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“What can he do?” The voice is mocking, Sanzu can tell even from where he’s standing next to Mikey. The grin on his face grows.
They were expecting people to be confused by Mikey’s decision to let Takemichi join Bonten. After all, everyone in this room knows that all the other members from Toman are currently six feet under. And they also know that Mikey killed them. Of course the members wouldn’t be able to understand what made this Takemichi so special, special enough to not get killed like the others.
Sanzu knows that they can’t understand why Takemichi is sitting next to Mikey on the stairs, looking down at them with his dead, blue eyes that used to shine so bright. The pink haired man thinks it’s pretty funny. He remembers those blue eyes so well. They used to be so bright— filled with determination, hope and adoration. There’s none of that left now. They’re almost as cold and empty as Mikey’s eyes and Sanzu thinks the two of them look beautiful next to each other.
They’re both so obviously broken. Sanzu isn’t entirely sure what broke Takemichi in the end but he really doesn’t care all that much either. All that matters to him is that Mikey is alive and well and apparently Mikey being fine can only be achieved with Takemichi by his side. It makes sense, somehow. A king needs a queen after all.
But the other Bonten members can’t understand something as easy as that, Sanzu can see it in the way they’re glaring at Takemichi. But he understands them too. Takemichi still doesn’t look like anything. He looks just as thin and fragile as he had all those years back. Sure, his hair is black now and his eyes are different, but that’s it. Except for that he’s still the same old Takemichi, at least if you just look at him. He still can’t pack a punch to save his life. But he doesn’t have to anymore, if the gun tugged into Takemichi’s pants is anything to go by.
Plus, Sanzu would protect the boy if anything was to happen. He’s only sworn loyalty to Mikey, but if Takemichi is Mikey’s queen, then for whatever it’s worth, he’d protect him with his life as well.
The pink haired watches Mikey put an arm around Takemichi’s shoulders and instead of pulling away, like any sane person would, Takemichi leans into the touch and rubs his head against Mikey’s shoulder like a cat. It makes something in Sanzu’s stomach bloom. He doesn’t know what it is exactly and he certainly doesn’t care enough to figure it out. The faces of the other members fall when they realize that they would have to respect Takemichi, no matter what.
Sanzu grins even more when he sees how shocked the others look. He would make damn sure no one dared to disrespect Takemichi. Because the man belongs to Mikey and no one else. It’s as easy as that. And if the others can’t understand then they have to go.
Despite the two men sitting on the stairs basically cuddling with each other, one brave soul still feels the need to speak up. “What the fuck is this?! Since when does Bonten allow such weaklings in here?!”
Sanzu’s eyes snap to the member. It’s a relatively new one too. Such a shame that he’d have to die. Sanzu doesn’t know much about the boy, but he looks pretty young. Not that he cares much, but it’s still a shame. It almost makes him feel sorry about it.
But before he even has the chance to pull out his Katana or gun, there’s two shots being fired and the boy falls, bleeding all over the ground. Takeomi sighs somewhere in the crowd. Sanzu ignores his brother and turns back to the front to see who did this.
He turns just in time to see Takemichi put the gun back in his pants. Sanzu has to hold himself back from laughing. This is just perfect. To be honest, he wasn’t expecting this. He’s not really surprised because he’s seen this happen so many times already.
It’s a never ending cycle that keeps repeating itself, just with new people. At first it’s just words— you get angry and yell at someone here and there. Then those words turn into punches. You start getting into fights with people, whether it’s on purpose because you need the pain, or just because peope keep pissing you off. And then you start bringing knives to those fights. Sanzu doesn’t know why that’s the way it goes, but it just is. And he also knows that once you start bringing any kind of weapon to a fight, you’re already in too deep.
Once you start questioning your morals, it’s over. Usually after that, the cycle ends pretty fast. Because if you bring a knife, then why not bring a gun, right? It’s easier to pull a trigger than to stab someone. And you don’t have to get your hands dirty anymore. At least that’s what most people in this business think.
And then it’s just a matter of time until you kill again. If you’ve done it once, you’re gonna do it again. It’s as easy as that.
So no, he’s really not all that surprised to see this happening. It’s just the fact that this is Takemichi. A few years ago, this guy cried over every single thing. Mikey could barely speak a whole sentence before the crybaby was crying his eyes out and sobbing.
It’s ironic that the very same crybaby just shot a man and isn’t showing a single bit of remorse. Seriously, there’s not even a bit of shock or sadness in his eyes. Sanzu can’t help but wonder if maybe he’s killed before. Or maybe Takemichi is just as fucked in the head as Sanzu himself.
Whatever the case is, the pink haired man really enjoys this side of the other. Maybe they could be friends. He could introduce Takemichi to his pills and they could have fun together. Sanzu’s kind of fun is a little different from other people’s fun but that doesn’t matter. At least not in Bonten. Everyone’s the same in there.
“Anyone else have something to say?” Mikey asks. Of course no one says anything.
Sanzu suddenly remembers what was said early and speaks up. “What can he do?” He points at Takemichi. “He can do whatever the hell he wants.”
Because it’s true. If there’s anyone in Bonten that holds as much power as Takemichi, it’s Mikey himself. But even Mikey is influenced by Takemichi, so maybe the crybaby is the most powerful one in the room right now. Purely because he has Mikey on his side. The difference is just that no one but Sanzu knows. He’s not even sure if Takemichi himself knows. Maybe it’s better if he never finds out anyway.
Sanzu looks at the men sitting on top of the stairs. Mikey still has his arm around Takemichi’s shoulder and Takemichi has this bored look on his face, as if he’s not currently sitting in front of some of the most dangerous people in Japan. But then again, that doesn’t mean much when he’s cuddling with the leader of the criminal organization that pretty much rules Japan.
But maybe, Sanzu thinks, maybe it’s just the fact that nothing matters to Takemichi anymore. If he looks into those dead eyes that’s what makes the most sense. The pink haired man knows what that feels like. It’s so easy to lose yourself in that feeling of nothingness. He’s seen it happen with Mikey. He wonders what made Takemichi become like this.
The death of his friends? He remembers that Takemichi used to be pretty close with this guy called Chifuyu. Maybe it was his death? But then why is Takemichi here, at Mikey’s side? Sanzu doesn’t care enough to ask or try to figure it out, but he wonders for a moment.
He’s sure he’s never going to find out either. No one likes to talk about that kind of stuff and Bonten isn’t really a place where people talk about their feelings. If Takemichi is anything like back then, he won’t last a week in Bonten.
But Sanzu doesn’t worry too much. He looks at the dark haired man, stares at the Bonten tattoo on his chest and is pretty sure that Takemichi is going to fit right in— he snorts, shakes his head and walks to sit down next to Takemichi.
He raises his head from Mikey’s shoulder and stares at him for a second. Sanzu’s heart skips a beat when Mikey turns to look at him too. He grins at the two and gets a nod from the both of them.
The members slowly get up and start leaving. It’s fine, the meeting is over anyway. Sanzu pulls out his pack of cigarettes and offers one to Takemichi. Surprisingly he takes one.
Yeah, Sanzu thinks and watches the guy light the cigarette. He’ll fit right in.