My Tropetember 2023 contribution for the prompt : Major Character Death.

I'm sorry for the mistakes, English is not my native language. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer : Tokyo Revengers belongs to Ken Wakui.

I will save you

Mikey looked in the distance and bit into a taiyaki. It was June 19. Twelve years to the day that the members of Toman had buried the time capsule and that they had planned to meet again. Mikey had been dreading this date for several days. He knew his friends would be there, surely wondering where he was and if he would come. But he should not go to the meeting. If he had dissolved the Toman and if he had broken all his ties with them, it was to protect them and to protect their future. He had to protect them from who he had become.

He had still made enquiries about what they had become. It was stronger than him, he had to know. They had been the most important people in his life and even if he refused to admit it to himself, he still cared about them.

He had learned that Draken had opened a motorcycle workshop. Chifuyu had opened a pet store and Kazutora had been helping him since his release from prison. Pah-chin, who had just married, had taken over his father's business and was assisted by Peh-yan. Mitsuya had become a stylist and was starting to make a name for himself in the fashion world. Hakkai was an international model and his sister was his agent. As for Takemichi, he was the manager of a DVD store and was soon to marry Hinata. They were all happy without him and it was better that way.

He wondered if Takemichi had returned from the past. Would he try to find out what had become of him ? Mikey knew he would look for him. That was why he left him this video in the time capsule where he asked him not to find him. He knew Takemichi would respect his wishes. After all, he had nothing to offer but a world of violence and death.

Twelve years ago, he knew how things might end. His dark impulse would eventually catch up with him and Takemichi would be one of his victims. He would kill him, as he killed anyone who bothered him or was of no use to him.

A long time ago, the only people able to help him fight this impulse had been Shinichiro, Emma and Baji. But the three of them were no longer with him. Then Takemichi came into his life. He had this strength and this courage which had made Mikey want to fight this impulse. With Takemichi by his side, the darkness inside him disappeared. He had become his hero and he loved him. And because he loved him, he had to let him return to his time. He knew that the moment Takemichi disappeared, his dark impulse would have the upper hand. He was plunged far too deeply into darkness and no one could save him. Not even Takemichi.

He bit into his taiyaki again when he heard someone arriving behind him. He knew it was Sanzu, his faithful second.

"Are you sure you don't want to go there?" Sanzu asked.

"I am," Mikey answered indifferently.

This date was part of his past and it had to stay that way.

~00~

Mikey had been hearing rumors for several days about a man who was looking for information about him and the Bonten. Who could be this idiot who was looking for him even though the authorities feared him ? For a second, Takemichi's face came to his mind. But it was impossible. He was to marry Hinata in a few days and he would not risk losing everything to find him.

Mikey watched Rindo dispose of the corpse of one of the Bonten members he had just executed. He had betrayed him, so Mikey had to eliminate him. He felt nothing. Neither regret, nor pain, nor pleasure like the members of his gang. He was empty. He saw from the corner of his eye Sanzu arriving. He had sent him to find out about this man.

"Did you learn anything ?" Mikey asked.

"It is Takemichi Hanagaki."

So it was him, Mikey thought. He had not listened to him and he had searched for him. Why did he have to keep playing the hero ?

"Do you know where he is ?"

Sanzu nodded. Mikey's hand clenched around the gun.

"Take me to him."

Mikey already knew what was going to happen. That was why he did not want to see Takemichi again. Why did things have to end like this ?

~00~

"I will save you !"

Why ? Why when Mikey had just shot him and he was about to die, Takemichi still wanted to save him ? Why he did not realize it was too late for him ? He could not be saved for years. Why did he keep insisting ? He had said himself that he could no longer go back to the past.

Mikey could not take this life anymore. He walked over to the edge and let himself fall into the void. It was finally over. He felt his fall stop. Takemichi grabbed him by the arm. How was that possible ? With the bullets he had fired at him, he should be bleeding to death, unable to move. And yet, Takemichi refused to let go of him. He kept insisting that he could still be saved and for the first time, Takemichi called him by his first name.

Something in Mikey's heart changed. He wanted to believe in Takemichi and believe that he deserved to be saved. Suddenly, Takemichi's gaze changed. Mikey knew that look. He had already seen it twelve years ago when future Takemichi was traveling in the past. Did Takemichi just time travel ?

Suddenly, Takemichi's body fell over and both of them fell into the void. Despite their fall, Mikey did not want to let go of his hand. The fall only lasted three seconds, which seemed to him to last hours.

They crashed to the ground. Mikey's body had cushioned Takemichi's. However, he was no longer moving, he was no longer breathing. Mikey realized he was dead. Himself was at his worst. All the bones in his body were broken. His lungs must have been punctured, he had more and more trouble breathing. He had never been in so much pain. He wanted to scream, but he could not.

He could hear a crowd forming around them, but he could not see anything. The shock had blinded him. His hand that held Takemichi's loosened little by little. He felt himself losing consciousness and he understood that he had little time left. He gathered what little strength he had left to raise his arm and wrap it around Takemichi. He had never been afraid of dying, but this time it was different.

"Takemitchy," he managed to whisper.

Takemichi offered him a second chance and Mikey hoped to spend it with the one he loved. With his hero, with Takemichi.

The end