Chapter Text
> Kiryu, Bishamon Towers
Kiryu wakes up to a rainy morning that feels disconcertingly normal .
There’s a sliver of light coming through the curtains on the window, and the outside looks thick and grey and wet. Sotenbori. The bedroom itself is quiet, something Kiryu rarely experiences, whether in Kamurocho or out here; he drinks it in until the silence is broken by a yawning cat. When Tiger notices Kiryu’s attention on him, he moves closer to headbutt him in the forearm demanding scratches, so Kiryu complies, taking care not to disturb Makoto, still asleep in his arms.
Majima is not there, and Kiryu feels his absence keenly.
Yesterday was their first night apart. It wasn’t a matter of choice anymore; despite how far Nishida had gone to cover for Majima, they could no longer do without him at Kamurocho Hills.
Kiryu’s had to say many goodbyes to Majima in the past, but parting ways had never gone quite like this before. As the hours passed, Majima’s devoted kisses slowly gave way to long-faced scowls and a prominent lack of eye contact. It was a face that Kiryu had never seen on him before — a bit of distrust, a lot of trust, some fear, and something very painful, all fused together into one expression that made Kiryu want to pull him into his arms and not let go. He couldn’t bring himself to act on it, still plagued by some vague anxiety over crossing boundaries that may or may not have existed in the first place.
Makoto and Kiryu walked Majima to the door and Makoto wrapped herself around him in a tight embrace, before Kiryu found the courage to join in, leaning in to give him a slow kiss goodbye. Then, Majima left, with a promise to text and call and see them at Kamurocho Hills the very next day.
Now, they have a long day ahead and a train to catch at 11AM sharp.
Kiryu offers to help with breakfast and Makoto welcomes him into her morning ritual with open arms. He knows it’s not one of his strengths, but he wants to try for her. It turns out they work well together, movements synchronized and seamless, fitting together like puzzle pieces. Makoto’s a good teacher and Kiryu turns out to be a good learner — that is, when he’s learning from someone he likes and respects.
Before long, breakfast ends, Makoto packs her suitcase, and the neighbor stops by for a spare key to check on Tiger during her absence. They hop into a cab and head to Shin-Osaka station, where their shinkansen awaits.
They must look like any other couple, muses Kiryu, as they stroll down the platform, Makoto’s hand curled around his elbow. It’s not an experience he can say he’s had before, and he feels butterflies in the pit of his stomach at the thought; they only get worse when he remembers what’s waiting for them in Tokyo. When they finally get settled in their seats, he takes her hand and doesn’t let go for the entirety of the two-hour nap they take together.
* * *
Compared to Sotenbori, the Kamurocho sky is a brighter grey, sun lurking just behind its thick white clouds. The taxi takes Kiryu and Makoto right up to the questionable entrance to the construction site, and after they drop off their bags at a locker around the corner, they make their way inside.
Today, there’s only a skeleton crew on site, though with a project the size of Kamurocho Hills, it still adds up to a good number of people. The relative lack of noise feels a little out of place to Kiryu, as he leads Makoto arm-in-arm toward the little Majima Construction office. Then again, fewer people is probably a good thing, at least for now.
“This is… huge,” says Makoto, eyes roaming all around the vast expanse. She squeezes Kiryu’s elbow.
“Nervous?” he asks.
“A bit. This whole thing has felt so…”
Fast. Overwhelming. Unbelievable.
“…so right,” she finishes.
“Yeah. It’s a little scary.”
Kiryu understands. Whatever took place over the past few days came to its natural conclusion the moment Majima left. Now they are on the doorstep of something else. Something new and intimidating. Something that demands decisions to be made by all of them.
He’s ready.
“Kiryu-san!” greets Nishida when they walk up to the office.
His eyes dart between the two newcomers, gaze lingering a bit on Kiryu’s hand covering Makoto’s. Their physical contact could easily be read as platonic, but Nishida’s known him a little too long to take it at face value. Heh. Kiryu can’t say he’s surprised.
“Nishida, this is Makoto.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Makoto-san.” A bow. “I’ll go tell the boss you’re here.”
“Thank you.”
Nishida pops into the building, which is followed by a stretch of quiet, punctuated by some muffled yelling and a ‘haw?’ heard from the inside. Finally, he comes back out, holding the door open for them.
“Please.”
With a nod in thanks, Kiryu leads Makoto inside.
If they hadn’t made plans to meet here, Kiryu would have thought the look on Majima’s face to be surprise. No, it’s something else. Even to Kiryu, it feels a little out of place to be back in Kamurocho with Makoto at their side — it’s bringing up memories from long, long ago, and he can’t imagine how Majima is taking it.
Makoto closes the door shut. The window blinds are down, and as soon as they’re in private again, Kiryu can feel something electric come alive between the three of them, even though Majima remains silent. Makoto comes over to the makeshift couch where he is sitting and without hesitation slides up behind him to wrap her arms around his waist. When he jerks around to look at her, Kiryu takes the opportunity to straddle his lap. Physical touch has always worked wonders on Majima, whether it’s surprise softness, like this, or Kiryu punching his lights out behind Serena. Whenever tensions rise and thoughts spiral, this is their go-to course of action. Good thing Makoto’s catching on as well.
Majima reacts to Kiryu in his lap with a hoarse gasp, his attention torn between his two visitors. Makoto purrs something into his ear that Kiryu can’t pick up on, but he’s got his own ideas in mind. He pulls Majima into a slow, deep kiss, hands joining Makoto’s as they roam up and down his body. When they part, Majima has Kiryu pulled in close, Makoto’s hands are on his thighs, and once again, it feels like the three of them are one inseparable entity.
“Missed ya. Heh, already.”
“I missed you too, niisan.”
Makoto only sighs, getting comfortable behind Majima as he leans back to steal a few kisses from her too. Their shared body heat makes Kiryu feel like he’s melting, and he leans down to suck lightly on the side of Majima’s neck. Majima pushes back into him.
“Missed ya so much…” he groans.
“Heh. I was afraid you were having second thoughts,” confesses Kiryu, without really meaning to. He feels Majima’s fingers dig into his hips.
“No way, Kiryu-chan,” Majima says, voice going low and serious. “I just–” Makoto clasps her arms around his waist and puts her chin on his shoulder, and that seems to give him the encouragement to continue. “I just want to be with ya both so much. Scary how much.”
Kiryu moves in to offer another kiss and Majima leans into it with an exhaled huff. When they part, Makoto is right there, smiling over at him with soft affection. He comes closer to give her lips a slow lick. The tense mood from before is finally beginning to dissipate, so Kiryu rests his forehead on Majima’s free shoulder and closes his eyes. They sit like that for a few minutes.
The peaceful silence is shattered by Kiryu’s ringtone — opening notes of ‘Otomeiro My Life’ announcing a text from Haruka. “Haruka’s waiting… I should go. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Take all the time you need, Kazuma,” Makoto says.
Majima reaches up to pull him into a quick kiss. “Just shoot us a text. We’ll be waitin’.”
After some more hurried kisses, Kiryu takes a cab straight home. Today, there’s no time to waste.
* * *
“Uncle Kaz?”
“Yeah?”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“I’ve never seen you smile so much.”
“…”
“…You can’t hide it now!”
“…”
“Did something happen?”
“No. Maybe.”
“…”
“Yes. It’s complicated…”
“Okay.”
“Haruka… I didn’t want to do this so soon, but… I need to go see someone tonight. I might be back late. Maybe not until morning.”
“Someone?”
“Majima-no-niisan and our friend Makoto. She’s going back to Sotenbori in a few days.”
“…Are you sure everything’s okay?”
“Mm. Definitely.”
“If you say so, Uncle Kaz.”
“I’ll take you out to a nice breakfast tomorrow. And then… if you want, maybe we can go do something fun all together. I think you’ll like her.”
“If she’s making you smile like that, I already do.”
“Heh. Thanks, Haruka.”
“Of course, Uncle Kaz.”
* * *
Naturally, they end up at Kanrai. It’s become something of a go-to not just for Majima and himself, but also for his dinners out with Haruka, and Kiryu is thrilled to have Makoto share the experience.
They start with a round of beer and snacks, sitting at one of the low tables on the raised floor, Kiryu and Majima on one side and Makoto on the other. While there’s no doubt that this is a special occasion for the three of them, Kiryu can’t help but marvel at how natural it all feels — almost like they do this all the time. He’s become so used to sitting down for his meals with Makoto and Majima at his side, that he can’t imagine going back to living on Smile Burger takeout and convenience store bento again. Besides, Haruka deserves better. It would be good to take her out for a proper meal more often, and maybe, maybe Majima might…
“Kazuma? Still with us?”
Makoto’s waving her fingers to get his attention, smirking at him over her beer.
“Heh. Sorry.”
“Alright, alright. Eat up,” says Majima, throwing a couple of juicy pieces of kalbi onto his plate.
“What time do you have to be back?” asks Makoto.
“I can be out until morning,” says Kiryu, hesitating somewhat. It still feels a little intrusive, a bit presumptuous that Majima and Makoto would want him around for that long. As close as he feels to the two of them right now, the last thing he wants is to get in the way of their fun.
“Heh, gotta have Kiryu-chan back home by curfew, eh?”
“You know I have Haruka,” says Kiryu, not particularly amused.
Majima raises a placating hand. “I gotcha, I gotcha… Still gonna call ya our Cinderella, Kiryu-chan,” he adds with a smirk.
Kiryu goes red. “I’m–”
Makoto giggles. “I like it.”
“Remember that tune from way back? 24-Hour Cinderella?” Majima hums a few bars.
“Ooh! Yes! Used to hear it everywhere when it came out…”
Kiryu sits back and takes another sip of beer. At some point Majima’s hand has snaked its way around his knee, and he finds the contact unexpectedly soothing. It’s nice and relaxing just to be present while Majima and Makoto reminisce. When Kiryu looks up again, Makoto is looking in his direction with a smile, and it throws him off a little. The mood has changed again, idle chatter suddenly replaced with loaded silences and inappropriately hungry looks.
“So. What next?” asks Majima.
“…Karaoke?” Kiryu likes karaoke.
“No, you… I mean. Mm.” Majima hesitates. “Wednesday. Once Makoto goes back to Sotenbori.”
It’s the one thing Kiryu can’t stop thinking about. He’s waiting for an answer from the two of them as much as they seem to be expecting one from him. Majima is glaring daggers down at his plate and Makoto isn’t making eye contact either, playing with her nails instead.
Kiryu makes a decision.
He reaches over to take her hands in his, no longer caring whether anyone noticed that she walked into the restaurant arm in arm with Majima and not him. Probably not.
“Kazuma?”
“We’ll have to visit, then, yeah? If you’ll have us.” He gets a squeeze back from Makoto. “I know I promised Haruka another trip down to Sotenbori… and then…”
“And then we’ll see, yeah? I’ll come down whenever I got time. ’S not far.” Majima says and takes a sip of beer. Kiryu can feel the nervous energy between the three of them snowballing again, and frankly, he’s beginning to get a little tired of it.
“Unless, Makoto…” he starts but is interrupted by the arrival of a second mouthwatering plate of salted tongue.
Once the meat is on the grill, none of them seem to want to continue their earlier conversation, but at least the mood is a little lighter. Kiryu pours Makoto another drink, while Majima pulls up his phone to flip through the photos from their day out.
When the day is finally done, long past midnight, they lie in Majima’s bed all tangled up in one another. Makoto is fast asleep, curled up with her face pressed into Majima’s back, and Kiryu’s wrapped up in his arms, in a position more reminiscent of a wrestling hold than that of two lovers. It must look terribly uncomfortable, thinks Kiryu, but somehow, having Majima’s long limbs tucked into every nook and cranny of his body feels just right.
He sighs, deep and satisfied. “Niisan…”
“Hm?”
“…Don’t let go.” Kiryu shifts his head to allow Majima better access to the side of his neck and Majima takes the invitation, nuzzling closer to his ear.
“‘Course not,” he mumbles. There’s a pause, during which Majima readjusts his hands and Kiryu hooks an ankle behind one of his. “…Kazuma.”
“Mmm.”
It’s not the first time that Kiryu’s hearing his name on Majima’s lips, but it’s still one of the first few, and definitely the sweetest so far. He wants to say something back, wants this moment to continue just a little longer, but his eyelids refuse to cooperate — seconds later he’s falling asleep himself, muttering something unintelligible under his breath.
They only get a few hours of sleep before the next day’s responsibilities pull them apart again, but Kiryu finds it more restful than any night he spends alone. He can’t help wondering what that means.
* * *
The next few days pass in one big whirlwind of activity, with Kiryu attending to his responsibilities in between rounds of karaoke, takoyaki lunches, movie nights, mahjong games, bathhouse visits, and much more.
It turns out to be more difficult than Kiryu expected to hide from Haruka just how much time he spends with Makoto and Majima, and so eventually he gives up and takes the three of them out to lunch at a restaurant in the Takashimaya department store.
“A little fancy, ain’t it, Kiryu-chan?” Majima says.
It makes him laugh, because Kiryu knows Majima would never pass up a chance to treat someone he loves to the best of the best. Someone he loves… Of course Kiryu loves him. There’s no question about it, and now that Makoto is in the picture, the possibilities were only multiplying. Kiryu is determined not to let them go to waste.
Haruka’s impression of Makoto goes better than he could have ever imagined. While she is still a little on edge around Majima, having Makoto there opens things up, and just like that, two disparate parts of his life click into place right next to each other. Kiryu attributes it to Makoto being a parent herself — this is more her domain, after all. More than his, at least, though he feels that changing with each passing day.
Then, it’s time.
Makoto’s train is in an hour and a half, and so far, the day has been one long goodbye, starting at Majima’s, then moving to Kiryu’s apartment. They spend the final moments relaxing on Kiryu’s small bed as he holds the two of them close — Makoto seated fully in his lap and Majima leaning back against his side. It’s perfect.
Makoto speaks first.
“I’ll miss you.”
For a while, neither Kiryu nor Majima respond. They’re all thinking the same thing, Kiryu’s sure of it.
“Hey, Makoto,” he ventures, almost in a whisper. “Would you consider moving back up here?” He feels Majima stiffen in his arms and Makoto reflexively squeezes his hand. It’s a tough topic to broach, but Kiryu suspects that if he doesn’t, none of them will. He continues. “I wouldn’t be asking like this if you were settled in over there, but…”
She gives a small nod in understanding. Majima’s expression reflects nothing but quiet surprise; Kiryu hopes he hasn’t crossed any lines, but he cannot imagine Majima having objections. This is all brand new territory — the two of them usually sort things out a different way.
“Won’t that… complicate things? For both of you?” she eventually says.
“How so?” wonders Kiryu.
“Well, you have Haruka. And Goro’s in the middle of so much with Kamurocho Hills… I wouldn’t want to get in the way. And besides…” She swallows. “What if I show up on someone’s radar for… Well, for what happened back then?”
To be fair, that’s a legitimate concern for all three of them. Nobody wants to have that kind of nightmare resurface ever again, and getting Makoto far, far away from anything yakuza and to a civilian life was the best defense. Kiryu knows that now.
“Then, we’ll sort it together,” says Majima. “We’re all civilians now, Makoto. ‘Sides, after Kiryu-chan’s one-day stint as Chairman, there ain’t a single person at Tojo willin’ to get on his bad side,” he adds with a smirk.
“There’s no one in the world who can keep me safer than you. I’m sure of that.” She leans over to kiss Majima on the temple. “And… I know you won’t leave. I trust you. But, part of me is scared you’ll disappear again.”
Majima’s lips part in surprise at her confession. “Makoto… ya have to know that was different, yeah?”
Kiryu nods. “Majima-no-niisan doesn’t break his promises.”
“Kiryu-chan…” whispers Majima with a smile. His face is so close. Kiryu can feel puffs of his breath on his own lips.
“…Kazuma,” he corrects.
Majima nods and leans in for a lazy kiss. “Kazuma.”
When they part, Kiryu’s eyes meet Makoto’s — all big and beautiful and eager. He pulls her into a kiss next, deeper than the one he shared with Majima, but just as tender. When they part, she takes Majima’s hand.
“Let’s try it.”
There’s something new in her expression now — resolve. Kiryu recognizes it right away.
“It’s… Ahh, it’s just… a little scary to think about, you know?” she says.
Majima gives her a soft kiss on the cheek. “Darlin’, I can be there first thing Monday if you’ll have me.”
* * *
The ride to the station goes by fast.
They take turns being affectionate with Makoto in public, and once again, Kiryu is the one holding her hand as they head down the platform. He’s also the first one to give her a hug so long that it threatens to push acceptable social levels of PDA, before Majima follows up with an even longer one.
They stand and stand and stand, and then Makoto’s train pulls up and it’s time.
“Call tonight?”
“Of course.”
And she’s gone.
Kiryu and Majima hop on their own train and head back to town without saying a word to each other along the way. This time, they’re not going to Majima’s, and they’re not going to Kanrai or any other one of their favorite hangout spots. They’re on the way to Kiryu’s apartment, where Haruka is waiting to join them for dinner.
It’s about time to change things up.