Chapter Text
Pair of brown eyes opened wide. The sweaty young man rises up from his uneasy slumber, unable to sleep properly for the last few days. After yawning and rubbing his eyes, Jin's trying to remember what happened so far while pulling out a notebook next to him.
“World War III. Azazel. An amnesiac uncle. A mole in the form of a robot girl… Kazuya tried to stop me but to no avail.”
“I remained unconscious when Kazuya and Heihachi were fighting, yet my vision saw that the old man died…”
“I was planning on killing Kazuya but he knocked me down for days. Momentarily lost my devil power. Joined the tournament…”
Jin writes down “Kazuya took down Azazel and absorbed its power. That woman told me to go back to my birthplace and seek enlightenment”
Sighing, Jin looks over the window. How much of a coincidence is it that his frequent nightmares come alongside the cloudy weather in Yakushima?
He then writes another words to his notebook, slightly far from the dream log “This place doesn't help me purge the devil inside but it helps me with my emotions, like back when I was a kid-”
“Another nightmare?”
Jin irritatedly glares at the older, slicked back haired man who is leaning over the door. He wishes he could just kill Kazuya right here and now “None of your business”
“Hm” Kazuya walks out of the room but not before telling him that the breakfast is ready.
That man. Why the hell did Jin save that man? He tries to kill him, take the rest of his devil power for his own goal and has done many atrocities back then, all of which gives Jin more reasons to hate the clan. So why does he bother letting his father stay together with him? Why does he have sympathy for someone who never was in his childhood? Goodness how many times Jin has asked himself all these questions.
As he reaches the kitchen, his nose is bombarded by the smell of roasted steak and almost pungent seasoning. If his mother was here she would've been appalled “Another steak?” Jin snarks.
“There's still leftovers from yesterday so yes,” The older man puts one of the dishes for Jin “Don't bother complaining when I'm the only one here who knows how to cook”
“I can cook for myself”
“And is it just scrambled eggs or boiled veggies?” Fork hastily stabbed a chunk of meat and shoved it into Kazuya's mouth.
“It's for my survival. Aren't you just a privileged man?”
“After that bastard made me climb up the cliff and nearly stripped away my hopes for this cruel world? Not really. So I pretty much have the right to enjoy luxurious life until I can't”
Most of the housework is done by Jin, but Kazuya insists that he's in charge of cooking. At first Jin is annoyed with his father's demand but lately the younger man pretty much accepts every food Kazuya makes (or is it the fact that his own cooking is mediocre to his dad's taste). The older man didn't really need to cook much when he took over Mishima zaibatsu thanks to the chefs they meticulously hired, though it doesn't stop him from trying to get his hands dirty from making his own meals sometimes. Jin can't help but admire his cooking skills, something that Jun doesn't really have for some reasons.
Usually awkward breakfast later, Kazuya sits on a chair with newspapers in hand, reading the latest news. Meanwhile Jin goes after the bathroom, trying to wash away his worries from last night's nightmare.
Getting out after the shower Jin decided to go outside. Sounds of cicadas chirping can be heard from the forest slightly far away. It feels serene, such peace for anyone who inhabits this place, especially in a secluded house besides the small pond. Looking at the exterior, Jin is pretty satisfied with what he …and Kazuya's doing. There are parts that have already been renovated, a few years after the Ogre's ambush. Now Jin just needs to paint and decorate the rest of the interior. This time he's going to do it himself, who knows more about what his mother likes than his dad, obviously.
Paint roller drenched in bone white color and is used on hallway walls. As he rolls over the tool Jin gets a glimpse of his childhood, where he sometimes likes to scribble the walls with bright crayons. Even when his mom told him to stop he keeps doing it in a place where she won't notice. Jin snickers after reminiscing that silly memory.
“Mother…” But the happy thoughts turned somber as he saw a vision of Ogre arriving at their house and destroyed half of it. And his already somber thoughts eventually devolved into a small rage as he remembers that man and his son. The latter is right next to the hallway reading newspapers, never seems to leave this place even if Jin gives him a chance (read : irritatedly insists) to do that.
Yet, Kazuya doesn't seem very hostile towards him? Most of the time at least. They still throw banters at each other and two times there are fights, showing how much they despise each other. Or so they said. Heated arguments usually just abruptly end either because they don't want to waste their time or Jin is busy with other things, like chores, renovation, and buying supplies.
Speaking of supplies, Jin shakes his head from the daydreaming and looks over his roller, its paint splotches on the floor “Damn it”
It took him around 3 hours to coat half of the hallway walls. After looking through available food supplies and checking which one is empty, Jin turns on his motorcycle. Kazuya suddenly comes into the garage “Fetch me some cigs when you get home”
“No” Jin rolls his eyes as he wears his jacket “Also why don't you buy them yourself? It's not like people still think you're a wanted criminal few years ago”
“You don't see me as a criminal, who's suddenly come alive anymore, son?” Kazuya smirks, and the younger man cringed at that last word. Instead of continuing their conversation Jin runs the engine and rides out of the garage to the suburban area on the island.
Jin parked his motorcycle on a Mart he usually shops at, then surfed through vegetable and meat sections “Leeks on sale? Why not…” As he puts down those leeks into the basket Jin suddenly has a foggy memory of his dad's devil form becoming more unsettling…
The sound of mechanical doorbell ringing drags him back to reality. Surely he's just having insomnia? The more he strolls around the mart, those visions from his nightmares start to disturb his mind. Jin grunts in annoyance, he can't do anything about it right now but to just shake his head and close his eyes.
All supplies have been paid, but just before Jin could leave he felt something stopped him from the inside, and his brown eyes glanced over a corner near the cashier.
It's hard to see the sun because of the gloomy, gray sky looming over the island. Doesn't matter to Jin anyway. Instead of driving back home he decided to go to the cliff near the ocean, with a fence surrounding it and a bench. As he sits down Jin grabs a snack bar he just bought and takes a little bite. Small ocean waves, seagulls chirping, grayish clouds, its gloomy atmosphere somewhat soothing to the young man's mind who's still thinking about his frequent nightmares.
Jin took this opportunity to dissect every almost lucid dream he has experienced. Taking out his notebook and pen Jin starts from the moment Azazel called him telepathically. That ancient demon, the one who started all this mess. After he defeats his reanimated grand grandfather Jin takes the zaibatsu to his grasp and enacting war on the whole world. Why? He thought. Jin knows that this is all to draw out Azazel, but is it really worth it? And his attitude while all of it's happening. Just like ‘him’. Just like a Mishima. Just like the very thing he swore to destroy. The grip on his pen gets stronger.
On the contrary Kazuya becomes a hero of sorts, draping himself in a military suit and G Corp vest. But the dream also reveals that he's doing that just to take over Jin's position and defeat Azazel for his own gain. In the end, neither got the prize. Because Azazel is back again without its physical form.
Jin flips the page over another note in which Heihachi died. It kind of surprised him since he knows that man is very, very resilient. And the fact that his grandmother is the one who transfers the devil blood to Kazuya baffled the younger man.
He then looked over the latest note. Kazuya called him out for the war he has started which is valid, but it's not like his father's any better, right? He skipped through the tournament part and looked over the one where he obtained the ancient devil's power. His third and fourth, painfully red eyes peers through everyone's souls. Jin couldn't do anything but to escape to his homeland so that his powers came back. Another, bigger bite he took on his snack bar.
Reading through these notes make Jin realize this must've been the devil's pranking on him, due to how nonsensical all these are. But it almost feels… real. It could be possible. He fears that the devil might've the ability to see the future, fears that day will come, and that his father is beyond redemption.
Ah, he suddenly has sympathy for his bastard father again. He can't help it though, considering that the majority of these dreams involve not only himself but also that man. However, neither of them have at least met each other again in the dream until a fight in NYC.
His eyes glance around the view for seconds and he sees a mother and her child, gleefully strolls through the seaside scenery. It does remind him of Jun, sure. But does Kazuya get the same treatment before all hell breaks loose? Sorrow and denial went through Jin’s head once again, his face scrunched and chest aches.
Is this what his mother sees in Kazuya? His loneliness and isolation, broken mind demands freedom from his cruel father. Yet anger and revenge answers first, Heihachi needs to die the same way he did to him long ago. And Jun tried her best to release the caged bird from two devils, both figuratively and literally.
This makes Jin remember their first meeting in Hon-Maru. Maybe if Kazuya hadn’t tried to take his devil power Jin wouldn’t despise him this much, right? Unlike Heihachi, the man who screwed them both in the first place.
And maybe… he could give his dad a second chance. Even if they both crave revenge and hate, Jin thinks it's better to just follow his mother's footsteps from now on. He'll try to learn more about the purification power his Kazama lineage gives him, so that he could free himself and Kazuya from the devil once and for all. He'll try to learn how to accept his father more despite their differences (not including the part where Kazuya committed crimes obviously). Jin will prove to Kazuya that he's worth it, proving to him that he is still a competent fighter without becoming a Mishima. He'll may or may not pamper him, giving him affection that man always craves for so long. He'll kiss his scarred face, cherish his beloved-
Jin gasped in bewilderment, eyes widened. Yeah no, what the fuck. And WHY the fuck? There's another small part of his nightmares that he 100% believes to be the devil's doing : His unwanted attraction for his own bastard father. Must've been some kind of sexual tension Jin has with Kazuya. That wicked, handsome man could just break his bones, tackle him on the ground and then whisper sensual words- OH GOD NO STOP!
Jin hastily writes a little thing in the corner of his current page, his mind can't think of anything besides trying to scribble away his embarrassment and anger “Having a crush on Kazuya as his own son is both stupid and illegal”
Several munches later, Jin gets up from his seat and throws away a plastic wrap to the nearest bin. Driving back home, Jin is starting to calm down more compared to before, but not before something clicks on his mind. Should he come back to Xiaoyu and Hwoarang? He knows they're trying hard to find him right now, but with his dad staying in the house Jin decided to just do it later. Hopefully.
“Stir fry vegetables are getting colder already,” Kazuya tells him as he just stops his motor engine “Where have you been besides shopping”
“I've already eaten. Why are you suddenly concerned about me? I should be the one who is annoyed that some man just took over my house like it's his own”
“Not my fault that you're the one who saved me in your place of all people” Kazuya said as they walked to the living room together.
After sorting the supplies he bought, Jin goes to his bedroom but not before giving something to Kazuya and abruptly leaves. The older man was confused at first but then he glanced over a pack of Espresso infused cigarettes in his hand. He couldn't help but simply grins.
Dinner with cold stir fry vegetables and rice is surprisingly good. Jin sees Kazuya through the window, training alone using the very karate style Jin despises. His muscular body drenched in sweat, heterochromia eyes focused on his imaginary target, god damnit. He is just trying to admire his dad's combat abilities yet the devil barges into his mind… or is it though? Perhaps if they're not blood related, this long aching crush for his nemesis would be less troublesome.
Kazuya ends the training with a very hard and fast fist to his target, the final blow seemingly feels lethal. Jin went from admiring his father to stunned in worries. He is still thinking about killing Heihachi. Dilemma struck the younger man. His grandfather keeps causing chaos everywhere he goes, but he still has to follow Jun's advice and save his dad from the demon he'll become. Just like in his nightmares. And the same goes for Jin himself.
“That's how you should do it, Jin” Kazuya's words break his thoughts, the older man comes closer to the open window. Jin almost let his impulsive thoughts take over and tried to lean close to his dad's face.
“Kazuya, I rather not”
“Of course you decide to go back to your feeble man life in the forest,” Mismatched eyes rolling “Thinking that your life is much better if you leave your opponent rather than face him. You're surely not worthy of being a Mishima-”
“Do your stupid ass think that I ever wanted to be part of your stupid lineage?” Jin slammed his hands on the window handle, brown eyes furiously stared at the other man.
“Have you ever felt like you're being watched, Jin? That's how I felt when I lived with that old fart. Destroying his ‘vision’ is the only way I can ever truly free”
“Free to dominate the world but in your own way that is” His son sneered “If you want to kill him so badly why don't you just go already, huh?”
“My body is currently recovering…” Kazuya said as he crossed his arms.
“Yeah recovering, so you can stay still in my house taking over my peaceful life here”
“This is the only place I can go. G Corp soldiers and Tekken Force are hot on the trail trying to find me” Neither of them are giving up on the argument, both eyes looking deep trying to find each other's weaknesses, not realizing their faces are a few inches closer than before.
“Ah,” Jin moves backward first, feeling like his cheeks are a little warmer “Screw it” Kazuya smirks at his son’s sudden exit, washing the dishes he just finished.
There’s neither stars nor moon visible in the cloudy night sky, and as the time goes on droplets start to fall. Petrichor invades their nostrils. Jin rests his head to the soft pillow, mind as gloomy as the current weather. Looking at his palm, he ponders about all his banters with Kazuya so far. He really should start training his purification ability tomorrow or else it'll be too late.
“I’ll try my best, mother” Kissing his knuckle as if it’s Jun’s hand, Jin changed his sleeping position sideways, eyes drifting off to sleep hoping to dream of something more fun. Less of the Mishimas’ cursed life cycle, less of the devils’ tricks, less of the… ‘tension’ with Kazuya.