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Dr Aris turning out to be Tiera was one of the plot twists in Takeo’s life that he never saw coming but it happened and Takeo’s mind was reeling. His sister, his reason for doing everything the union wanted was a figment of his imagination that Dr Aris planted and pretended to be, and for what? Just for fun?
And it was revealed in front of everyone who saw how weak he was, that he was able to be manipulated so easily, content with only mere flashes of her, trusting the unions word that she was actually alive and a real person.
He’s watching her coughing up blood, on her knees in front of him as she boasts about being able to deceive him for as long as he’s been in her “care” and he stumbles back, his mind trying to merge Tiera and Aris together, the personalities were polar opposites but he couldn’t deceive himself anymore, and he was horrified!
All the people he killed, all the innocent children and families he killed for the sake of protecting Tiera…gone for no reason other than to help the union. He was ashamed with himself. How will he face everyone, whilst knowing how easily led he is, killing thousands for a person who never existed in the first place?
He stood up shakily, watching Aris take her last breath, and turned away, leaving her to be found, either by civilians or the Union, Takeo couldn’t care less.
Suddenly the earpiece crackled, “Takeo? Takeo, can you hear me? The Boss needs our help, get over here as fast as you can.” Takeo could hear echoes of a fight in the background and he released a breath he didn’t know he was holding and brought his arm up to the earpiece.
“Affirmative, on my way.” He dropped his arm, walking to the helicopter’s general location.
There will be time later for his breakdown, right now he has to go and fight.
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(After the end of Noblesse (including the epilogue))
They did it.
They saved the world and everyone who was dead, was brought back to life somehow. Takeo stood in front of the staff room window at the school, watching the Ye Ran kids pull Raizel around as they, undoubtedly, rush to catch him up with schoolwork as well as everything else they believed he had missed.
It was hard to believe that so many things have changed, Frankenstein has left with Third Elder to find out what happened to Rai and the others, Tao was the president of Ye Ran for the foreseeable future, and all the Nobles had gone back to Lukedonia to help wherever they can.
So Takeo and M-21 were, for the most part, left to their own devices at home and they weren’t the most talkative of the household, content to train or sit quietly together at the table. Of course, the peace would be shattered as soon as Tao, Raizel and the kids came back, but still, he took what was given. At home, he was able to process what happened between him and Aris, and whilst he hasn’t told anyone else what happened, he thinks they suspect something happened.
Takeo sighed as he picked his things up, pulling his hair from where it was stuck in his coat and went to meet M-21 outside, after making sure everything was locked properly.
The two of them walked quietly, their shoulders tight as their eyes observed everything around them. The war left scars on them, they couldn't go for a simple walk down the street without jumping at every sudden noise and shadowy figures. Added to that, Takeo flinched at anyone with long red hair, or when he heard a similar laugh from across the street.
“Uh…Takeo?” Takeo snapped out of the daze and met M’s concerned gaze. Oh, they had gotten home.
“I’m fine M, I think I just need a nap or something.” Takeo gently pushed past him and put his house slippers on, Frankenstein wasn’t here but with how he could hear Frankenstein’s nagging voice in his ear to not trek dirt into the house, he might’ve well has been.
“Takeo I-” M stopped his sentence, watching Takeo disappear and he sighed, hoping his comrade would be ok in the end, he doesn’t want to lose someone to the past, not if he could help it.
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Why is it still playing on my mind? I don’t care about Aris, Takeo thought to himself as he stared up at his ceiling, trying to relax but his mind kept flitting back to Aris. I’m angry at Aris that’s true, but if that was all, then I’d be able to move past it. But I can’t, so obviously there is something else I'm not seeing. If it had been anything else about Tiera, I doubt I would be this affected, but I’m struggling to sleep, to eat, and to even do my job, Takeo sighed as he sat up, rubbing his hands down his face. His stomach rumbled as he heard M fumbling about in the kitchen, chatting to someone, probably Kentas, on the phone; they have been getting on rather well recently.
He walked into the kitchen and saw M trying to serve dinner whilst also trying to persuade Kentas to train with him and he came to his rescue, putting the plates and cutlery on the table so the two on the phone could say goodbye to each other.
It was only when M sat at the table, Takeo shot him a teasing smile. “Missing him already?” He smirked as M blushed and shot him a glare, making him burst out laughing, he’s so easy to wind up, Takeo thought fondly as he held his hands in defence. “Ok, ok I won’t tease you…much.” He ignored M’s strangled whine and ate his dinner, M joining in a minute later, cheeks still flushed.
After Takeo cleaned after them, leaving the kitchen as spotless as it was before M started cooking, he disappeared to the balcony, reminiscent of when he first came to the house. However, instead of Takeo finding M, it was the other way around.
They stood in silence for a couple of moments, and Takeo could hear how M was fidgeting with his shirt. It’s cute how he worries, Takeo sighed softly and turned to him. “Are you alright M?” Takeo watched as M cleared his throat, straightening himself and stare straight at Takeo.
“I am, but are you?” M challenged and Takeo’s eyes widened in shock, he didn’t think he was being that obvious, Takeo flushed with embarrassment and looked away.
“Did you think you were being subtle? Takeo, you were so obvious that even the kids noticed something was wrong, I told them you were going through relationship troubles so if anyone asks, you and your girlfriend Zey broke up, I didn’t tell them why though. But the point is, I can see somethings been bothering you for a while now, did something happen at the fight? Or did something happen to Tiera?” M asked bluntly, and Takeo flinched at “Tiera’s” name.
“What happened to her Takeo?” M’s hand twitched like he was stopping himself from reaching out.
“I-, um…she. She isn’t real.” Takeo turned away from any pitying glances that M might’ve been showing.
“What?”
“Yeah,” Takeo let out a harsh chuckle, “Aris told me. She’s been playing me all these years just for fun. Tiera was never real, Aris made her up, pretended to be her. And for what? To make sure her pet stayed in line. I should’ve believed Tao when he said she wasn’t real. God, I’m so pathetic.” Takeo let out a self-deprecating chuckle.
“You’re not!” M protested, spun Takeo around, eyes wild with determination. “You are not pathetic, she manipulated your mind when you were already weak from it. You’re not at fault for trying to keep your sister alive, whether she was real or not, she was real to you.” M practically growled out and Takeo felt his own anger stir.
“I killed people! For whoever Tiera was, I killed people so that she could be safe.” Takeo retorted.
“We’ve all killed people here, you did what needed to be done to keep your sister safe, anyone else would’ve done that in your shoes hell even I did that for the M series!”
“It was different!” Takeo protested.
“How was it any different? Cause it happened to you, a successful experiment? Takeo, you’re better than us because you tried to keep innocents safe. If it wasn’t for Shark and Kranz, you would’ve saved countless lives.” Takeo bowed his head, eyes stinging with unshed tears.
“Yeah but I didn’t, I thought I did but…” Takeo whispered.
“It wasn’t your fault.” M stated firmly, “Tiera turning out to be Aris isn’t your fault either. It was her fault that she manipulated you.” M whispered back, letting Takeo cry into his shoulder, as he clumsily tried to soothe him.
Takeo lightly chuckled when he pulled away. “You’re getting good at the whole comforting thing, taking lessons from Rai are you, or…is it?” Takeo trailed off and M spluttered as he processed the sentence.
“Oh shut it! You comfort a person and think they can make fun of you.” M blushed and Takeo genuinely laughed, getting M in a headlock as he gave him a noogie, ignoring M’s half hearted attempts at getting out of it.
“Ok! Ok! Uncle! Uncle!” Takeo released M who huffed and tried to rearrange his hair back to it’s normal hairstyle.
Just then, the door opened.
“Hey guys guess who's back from a hard day at work!” The two of them turned to face the door and they watched as Tao and Rai put on the house slippers. They turned to each other with a mischievous spark in their eyes.
“Wow, I’m starv-” Tao stopped as Takeo and M turned to face him slowly
“Hehe…guys…what are you doing?” Tao slowly backed away from them as they approached, and as soon as he bumped into the sofa, the two of them tackling him, the three of them toppling over as they all roughhoused, ignoring the Noble in the room who walked past them to get a cup of tea.
The three of them froze as they heard Rai bustling in the kitchen. They scrambled up off the floor, ignoring flying limbs as they raced to the kitchen.
To their horror, Rai was there with a cup and was about to put a cup in the microwave and it still had the metal spoon in.
“No!” The three of them cried and Rai turned to them shocked.
“What is wrong? I only wanted to make a cup of tea.” The three of them watched as Rai, pouted and Takeo took the initiative.
“Sir, you were going to put a metal spoon in the microwave, it would’ve caused the house to explode again.” Takeo pointed out and Rai nodded, taking the spoon out and putting the cup in the microwave. Before he could press any buttons, Tao stepped in.
“Haha…Rai why don’t you just sit down? We’ll get you your tea and some ramen going.” Tao took Rai’s hand and drag- I mean walked with him to the sofa whilst the other tea got started with that.
Rai nodded and got out his latest manual, this time a manual on memes, and the three of them sighed in relief.
Takeo smiled gently. He could get used to life like this, his real family around him as they tried to cope with everything, with each other's support.