AN: Decided to update again to make up for my absence. This chapter is a about as long as the first one was, the last one was a bit shorter so I wanted to make up the difference for that one, too. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. :)
(If I hadn't made this clear enough, we are derailing from the anime's plot line a lot more so in this chapter.)
0o0o0o
Mikoto blew his nose into a fresh tissue for what had to have been the hundredth time since he had woken up an hour ago. Kusanagi pleaded with him to stay in bed, but the Red King wasn't having any of it. He had tried to eat the breakfast Tatara made but everything from the eggs to the toast had tasted exactly the same. Something he was extremely unhappy about.
When Kamamoto had woken up, with a very grumpy Yata in tow, the two had practically had heart attacks at the site of their king, sitting with a blanket on his shoulders, hair out of place , with even worse bags under his eyes than usual. A stranger would've thought he was dying if they had seen the two young clansman's reactions. Anna was attached to his side, like usual, but her focus was surprisingly on her marbles, not the sick man who was watching over her.
"Mikoto, the man claiming to be the Colorless King is in this vicinity!" The Strain randomly proclaimed after a short period of silence, every pair of eyes in the room fell on her as she pointed excitedly at her map.
"The shopping district?" Mikoto asked with a sniffle, the young girl nodded her head.
"I'll call Seri and inform her about this new found information." Izumo said with a smile, "looks like we caught this guy in three days time, no more worries."
"We haven't got him in custody yet, let's not jinx ourselves." Suoh mumbled as he pinched his brow, only looking back up when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist. Anna looked at him as if she was expecting him to say something else, when he did she filled the awkward silence.
"Did I do good work, Mikoto?"
The hope in the young girls voice brought a smile to his face, it was as if his praise was the only thing she had wanted besides actually finding the guy. It warmed his heart in an unexpected way.
"You did great, Anna." Mikoto said proudly as he wrapped an arm loosely around his youngest clansmen. "I'm proud of you, thank you for all the hard work."
Her brilliant smile made the sincerity of the words he spoke shy away in shame.
"I hope they find this guy, they should lock down the city and hunt him down like the animal he is." Yata stated in disgust, "I wish I was capable of killing the bastard myself. Too bad clansmen are inferior to Kings."
"Imagine a word where clansmen were as strong as Kings," Anna replied as she tightened her grip on the red head's waist. "Wars would be inevitable and Kings would be useless."
"That's a good point," Kamamoto answered as he took a seat on the recliner, eyes traveling over to the bar where Tatara was washing dishes, and where Izumo was talking on the phone to Seri.
"Yeah, a world where Mikoto isn't the strongest man in it would just be a bit boring." Yata said, a blush rising to his cheeks as everyone in the vicinity looked at him funny. "I mean, you're just a great King...and we all feel connected to one another thanks to you and if everyone had your kind of power then this world would be in ruin. I mean...I'm just gonna shut up now. I'll be watching a movie upstairs if you need me."
And in a matter of moments the flustered boy was out of his seat and up the stairs, only stopping to ask Izumo to inform him when they would be moving out. Mikoto swore none of his clansmen understood that they weren't going after this guy, his health was too poor for any of them to be exerting themselves. He and Munakata would handle the situation but he couldn't afford for anyone else to get involved.
His thoughts drifted to Yata's strange outburst but he shook his head to clear the thought, he was just a teenager who acted out but was shy and sensitive at heart. He took everything the wrong way, it wasn't like anyone had looked at him negatively. In fact, Mikoto thought the words had been a bit kind, until the young leader of the Vanguard made a fool of himself. He swore someone needed to teach that boy to have some confidence.
"Out of curiosity, King..." Tatara's voice filled his surely infected ears as the groups musician came into view. "Can I take your temperature?"
The Red King shrugged, biting back a smirk when he saw his friend brandish a cooking thermometer, not a standard one.
"What? I just figured your body temperature would be far beyond that of a normal persons." Totsuka blushed as he sat on the table in front of his King, "not that you aren't normal or anything...can you open your mouth?"
Mikoto couldn't help but chuckle as he did as instructed, the instrument sliding under his tongue before he clamped his mouth shut. Everyone watched him with eager eyes, besides Kusanagi who was still speaking on the phone to Seri. After a short while Tatara plucked the thermometer from his mouth, eying the number with wide eyes.
"Holy...King how are you not dead?"
Suoh was clearly not amused by that sentiment.
"What is?"
"How bad is it?"
"How bad is it?" Mikoto repeated after Kamamoto, a little bit eager to know the answer himself.
"115 degrees Fahrenheit, or 47 degrees Celsius. Either way, if you were just anybody you'd be dead by now. King your body is truly amazing, how it can endure such temperatures is beyond me!" Tatara said enthusiastically, ignoring Kamamoto's laugh about what was said about their clan leader'sbody. Mikoto couldn't help but wonder why everything sounded like an innuendo today, but he found it highly amusing, despite the fact he felt like he had been hit by a truck.
"Mikoto-san, I'm going to run down to the corner store and get some medicine for you. Will you please take it and get some rest?" Kamamoto asked anxiously after his laughter had died down, thanks to Totsuka's disapproving look. The Red King nodded his head, albeit reluctantly.
"Thank you, Kamamoto, you've been a big help these past few days." He said as he shrunk back in the couch, glancing down at Anna who had drifted off to sleep. He wondered if her locating the Colorless King had taken a toll on her small body, he sincerely hoped that wasn't the case.
"Anything for you, just get better soon." Was Kamamoto's abrupt reply as he grabbed his wallet and walked out the door, finally Izumo was off the phone and back in the armchair across from the couch, a smile brimming on his face.
"They're on their way now, Seri asked if you wanted to go but you need to rest so I sa-"
"I want to go," Mikoto cut him off, he hadn't exactly thought of going with the Blues but now that the proposition had been put out there he felt like he couldn't not go. "Call Seri and tell her to have Munakata pick me up on their way out there."
"Mikoto you just told Kamamoto you would rest..." Izumo countered dangerously, his temper rising at his best friend's stubbornness. "Besides, this situation is still dangerous. He's a King, you could be killed."
"I can handle myself around other Kings."
"Munakata would end you in about five seconds with the current state you're in, don't act like you're feeling like your usual self." Izumo said through gritted teeth, "you're not going. Over my dead body."
"Is that a challenge?" Mikoto growled, red eyes piercing his second in commands, "I'm going with them and there is no one or nothing that can stop me." He stood from the couch, gathering Anna in his arms as he made his way to the stairs. "Call Seri, now."
"King please don't do this..." Tatara pleaded but despite his usually calming charm, the words fell on deaf ears. Mikoto quickly tucked Anna in bed and uncharacteristically placed a kiss on the young girl's forehead, she didn't stir. He knew going was a stupid idea, he could hardly see straight, but the temptation to restrain and capture the Colorless King was too real for him deny. He doubted Munakata would let anything happen to him either, and for the first time Suoh was a bit thankful for that.
He hated feeling helpless, but even if he was at his best a meeting between Kings almost always turned volatile. Yata's wish of clansmen having equal power to their superiors was nothing more than a bad idea, seven people of Mikoto's caliber was more than enough, in fact it was too much. Mikoto hated to admit it, but every King felt superior to the people who devoted their lives to them. It was hard not too, their power was unrivaled except by one another, and what they choose to do was basically law to their respective clans.
Mikoto didn't look down on HOMRA, the people he considered his family, but he knew at the end of the day he would always do things his way or no way at all. If he wouldn't even listen to his best friend than he wouldn't listen to anyone he presumed. Perhaps if the situation was different he would have, he knew he would listen to their pleas if the situation was less serious because he did value their opinions and he never wanted to hurt the people he loved, but he reminded himself that he was a selfish man as he mumbled a "goodbye," under his breath to Anna, just in case he got carried away and did something stupid.
No one needed to be around to see him fall if he couldn't control the anger he felt boiling inside him. Technically, the man claiming to be the Colorless King was innocent, but just the mere thought of what he was scheming at made him guilty in the Red King's burning eyes. Mikoto couldn't made any promises that he wouldn't lose it at the sight of the man, but he knew no matter what, Munakata would be there to either assist him or end him. Suoh didn't think about death, he didn't want to believe he was slowly dying or that he was an accident waiting to happen, and because of that a part of him wanted to push those limits. See how far he could take this before it came back to consume him.
He just hoped that when that time came Reisi Munakata had the balls to kill him.
As Mikoto stepped out of the bedroom and went to go down the hallway the first thing he laid his eyes on was Yata, standing with his arms spread out as if to block his way. But a sound of footsteps behind him let him know everything he needed to know, "a trap, how charming," he mumbled under his breath, feeling the person behind him hesitate if only a little.
"Sorry Mikoto," Izumo said, his breath hitting Mikoto's burning skin before a sharp yet aching pain swept over him, the world swayed for a moment as he tried to regain his footing. He never expected his clansmen to defy him in such a way, but he had to admit he was a bit impressed. Going with the Blues would've been a bad idea but he would have done it regardless.
"How the hell are you still standing?" Izumo huffed as he came to stand in front of his King who merely shrugged, eyes drooping a bit lower as he fought off the urge to fall into unconsciousness. "Let me repeat myself, I'm sorry Mikoto. You can punish me for this later."
All it took was a simple flick of the bartenders wrist and his open hand collided with a pressure point in Mikoto's neck, the two blows were enough to knock out any normal person tenfold but it was only after his friend repeated the notion a third time that he finally fell. The last thing he remembered was being caught by Kusanagi who shook his head with such disdain that Mikoto swore it was the worst his friend had ever looked. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"
Mikoto closed his eyes, a smile briefly gracing his lips.
Do you know who you're talking too, Izumo?
0o0o0o0o
"Come on, Mikoto...wake up already. I didn't hit you that hard."
"Kusanagi-san you hit him really hard, that would have killed a normal man."
"King will be fine, Yata, wipe that worried look off your face. If he would have went with the Blues then he probably would've lost it and we wouldn't even have a king anymore."
"Don't say that, Totsuka-san! Mikoto-san isn't stupid, he wouldn't have done that to us."
"If you three don't stop bickering I'm going to lose it," Mikoto grumbled as he attempted to sit up, something stopping him short of doing so. He slowly opened his eyes but he immediately regretted it, his head felt like it had been chopped clean off. The urge to go back to sleep was almost too much to ignore but he refused to close his eyelids again. He instantly recognized he was in his bedroom, and as for why he couldn't move...he let a chuckle ripple out of his throat.
"You tied me to the bed?" Mikoto asked with a smirk as he glanced down at the restraints, that were really nothing more than twisted bedsheets and blankets that had been tied to one another. "This is...kinky."
"Mikoto that's sick," Izumo said with a groan as he flicked his friend on the forehead, shaking off the look of disapproval he got as a result. "I must have hit you too hard."
"I'm gonna kick your ass when I have the chance," Suoh grumbled as he stared at his second in command, "why would you stop me?"
"Isn't it obvious, Mikoto-san?" Yata said with a sigh as he sat down on the end of the bed, "we couldn't just let you leave and do something reckless while you're still this sick. It's our job to protect you a-"
"Actually it's my job to protect all of you," Mikoto corrected.
"Well if we would have let you go you would be dead by now so how could you protect us then?" Yata snapped, eyes narrowing dangerously as he punched the sheets beneath him. "Forgive me for what I'm about to say but we can't afford to lose you, you're sick Mikoto-san. You're going to wind up dying at this rate and it seems like you're the only one who won't come to terms with this!"
"Since when did you come to terms with it, Yata?" Izumo mumbled awkwardly, "you always blindly followed what Mikoto said but when I asked you to help me restrain him you didn't even think twice about it. I don't know what's gotten into all of you lately but it's giving me a headache."
Mikoto frowned.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You're an idiot sometimes," Izumo seethed, "you really don't get it, do you Mikoto? You've been acting up ever since Anna told you to inform us of her vision and it's definitely not like you to resent your clansmen for trying to help save your damn life. If you can't accept the fact that we love you, that we're your family, then why did you even make HOMRA in the first place? Isn't our clan about bonds that run thicker than blood? About doing everything and anything we can to protect and help one another? Why does it seem like you've forgotten that lately? The Colorless King will be captured and maybe then we can get our King back, right now I don't know who you are."
Mikoto's body began to shake with an emotion he hadn't felt in ages, he refused to show it so he did the only thing he could think of. Pointed to the door.
"Get out and leave me alone."
"Mikoto are you ser-"
"Out." He commanded, eyes searing a brilliant red as he fought off the loss of control he felt rising in his chest. His clansmen shook their heads, their eyes glimmered with emotions the King promised he'd never see again after this moment. Was it rejection? Or was it sadness? It made his heart hurt and his eyes sting, but he continued to hold his ground.
"Let me know when you're done acting like this and maybe then we can talk," his best friend said as he escorted Yata and Tatara out of the room, he swore he heard the blond tell Anna to go back to her room but he lacked the ability to care at that point in time. As soon as the door clicked shut he brought his shaky knees to his chest, letting out a labored breath as he buried his head on his bent legs. Tears tried to pry out of the corner of his eyes but he willed them away, refusing to cave in to the useless emotion that was sadness.
It had been over five years since he had shed a tear and he knew that wasn't healthy but he wasn't prepared to break that streak. He hoped Munakata would find the guy that had been causing him such pain and worry, hoped the man would be locked away and that he could recover and breath again, that he could fight against his own doomed fate without the fear of losing one of his closest friends and even himself.
Mikoto's short temper and anger issues were nothing more than a ruse at the time. Instead of getting upset, hurt or sad, he got angry to cover it. It was as unhealthy as his pack a day smoking habit but he swore bottling up emotions did more damage than the cigarettes did. Each word his clansmen had said to him had been equivalent to a knife being pushed deep into his heart, he knew he was acting up- even for him- and knew it was pushing the bonds he had made with everyone but he was doing it to shelter and protect himself. But all he had wanted was to protect them, and according to Anna he would have been a failure.
He felt like a terrible man and an ever worse King.
His heart slammed into his chest, his head swayed in protest and his eyes stung like they had been set ablaze and he continued to fight off the voice in his head that told him to just let it all go. He wouldn't be so easily swayed, it wasn't in his nature. This was just the illness and stress talking, he wouldn't give in to it.
He wondered if his clansmen felt his rising emotion, if they felt this great deal of pain and worry that he felt now.
He felt like he never had any privacy. Everything he did or felt was registered with his clansmen in their strange supernatural way, if he was in danger, they knew, if he was pissed, they felt it, if he was sad...he already knew the answer before the question crossed his mind. He briefly wondered how many of them were crying for reasons they couldn't explain or if they were fighting past it like he was, yet hurting with a pain that wasn't theirs to feel. He hated that aspect of being a King, he didn't push away emotions and humanoid actions for his health, but rather for everyone else's sake. If his clansmen were crying for him, he didn't know but it made him hurt all the worse.
He bit his lip out of frustration. Damning the stupid emotions that tossed and turned in his mind like the roughest waves the sea could produce.
He didn't want his clansmen to worry about him or see him in such a state, but he realized now that by doing so he had really made the situation worse. If anything they were more worried about him than ever. Mikoto wondered if they thought they had lost the man their King once was for good. Izumo's words cut the fresh wounds in his soul swifter than the speed of light and he wondered if he could fight off this sense of uselessness and doom forever. Maybe his friend had been right after all.
Being a King didn't mean he wasn't human, too. He doubted anyone understood that. He let his thoughts drift to Reisi, and he wondered if the professional looking Blue King ever had a break down. Reason told him that of course he did, but one would never guess it from looking at him. Mikoto promised himself he'd never ask either, he didn't want to leave his own trials and tribulations on the table for discussion.
Since Mikoto had become the Third King he had made it a point to be brash and apathetic, void and impending, but he had neglected his own feelings for so long that he couldn't help but think that it made him weak at heart. The old Mikoto Suoh didn't run from how he felt, he followed his heart and did what it told him to do, the newer version of himself just let the overwhelming power at his fingertips do all the talking. It was as much of a burden as it was a gift. It consumed everything and everyone and it was bound to consume him, too.
"Powers exist to protect."
He couldn't fight it forever. It was too great of a burden for a man to carry alone, it was meant to be shared amongst the people who devoted their lives to their King but it didn't make it any easier of a burden to carry.
He had never been a great King, he had never changed his violent temperament and rash ways for he was the very depiction of violence, he was not allowed to be human. He couldn't afford it.
Mikoto pushed himself off the bed, eyes scanning himself over in his bedroom mirror as he ran his hands through hair in a desperate attempt to get it off his forehead. He fought tears back the entire time but took pride in the fact not one of them ever escaped his eyes. Part of his mind called him a fool for it, the same part that had urged him to let go, but Mikoto knew he couldn't do that. In a time where everything he cared about was at stake he refused to be that shallow.
He'd save his tears for a time he'd really need them, though he hoped that day would never come.
0o0o0o0
"God this sucks," Yata sniffled as he continued to wipe tears away from his eyes, "why can't we go upstairs and be there for him? Mikoto-san's never been like this before."
"Because Yata, he needs his space." Izumo answered weakly as he leaned against the bar, a frown marring his face as he covered his HOMRA marking with his left hand. "Mikoto does this to himself, he thinks being an emotionless robot is the way to protect people and he's just now realizing why that doesn't work out. He's doing this to himself for no reason, I don't know why but it's always been hard for him to accept the fact he has people around him who will help him and care about him."
"I think it's because King's afraid that he's going to hurt the people he loves," Tatara said with a light cough, taking a tissue from the box as he wiped his eyes. "He's always been hotheaded but his temper soared whenever he became a King, but he always shielded us from it. His anger was always directed at other people and maybe that's why we thought it was okay, I can't believe I didn't notice how badly King has been hurting...why does he insist on suffering in silence?"
Kamamoto entered the bar quietly, sitting down the bag of medicine he had bought as he approached the group, tears sprung into his eyes almost instantly. "Is Mikoto-san okay? Why am I crying?"
"He's going to be fine, Kamamoto." Izumo promised as he grit his teeth, "he's just really upset at the moment...and Tatara I can't answer that. We've been friends since childhood and he's always been this way. I think it's just his defense mechanism."
"Do you think King tries to be strong all of the time for our sake?"
"Yes, I think he does everything the way he does because he values us and our emotions more than his own." Kusanagi replied bitterly, "he's...he's always secluded himself to protect other people's feelings but he never has cared about his own. I don't think he does it intentionally, but he ha-"
"The Colorless King is gone."
All bleary eyes in the room drifted to the staircase, where Anna stood with her marbles in her hand, her eyes overflowed with tears.
"What do you mean?" Tatara inquired as he turned around in his chair, clearly distraught at hearing the information.
"His location is now unknown, it keeps bouncing all around the map. There's no way I can find him at this rate," Anna cried out, gripping the marbles in her hands even tighter, "I can't find him...it's useless."
"It's not useless, Anna." A strong yet concerned voice boomed from behind her, Mikoto swayed back and forth as he climbed down the stairs, eyes bloodshot and irises red from the impact of illness and stress. "You did all you could, I'm still proud of you. Don't feel guilty over this, there is nothing we can do but wait." He picked the girl off the ground with minimal effort, ignoring her cries of weak protest as he sat her down on the couch, wrapping the blanket he had used earlier around her. "Just relax and please stop crying."
"But Mikoto you're sad..." she began but was silenced when her King patted the top of her head, shooting her a weak but comforting smile.
"I want to apologize for how I've been acting, I'm better now."
The words rang like a church bell throughout the room, each of the clansmen soaking in the words while their King hoped they would clear the tension and air that seemed to have fallen over them in the most unwelcoming of ways. Izumo was the first to speak afterward.
"Mikoto I didn't know this was bothering you so much...forgive me for what I said earlier."
Yata gulped before opening his mouth to speak as well, "and me too. I guess our emotions blended with yours and just made the whole situation a lot worse than it normally would have been. If you ever need to talk to us Mikoto-san I hope you know we're here for you. Always."
"King..." Tatara mumbled as he stood up from his seat, walking over to Mikoto with wide eyes. "Please stop doing this to yourself, it's not your job to be an emotionless robot, you're allowed to feel...it's what makes you human." Suoh looked at him with a frown.
"I would do anything for you all, I would give my life for one of you in the blink of an eye, offering up my emotions so I can protect you is the least I can do."
"Mikoto-san you say this like you know what's best for us," Yata said as he swung his legs off of his chair and approached the two older men in the center of the room, "I think I speak for everyone here when I say that this feeling we have now is much worse than what we would feel to see you show something other than anger... We owe you so much, you do everything for us, I don't know why you think you don't...you're the best King we could ever ask for...I just wish you knew that."
"They have a point Mikoto, you may be a bit brash and might have the fuse of a matchbox but when all is said and done we couldn't ask for a better King." Izumo said with a sad smile, "you've always been like this, I'm starting to think you're afraid of yourself."
"Maybe so. The stress of this whole situation has been so taxing. I...I would be a complete failure as a King if I couldn't protect the things that mattered the most to me. HOMRA is all I have, you all are my legacy...I don't have anything else. I guess I should have asked you all what was best for you rather than assume that I knew. I've changed a lot in the last few days...maybe it's been even longer than that but I see now that it wasn't for the best. I'll be a little more open for now...it was just the thought of capturing the bastard that had me so worked up." Mikoto sighed as he crossed his arms.
"Besides that, the fact you were going to be killed on my turf where you should have been under my protection is what bothered me the most. What good is a King that can't even protect his people?"
"It's not your job to protect us all of the time, we always have a part of you with us." Tatara said happily, the tension in the room disintegrating as the King's mood started to shift for the better. "You shared your color with us so we could protect ourselves, if anything it would have been my fault for approaching some stranger on our rooftop. I'm a bit too trusting with people."
Mikoto couldn't help but smirk.
"You are one weird dude."
The collective laugh in the room shook off the remaining tension and the usually lighthearted atmosphere that flooded the bar had returned. It was then that the bells on the door chimed and in walked KÅsuke and Eric. Both sniffling but waving happily as if they were relieved that everyone else was all right and nothing bad had happened. If they didn't understand the situation they thought nothing of it.
Izumo sent a text out to the other members of HOMRA, informing them that everything was all right and that there was no need to worry before he called Seri and regretfully informed her that Anna had lost sight of the man claiming to be the Colorless King. The Blues were apparently disheartened at the news.
"Tatara will you sing for us?" Anna asked in excitement as the remaining members of HOMRA filtered in the room, Yata was cooking dinner for everyone while the rest of the clan sat in the front of the now closed bar, waiting anxiously for the food. Once a week they always got together to have dinner, it was one of the few rules Tatara had made with Mikoto's approval, and he had to admit he liked the idea. His clansmen were happy to be around one another and he was happy to have them all around him, safe and sound.
Mikoto let his thoughts travel for a moment as Totsuka accepted Anna's request and began to play a song on his guitar, his voice carrying notes across the bar, nearly lulling him to sleep. Mikoto didn't necessarily live at HOMRA, yes he had a bedroom here, as did Kusanagi and Anna, but he had an apartment on the other side of Shizume City as well. One he hadn't been at in weeks, before they even knew about the danger they were facing. He didn't stay there all too often but he did miss it every now and again, now was one of those times.
His apartment allowed him to escape the stress of his every day reality and without having access to such a retreat made his anxiety levels heighten, he was sure Anna missed it too, seeing as she lived with him. Though the young girl seemed to have no qualms about staying at HOMRA, she had always said she was happy wherever she was as long as she was with the Red King and the other members of HOMRA, so he knew he didn't have to worry about her being homesick.
Tatara's voice pulled Mikoto out of his revere as a rather beautiful part in his song came about, Mikoto relaxed into the couch, his eyes slipping shut peacefully as he focused on the smells coming from the kitchen and the words rolling out his his clansman's mouth. It was all too perfect, no, it was exactly what he needed after having such a piss poor day. His health seemed to be improving the longer he rested and he wonder if his Sword of Damocles would begin to heal if he implemented these restrictions more often. If so, he was willing to do it until he was well again.
He felt a bump on his shoulders and opened his eyes to look at Izumo, who offered him a cigarette. "You haven't smoked all day, maybe that's why you were so on edge."
Mikoto laughed quietly as he accepted the smoke, using a lighter to light the tobacco for the first time in over seven years.
"Thanks," he said quietly as Tatara's song ended and the members of HOMRA showed their approval by giving him a round of applause, as if on cue, Yata came out of the kitchen, balancing several dishes in his arms.
"Kusanagi-san can you sit the pot holders on the bar? This stuff is heavy." Misaki whined as he shifted awkwardly in his spot, Izumo sighed and walked over to help him while the others talked amongst themselves about how excited they were to see what Yata had cooked up for them this week. Yata was the best cook in HOMRA, Tatara being a close second but not focused enough on it to be better than the leader of the Vanguard. On days when the Red King was hungry, he would kill an entire city off if it meant Yata would cook dinner for him. It wasn't something he was entirely proud of but Suoh couldn't cook to save his life.
After everything was laid out Yata began lifting the lids on all the dishes, ranging from bowls of noodles to perfectly cooked steak and vegetables, there was even a few plates of fish and sushi along with white rice. Mikoto didn't understand how he had cooked all of the food that fast but he certainly wasn't complaining.
"Anna I made you some chicken and wild rice in case this wasn't what you were in the mood for," Yata said with a smile as he rushed back into the kitchen, grabbing one last dish that was surely meant for the young Strain. Anna's eyes lit up.
"Thank you, Yata!" She said happily as she took the dish, her favorite foods happily in her hand.
"There's some sweets in the back, too. I'll get those when everyone is done eating." The skateboarder announced proudly as he removed the all black apron he was wearing and hung it back on the kitchen door. "Dig in, boys." He said with a wave as he made his way over to the couch, looking at his King quizzically.
"Mind if I sit with you?"
"Not at all, I'm going to get some food first though." Mikoto answered with a small smile as he stood up, finding it easier to do so than it had been the past few days. "Are you not going to eat?"
"I will when everyone else is done, I've been snacking the whole time I made it anyway." Yata said with a slight blush as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, "I made your favorites, I didn't know if you noticed that."
"I did," the King replied as his smile grew a bit wider, "thank you."
"Anytime," was his short and simple reply, leaving the Red King free to eat as much of the massive amount of food as he pleased. Despite what one might thing, Mikoto waited until everyone else had their food before he helped himself to half of what was left, which ended up being two plates worth in the end. After he set those down on the U-shaped coffee table, he went back and got one last plate, handing it to Yata who took it with a smile- mumbling a "wow, thank you..." under his breath.
"Don't mention it," Suoh replied as he mimicked his clansman's actions, bowing his head a bit before they all began to devour their food. As suspected, Yata's cooking was still the best he had ever had. Everything was cooked to perfection and the different flavors all complemented each other in ways Mikoto didn't even know was possible. The wine Izumo offered him went with it exceptionally as well. All in all, he swore it was the best meal he had ever. Much better than the breakfast he had consumed that tasted all the same due to the sickness that had plagued him.
"Well Yata, you've outdone yourself this time. This food is amazing," Izumo said with a sincere smile as he worked on his last piece of steak.
"Yeah you're going to have to teach me how to make all of this!" Tatara exclaimed in earnest as he stuffed a piece of sushi in his mouth, a crooked smile coming to his lips when a piece of rice got stuck to his chin somehow.
Kamamoto was too busy eating to compliment the chef but gave his thumbs up in approval, much like everyone else did in return. Mikoto swore Anna devoured her food, he had never once seen the young girl eat that fast in her life. He was honestly impressed with it all. Looking to his left he spared a glance at Yata who munched on his food quietly, a content look sparkling in his eyes despite his silence.
"It was all great, thank you for making all of it. If this was supposed to raise my mood it did the trick," Mikoto stated after a moment of observing his third in command. Yata's cheeks dusted a pink color in embarrassment but the happiness reflected in his eyes at the King's compliment couldn't be hidden.
"That was my intent, I'm glad you're feeling better now Mikoto-san. I was really worried about you."
The words pained the Red King for reasons that stretched far beyond guilt.
"Well I'm feeling a lot better now, don't worry about me so much. Everything will work out in the end, I'm sure." Suoh replied with a click of his tongue, "if you want to watch a movie with me later you can. I think I'll probably watch one in my room after everyone leaves and Anna is in bed for the night."
"I'd love too," the younger man replied with a brilliant smile. "Thanks Mikoto."
The drop of the -san in his name made him chuckle in slight victory, and the Red King couldn't help but think that maybe the day hadn't been that bad after all.
0o0o0o
"Anna's in bed," Mikoto said with a yawn as he came back into the main part of the bar, not even surprised to see Seri and Munakata standing in the doorway. Everyone else, minus the few who were staying at HOMRA had already left for the night as well.
"You're looking a lot healthier, Suoh. I'm glad you took what I said to heart," Munakata said with a crooked smirk as he made his way closer to the bar, asking Izumo for a glass of water while Seri called out her usual disgusting order. "May I buy you a drink?"
"I get drinks for free, Munakata." Suoh replied with a sigh as he walked over to the bar, standing behind Yata and Tatara who appeared less on edge than they usually would in front of the Blues.
"Don't tell him that Mikoto, if he wants to pay for what you usually drink for free then let him." Kusanagi teased as he made the drinks and prepared a glass of Fireball Whiskey for Mikoto, the Blue King paid for his drink anyway.
"Quite disappointing results today, we were hopeful we would be able to capture him when we got the call that Anna had located him but the news that he had seemingly vanished shattered that hope." Awashima stated as she stirred her drink up and took a sip, flashing a grin to Izumo in a silent way of saying it's perfect.
"Yeah we were disappointed too but we still have plenty of time." Tatara said quietly as he grabbed his video camera and picked it up. "Mind if I film you?"
"Not at all, Totsuka-san." Munakata answered with a laugh and a wave of his hand, Yata hissed at the reaction. "Mikoto will you let us check your Weismann levels? Earlier today we thought we detected a spike in them but unless you activated your Sanctum I don't see how that's possible."
"That's strange," Suoh covered his semi-break down with a dismissive look, "but I'm not going to go lay on that cold table again, think I'll pass."
"I can have them bring a laptop in here and we can do the scan in the comfort of your friend's bar, how does that sound?"
"Fine."
"If that monkey comes in here I'm going to kill him," Yata seethed as a reminder that he and Saruhiko still hated one another to the core. Mikoto sighed and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Leaning down to whisper in his ear.
"You know he's going to be the one to do it, this is his specialty. I won't ask you to remember our current position but they are our allies for the moment, think before you do something to push their buttons."
Yata's face flushed.
"Sorry..."
"Don't apologize, just ignore him."
As if on cue, a very nervous looking Fushimi entered the bar, laptop and a bundle of sensors in his hands. Munakata thanked him before ordering him to stay in order to collect the equipment again when they were done, he even instructed the former HOMRA clansmen to help him apply the sensors to the Red King's skin, which Mikoto let him do without a word of protest.
"You don't have to be so nervous," Mikoto mumbled teasingly as Fushimi applied a few sensors to his chest, "you were once one of mine, you know. Regardless of what has happened it's not like I hate you." The last part was whispered so only he and Munakata could hear it.
"I see," was Saruhiko's mousey reply.
"I think it was for the best anyway, you and Munakata seem to get along well and heaven knows a hot head like me could only really be surrounded by hot heads like Yata. I'm sorry things didn't work out but I still wouldn't change our current situation. If you ever need anything you know you can give me a call."
"Mikoto-san?" Fushimi looked a bit dumbfounded at the information he was hearing while Munakata actually looked pleased with his friendsvocalization.
"I mean it," Suoh answered with a yawn, "just because you're not on our side doesn't mean I want something bad to happen to you. I take care of my own, past and present. Plus, you did at least ask for permission to leave HOMRA, which I appreciated. So yeah, I'm a phone call away if old man Munakata doesn't want to come save your ass should you ever get into trouble."
"I-I...thank you."
"Don't mention it, just stop looking like a deer caught in the headlights."
"Well Suoh, your readings are looking a lot better than they have been." Reisi said as he examined the screen on the laptop, "why if I didn't know you I would assume you were stable."
"Watch it, Munakata." The Red King hissed as the eery red glow in his eyes multiplied tenfold.
"Easy Suoh, I didn't mean to offend you. On a similar note, if you rested your aura for a bit after all of this was said and done there might even be a chance for you to remain a King and not kill everyone in Tokyo."
"You're serious?" Fushimi asked out of curiosity as he glanced over his new King's shoulder. "Shouldn't we ask to see his Sword of Damocles? I mean it's a bit risky considering he's been recovering from illness but if we could get him to draw enough power from the Dresden Slate to actually manifest the sword then we could get a visual representation of his health. If his Sword of Damocles isn't crumbling apart like it usually is and there is a possibility that he could maintain his status as a King without killing himself then this would be information we have never know about before. Hell, I don't even see how it's possible."
"You have a point Fushimi, but I'm not the one you should be asking."
Mikoto and Munakata exchanged a smirk, as if teasing Saruhiko was one thing they both loved to do. Somewhere across the bar Yata cackled at the irony of it all.
"Mikoto-san, would you mind stepping outside and activating your Sanctum?" Fushimi mumbled under his breath, the horror of it all written on his usually condescending face.
"Not a problem, you boys stay in here." Mikoto instructed as he peeled off the sensors with help from his ex-lover and ex-clansmen. He fought the urge to vomit at the realization.
"I'm coming with you," Yata proclaimed as they had made their way to the door, there was an anger in his eyes but Mikoto could tell he was trying his best to contain it, "in case it's too much for you. You're just now starting to feel better, I don't think it's a good idea."
Lie, you just don't trust them. Mikoto wanted to say but didn't feel like starting an argument about it, so he waved his third in command on, telling him to tag along if he felt the need too- which Yata apparently did because he followed them out the door instantly.
After Munakata spoke to his team in the van, and Seri who joined them, he gave Mikoto the all clear to activate.
"Just focus your energy solely on demonstrating your power, don't actually launch it at anything if that's possible."
Mikoto nodded in understanding as he took a deep breath, Yata didn't leave his side, clearly completely unafraid of his King's power. His aura first glowed in his eyes, radiant and brilliant in the darkness of the city despite the lights. Next it flowed from his feet to his fingertips, smothering him in flames as he desperately worked to contain it, he had never done so before in his life but the red that surrounded him obeyed, shooting a pillar into the sky as his Sword of Damocles came into view. It cleared around him, allowing him to steal a glance up at the gigantic sword of legend that demonstrated the old saying, with great power comes great responsibility.
"Perfect, Suoh." Reisi said all too happily as he climbed into the van for a moment, emerging with a tablet that likely had all of his data on it. "Notice anything different?"
"It looks a little less...broken," Mikoto said, half in awe and half in disbelief, "are you serious? Just one day of rest has caused this?"
"It would appear so, your levels are no longer fluctuating but they are still very high." Munakata said as he approached the Red King, careful not to get to close to him while had that much power flowing through him. Getting caught off guard was not his style. "But they are better than they were previously, I recommend you and your clan take it easy for a month after this situation is handled and done with, you might even be as good as new after that."
"Ah," Suoh mumbled in response as he stared up at the sword, a slight fear of it falling plaguing his mind.
"Have you learned your lesson in all of this?"
"What?"
"That maybe you should stop acting out around the clock, maybe then you could deteriorate at a normal rate like the other Kings." Munakata sounded all too happy to make that jab and it took every ounce of will power that he had not to roast the Blue King alive for it.
"I'm not making any promises."
"Of course not."
"Well if that's all," Mikoto began as he called off his aura, watching his sword burst into red crystals that floated down from the sky like snow, "Yata and I will be going back inside."
"That's all yes, we will see you tomorrow if we have any new information. Remember to take it easy, Suoh."
"Ah," the Third King yawned as he slung an arm haphazardly around his clansmen, "come on Yata, let's go watch that movie."
"Uh sure thing, Mikoto-san."
0o0o0o0o
"This movie isn't nearly as good as I thought it would be," Mikoto admitted as he kicked his shoes off, relaxing back into his headboard as he reached for his glass, that had more Fireball in it. Alcohol wasn't good for someone who was recovering from being ill, but despite that the Red King drank it like water. Needing something to take the edge he felt away.
"Yeah I don't really care for it either," Yata agreed with a sigh as he turned the volume down a little bit, "Mikoto could we talk for a minute?"
"Sure thing, what's on your mind?"
"Well...it's just that...I want you to know that you don't have to go through all of this alone."
Mikoto's eyes widened in surprise but he nodded his head in understanding.
"If you ever need to talk about anything I want you to know you can talk to me. I might not be the wisest or the calmest but if you ever get tired of talking to Kusanagi-san or Tatara then I hope you know I'm always here for you." Yata pulled his knees to his chest, "it's the least I can do for the man who gave me a purpose."
"You say that like you never had one before," Mikoto pointed out as he glanced over at his companion.
"That's because I didn't," the words took the King by surprise, "the Monkey and I did nothing but just barely get by. My family has never had the desire to claim me as theirs so it was always just him and I against the world. We were starving half the time, exhausted all the time, and just...existing when we met you." Yata smiled sadly as he took his beanie off of his head, running his fingers through his hair afterward. "When Kusanagi-san said we could follow you guys that day I had never been that excited in my life.
I mean you have to understand how it looked at the time. Here was some badass looking guy who just melted a glass bottle and his friend had invited pitiful me and the Monkey to tag along with them...with you. If I had known just how incredible life was going to be from that moment onward then maybe..."
"Do you feel guilty over Saruhiko leaving?"
Yata bit his lip.
"He said it was my fault but I don't know what to believe. He said I had forgotten about him the moment you and I shook hands...the moment I became a part of HOMRA. But I don't get it, he was a part of us, too. He never wanted to take part in conversations or do things with the guys so he expected me to sit out just because he wanted too. I don't get it and I doubt I ever will. All I know is he's a traitor, he vowed to do everything he could for you and HOMRA in exchange for his power but it turns out he was just a greedy Judas prick an-"
"Yata..."
"Sorry sorry, he just gets me really worked up." The teenager sighed, "as I was saying, I don't know if I ever thanked you for what you did for me but I appreciate it...from the bottom of my heart. If I had to do this all over again and I know I would have to lose the Monkey in exchange for you and the guys then I wouldn't do anything different."
"You sure you're feeling all right, Yata?" Mikoto asked as he extended his hand out to place it on the younger man's forehead. "I've never known you to be sentimental."
The laugh that met his ears brought a smile to his face.
"I can be a bit sentimental at times, I guess."
"Guess there's a lot of things I'm yet to learn about you." Suoh commented as he dropped his hand and tilted his head back so he could look up at the ceiling.
"Same goes for you, that's why I said I wanted to talk to you more. I guess I just want to know more about you, honestly." The blush that rose to Yata's cheek brought a smirk to Mikoto's face, "I mean...I just..."
"Yata, when you say something you should mean it the way it is. Don't feel the need to try and cover what you've said with a lesser version of it. Stop worrying so much, I'm not going to judge you for saying how you feel."
"Thanks Mikoto," Yata paused only so he could look over and make eye contact with his King, "for everything."
"Don't even mention it."
"You want to finish this shitty movie?" Yata suggested with a raise of his eyebrows, Mikoto couldn't help but laugh at the bluntness.
"Why the hell not?"