Chapter Text
"Takemichi!"
He felt an immense amount of pain in his chest and stomach, this is the pain he never felt before – it's burning and it made him dizzy.
Takemichi only snapped from his daze when a large hand grasped his shoulders. He looked up and saw Kakucho's face, he's shouting and saying something but he couldn't hear him. The ringing in his ears is just getting louder.
"....ichi…lance.."
He still can't hear Kakucho, he's only looking at Kakucho with his heavy lidded eyes.
"Takemichi! Do you hear me!?" When he finally heard Kakucho, he chuckled and tapped Kakucho's arm.
"Kaku-chan, I'm fine, the wound… isn't that deep. Don't worry." It's a lie, he could feel the wound and it was deep, he could feel the wound in his chest and stomach opening in every movement he's doing. But he didn't have the guts to tell Kakucho, he didn't want his childhood friend to worry. They still have things that need to get done immediately.
Kakucho observed the blue eyed boy's face, his eyes landed on Takemichi's hand clutching his chest. He swallowed and faced the grinning pink haired man, the katana he was holding was coated with blood – claret dribbling on the dirty and dusty floor.
"What the fuck are you doing Sanzu?" Kakucho asked the scarred man, slowly standing up and making his way to Sanzu.
"What are you doing Kakucho? Are you betraying the gang? Are you betraying Mikey?" Sanzu asked, annoyance and anger visible in his voice. Takemichi perked at the mention of Mikey's name, slowly walking in front of Kakucho and facing Sanzu.
Takemichi holds Kakucho's shaking hand. Calm down, Kaku-chan.
Kakucho looks at Takemichi, he tries to suppress his anger and be calm because Takemichi is fucking bleeding and he needs to calm down and assess the situation.
He faced Takemichi, his hands tightly holding the blue eyed boy's hand. "Takemichi, you need to get out of here. I'll deal with Sanzu. You need to go to the hospital.." He whispers, Takemichi only smiles at him and shakes his head. "I can't do that, Kaku-chan. You will be needing my help. And besides… I'm okay."
Kakucho can't do anything but to feel helpless – helpless because he can't do anything to help and lessen the pain his hero is feeling. It's always like this, he's always the one who needs protection, the one who always receives but never has the chance to give. It's tiring.
As he looked at the scarred man's shit eating grin, he had the urge to erase that smug look in Sanzu's face.
He wants to protect Takemichi, like what Takemichi did to him when they were just annoying and innocent kids.
Kakucho was so out of his mind he didn't notice Sanzu entering the train. Kakucho only realized it when he heard the sound of the train starting and Takemichi's screams.
When he entered the train, Takemichi was already fighting Sanzu. The blue eyed boy holding the pink haired man's arms .
"Shit."
"Kaku-chan! Hit the brake!" Takemichi shouted as he gripped Sanzu's arms, putting all the strength and energy he had.
"Shit.. Shit..! Where's the brake!?" Kakucho's panicking made Takemichi worried, his mind blanking and Sanzu took that as an opportunity to punch Takemichi. The punch caused Takemichi to fall to the floor.
"K-Kaku-chan, get Sanzu! Let me take care of that brake." Takemichi wasted no time, he stood up forthwith and took the control. Kakucho, on the other hand chase Sanzu while shouting how his plan to murder all those people just because of stupid gang war is pathetic.
" Found it!" Takemichi shouted with delight when he found the brake, all he needed to do was to pull it. Takemichi's celebration was cut short when he felt a pang in his thorax, he clutched his chest and gasped for a little air. Shit, I'm running out of time.
He tried to pull the brake but his strength is not allowing him. His eyes are starting to get blurry, tears threatening to spill. What should I do?
"You're really an idiot, Takemitchy.."
Takemichi's eyes widened, he stood frozen and clutching the brake. This can't be..
"Do you need help, our crybaby hero?"
Takemichi bit his lips to stop a sob to spill, tears furiously falling. He could feel a cold wind brushing in his hands he's using to clutch the brake, as if this wind is trying to help him.
Takemichi screams as he pulls the brake, putting on his last strength. He closed his eyes, hoping that the train will stop in time to prevent the early demise of many people.
He hears a screech and everything stops, he opens his eyes and sees that everyone is fine some are even looking at the train. He slumped against the train's door, he closed his eyes and sighed, holding his chest and trying to breathe.
"Kaku-chan.."
His eyes snapped open, looking around.
He saw Kakucho fighting Sanzu, they're shouting but he's more worried about Kakucho seeing that Sanzu is holding a katana. Kakucho is in prodigious danger, the mismatched eyed man is strong and it's no doubt but with Sanzu holding a weapon Kakucho stands no chance.
Gotta help.
"Sanzu! Lets stop this!"
"Fuck! As if I'll allow you and Hanagaki to reach Mikey!"
Kakucho sighed and eyed the katana, he's strong but he just can't approach Sanzu. He needs to think of a plan that will not harm anyone.
"Kakucho, I'm gonna kill you." The pink haired man said. "I really hate you, y'know."
"Hah, it's mutual. I really do hate you ever since we're in Tenjiku." Kakucho replied, it's true he never liked Sanzu and he didn't know why. Maybe because his guts tell him that Sanzu isn't genuine and his not an ally. Mucho just dragged Sanzu with him, who knows what Sanzu really thought and felt?
Sanzu was about to reply but he was tackled by…
"Takemichi!"
Takemichi tackled Sanzu, the faux blond gripping the collar of the KMG uniform of Sanzu. The blue eyed boy is sitting at the scarred man's stomach, his eyes are shiny and burning with determination.
"Get off of me!" Sanzu growled and tried to punch Takemichi but the smaller boy was faster and dodged the punch. Takemichi raises his fist and punches Sanzu's face, a sickening crack of bones can be heard.
Takemichi released the pink haired man's collar, he coughed and suddenly fell obliquely. Kakucho's eyes widened and ran towards the faux blond's body. He cradled Takemichi's body and held his head carefully.
"T-Takemichi.." Kakucho's voice is shaking, the hands he's using to hold Michi's head are also shaking. He doesn't know what to do, is he supposed to press the wounds? The ambulance! He needs to call the ambulance!
"W-Wait.. Takemichi, I'm going to call the a-ambulance. H-Hang on, yeah?"
Kakucho reaches his pocket, a shaky hand touches his trembling hands. "H-Hey, calm down Kaku-chan.."
"You dumbass Michi, I told you I'll deal with Sanzu.. Why.. Why are you moving!?"
Takemichi's shaky hands softly touches Kakucho's cheeks, he smiled showing his bloody teeth.
"Didn't I tell you? I'll beat up your enemies… I'm going to protect you.." Kakucho bit his lips, trying to stop a sob. Yes, Takemichi said that to him when they were kids. He just didn't expect Takemichi to remember it and to actually fulfill his promise. It's unfair and cruel.
"Kaku-chan…. I heard Draken-kun's voice while stopping the train.. He helped me." Takemichi said, Kakucho's hands tremble more.
Stop talking.
"Hah… He called me an idiot but still helped me. I-It's so like D-Draken-kun.."
I hate this, please stop talking.
"I felt him.. I-I'm hallucinating.. I'm d-dying r-right? Am I?"
Kakucho swallowed the lump in his throat, and tried to press Takemichi's wound. This will stop. It's warm and sticky and has so much blood, why doesn't it stop? Why is it still spilling?
The feeling of warm and sticky blood is not unusual. He already felt, saw, and experienced it. But, why.. Why is Takemichi still bleeding? Why is his body getting colder? Why is his face getting paler, his lips getting bluer? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why–
"K-Kaku-chan.. Calm down.."
"Fuck Michi, I can't do that right now."
"H-Hey.. Kaku-chan… I'm glad we met again, I really miss you.. K-Kaku-chan… I'm glad we're friends, I'm happy to protect y-you…" Takemichi coughed, blood spilling from his mouth. It terrified Kakucho.
"Me too, Bakamichi…. I'm glad we met again and even had the chance to fight properly.. You know, just like before, I want to be strong like you. You're my hero."
Kakucho waits for Takemichi's reply but.. He remained silent. Kakucho's breath is getting shallow due to heavy emotions swirling inside his chest.
"Takemichi."
He felt a wave of relief when Takemichi weakly squeezed his hand. He's awake, he's going to be fine.
"H-Hey… T-Toman lost…"
Takemichi's tears furiously falling, his eyes getting duller. The once bright blue that resembles the ocean is slowly becoming a gray sky.
"Shut up, Toman is still standing. You're still fighting right? You want to see Mikey right? He's up there, so please fucking hang on…" Kakucho whispered his pleas, like praying. Asking all the deity to save his hero, to save and protect the heart and mind of Takemichi's precious people.
"Takemichi."
No reply.
"Takemichi."
He holds the faux blond's cheek, it's cold and his lips are blue. His eyes are closed, lips stained with blood, and his body and hands are limp. No signs of life.
Death wasn't new to him, he had already seen it many times before. When he was a kid, he saw how his parents died. When he was 13 years old, he saw and felt how his saviour turned cold and how his eyes turned dull. It wasn't new. But he didn't say that he was fine with it either.
He just learned to… accept.
"You… You should've stayed longer… You didn't even manage to talk to Mikey.." His sight is getting blurry, tears threatening to spill.
Kakucho carries Takemichi's body in bridal style.
"You're so light, are you eating? Or are you just eating the potato chips you kept blabbering when we were just kids? That's still your favorite right?"
With every step he takes, the heaviness of his chest keeps increasing too. He can taste the heavy metallic tang of blood in his mouth with how hard he bit his lips. His eyes are getting blurry.
He gulped down the lump in his throat when he heard the roar of gang members fighting.
"Everyone… Stop!" He's glad that he managed to shout without his voice shaking because everyone really stopped fighting and looked at him.
He saw the Toman members… The people that Takemichi holds dear. He saw a mirror of confusion, devastation, pain, and sorrow.
He heard left and right questions and yelling. But he kept his eyes forward not bothering to answer nor to yell back.
"K-Kanto Manji has won!" He shouted, trying to stop his voice from shaking.
"Toman lost!" After he said that he put down Takemichi's body, he stepped back and let the upper echelons of Toman hovered over the faux blond's body. They cradled Takemichi's body, shaking it, and yelling.
He ran away, never looked back.
He's alone again. The only person he's trying to protect… Did he really try to protect him though?
He failed his hero. He couldn't save him. He's gone forever.