Chapter Text
Yano had trouble recognizing everybody else in the room, even though he was good at remembering faces. On this particular evening, many people from his group were gathered inside an old warehouse in the middle of nowhere. The kind of place where no one could hear you scream. When a traitor was caught and dealt with, it was as much about punishment as it was about sending a message. A reminder of what would happen to anyone deemed untrustworthy.
The snitch was in the middle of the crowd, head bowed down to the ground, a pool of blood forming around him. His hands were tied behind his back and kept twitching uncontrollably. Half a dozen men, Sekiguchi being among them, were chosen for the task. Not only were they going to take their time but they will also do everything in their power to keep him alive. The one and only rule was to be applied no matter the circumstances. Don't kill people. Even if death would be a relief in this situation.
Yano shuddered at the thought. He was unable to persuade himself that it was excitement, the all-too-familiar feeling of dread crawling through his soul. He watched from across the room but it wasn’t enough to get away from the painful memories.
One of the gangsters was using his cigarette. The informer kept begging for him to stop, but the glimmer of light drew irremediably closer to one of his eye.
Yano had trouble breathing properly and his heart felt like it was about to explode out of his chest. He averted his eyes from the slaughter, gasping for air. He started looking for a way out only to remember they weren’t allowed to go until the deed was done.
Someone pulled him by the arm. Yano couldn’t even react. As much as he wanted to, it was impossible to control himself when something reminded him too much of what he used to be.
Yano could feel fresh air on his face and realized he was outside, somehow. Next to him was the last person he expected to see. Dobu, of all people, managed to get him out while everyone was focused on the punishment. Yano could do nothing but look at him in utter bewilderment.
"Don’t get any ideas. Someone might think you're involved with that backstabber if they see you in a state of panic. And I don’t want to be guilty by association," said Dobu.
Yano was supposed to watch. That was the whole point. Everyone was going to wonder why he was missing. At best, people will perceive him to be weak. A liability. He wondered if Dobu being the one who dragged him out would make things worse or not.
"I know what's going on inside your head. Stop overthinking for once. They won’t realize you’re gone. You’re short enough to not be easy to spot in a room full of people anyway."
Yano tried to kick him in the leg but Dobu was faster. He simply pushed him away and had a hearty laugh, like someone wasn’t currently being tortured only a few meters away from them.
Dobu sat on the stairs while Yano turned his back, refusing to even look at him. He wondered if he'd be strong enough one day to not rely on others and stop being at the mercy of his past. He asked himself this question on a daily basis. Dobu seemed effortlessly menacing and confident. Meanwhile, Yano went to extreme lengths just so people would give him a minimum of respect. Not everyone had to pay the same price in life apparently.
"People won’t take you seriously if you keep throwing temper tantrums," said Dobu, almost as though he could read his mind. "Stop fooling around and just be thankful for not being that guy right now."
Yano managed to land his kick this time. Dobu barely moved. The fact that he clearly let Yano hit him was the most infuriating part.
"If you can’t handle the sight of smoke, you won’t go far in life," Dobu continued, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Why are you still here with me and not at the gathering?" asked Yano, getting angrier by the minute. "You can go back inside and enjoy the view for all I care."
"You could faint or something. I don’t want people to think the guy I personally trained is a wimp. I have a reputation to uphold."
"Not much of a reputation if no one noticed you left the building," replied Yano without missing a beat.
Dobu looked both impressed and furious. Yano realized he wasn’t even scared. Not anymore. A welcome relief after what he went through inside the warehouse. In the end, it was better to feel irritated rather than afraid. Things were easier this way.
He still didn’t understand why his old mentor was at his side. Dobu almost acted like he did back in the day, in a way. Probably one of his mind tricks he was particularly fond of. But Yano will never let his guard down ever again after everything that transpired between them.
Dobu suddenly got up, a large smile on his face. Sekiguchi was at the door, undoubtedly displeased to find him with Yano.
"Look who’s already tired," said Dobu in a mocking tone.
"I can do this all day," stated plainly Sekiguchi as he raised an eyebrow, clenching his bloody fists.
There was almost more tension in the air than in the warehouse.
"Is it over?" asked Yano. He hated how meek he sounded right now.
"They're mopping the floor as we speak," said Sekiguchi. "I didn’t see you leave the place," he added hesitantly.
Yano wasn’t sure how to respond. Telling the truth was out of the question.
"We were talking business. Not that it concerns you," said Dobu. Sekiguchi looked like he wanted to punch him in the face. "I have better things to do anyway. Like asking the other guys why you’re not cleaning with them."
Sekiguchi looked nervous. He knew how things worked, so Yano wondered why his henchman tried to get himself in trouble all of a sudden.
"Go back inside. Now," said Yano.
He snapped his fingers and pointed at the door. Sekiguchi turned and left without a word, but not before glaring at Dobu, who was pressing his lips together to obviously suppress his laughter.
"Your guys wander around instead of doing their work?" asked Dobu in a fake disbelief tone.
"You're the one who introduced him to me, in case you forgot,” said Yano, rubbing his hair. “The only good thing you ever gave me,” he continued, a note of bitterness in his voice.
That last part seemed to annoy Dobu greatly. Deep down, Yano was aware that Dobu gave him a lot. Way more than what was asked of him by the boss, all things considered. His protege didn't realize it at the time. He was happy enough to have a roof over his head and food every day.
"You wouldn’t have lasted a day in the field without me, kid," said Dobu.
His smile had completely disappeared.
"That's exactly what I did. I survived alone and for a very long time at that. When I met the boss, he could have asked anyone other than you to train me and it wouldn’t have changed a damn thing in my life. I never needed you. Deal with it," said Yano, cold as ever.
He made it sound easy. He was very glad those days roaming the streets were behind him for good. Yano remembered how worthless and insignificant he felt. It was difficult not to when all he could do was pray for everything to be okay while people walked past him without a second glance.
Dobu looked at him intently, remaining strangely silent. The expression on his face was unreadable. Then he walked away, leaving Yano alone with his thoughts. He would lie if he said he wasn’t creeped out. Yano knew the conversation wasn’t really over until Dobu had the last word.
With a sigh of resignation, he began to walk towards where Sekiguchi had parked the car. He had enough of this place. Besides, a sucker was waiting for him in town.