20
"Ok, see you guys later, bye!" Before she was able to make it through the door, an unlikely voice spoke up.
"Michi." It was Mikoto, and he kept direct eye contact with the strange man trapped under Akane's arm. She looked at him in surprise but he wouldn't meet her gaze. Yuuto could hear her heart rate increase, but was unable to say anything due to the lack of air flow to his lungs. "Make sure she eats." Yuu did his best to nod in acknowledgment, but barely had the chance as he was dragged, this time successfully, out into the open world.
They tried not to look at their leader for his strange behavior. He knew they were curious. They may question his intentions and impartiality amongst those under his protection. But there was nothing to question. He was Mikoto Suoh, leader of Homra, the Red King of fire. It would be proposterous to even propose that he may have gone soft for this street rat of a girl in a way that went beyond the concern for his clan. Of course, there was also no doubt in their minds that he would flay and broil anyone who spoke of her in such a way. But he would do that for any of them.
Wouldn't he?
"I'm not sure what to think of him." Tatara finally let his voice be heard after the noise faded away.
"Well I don't like him. He seems like a weird ass piece of shit to me."
"Yata be nice, he's Akane's friend."
"Is he though? She didn't exactly seem pleased to see him."
"He won't hurt her." He looked over to Anna, who was rolling her glassy marbles on the coffee table, sitting where Yuuto's feet had been previously. "He cares about her a lot." Mikoto grunted in acknowledgement and tilted his head back, seemingly for a nap.
"Regardless," Totsuka spoke again, "I hope he behaves himself if he comes back next week."
"What's next week?" Chitose voiced the question that many of them were thinking.
"Nothing! Nothing's next week, it's just next week and we don't want him making a mess," Yata desperately tried to get a point across, realizing where Tatara's train of thought was headed.
"Yata, I'd expect you of all people to remember!"
"Tatara-"
"It's Akane's birthday next week. I thought you were her best friend, you should've known that."
Mikoto sat up and looked at him, clearly not having been enlightened to this news. "It is?" Anna asked.
"I can't believe she didn't tell us!" Rikio's voice was tinged with hurt. Oh, the betrayal. Shocked expressions were exchanged around the room.
Yatagarasu smacked Tatara over the head, "OF COURSE I KNEW THAT! I also know that she hates her birthday and didn't want anyone else to know about it!"
Silence.
"Oh. My bad. That's probably why she didn't want to tell me what gift she wanted. And why I found out by overhearing her talk to herself."
"Yeah, that might be part of it, dumbass!"
"I still think that we should try to do something for her, though."
"No. Absolutely not. She specifically asked me to make sure this exact thing wouldn't happen."
"But it's even on the weekend!"
"I don't care! You don't get it, she won't wanna do ANYTHING and if we try to make her she'll rip our heads off!"
"I think we just need to give her a reason to enjoy it."
"Tatara?" A soft voice added itself to the discussion.
"What's up Anna? Would you like to help me plan the party?"
"I don't think it's a good idea."
"It'll be fine, trust me! We just need to show her a good time, I'm sure she'll come around."
Yata uncharacteristically rubbed his temples, "If I can't stop it I at least have to make sure this isn't a total wreck."
"A wreck?! It won't be a wreck she'll have a blast."
"If I'm there to minimize how upset you make her, maybe she won't burn the place down. But still unlikely. I'm telling you guys this is a bad idea, especially since it's her 20th."
"You weren't going to tell us about her 20th birthday?! That's legal drinking age in Japan, Yata, how could you?!" Chitose looked completely betrayed.
"That's exactly why! She's gonna get fucking hammered and be miserable the whole time, she already has a borderline drinking problem."
But Tatara was already off scheming. "Don't mother her, Yata. Now I'll have to get balloons and maybe some streamers, and I'll have to decide on a bakery and a color scheme, and…"
"This is a bad idea, I'm telling you guys. Like World War 3 kinda bad. Mr. Mikoto, help me out on this one!"
The man shrugged, "I'm with Tatara. I think it's worth a shot."
"You all really have no idea what you're doing to yourselves. She's gonna kill all of us."
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, Yata. Cheer up, it's your best friend's birthday, you owe her a good time. Rikio! Help me figure out the catering, we only have a week to plan this whole thing."
"So…" The strange man across the table winced at the glare shot at him as he broke the angry silence, "You still haven't told them, have you?"
Akane didn't break her stare, "Of course not. And now they're gonna get suspicious and ask me about it, no thanks to you."
"Well I think you should tell them. And stop looking at me like that I didn't mean to cause trouble."
She sighed and relaxed back in her seat, the sounds of the bustling cafe spinning around them. Her fingers played at the napkin before her on the table. He could see the ends of her sleeves where her nervous tugging had already pulled a few threads loose. "I can't tell them."
"Yes. You can."
"How do you know?! You just met them."
"And after being in that room with you all for not five minutes I could see how much they care for you. Especially Yatagarasu. That boy would die for you, you know."
"Been there, done that, I'd rather he didn't."
"Akane-"
"What Yuuto?! I already told you, I-I can't tell them."
"Why not?!"
"Because-"
Because they'll kill you.
They'll betray you.
They'll turn you over to him.
Those are all the same thing you morons.
"Because you're afraid. You're afraid they'll look at you any differently from the way they do now."
"Because I don't want them to get hurt. You know first hand what Furutani does to the people I care about. The less they know the safer they are."
"They're Homra!"
"I KNOW THAT! It's all anyone ever talks about, but y'know what?! They're also human, which means they have weaknesses just like the rest of us. Yata is family and I am not losing anyone else on my watch! Plus, if they find out and they-they hate me for it, what am I gonna do? Go live it out on the streets like some self-glorified rebel? You know why I can't do that again. I wouldn't last a week out there right now."
"Look…I'm not saying you have to tell them everything, but I think they've earned a little more trust than you're giving them. A little more faith. They care about you, love. And the kindness they're trying to show you will overpower the misdeeds of your past. They've done enough to prove that you shouldn't be afraid of them. They won't let Furutani touch any of you. People talk big about Homra all the time but trust me hun, they're the real deal." He paused. "They'll protect you with everything they have and more."
She looked up at him through her eyelashes and the corner of her mouth twitched, "You sound like an old man."
"Bitch please, I'm timeless." He took her hand in his, "You know… I care about you too. I consider you one of my closest friends, and I'd trust you with my life. You're not just work to me, or I wouldn't have dragged you out here. When you called the other day I didn't want to use it as an excuse to get something from you. I only wanted to show you that you don't owe me anything, that I just missed the old days when we would hang out and actually have fun together." He placed his other hand on hers and looked her in the eye, ignoring a stray hair dangling in front of his face. "You don't have to beg me for favors, I'm your friend. If you ever need anything I'm here, no strings attached, just don't forget that I'd rather not fight for your attention. But if I have to I will."
"Thanks Yuuto. You're… I feel like I've really taken you for granted. I won't make that mistake again."
He released her and smiled happily. "Oh good, I won't have to feel like I'm blackmailing you anymore. I may be a bit of a sleazy con artist but I am still capable of moderate levels of guilt."
"You didn't feel guilty for this."
"No. No not really at all." He smiled at her again and a wave of unease washed through her. "Well, now we can talk about something a little more interesting."
"Fuck."
"Did you?"
"What?" Her expression was pure with confusion.
"You said you were up late, does this have anything to do with the, might I add drop dead gorgeous red head in the bar?"
"No you may not add and maybe."
"So you fucked."
"We did not! Jesus christ," she held her face in her hands, "why am I here?"
"But you did something. And you obviously like him."
"Maybe. No. I don't know."
"So I can't hit that then?" Her fingers twitched towards her knife. Her nails had grown out a bit, he had noticed, she must have stopped biting them. Those boys were really healing her in ways she would probably never realize. A fire boiled behind her eyes, one he hadn't seen in ages. "Knew it! Oh my god you're head over heels."
"Bullshit."
"Yes. You're full of it. Moving on. So how long has that been going on?" She grumbled under her breath, "C'mon, the cat's out of the bag. No use holding back on me now."
Her eyes closed and she exhaled loudly. "You know that time when I freaked out and showed up with Tsuki for the first time and got shitfaced?" He nodded excitedly, eating up the drama like an internet blogger opening a fresh pack of energy drinks. "Well when I went back he was waiting for me to make sure I was ok and we almost kissed. And I don't think he knows that I remember everything from that night but I do, because I'm just like that, and I was kind of avoiding him for a really long time and- and then…"
She bit her lip and got lost in thought for a moment, "And then?!"
She jumped, "Well. He kind of confronted me about it yesterday. And we said we'd just be friends but when I got back after you know what, ha, well… he was fucking friendly all right. Friendly all over my goddam face and where are those drinks."
"You lucky little slut. You know how many girls would've killed to be where you were? Oh god if this becomes a thing you are gonna have a hell of a time I really really hope this is gonna become a thing."
"It's not gonna be a thing."
"The spark in your eye when you talk about him says otherwise. You might have yourself fooled but not me, I haven't seen you make that look since the whole Takumi thing. You're a hopeless romantic no matter how stubbornly you deny it, and Mikoto Suoh is totally your type. I ship it."
"There's nothing to ship, Yuuto. You're making a big deal over nothing."
" 'Michi make sure she eats,'" he said in a mocking caveman voice of an impression, "That is not nothing Akane."
"Please, he's just worried about me as a friend."
"Yep. A friend who glares down any guy who looks at you or talks to you or mentions how close they are to you. You know. Like he did to me not a half hour ago."
"That glare may have been for a different reason. Just a wild guess."
"Nonsense," he waved her off, "You were so busy trying to avoid eye contact with him that you didn't notice the way he was looking at you. He's kinda known for being a bit of a man whore but girl that was fucking real! I'd bet my life on it, he's got it bad for you."
"Then you might be about to face an untimely, frankly embarrassing demise. Also stop yelling people keep staring and it's making me wanna stab them."
"Bad day?"
"Eh. Twitchy day. I am feeling a little better though after yesterday."
"Seeeeeee I knew he had an affect on you."
"I wasn't-!" She lowered her voice, "I was talking about the raid on Takeshi's warehouse you idiot."
"Oh. Well. It can be both things."
"It really can't. And isn't." It was.
He returned with a dismissive, rather judgemental look. "Ok, sure. But then I take it your little side mission was a success?"
She sat back and gave him a brilliant smile as the waiter finally came by with their drinks, "Sparkling."
"Another shining success tonight, love?" A young girl with long black hair, matted with blood and covered head to toe with mud and filth, stumbled through the doorway with a glint in her eye. The glint of a winner, even if the rest of her limping, grumpy demeanor said otherwise.
"Sparkling," she said sarcastically, and spat a glob of blood onto the ground beside her, in the ruins of the old high school locker room. It had been closed for who knew how long, but it did well to serve as a makeshift post-fight medical room. Weird, definitely unqualified doctor and all.
"You're messier than usual." He nodded at the mud that coated her body in thick layers. It must've been raining out. He couldn't destinguish the thunder from the noise of the crowd, though. And he wasn't allowed to leave to check for himself.
"And you're chattier than usual." She stumbled against one of the lockers, hugging her side while she fell into a fit of coughing and slowly slid to the floor. He rushed over to help, pushing some of her filthy hair back from her face and taking her arm to lead her to the table that she could lay on.
"You know," he grunted at her weight, "you're a lot heavier than you look."
"I can thank my genetics for at least giving me dense muscles then. Not that they gave me much else." With the power of teamwork and awkward positioning they got her to half hop and half kind of fall onto the 'examination table'.
"And you're a lot younger than a street fighter at your level should look."
She shrugged, "Gotta make it out there somehow."
He scoffed, "Tell me about it."
"No offense," she winced as he started stitching up a bite mark on her arm, "but you don't exactly seem like you're straight out of med school either, bud."
"Eh," he threaded another stitch through her skin, "I'm just good with my hands. And bullshitting my way through tough situations, which is how I got stuck in this hell-hole in the first place. Age and education has nothing to do with it."
"Lovely. Good to know my life's in good hands. Also ow. That is human flesh attached to a person ya know, could you try to be a little careful?"
"Hey now, don't whine. YouTube has some quality content I swear I know what I'm doing. Mostly. The point is I'm doing the best I can."
"Oh infection kill me now." She gave a humorless laugh and leaned her head back on the table, biting her lip to keep from voicing her pain in a more unpleasant manner.
He chuckled, "I like you, kid. When I finally make it big and run a ring of my own I'll keep you in mind. You've got heart, and that's not easy to come by down here. It's refreshing considering I spend the night with all this gross blood and all."
"Well keep me posted on that," she winced as she sat up straight so he could feel her ribcage, "I'd rather not stay in one place forever, so if you're offering me any kind of way out then I'll take it. Even if it does just lead to another ring. At least then I'll start out knowin' someone."
"What's your name?"
"Hyoushu."
"No no, that's your name out there. What's your name in here? Now?"
She smiled a little at him, the first he'd seen in days. The first he'd seen from her at all and one he wouldn't forget, even if it was a little broken at the time. "Akane. Himura."
"Well, Akane, it's good to know there's at least one decent person out there stuck in this fucked up place with the rest of us. Like I said, when I make it big I'm taking you with me."
"You don't even know me, though. I mean we've kind of met dozens of times but until now we'd never even spoken."
"Yeah I guess I'm just having a good day. Feelin' chatty or something. And trust me, I don't need to know every little thing about you to know you'd be my first pick of the litter." He smiled at her and she blinked back in mild shock, "I can see in your eyes that you deserve a second chance. A chance at something better than this at least. And I can see that if you got that chance you would fight with everything you had to never let it go."
"What do I call you, Doc?"
"Yuuto. Yuuto Michi." Their eyes met for a moment and in that moment they felt more understanding in the other than they had found in anyone else for ages. "Oh, and by the way you have three broken ribs and another bite mark begging for stitches on your hip. Thought you should know."
"I really don't understand your obsession with that thing."
"Hmm well you wouldn't."
"What's that supposed to mean, Hyou?" Yuuto tried the threatening tone on for size. It… didn't work.
"Yuuto, you look too much like Jeffree Starr for that to work on me cut it out."
"How do you-"
"I have a phone with YouTube and plenty of free time, don't worry about it. It means it doesn't belong to you and you've hardly even been in the same room as it for more than a few minutes so how could you understand?"
"Akane it's just a stupi-"
"No it's not."
"I'll just let you have this one." He sighed in defeat, "I'm sick of having this argument every time we see each other."
She chuckled and raised her glass for a sip of her drink, "Thanks for the effort."
"Are you two ready to order?" The waiter appeared with perfect timing, right when a lull in the conversation became apparent. Their gaze met and they reached a silent consensus.
"Yeah thanks," Akane replied first, "I'll just take a small salad."
"She'll also have the sukiyaki and a side of miso soup."
She turned on him with a fierce glare and her lip curling slightly in anger, "Yuuto-!"
"Shush I'm ordering. I'll have the same thing as her. We'll also have an order of takoyaki to share. That's all thank you I apologize in advance if she chases after you." Yuuto added in a wink for good measure. Because for some godforsaken reason he was just like that. The waiter wrote down their order, hands sweating and expression becoming more and more panicked as Akane looked like she was getting closer to lunging at Michi. The poor stranger practically sprinted from the table. At least they knew he'd be sure to get their order right.
"Yuu. What the fuck was that."
"Well according to your new boytoy-"
"WHAT DID YOU-"
"Let me finish." He was oddly calm, which threw her off. She blinked at him and sat back down slightly when he simply put his hand up and spoke in a collected manner. Like an animal trainer desperately trying to prevent a tiger from pouncing and snacking on his throat. "Apparently you haven't been eating. Again. And I assured Suoh-"
"Don't call him that, weirdo."
"I assured him that I would make sure you had a decent meal. So that's exactly what I'm doing."
"I was ordering a salad."
"A small one that you would've just played with for a while and then left acting like I didn't notice. You've done that to me before and I do notice. Like I said, I'm your friend. I'm gonna take note when past habits start up again."
"It'll slow me down."
"It'll keep you on your feet."
"I don't need-"
"Well we need you!" She turned away at his sudden burst of uncharacteristic anger. Ashamed. He could see her eyes moisten ever so slightly. "Akane, I thought you were getting better. I don't know if you're just stressed about all the change that's happening or if past memories are coming up or if it's just senseless worry about Furutani, and you don't have to tell me, but I do know this. If you don't eat, you won't have the strength to fight. And Akane Himura, the second you stop fighting is the second you give up and you let yourself get killed out there in this fucked up world." He released a breath and recollected himself. "If there's anyone who can beat it, it's you. We need you. Healthy. And happy. And alive. So love, if I have to call motherfucking Kusanagi Izumo to drag Homra's asses down here so they can hold you down while I shove goddam takoyaki balls down your throat I will. You got that?"
No tears fell but she sniffled and wiped the back of her hand over her nose before sitting up straight and daring a ghost of a smile. When she spoke her voice was a lot quieter. Reminiscent of a young child confessing to breaking a toy. "Didn't think you had it in you."
"Well maybe one of these days you'll stop underestimating me. I may not be a real doctor but I'm close enough, and I'm officially prescribing you a full meal and you better fucking enjoy it because I'm not letting you pay and I have retardedly expensive taste."
She chuckled. "Fine, I'll do my best Doc." It was silent for a bit. Almost awkwardly so. No, nevermind, it was completely awkward. Even the tables around them weren't sure what to say anymore and one guy beside them looked so nervous that Akane thought he was gonna either puke his guts up or just pass out on the table. Possibly both. She finally broke it, "Thanks Yuuto. It's… been rough."
"Yeah. I know, kid." Their eyes met. Hers full of apologies that didn't need to be spoken, and his with kind understanding and a reminder that he was, in fact, older than her.
The days rolled onwards. Akane went to work, the boys got in fights, and Kosuke tried to adopt an entire box of kittens he found on the street. She didn't know about that one until she got back that day, after the kittens had been sent to the nearest animal rehab center, but cried when she found out that she didn't get to see them. They walked across the street for dango that night.
Much to Yuuto's dismay there were no other… altercations between the girl and Homra's king. Every now and then there would be an awkward moment of silence that he claimed was the ever growing sexual tension between them, but it would quickly dissipate when one found something to talk about. Every now and then she noticed the guys giving each other strange glances, or approaching her and then backing out of whatever they were about to say. She thought they knew. She also couldn't see Kusanagi glaring from behind her, keeping his promise to maintain the secret of the upcoming party.
A week passed in the blink of an eye, the month rolled over and suddenly it was the big day. April 4th. The day Yata insisted would be their last.
The large group bustled around the closed-to-the-public Flintlock bar, which was in its in between period before the night shift. After consulting with the manager they were granted permission to come in and put up small decorations, and to even start celebrating a half hour before the doors opened. In that time, the stage would be designated purely to karaoke, and later there would be intermissions of generic club music.
Red streamers had been hung up every here and there, as well as red, black, and metallic silver balloons. A cake was hiding in the kitchen and a giant 'Happy 20th Birthday Akane!' poster was hung from the ceiling in the middle of the room. It was almost time.
"Alright, does anyone know where Akane is?! We're about ready for her!"
Rikio called back with concern, "She's not answering her phone!"
"Hold on, I'll try her," Yata started a call on his watch and walked towards the door.
"I thought you didn't want her here?"
"I just don't want you morons making her upset." He frowned when it went to voicemail. "That's weird. Could someone pull up her location for me?! I'll go and get her."
Izumo donned a worried expression not long after pulling out his own phone. "Her location's been turned off. Anna, do you think you could find her?"
"I don't know, I have a hard time seeing her when she leaves, but I can try." The bartender nodded and Dewa layed a map out on a table for her to work with. The regular staff went about their business with few questioning glances.
"Now that I think about it, has anyone seen her today?"
"She's probably just sleeping in. I'll head back to the bar and get her." Yata headed for the door once again.
"If she's there, you mean."
"Tatara, where the hell else would she be?!" He finally made it outside, skateboard under his arm. "Where the hell would you be?"
A/N: Ok so. I'm incredibly bad at updating. I had a really hard time writing this chapter, it just felt so slow and I knew it was important and I had to have it but I just did not want to write it. So therefor it might be a little shitty and kinda short. I'm so so sorry about that. I have the next one completely planned out though and it's going to be a lot more interesting I swear! I still hope you enjoyed this extra bit of Yuuto and a little more insight into their past and all that though. I've really fallen in love with his character even though he started out as a bit of a filler. If I end up doing some character design art though you can find it on my tumblr under the same pen name, TomorrowForToday.
Now to finally address the comments that have been slowly building up since chapter 17!
From Kikikitsune18: I really really wish yata made a move
-Honestly though. Like I was the one writing it and it pissed me off.
From Mirah Ashley (Ch. 18): Hey it's so awesome. I don't want you to give up on this story. Although I would love some mikane scenes
-I hope I made up for the lack of Mikane! Trust me it only gets better from here I just really didn't want to rush into it... one of my pet peeves is when a writer does that and it just doesn't feel authentic. I'm so invested in their dynamic it just has to be PERFECT. I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far though!
From Mirah Ashley (Ch. 19): Wow it's so good.
-THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUU I'm really trying
From Mirah Ashley (Ch. 1): UPDATE?
-I'm sorryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy like seriously I feel horrible this took so long, but thank you so much actually for doing this it really encouraged me to continue knowing that someone actually wanted me to. I appreciate you *cries*
From I Dream Therefore I Am: Your character is so interesting, it's not everyday we get an OC with a mental health issue. I think you're doing a wonderful job of portrying it and i can't wait to see Akane and Mikoto's relationship bloom and see how they help each other heal. I look forward to future chapters!
-I'm so glad you like her. It took a lot of planning trying to develop her illness in a way that supports where I want the story to go but that's also accurate and kind of spreads awareness and understanding of mental illness in a way. I was seriously almost a psych major. The only problem is... I just kind of don't like people haha. But it really does make me feel validated that you think I'm doing a good job of trying to portray it accurately thank you so so much. There will be much Mikane in the future and I hope to make their relationship both entertaining as hell but also like crazy wholesome and everything. Please continue to comment and enjoy the story it means a lot!
And you're probably sick of hearing it, but follow, favorite, and let me know what you think of everything rn!
-TFT, thinking Yuuto definitely binge watches Jeffree Starr videos in his free time.
PS Where do you think she went? Any theories?
