Published: December 15, 2012
From anon: ". . . a FushiYata fic from Kamamoto's point of view? . . ."
Routines are like drugs. Once you fall into one, you start to become dependent on it. But sometimes, you don't notice until it's too late and when that routine breaks—when something changes, so does your sanity.
Kusanagi wonders how big a part Fushimi was (still is) in Yata's life for Yata to have been reduced to the mess he was when the bastard left.
:+:
It was almost like clockwork. He'd get up everyday, go down and look for breakfast, and if there wasn't any, steal whatever Eric was eating. Fushimi would make a snide comment about whatever it is that catches his attention before Eric could start a fight with Yata, and Yata would make loud retorts to Fushimi's remarks but would plop down beside him on the couch anyway.
Fushimi would narrow his eyes at whatever Yata was eating and steal it from him. He'd then shove whatever he had on hand into Yata's mouth before the ginger could complain. They'd continue to sit and exchange remarks as they eat their breakfast (or brunch). And if anyone else wanted to sit on the couch as well, they learned to sit on Fushimi's side and never on Yata's (because no one wanted to be subject to Fushimi's glares—no one).
Kusanagi considered making breakfast to avoid these fights, but Tatara always made the best meals when he's up for it and it didn't do any good to wake him up earlier than one in the afternoon. Besides, it was fun watching Fushimi bait Yata so easily.
Then Mikoto would come down and as if by instinct, Yata would drop everything and jump to Mikoto's side. If he was feeling brave enough, he'd even take up the stool on the bar counter beside him.
Mikoto would ask Kusanagi if there was anything to eat and before, Kusanagi would have told him to go look for something himself, but he learned that if he did that, Yata would offer what Fushimi gave him, or when he'd already finished it, offer to go do the grocery, and that would undoubtedly put Fushimi in an even fouler mood. So Kusanagi learned to heat up last night's dinner for Mikoto and hide it from anyone else beforehand.
He really should have known, or at least suspected Fushimi's resignation, by the way he—well, since glare is too strong a word—looked at Mikoto with a well hidden resentmentwhen he thought no one was looking.
As if Mikoto's presence was the pause button, they'd continue their bickering once their king leaves and Fushimi's mood returns to normal as if the conversation was never put to a halt in the first place. When their flirting gets overboard, Kusanagi would send them off to whatever errand he could find. Like a curfew, they'd return before ten in the evening but never earlier than nine, even when they were given a job that only takes half an hour. Kusanagi doesn't know what they do in their spare time nor does he want to. (He's contemplating about giving Fushimi his own room so maybe Chitose and Dewa, being their unfortunate neighbor, would be able to get some quiet sleep at night. But then he wonders if that will even change anything.)
When Fushimi left, Yata was at a loss. Everything haunts you when you lose your best friend. You can't forget, or even pretend to notice that person's not there. Escapes are hard to find, and Yata desperately looked for them because even waking up in the morning was hard when half of what used to be their(now only his) room was barren.
Kusanagi did not know what to do. For a while and days at a time, Yata wouldn't even come home. And when he did, he was passed out, drunk from alcohol or tired from getting into meaningless fights, and carried home by the members who found him.
Thinking back, he regrets how it took five broken ribs, a bad concussion to the head, a fractured arm, and three trips to the hospital before he did more than just tellingYata to stop.
Curfew got tighter ("Be home before six.") and rules were enforced ("You call me every two hours and you have to be sober each time or there willbe repercussions."). Kamamoto was assigned as Yata's new partner (this wasn't received very well—a tantrum here and there plus a couple of flames thrown) and he was not allowed to leave Yata's side or take his eyes off of him.
In secret, he was ordered never to let an encounter between Yata and Fushimi happen—and if it was possible, with anyone from the Blues at all.
Kusanagi pulled a few strings and managed to suck it up to call Awashima after gods know how long it had been since their last encounter, and after a few shameless minutes, he had gotten his… whatever she used to be to him, to help keep an eye on Fushimi and keep him from meeting with Yata.
It worked well enough and although it wasn't enough to be trusted with the position of vanguard again, Yata didget better (considering how far he'd fell). Well, that is, until Yata found out and threw a fit, exclaiming that they were treating him like a kid, and that he could take care of himself—even going as far as cursing Kusanagi and Tatara (who had defended Kusanagi's intentions) in front of Mikoto.
Like any parent (or substitute parent?), Kusanagi would have been angry enough to reach his boiiling point, if not for the sinking fear that Yata went out to seek Fushimi in the middle of the cold rain. Not only would their meeting be too early, but Yata would also have nowhere to turn to if it didn't turn out well because knowing him, he wouldn't have the courage to show his face back into the bar after he exploded like that.
So Kusanagi set out a search team to bring Yata back and just as well, for he had found Yata by the docks, seemingly unharmed but when Kusanagi looked into his eyes, they were hollow and devoid of their usual bright flame. The grass had been burnt, and Yata's board looked worn and his bat looked like it had more scratches than before, telling him a fight had broken out but Fushimi had the heart to keep Yata physically intact.
Yata tells him Fushimi didn't want to come back and that there was nothing he could do to change his mind. Fushimi didn't say why or even I'm sorry, only that he couldn't wait to face Yata in the battlefield. He doesn't tell Kusanagi about the insults Fushimi directed towards Homra, but Kusanagi suspected it nonetheless.
Kusanagi couldn't tell which were tears, and which were rain, only that Yata was sobbing and mumbling apologies like it was the only thing keeping him together. Kusanagi could only hug him close, reassuring him that he had a home to return to with pats to the head.
Kusanagi sends messages to everyone, saying he's found Yata and that they're in the field by the docs. Tatara was the first to respond, calling Kusanagi's PDA.
"Cheer up, Yata-chan! He didn't say you're no longer his best friend, did he? Besides, the both of you need to expand your worlds anyway, he knows this and that's just what he's doing. He's not cutting off ties, he said so himself. Think of it as… he just wants a change in scenery?"
"I-I… It's not like I want him to keep being my best friend…! Tch. He's no good! I-I'm glad to be rid of him! Yeah, that's right." Yata pouted and Tatara laughs at Kusanagi's suppressed groan. How much of a tsundere can he get?!
"I'm in the tower a few buildings down. Meet you guys at the entrance and we can go home together," Tatara said. "Yata-chan better not be crying when I see him."
Expectedly, Yata exclaimed that he wasn't crying and that it was just the rain. Tatara laughed before cutting the video call.
:+:
They headed to the tower, which was on their way home, and heard a gunshot when they neared the entrance. They ran up the stairs and found Tatara bleeding on one of the balconies, his camera in hand and still recording the documentary he would have named The Search For Yata. They called for help, but he died just before Mikoto arrived.
Later, Kusanagi tells Yata it's not his fault—that Tatara had been talking about taking a video on top of that tower for a long time, but Yata doesn't listen and still secretly harbors the guilt. To everyone's relief, he didn't turn into the recluse they expected him to be after that.
Kusanagi hates how it took the death of a member to return Yata to his normal self, but he's glad to see Yata direct his energy into positive things like finding the killer instead of moping about.
A/N: I know, I know, I went a bit overboard on the Tatara thing and I doubt this is what anon meant in his/her prompt, but I really couldn't help it—once the headcanon starts rolling, it can't be stopped. :) And I seem to be in a happy mood tonight so the ending's kind of rushed because I'm really just not angsty right now. Of course, one stray Sarumi post on my dashboard could ruin all that...
To the other prompters: I haven't forgotten about ya'll! Hope you don't mind if I take my time? :