.
"Saru, is something wrong? You have a funny look on your face," asked the smaller boy beside him.
"…No, it's nothing." The Scepter 4 officer had concluded that he was simply tired and probably hallucinating for a second.
After Yata changed back into his school uniform, the two walked towards the door. Despite the conclusion made in his mind, Saruhiko couldn't help but to feel apprehension still lingering in his heart.
"God dammit, Saru! Why are you still better than me at video games even when you're older!?" Misaki began to pout after losing his tenth game in a row against the Blue clansman.
"It can't be helped that you're weaker than me, Mi-Sa-Ki~"
"What!? You want to fight, you shitty monkey?"
"So you can lose at another thing against me and have you start crying your eyes out?" A smirk appeared on the blue-haired man's face.
"Shut up! Who the fuck would cry over something like that! Stand still Saru, and let me smack you around a little bit!" The crow began to roll up his sleeves, preparing to tackle the taller man in front of him.
With a laugh, the Scepter 4 officer ran out the door, letting the smaller boy chase after him. He didn't take more than ten steps beyond the game center's entrance when he ran into a portly, blonde-haired man in front of him.
"Oof…what the? Saru, is that you?" Kanamoto looked at the Blue clansman in front of him.
Fuck, it was the pig man.
"Hey Saru, why did you stop all of a sudden?" Misaki peered over Fushimi's right side and stared at the large, tanned man in front of him.
It was too late for the Blue to hide the boy. Kanamoto had already seen him. "He's probably going to ask a million questions as to why Misaki had long hair and was wearing his middle school uniform," Saruhiko thought.
To the blue-haired man's surprise, Kanamoto inquired about something that he would have never expected.
"Uhhh…who is that kid next to you, Saru? Are you so lonely now that you're hanging out with middle schoolers? Hey kid, what's your name? You probably shouldn't be hanging around a guy like this for your own good."
"What did you say, you fatty!? The name is Yata. You better watch what you say about Saruhiko, or I'll kick your fucking fat, lardy ass," the chestnut-haired boy growled.
"Sheesh, I guess unlikeable people such as yourself hang out with other unlikeable people. Anyway, bye Saru." Kanamoto began to walk away towards his favorite ramen restaurant.
Fushimi was completely and utterly confused. Why did the pig man not know who Misaki was? He definitely had seen him back during his middle school days when he first joined HOMRA. Furthermore, why was the boy wearing the Red clan's mark if no one could recognize him? Could it be that some parts of Yata didn't switch when his fifteen year old self appeared? Ever since there was a swap between the older and younger Misaki, things had made less and less sense. Logic had pretty much got up and walked out the door.
For the first time since the Red clansman disappeared, Saruhiko began to truly think about Yata. Where did he go? Was he safe? Although the two now had such a bitter relationship, he couldn't help but to still care for the man. He was a part of his life that could ever be erased.
Lost in his thoughts again, the blue-eyed man felt a small hand squeeze onto his. "Saru? Are you okay?" Yata had a look of concern on his face.
That's right. The sweet and gentle Misaki was here beside him. This Misaki didn't detest or avoid him. The boy looked at him and stayed by his side. It was everything that Saruhiko would have ever wanted in life. But still, the Blue clansman was unable to stop the visions of the older man from appearing in his mind. Fushimi couldn't understand the void that was growing in his heart.
Misaki's Side – The World that Crumbles
"What the fuck is going on here…"
Yata stood upon the street in front of the Red clan's home base. Yet, instead of seeing the bar in front of him, there was just an empty lot. There was no sign—or building for that matter. It was as if it never existed in the first place. Misaki clenched his fist and shouted out, "WHY? WHERE THE FUCK DID HOMRA GO?"
"Misaki…what are you talking about. What is HOMRA?" Fushimi couldn't understand what the chestnut-haired man was talking about.
"It's the Red clan's base within in Shizume City! It's the group that took us in after we were finished with middle school! There's no way that the bar wasn't already here at this point. Kusanagi-san and Mikoto-san had already owned the property since they were younger!"
The little crow suddenly turned around and began to charge down the street.
"Huh!? Wait Misaki!" Saruhiko quickly trailed the hotheaded man ahead of him.
"We have no time to waste! I need some fucking answers, and there's only one place that I can think of." The amber-eyed man began to grit his teeth hard.
"Ummm, where exactly are we going?" the blue-haired boy asked. as they both jogged down the street.
"We're going to see the fucking Monkey King at Scepter 4's headquarters. He might know what had happened to HOMRA."
"I'm sorry sir, but the captain is currently busy right now. He is unable to see you at the moment. If you would like to discuss something with our department, please go to the front desk in the lobby and submit a request form."
"Are you fucking shitting me, you shitty-ass Blue? Shut the fuck up and let me see the god damned Monkey King." Misaki's eyes glowed with rage.
"Please sir, we're asking you nicely to leave. We would rather not have to use force to remove you from the premises."
"…Misaki, let's just go…" Saruhiko grabbed onto Yata's sleeve.
The crow refused to budge from his spot. "I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY TO REMOVE ME BY FORCE, YOU FUCKING BLUE CLANSMAN!" Misaki took a battle stance as he glared into the eyes of the Scepter 4 worker.
"What seems to be the problem here?" A familiar voice called from behind the amber-eyed man.
Yata quickly spun around and saw the Blue King, Munakata Reisi, standing ten feet away from him.
"Oh, sorry Captain! We're just handling a disturbance here. Please don't worry, we have it under control."
"SHUT UP!" Misaki barked. "Hey, Blue King! I need some fucking answers. Where the FUCK is HOMRA and Mikoto-san? Where the hell are the Red clansmen?"
Reisi's violet-colored eyes narrowed at the smaller man in front of him. "Mikoto? As in Suoh Mikoto?"
The vanguard's eyes began to light up. "Yes! Where is he? I need to talk to him right now."
A solemn look appeared on Munakata's face. "If you don't mind me asking, what is your name?"
"Yata. Yata Misaki. I am—well will be, the vanguard for the Red clan under Suoh Mikoto one day in the future."
A heavy hand landed on the crow's shoulder. "Yata-kun, I am sorry to be the one to be the bearer of bad news, but Suoh Mikoto had passed away several years ago after saving one of his friends from a burning building. The friend managed to get out alive, but a wooden beam from the ceiling above collapsed and fell onto Suoh. There were too many flames around him, and he couldn't be saved."
The chestnut-haired man felt his knees give out as he fell to the ground. His chest was so tight that he couldn't even breathe. His brain still could not understand all of the news he had just received. "…Mikoto-san died…by burning to death!? What the fuck…why!? How the HELL can the Red King burn to death by fire? You are fucking lying, Blue King!"
"Yata-kun, I don't quite understand the circumstances that you are in, but there hasn't been a Red King since the Kagatsu Crater incident."
After a moment of silence, the captain of Scepter 4 bowed to the amber-eyed man and said, "I sincerely do apologize for whatever trouble you are experiencing. I must go attend a meeting now, but please inform my subordinate if there is anything that we can do for you."
As the Blue King disappeared from view, Yata could not do anything besides sit on the ground and sob miserably.
About an hour later, both Misaki and Saruhiko were back in the crow's apartment. The two sat in silence, side-by-side on top of the bed covers. The blue-haired boy couldn't quite understand what exactly was going on in Yata's life, but it hurt for him to see his best friend so torn into pieces like this.
Yata felt like his heart had died. After coming to this place, he had lost everyone. He lost his clan, his leader, and his friends…except for one. Misaki's blood began to rush so rapidly throughout his body, that he could feel his arteries pulsing all over.
Saruhiko. Saruhiko was the only thing he had in this world. If he disappeared as well, the amber-eyed man would probably self-destruct. Fear began to take over him. Was the boy going to vanish mysteriously from his life as well? No. He would rather die than to let that happen. Whether it was young Saru or his bastard older self, he refused to let the boy out of his grasp.
Misaki grabbed onto the younger boy's arm and held him close against his body. He hugged on so tightly that Fushimi thought his bones would crack. "…Misaki…you're holding me…too tightly…It hurts."
Yata refused to lessen his grip though. He needed to make sure that this boy would stay with him always. This Saruhiko would be by his side and never betray him. Misaki would make sure of that. With teary eyes, the crow managed to sob out, "Saruhiko, please don't leave me too. I need you…please Saru…"
The blue-haired boy's eyes widened in shock as he suddenly felt Yata's lips against his. From what he could recall, Fushimi remembered the older man saying that the two were now on bad terms with each other. But Misaki was currently holding onto him and kissing him. He wouldn't do that if he didn't truly love him and care for him…right? Saruhiko figured he could take the chance anyway as he kissed the chestnut-haired man back.
Fushimi slowly laid Misaki onto the bed, as they continued to kiss and hold each other tenderly. Yet, the more intense the two got, the stranger Yata began to feel. His mind was becoming cloudy, and he felt dizzy. He became so discombobulated that he didn't even notice his hand slowly begin to phase out and become transparent, as he ran his fingers down the taller boy's back.
Fushimi's Side – Pieces Coming Together
Fushimi turned to his side and gazed at the small body resting beside him. The Blue clansman knew he should be happy with the younger Misaki beside him. The boy would never leave his side and the two would spend the rest of their lives together without any annoying outsiders to butt in and split them apart.
Yet happiness wasn't the emotion that was in his heart. As time progressed onward, his mind began to fill with thoughts of the monkey-hating Red clansman instead. He laid on the bed trying to figure out why he couldn't let go of the older man. The two were constantly at each other's throats, and the vanguard never understood how Fushimi was really feeling.
But at the same time, that very person continued to ignite the flames of his soul. Every encounter he had with the amber-eyed man was a thrill that gave life to his otherwise grey and boring world. It wasn't just the ups between the two that made him feel this way, but the downs as well. It truly made him feel alive and have something to pursue in his life.
He could be considered a masochist in a sense, but Saruhiko realized that the pain was just another emotion that the crow had given to his otherwise blank, empty personality. Misaki was like the sun—always brightly burning with passion and overflowing emotion. Saruhiko felt that he was more like the moon—a reflection of the sun's light. Without the sun, the moon would never be able to glow and show off its beauty. Even if the moon were to stray from the sun and phase into darkness, the sun would always come back and return to give the moon light again.
The Blue clansman had finally pieced together what he felt was missing in his life. No matter what happened between the two, he knew that they had a special, unbreakable bond with each other.
The little crow began to stir beside Fushimi, as he could feel the heat of his emotion radiating from the Blue's body. "Mmmm? Saru, are you up? Is something wrong?"
The blue-haired man gently placed a hand on Yata's shoulder. "Misaki, I need to talk to you."
Misaki's Side – Regret
After waking up the next morning, waves of guilt overcame the little crow. He couldn't believe what he had done with the younger boy sleeping beside him. In a moment of weakness, he let his selfish emotions take over as he desperately searched for comfort and security from his best friend. Saruhiko had always been good at making Yata feel safe.
Although this Saruhiko was the one who didn't betray him and always stayed beside him, the Red clansman couldn't help but to think about the older Fushimi. Even though the two argued and went their separate ways, Misaki could never forget all those moments they did spend together. Whether it was battling against each other or standing back-to-back in a combat together, Saruhiko still managed to put a spell on the chestnut-haired man and captivate him.
In a way, the two helped shape each other's lives, and they wouldn't be who they were today if the duo had just continued to live in their own small world together. Their own existences were really defined from each other. One could really see the strengths and weaknesses of the two when they were with side-by-side. If either of the two didn't exist, they would have been entirely different people.
Misaki could feel a few warm tears escape from his eyes, as his mind became filled with thoughts of the older Saruhiko. What happened to him while he was stuck in the past? Was he safe? Was he stuck in a similar circumstance somewhere else? Was he alone? The more he thought about the Blue clansman, the more pain he felt in his heart.
The blue-eyed boy began to stir as he heard the soft, muffled cries of the man beside him. "…Misaki?"
Yata quickly embraced Fushimi and held him close. "Saru…I need to talk to you about something."
Misaki and Saruhiko – Re-United as One
The two stared at the younger versions of their best friend before them. Both had gentle looks upon their faces as they gazed upon their innocent faces, who were unaware of all the troubles and misfortune that would eventually befall upon them. Still, both Saruhiko and Misaki knew that no matter how difficult their futures would be, they will both grow stronger and move on from there. And no matter what happened between the two, they would still have each other to re-affirm their existence and who they are.
They began to talk in synchrony:
"Misaki, I have finally found my answer."
"Saruhiko, I have finally found my answer."
Suddenly, a bright light began to surround the two and pull them hard towards it. Before they knew it, the two older selves were laying on the hard ground within the alleyway side-by-side. Before the bright light disappeared, they could see the two younger versions of themselves holding onto each other, staring back at the two.
It was night. Fushimi and Yata had found themselves back at the same alleyway before all of these events had happened. It felt strange, as it appeared that no time had progressed since they were split apart. Out of breath and tired, Saruhiko and Misaki both turned their heads towards each other. Although no words were spoken, they could read what was on each other's minds. A smile appeared on both of their lips.
"Welcome back, little ones," a familiar voice spoke to them.
Misaki turned his head and looked up. "AHHHH! It's the granny that we saved! You did something to us, didn't you!?"
Fushimi scowled as he said, "Do you know how much trouble we had to go through because of your actions?"
"Yes, but in the end, did you not find the answers you were searching for?" the elderly woman gave a toothy grin.
The two turned their heads and looked back into each other's eyes. A soft glow of pink appeared on both of their cheeks as they tried to speak at the same time:
"Ummm…Saru."
"Misaki."
Fushimi and Yata both stopped talking and began to laugh out. No more words had to be said—at least not that night. The two both leaned towards each other and began to give soft, sweet kisses. As tears started to fall down their cheeks, they embraced each other in true happiness.
END
OMAKE
"You did WHAT with my younger self?" Fushimi asked in disbelief to the man laying beside him. A smirk appeared across the blue-haired man's face as he said, "Misaki, I can't believe you degraded a younger boy."
Blushing furiously, Misaki turned away from the Blue clansman in the bed and tried to cover his face with a pillow. "SHUT UP! I bet you were taking advantage of my younger self too, you shitty monkey!"
"Actually, it was you who made advances at me. You kept clinging to my arms or you rubbed your head affectionately against my chest. Wow Misaki, you really are a perv no matter what age you are."
"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! You were the one doing things to me that ni-" Yata quickly covered his mouth as he realized what he had just said.
Smiling with utmost satisfaction, Saruhiko pulled the crow back on top of him and smugly replied, "Oh? So in the end, you bottomed for both me and the younger version of myself? You really are just a naive virgin in the end aren't you?"
Before the Red clansman could spew out angry curses at the taller man, Fushimi locked his lips firmly against Yata's. He knew that no matter how much time passes, Misaki's love will always be his.
OMAKE END