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Tense.
That was the best way to describe Makoto’s current situation. Byakuya had warned him that it was going to be awkward most likely, but this was even worse than that. Mostly because while the conversation was about him, it wasn’t with him.
It hadn’t started off as that, in the beginning Makoto had been involved in the conversation… but after a few minutes, it had devolved into a conversation between father and son, with Makoto just listening in.
In the beginning, Makoto hadn’t really minded. This was the first time actually meeting Kijo- Byakuya’s father- at least, it was the first time he could remember. There was a high chance the two had actually met while both of them… were with Junko. And maybe when the project was still going on too, when Makoto was still a small child. Either way, actually meeting him had Makoto feeling quite nervous.
After all, with the few things he knew about the man from Byakuya… Well… Makoto supposed he was happy that Kijo seemed to have some regrets at the very least.
“Are you… sure?” Kijo asked, his voice tinged with hesitance. His words snapped Makoto back to reality. Focusing was… still hard at times- his mind couldn’t help but feel foggy every so often. Makoto was quite sure that the fogginess wouldn’t disappear any time soon unfortunately.
Byakuya nodded, an annoyed sigh leaving his lips. Makoto was pretty sure it wasn’t the first time in this conversation that Kijo had asked that… probably. “Yes, Father. Makoto isn’t anything like Junko,” The heir spoke as he pushed his glasses up.
“I’m not saying he is,” The man quickly responded, slightly defensive. “I just want to make sure that you understand your situation. If somebody manages to… manipulate him again-”
“That won’t happen.” Byakuya’s voice was clipped, with his annoyance only growing. At this point, Makoto really did feel like he was intruding. “Junko-” Makoto couldn’t help but flinch ever so slightly as her name was said, “-is gone. He can… take control of anybody else if the situation calls for it.”
Byakuya was correct, though he didn’t add that Makoto would absolutely hate doing so. Using his powers still felt… weird. He didn’t like controlling people, influencing their actions. Not even when he practically had no other choice- he just didn’t like it.
But if it was a life-or-death situation? A situation that could cause everything that had just happened to repeat all over again? Makoto would like to think that if that happened, he wouldn’t hesitate to use them.
He wasn’t sure if that was going to be the case though. He… couldn’t be.
Kijo let out a soft scoff, a sound that was accompanied with an eyeroll. “What about the Future Foundation? They’re still looking for all of you,” The man asked, his tone growing slightly in anger.
“And they still haven’t been able to do that,” Byakuya responded in a harsh tone, and Makoto could feel the chair he was sitting on sway slightly for a small moment.
That was… Byakuya’s doing, wasn’t it?
Makoto already knew the answer to that- only the blond could do something like that out of the people in the room. It had to be Byakuya’s doing.
But Byakuya himself didn’t seem to notice though, nor did Kijo. Or maybe... they were just used to this? Makoto really wasn't sure, but Byakuya using his powers like this probably would've happened before, most likely quite a number of times. Especially in small ways like this.
“So, you don’t see them as a problem now?” Kijo asked as the frown on his face deepened. “You didn’t seem to think that when I suggested you not telling me where you and the others are currently staying. When I said that, you agreed that the Future Foundation was dangerous, and it was better if I stayed out of the loop.”
Byakuya frowned as well. “That was different. The fact that the Future Foundation might be a threat in general, does not mean it’s a threat towards Makoto,” He explained in a cold tone. “Because as I was saying, he is still safe right now.”
“That was only because it was simply impossible to find you. Some of you didn’t even know about your powers-“
“Or were never told anything about them...” Byakuya interrupted bitterly while looking away from his father.
Kijo let out a sigh. “This again? I know I might've made a mistake not telling you about... everything earlier, but that’s in the past now,” He responded, almost a bit dismissively.
“You-” Byakuya began but cutting himself off with a shake of his head. “Forget it. We're getting off track...” He muttered, his voice barely audible yet still filled with annoyance. “As I was saying, nobody will find Makoto and be able to take control of them. The codes don't work on him.”
“What happened with Junko proved that doesn’t even matter,” The man responded, a deep frown appearing on his face.
Hadn't they just talked about this...?
“U-um...” Makoto hesitantly spoke up, feeling anxious to interrupt the conversation even though it was about him. “Junko only managed to take control of me because Mukuro, well, took me... Plus, I can use my powers better now,” He explained in a soft voice soft, something Makoto wished would be different.
He wanted to explain things confidently, to be able to interrupt the conversation without feeling guilty. But he couldn’t, because he understood where Kijo was coming from... for the most part, that was.
Makoto knew what his powers could do. What he could do. And if he fell into the wrong hands again... If he became Seven again and his memory didn’t come back...
It would be bad. Very bad.
Kijo's gaze snapped onto him, and it immediately grew colder. It was a wonder Makoto didn’t flinch back in response with how tense he was feeling. “That doesn’t erase all of the danger. There are many ways for you to still get... compromised.”
“I know that tone...” Byakuya frowned, his arms crossed. Makoto had absolutely no idea what tone he meant. “What are you getting at, Father?” He asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
“It's obvious!” Monokuma suddenly cut in- Makoto had forgotten he was here. He wasn’t used to the bear being so... quiet- as he climbed onto Byakuya's lap to get onto the table. “Mr. Togami does noooot trust Lucky at all!”
Yeah... Makoto had gathered that himself too... But that still didn’t explain where he was ‘getting at' as Byakuya had put it. It had to mean something more than just… distrust.
Kijo glanced down at the bear. “Monokuma. Didn’t I order you to be quiet?” He asked in a gritted voice, sending a glare down to the robot.
“Hm?” Monokuma tilted his head innocently. “I don't think so. After all, then I wouldn't be able to talk!” The bear continued with an almost proud grin.
Even in a situation like this, Monokuma was still his usual self. Makoto would’ve expected the bear to act more… behaved in front of his ‘boss’, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Absolutely nothing had changed- if anything, Monokuma was even cheekier than normal. Or maybe that was because the danger was finally over.
“You didn’t answer my question, Father.” Byakuya cut in before Kijo had a chance to speak. “Just what are you getting at?”
Kijo didn’t answer the question immediately. Instead, he looked off to the side for a moment, making it impossible for Makoto to see the man’s expression. When he finally did look back, his gaze had ever so slightly.
“Well…” He began, his voice careful. Makoto was sure he wasn’t going to like where this was going. “I still have your- the pills you used to take. And… the inhibitors too. I could… give them to you. It could make everybody feel more comfortable-”
“No!” Byakuya’s voice was loud and full of anger, the whole room shaking along with it. The heir’s hands were on the table in front of them as he stood, and a multitude of folders and papers were floating in the air.
After a moment of silence, Byakuya sat back into his chair, adjusting his glasses again. The floating items fell onto the ground with a thud. “No,” He repeated, his voice more composed this time. “You will not treat Makoto as you have done with me-”
“I am not saying that,” Kijo interrupted in a defensive tone. “I am merely saying that it might help. It can be an… extra safety measure. Besides, didn’t you say that Makoto dislikes using his powers? The pills would certainly help with that.”
Makoto… doubted that would be the case. Sure, he didn’t know how the pills would react to his powers specifically, but he’d prefer to never find out. Danger or not… he didn’t like the idea of his powers being supressed.
“You- You really don’t understand, do you?” Byakuya asked, his voice soft and filled with bitterness. “Makoto is a person. He isn’t some… thing that only serves as a device to control others. He is a person like me.”
Kijo let out a scoff. “Don’t compare yourself to him. You’re a Togami, Byakuya,” He said, and the words felt casual- no, not casual. More like they were repeated, read from a script. “And I know fully well he’s a person. But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a danger.”
“Only to himself!” Monokuma quipped in from where he was standing on the table. “Have you seen how self-sacrificing he is, sir? It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen before!”
“Monokuma.” Byakuya said the bear’s name in a warning tone, his voice stern. “Your comments are not very… helpful right now.”
The robot just let out a short laugh. “It’s true though! You’ve seen it yourself!”
This was the perfect moment for Makoto to interfere again, to say that he wasn’t like that. But that would be a lie, and a big one at that. He just couldn’t help it- he had to help his friends, even if that resulted in him getting hurt. It was a small price to pay for Makoto.
He would do anything for his friends, his family.
“His… behaviour doesn’t change how dangerous he is. Like I’ve said, it’s when he’s not himself that it’s a problem,” Kijo said, his voice growing more annoyed with every word he spoke.
Byakuya narrowed his eyes. “Then how would the pills help with that? And the inhibitors?” He asked in an equally annoyed voice. “They won’t. If Makoto has gotten compromised, he would stop taking the pills and the inhibitors would be taken off.”
“They’re simply an extra measure-”
“So that he can get kidnapped more easily?” The heir interrupted as his voice grew in anger again. “The only thing you want is control, Father. And now you can’t control me, you’re trying to control Makoto.”
“I’m not trying to do anything of the sorts!” Kijo responded in a loud tone. “I am trying to protect you!”
Makoto immediately knew that those were the wrong words to say. Not only was Byakuya not the type who wanted protection, but it was also clear due to what was happening in the room.
All of the books shot off from their bookcases, flying across the room before falling onto the ground. One nearly hit Makoto in the head, he just barely managed to dodge it. The papers and folders on the desk had met a similar fate.
Or in other words, the room was a mess. “I don’t need your protection. I never needed it,” Byakuya said, his voice dangerously low. It was simmering with unreleased anger, something which seemed almost impossible after everything that had just happened. “But that doesn’t matter to you. All that matters is what you think I need, not what I actually need,” He continued, his voice growing louder, as did the bitterness that came along with it.
“Byakuya…” Kijo began, his voice slightly softer than it had been before. Something akin to regret was shining in his eyes. “I never- I…” He paused to gather his words. “I… know. I know that I did many things wrong, that I never truly took your feelings into consideration… but right now, I truly am looking out for you.”
After another pause, the man continued. “The truth is undeniable- Makoto is a danger when in the wrong hands. All I’m trying to do is give you some measures to make sure nothing bad happens.”
Was he though? Those things he said… it didn’t feel like just measures. They simply couldn’t be, like how Byakuya had already said… right? Makoto was quite sure Byakuya had already disproved those claims not too long ago.
“No,” Byakuya responded, his voice cold. “That might be what you think you’re doing, but it isn’t. What you’re doing is trying to take control of the situation. One that doesn’t involve you.”
“I- fine.” Kijo’s response was filled with less anger than Makoto would’ve expected. If anything, it was almost spoken with resignation. “If that’s what you believe, I will not argue further. But I will be keeping an eye on Makoto.”
Byakuya sat up straight in his chair. “No, you won’t. You don’t need to do that, so you won’t,” He said with a slight frown, slowly calming down. “Besides, wouldn’t that mean knowing our location? The very thing you were against just an hour ago.”
“As if I don’t already-” The man muttered so softly that it was barely audible before cutting himself off. “I don’t need to know your location for that.” His gaze then moved towards Monokuma, who was now sitting on the table instead of standing on it. “I can just have Monokuma make me… reports every few days.”
“Hey!” The bear stood up, stomping one of his feet as he did so. “I’m not gonna spy on Lucky!” He said with a shake of his head, behaviour akin to that of a toddler just short of throwing a tantrum.
Huh… Monokuma really does just act like a toddler sometimes, doesn’t he?
Kijo let out a scoff, his voice growing colder again. “I’m not asking you to spy on him, Makoto will be fully aware of this.”
“You’re not going to do that though,” The heir responded in a stern voice as he crossed his arms. “This is just another way of controlling him.”
Makoto softly nodded, “Yeah. And it, um, really isn’t needed. Everybody is already keeping an eye on me,” He said as an awkward laugh left his throat. “I’m almost never left alone, so, yeah…” He trailed off, unsure of what else to say.
“See? It isn’t needed,” Byakuya saif before his father had a chance to speak. “And we can keep a better eye on him than you, Father. We have supernatural abilities, you do not.”
“And you are all children too-” Kijo began, but he never got to finish his sentence as Byakuya cut him off.
This time, Byakuya stood up fully, his chair moving backwards slightly as he did so. “We aren’t children, Father. Maybe it’s about time you realize that.” He then looked at Makoto, his cold gaze softening. “Let’s go. This conversation isn’t going anywhere.”
“What? You’re leaving? Byakuya, we aren’t done with this conversation yet,” Kijo said as he watched his son stand up.
“We are,” The heir responded in a cold voice. “I believe it’s better if the two of us continue talking another time, Father. It’s clear this subject has gotten you… agitated.” Then, without saying another word, he turned around and began to walk away.
Makoto glanced between Byakuya and Kijo, unsure of what to do or say. But after a small moment of hesitation, Makoto stood up, glancing slightly at Kijo as he did so. “It was… nice meeting you, sir…” He mumbled before following the heir out of the room.
Kijo didn’t say anything in response, seemingly only watching as they- that included Monokuma, the bear had hopped down from the table as soon as Makoto had stopped speaking- left. The door closed behind them with a loud thud.
Immediately, Makoto looked over at Byakuya. “Are you… okay?” He asked, his voice soft.
He couldn’t imagine what the heir must be feeling right now…
“Me?” Byakuya asked, his gaze snapping towards Makoto. “I wasn’t the one who was getting belittled every two seconds. If anything, I should be asking you that,” He said, and Makoto could sense a hint of concern in Byakuya’s words. It was slight, but it was there.
Makoto let out a soft laugh, “I’m fine, really,” He answered before pausing slightly. “But… you didn’t answer. I mean, he’s your dad and all, so…” Makoto trailed off.
“I’m- It’s…” Byakuya looked away before suddenly coming to a halt, almost making Makoto bump into him. “I just had hoped he would’ve been different after this. That he would’ve been better,” He explained as a bitter scoff left his mouth. “A foolish wish I now realize.”
“Well, um… he does seem to care for you at least,” Makoto responded, trying to find the best way to help Byakuya in this situation. Normally he was great at helping people, but it was… different here. Harder.
The heir softly shook his head. “That’s the exact problem. He seems to care for only me…” He muttered softly. “And even then, his ‘care’ is far from the best. It’s what got all of us in this situation in the first place.”
“I’m sure J-Junko would’ve found another way without him. She is- was very stubborn,” Makoto said, stumbling slightly over his words as he said her name. “And… I’m glad I met all of you.”
“I suppose that’s a sentiment I don’t exactly disagree with,” Byakuya responded with an ever so slight smile as he bent down to pick Monokuma up. “Otherwise I would’ve only had Father and Monokuma for company for the next few years. Ugh.”
The bear pretended to struggle in Byakuya’s arms for a moment. “Hey!” He said as if he were offended. “This is why you aren’t my favourite anymore!”
“How awful,” Byakuya said in a sarcastic tone as he rolled his eyes before pausing. “But Makoto… Don’t take what my father said to heart. He might be a great businessman, but he is an idiot otherwise.”
That made Makoto laugh, the tension he had been feeling this whole time finally leaving his body. “Thank you, Byakuya,” He said with a soft smile. “And I’m sure your father will come around eventually.”
“That makes one of us then,” The heir responded with a hum before suddenly starting to walk again- couldn’t he at least say he was going to do that? “But I guess I can hold onto that hope for a bit. Though, I do already have a… family without him.”
“I’m… I’m glad you think so.” Makoto’s smile widened at that, the tension now fully gone.
Maybe things would just be nice. Maybe everything would stay nice. Makoto surely liked the idea of that. And if there was one thing he was good at, it was hoping.
So, that was what he would do.