Chapter Text
“What the hell do you mean? Why would he want me to bring it? Is he going to kill me? He looks like he’s thinking of ninety-nine different ways to kill me with his bare hands every time I see him, but I thought we were past that!” The detective rambled nervously, until Taka stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Toru, slow down. Breathe. Think. I would never allow that. Whatever his reason, I can promise that no harm will come from it.” Toru relaxed, his shoulders untensing. “What would he want it for, anyway?” Taka shrugged lightly. “I believe I remember him saying there was something unique about the model. It’s old, isn’t it?” “I mean, I guess. I don’t know. It was my father’s.” “That could be it, then. Ryota’s an enthusiast of antique firearms. I’m certain he’s just curious about its origins. He’d hoped to keep it, when he confiscated it from you upon our first meeting.” “Oh fuck no. Not in a million years. That was my father’s.” Taka raised a hand to slow him down. “I’m aware. It remains in your possession, does it not?” He poured disinfectant onto a cotton pad, his hand hovering a few inches from Toru’s face as he nodded. “Ready? It’s going to sting again.” “Whatever.” Toru flinched as it made contact with his skin. Taka dabbed it over a few times, then replaced it with a fresh bandage. “All done. Do you have any more questions? I’ll be going to bed soon.” “Uh, yeah, a few.” Taka discarded the used materials into a bin under the counter, and leaned back against the edge next to Toru, “Fire away, I suppose.” Toru chewed his lip nervously.
What do I ask first? There’s so much I still can’t piece together. He called this place a compound. What does that even mean? And where is it?
“Toru?”
When did he run away? Why is his brother such an asshole? How does he operate yakuza business without violence? And if he’s so anti-violence, why did he kill the men involved in the shooting near the restaurant?
“Toru, you’re drifting again...”
Why did he stay in Tokyo if he knew his family was hunting him? There’s just so much I don’t understand…
Taka’s hand resting on his shoulder snapped him back to focus. “Huh?” The former studied his face and shook his head. “Now I see… When was the last time you took a pill?” The blonde lowered his head to stare at his shoes. “Uh… Around the time I left work, I guess. It’s been a few hours, and I didn’t take a lot. Probably even worse than that, since I needed one at dinner and didn’t take one. ” He spoke the last part bitterly. “Toru, I know. I had to see this for myself, though. I have to understand what’s going on if I’m going to help.” Toru clenched his fists for a moment, then relaxed. “You still haven’t told me how you’re going to help me.” “I suppose I haven’t. Let me start from the beginning-”
“And let me stop you there. What-”
“Let me finish, Toru.”
“Ugh!”
“Toru you’re shaking. Relax.”
“ No! ”
“Please, Toru. I’ll cut right to the part you’ve been dying to hear if you’ll please get a grip of yourself before you have another attack.”
“Fine! Just fucking say something!” Toru took a deep breath in, held it, and breathed out. “Better?” “You tell me. Do you feel better?” “I guess. So what were you talking about?” “I want you to be able to function without chemical assistance. Not just getting by, as you are now, but better. You’re an incredibly strong and capable individual. I know you can do it.” Toru’s expression remained blank as he took in the information, followed by sudden laughter. Taka looked at him quizzically, confused by the outburst. “Have I said something humorous?” Toru ignored him and quieted his laughter with a short chuckle. “I get it now. Everything makes sense now. All of it.” He pressed him palms together and pointed his hands at Taka. “You’re nuts.” He said simply. Tak crossed his arms over his chest and adjusted his posture on the counter, saying nothing and allowing Toru to continue. “From the start at the restaurant all the way up until now, every single thing that’s happened has been absolutely nuts. I get caught up in a shootout with my best friend. I get kidnapped. Twice , if what you say is true, which I don’t even know for sure, because you’re nuts. You’ve got some crazy story about your dad and your brother and how you’ve got some kind of code of pacifism, despite the fact that you are literally the yakuza , and every time all of this information starts to set in and freak me out you tell me to breathe and refuse me my medication. FYI, it’s kinda hard to calm down and breathe in a place with no windows. By the way, WHY THE FUCK ARE THERE NO WINDOWS?! ” He actually paused for a response to that one. Taka, who hadn’t moved or flinched through any of this, responded casually, “We’re underground.” “ OH! OH WE’RE UNDERGROUND! I’M IN AN UNDERGROUND FUCKING FORTRESS! Because that’s TOTALLY NORMAL! Do you take your dates to your underground secret lair too?!” “I’ve never had a date.” Taka deadpanned. Toru stopped, looked him up and down suspiciously, then scoffed.
That’s bullshit. There’s no way. Smug bastard. Why would he lie about something like that? His stupid perfect fucking smug face… Fuck don’t even start… Get out of your head, stupid!
His tone died down, close to normal. “I thought you said you wouldn’t lie to me.” Taka managed to look confused, exasperated, and stoic all at once. “What makes you think I’m lying?” He raised a brow, awaiting Toru’s answer. He had none. This was Tokyo. People who looked like Taka couldn't take two steps on the street without having their picture taken. Unless he'd literally never left his creepy fancy yakuza bunker, there's no way the guy could be telling the truth about that.
Fuck… Why did I say that?! And how do I back myself out of it? Uh…
“Was there something you meant by that, Toru?” He sounded cocky, but Toru paid no notice. He was already stuck in his thoughts. Taka shook his head and dropped the subject while Toru continued to fixate on his awkward statement. “It’s time I retire to bed. Will you be doing the same? Toru?” Nothing. He sighed, standing, and placed a hand gently on Toru’s shoulder. The blonde inhaled sharply, snapping back to attention. “While I do ever so enjoy our chats, I’ll be going off to bed. I suggest you do the same.” Toru nodded dumbly, unable to process completely what had just happened. “Good night, Toru.” “Yeah uh- G-good night”
Fuck I’m so stupid… How did I let that happen?!
“Toru.”
“Huh?”
“You’re still in my room.”
“Huh? Oh. Sorry.” He didn’t even remember leaving the room, only slamming the door to his own room behind himself when he entered. He shook the lingering thoughts from his head, trying his hardest to focus on undressing himself and finding his pajamas in his hastily packed bag.
Why does it always happen that we finally start to get along, and I have to go and fuck it all up? And what the hell was he getting at towards the end? I can barely stand him, and he thinks I like him or something? Fuck that… Fuck him… I can't wait to go home tomorrow.
Some distant part of his brain shouted at him that he was lying to himself, but he refused to hear it. He was too frustrated to deal with even dressing himself, and slipped into the soft bed in his boxers. He drifted off with surprising ease. Peaceful sleep cradled him comfortably, until the dream took hold.
Again… Fucking… Here again…
He was knelt on the floor of Taka's office again with his face and leg bleeding like they had been on the day they had met. Taka stood behind his desk, both hands in white-knuckled fists on its top, his head hanging low.Ryota stood behind him to his right, hands folded in front of him. Two men Toru didn’t know entered the room, walking past him as if he wasn’t there at all. Taka’s only acknowledgement of them was to tighten his fists even further. As his nails dug into his palms, a tiny trickle of blood fell down the side of one hand, alarming Toru into a small gasp. Taka’s head shot up at the sound, his eyes scanning the room as if he didn't see Toru kneeling just a few feet from his desk. The two men froze as they watched Taka closely. When he made no hostile move, they moved closer and each day in a chair in front of the desk.
What the fuck… Is he ignoring me? What did I do? Who the hell are they? What are they doing here? Why does he look so on edge? Were those chairs there before?
A million questions swirled in his mind. He snapped his attention back to the four men in the room when he heard Taka speak. "What news have you brought?" He spoke like someone was stepping on his lungs, forcing his words out on heavy breaths. The men in the chairs looked at each other before looking back at him. The one on the left spoke first. "We haven't received word of any new large-scale attacks… But..." He fidgeted with a silver ring on his hand, not meeting Taka's eyes. Take slammed a fist down on the desk, making both men tense in their seats. " Out with it! " He growled. Toru was even frightened by the display. In the very short time he'd known Taka, he'd seen a few different sides of him. The angry Taka he saw before him didn't resemble the angry Taka he'd seen at dinner. Or the impatient Taka he'd met in this room days before, or the quietly distressed Taka he'd seen in the hallway when he arrived with Ryota. This was a new side to him, and not one that Toru wanted to see more of. He had a feeling that staying quiet and simply observing was his best option, and so watched the scene play out before him. The man on the right spoke up to answer where his colleague left off. "We have reports that one of the brothers may be missing… presumably taken." Taka stepped away from his desk slowly, standing with hands behind his back. His face turned to stone and voice to ice. "When did you hear of this?" The man on the left spoke again, his right leg beginning to shake below the desk. "Two days ago, sir." Taka inhaled deeply. "Why was I not informed of this two fucking days ago?! " Both men cowered slightly in their chairs. Toyota moved forward from where he'd been standing still as a statue and whispered something to Taka. Whatever he said made Taka tense further before relaxing himself and sitting down at his desk. "Tell me about the plans for the precinct. When will I have my new agent?"
The precinct? Agent?! Is he planning on putting cops from my team on his payroll?!
The man on the right was the one fidgeting now, twisting his shoe back and forth on the marble floor and causing it to squeak. The sound seemed deafening in the silence of the room, even making him flinch. "We're working on that, sir. They seem to have tightened security lately. Getting someone new in would be difficult. Trying to turn someone already on the inside would be easier and probably more beneficial, but far more dangerous of a gamble. Lots of things could go wrong either way. We're sorting through variables to consider, and compiling a list of candidates as we speak." Taka nodded. "I want resources redirected to search for our missing man, as well. If he's not brought home safely in seventy-two hours, it's one of your heads on the block. Do I make myself clear?" Both nodded vigorously. "Good. You are dismissed." They left the room much quicker than they had entered. Taka placed his folded hands over his mouth and sighed into them. "Ryota?" "Yes sir?" "Be honest with me, please… It doesn't seem as though I'll be winning this family feud, does it?" "I can't say for certain, sir. But in my own opinion, we've lost most of the advantages he had at the beginning. He's narrowed down your location. Captured some of those closest to you. We'll need to find some new advantage that you haven't had before, if we hope to regain the upper hand. Something even he hasn't thought of yet." Taka swiveled his chair toward him. "And what do you suggest that should be?" Ryota shook his head. "I don't know, sir. But we'll find something. In the meantime, I suggest we seek out a new location. We're at high risk of being compromised sooner rather than later. I also believe it's time you properly learned to shoot a gun." Taka huffed a breath. They must have had this talk before. "I understand your attachment to this place sir, but-" "Dismissed, Ryota." Taka said tiredly. Ryota left without another word, and the scene faded to black with Toru still kneeling on the floor in shock.