Still gleefully mid-run, Draken's exclamation caught Mikey's attention and he turned back to take in the unexpected scene of Pah with a knife buried into Osanai's back. His eyes widened and he sucked in a shocked breath, his vision zoning in on the glint of the knife as Draken stared just as shocked at Pah.
As usual, Draken was quick to recover as he immediately began to try and rouse Osanai, being careful not to jostle the wound too much. Mikey felt frozen, like a spectator outside his own body as Pah declared he would stay and turn himself in. He barely snapped out of it when Draken grasped him firmly around the middle and swept him off his feet, dragging him away, "we need to go, Mikey!" Another hand was pulling an equally stunned Peh by the arm.
"No! Pah!" Mikey screamed. With a firm push, he slipped out of Draken's grip easily and ran to Pah, grasping shakily at Pah's clothes, attempting to pull Pah away.
Pah turned and smiled dejectedly at Mikey, lifting a hand and grasping Mikey by the side of his face. Uncharacteristically, he pulls Mikey in and scents him deeply, stilling Mikey's desperate shaking. Mikey's pulling hands turn to tense grips as he buries his head in Pah's shoulder, breaths coming quickly as he starts to feel overwhelmed.
The both of them hear Draken's frantic call, "Mikey, Pah! We're all gonna get caught!"
After a few deep breaths from Pah, Mikey registers Pah speaking, "take care of Toman while I'm gone," and before he can react, Mikey is being shoved harshly away. He stumbles and lands right back into Draken's vice grip, who hauls him off much more securely than before. "Draken! I'm entrusting Mikey to you!"
Mikey is kicking and screaming, clawing viciously at Draken's grip around him the entire time. There are red welts and even blood running down Draken's arm and hand by the time Takemichi collapses on the side of the road and with another stunned gasp, Mikey finally throws Draken off him in desperation and he falls to the ground and shakes the young Beta. "Takemicchi!"
Draken halts and turns back to see Mikey's distraught expression, his own eyes widening as a thought dawns in his head.
Draken had dropped in to try and speak to Takemicchi about his suspicions, but upon seeing the boy's group of friends also there, he decided to shelve it for another day. As he walked out, he was surprised to come face-to-face with Mikey, whose expression soured and darkened immediately.
Takemicchi, who was both terrified and baffled by the turn of events, could clearly see evidence of bond dissonance between the two. If he wasn't actually an adult from the future and therefore more understanding of how bonds and designations worked than he was as a kid, he probably wouldn't have thought of it at all. But his observations of Mikey, Draken and Toman overall the past few days have led to him to realize that Mikey clearly had some form of pack bonds at the very least with all the upper members of Toman.
Simply from what he's heard, Mikey must be feeling betrayed by the bond he shared with Draken right now, for stopping him from helping Pah. Even worse, he may be suffering from a frayed, potentially even broken bond with Pah, whom he had been forcibly separated from.
When he was actually around this age, Takemichi had always been baffled by the idea of mates fighting so bad that they could actually damage or even break a bond, given how deep of a relationship one needed to have for a bond to form in the first place. That is, until he saw the closeness Mikey clearly shared among his members in Toman. He had only gotten brief glances so far, but Mikey's anguished cry of Pah's name yesterday still left a piercing impression on Takemichi; and he was a Beta, the designation supposed to be least affected by and least likely to form such bonds.
Takemichi is stunned to witness the near-childish ensuing fight between Mikey and Draken in his front yard. That is, until they begin bringing in his precious belongings into the fray; and then it's personal.
Mikey is surprised yet amused when Takemicchi, with all the presence of a chihuahua facing a lion, begins yelling at him. He sidesteps Takemicchi's honestly pathetic attempts at slugging him, a crease in his brows when Takemicchi inadvertently flings himself into the garbage disposal area. As Takemicchi continues yelling, his eyes widen.
"This isn't just your problem. Can't you see you're tearing Toman apart!" Takemichi roars at the two hardheads.
Blinking in surprise as Takemichi is rubbing at his dirty, crying face, Mikey's eyes catch something unexpected, ruining the mood. "Um… this whole time… you've had a piece of shit in your hair."
After it falls out and Takemichi begins wailing and frantically brushing his hair, Mikey takes a step back as laughter bubbles up inside him. Without a glance he says, "run, Ken-chin! The shit's coming after us!" and dashes off.
They all unconsciously end up at the same park, Takemichi joining them shortly after clearly having taken a shower and changed his clothes. Both Mikey and Draken cracked smiles upon noticing Takemichi sulkily walk up to them and sit beside them.
"I was wrong, Mikey," Draken spoke up after a period of silence.
"Nah, I'm sorry too," Mikey shook his head.
"But… why were you guys even fighting anyway?" Takemichi inquired innocently.
"I forgot," they replied simultaneously.
Mikey sat up and with a heave of his feet, stood up and tilted his head back to face the sky. "You were right though, Ken-chin. It was Pah's decision to turn himself in." Pah's final words to him echoed in his head. He couldn't let him down by tearing Toman apart over this, it was the least he could do.
After a stretch of silence, he turns a sulky pout to Draken, who without a word immediately opens his arms for Mikey to kneel down and hug him, seeking comfort. "Let's celebrate lots when Pah gets out," he mumbles against Draken's chest.
Takemichi felt a little awkward and out of place, but couldn't help his curious glances over at the unusual pair. Then, he noticed Mikey had turned his pouting look his way and was staring expectantly at a baffled Takemichi. He glanced up and saw Draken watching him silently too, before the Alpha tilts his head silently for him to come closer.
Warily, Takemichi scoots over a little, enough for Draken to take one of his hands and carefully place it on Mikey's head. Takemichi stiffens and turns a terrified, wide-eyed expression towards Draken. His heart seems to leap out of his throat when Mikey audibly sighs and begins purring contentedly.
Eyes darting down in disbelief, then back to up to Draken, Takemichi sees the elder smile at him, then nodding encouragingly. Ever so cautiously and gently, Takemichi strokes Mikey's hair, and watches in amazement as Mikey's eyes slip closed in such an open display of trust, vulnerability and contentment.
Takemichi turns a questioning gaze towards Draken, who only continues smiling fondly at Mikey.
"chihuahua facing a lion" I was 100% picturing that scene of Furihata vs Akashi (KnB) here hahaha. I am enjoying writing a spoiled Mikey, although I am also looking forward to exploring a badass Mikey more later on too.
P.S. I should probably clarify this is not leading to a romantic Mikey/Takemichi pairing