/Again, I own nothing but the idea/plot.
TheSilverHunt3r: Yes; at this time, there's still a truce between the ADA and Port Mafia. For a Soukoku team up… *Shrugs but grins knowingly* ...You'll have to find out. Thank you for the review!
Nin: Thank you! I present to you Chapter Two!
* "Deshi Saruhiko" roughly translates to "little brother Saruhiko". "Ani Osamu", in turn, roughly translates to "older brother Osamu".
(This fanfic might turn out longer than intended lol)
Enjoy!
"I'd risk everything, if it's for you. I whisper into the night, telling me "It's not my time" and "Don't give up"."
~The Beginning (Cover) by Against The Current
"...I see." Chuuya Nakahara, a Port Mafia Executive of Yokohama, replied grimly as he took in the downcast faces around him. He gripped the fabric of his pants with one hand while the other removed his beloved fedora from his head, instead holding the hat to his chest.
Never in all of his years did he think Mikoto would -
And Tatara, oh Tatara -
...Five years was too long to be gone for, it seems.
He closed his eyes, sending a silent prayer to the previous Red King. It wasn't easy to earn his trust, but Chuuya put 100% faith in Mikoto to keep his little brother safe. From various emails with Kusanagi during the past two years, he knew that Mikoto's Sword of Damocles was wasting away.
Falling apart.
Rotting.
Destroying him.
(Just like what Corruption was doing to him each time he invoked it.)
(He still needs to tell Misaki about that, as a matter of fact...but the kid already had enough weight on his shoulders.)
...But to almost cause a Damocles Down -
What the hell were you thinking, Mikoto?
"And what of Saruhiko-kun?"
The name charged the air with strong aversion, scowls being thrown around the bar. Yata's expression became reminiscent to a storm, bright hazel eyes disappearing behind a cloud as he trembled with rage. He knew Chuuya would ask eventually, considering how the other thought of the (Traitor) Monkey as another younger brother.
"I said, what of Saruhiko-kun?" Chuuya snapped, causing them to be thrown out of their reverie. An uncomfortable silence descended on them, the only ones looking unfazed being Anna and Kusanagi.
Chuuya doesn't hate Saruhiko, no; in fact, he actually quite liked the kid. He balanced his younger brother out nicely, and made up for all of his shortcomings. Misaki was loud, brazen, reckless, and loved being around others; Saruhiko was quiet, contemplative, cautious, and seemingly preferred to keep to himself.
(In a way, they were like him and a certain walking waste of bandages…)
"Ah, Nakahara-san…" Kamamoto Rikio, bless his soul, had the courage to break the silence. "Fushimi-san...left HOMRA three years ago."
"The damn traitor burned his mark off right in front of me and walked off." Yata growled, clenching his fists as the dreadful scene replayed in his head.
The way Saruhiko gave him a look as if...he wanted this…
- Agh, he could just smash his face in with his fist!
He wants to know why he left him all alone, dammit…
"...Just like that?" Saruhiko...left? That was a little hard to believe. The way Yata said it, it sounded as if he was angry, sure…
But Chuuya also heard a telltale hurt fringed on the edge of his little brother's voice.
What the hell happened in five years?
"Yeah. Here's the worst part, though; he immediately went and joined SCEPTER 4." Fujishima spoke up before looking off to the side, Akagi nodding his affirmation.
"Hah?" Chuuya's incredulous gaze flitted over each HOMRA member before settling on Yata. His poor younger brother looked like he couldn't take much more of this talk; it was as if he reopened a wound that never healed properly.
Sure, he may like Misaki's (ex-best) friend -
But he hated seeing Misaki in so much pain.
In that second, Chuuya Nakahara made up his mind.
"Where's the Blue King?"
"HUH?! Onii-chan, why do you want to see that bastard?!" Yata slammed his hands down on the bar counter as he stood up, voicing his outrage. While the other members were silent, the shared glances between them showed the same bafflement. Chuuya opened his eyes to look at each and every one of them, expression neutral.
"I'm going to listen to what he has to say. If he refuses...well." A feral grin stretched across his face as his free hand, which dislodged itself from his pants, lifted into the air and glowed an ominous red. "For the Tainted Sorrow gets to have some fun."
"You want to see Reisi?"
The soft yet stern voice made all of HOMRA turn towards Anna, who hopped off of her seat on the couch with a straight face. Chuuya nodded, repositioning his hat on his head.
"If you don't mind, Anna…"
"I'll take you." HOMRA's present Red King replied with a smile, smoothing out the frills on her dress before turning towards the door. "I want to discuss a few things as well, and most of all see how he's doing. Kusanagi-san."
"I'm on it, Anna." Kusanagi tilted his head in comprehension before addressing the rest of the group. "Alright, show's over. All of you, either scram or order something on the menu."
"Wait - "
"Misaki." Anna cut off HOMRA's third-in-command, making him swallow whatever words he needed to say. "We need to go alone. If you went, your heart would break."
"Just…" Yata paused, trying to speak around the lump in his throat as his eyes stung. He had a million things he needed to say, yet no time nor the energy to say them. "...Be safe."
"We'll be fine. Chuuya will be there with me, and vice versa." Anna affirmed as she held Yata's hand in a gentle grasp, letting her red softly wash over him. His body relaxed on its own accord, the vanguard closing his eyes as he gave his King his best smile in confirmation.
It came out shaky. "Alright, Anna; you know I trust you. Chuuya-nii, look after her for me."
"You don't have to tell me twice, Misaki." Chuuya tipped his hat with a knowing look sent the third-in-command's way. "Izumo, look after my brother."
"Sure thing, Chuuya." Kusanagi smiled as Yata sent Chuuya an incredulous look.
"Onii-chan, I don't need - "
"You're a magnet for trouble, Misaki; someone needs to keep their eyes on you." Chuuya sighed as he made his way over to HOMRA's entrance, Anna reaching out to grab his hand. After a moment of consideration he looked over his shoulder at the Red Clan.
"If he gets hurt while I'm gone, I'll give you all a Port Mafia Execution! My treat." He hollered before the door swung shut.
"...Well," Bando broke the silence that descended the group, "We're tying Chihuahua to a chair."
"Oi, what do y- DON'T TIE ME TO THAT CHAIR; YOU BETTER NOT! STOP! KUSANAGI-SAN, HELP!"
"Sorry Yata-chan; we can't have you hurt under any circumstances. Your brother is terrifying, not to mention that he will carry out any and all threats if certain requirements are met." Kusanagi laughed as all of HOMRA shoved Yata down onto a chair and proceeded to duct-tape him to the furniture.
"YOU GUYS ARE SO DEA-" The skateboarder yelled obscenities the entire way down until Chitose got the idea to tape his mouth shut. Eric snickered, Kamamoto sending his tied-up friend an apologetic glance.
HOMRA's second-in-command bent down with a broom and dustpan in hand to clean up the shattered pieces of glass, sunglasses covering up his melancholic eyes. While Mikoto had been dead for almost a year, the mention of Tatara and his King brought an unwelcome ache to his heart.
He missed his friends.
But nothing could be done about it; all he could do is help Anna find her way as the new Red King.
As laughter permeated the air, Kusanagi Izumo suddenly wished he had another cigarette in his hands.
He wasn't so lucky.
(He never is.)
"You can't do a double suicide alone…" Dazai Osamu hummed as he traversed the halls of SCEPTER 4. A few people sent him curious glances but otherwise left him alone, silently wondering what a man wearing bandages was doing in the hallway.
Then there were a select few who confronted him.
"Excuse me, sir, but are you lost?"
Dazai turned to see the source of the voice, finding an orange-haired male with green eyes raising an eyebrow in concern. He noticed how the other man wore a blue uniform similar to Saruhiko's -
No; they were the exact same.
...Interesting.
The Blue clan has an eccentric taste in fashion.
"Ah, no." Dazai sent him a smile of reassurance. "I'm on my way to visit the Blue King. It's quite urgent."
"...The Captain?" A suspicious glance. "Do you have an appointment with him? I've never seen you around before."
"Yes, I do." Dazai lied flawlessly, his mind swiftly crafting a credible story. "I came to give information on the rogue group of Strains in Shibuya."
"Oh!" The Blue Clansmen lit up, eyes shining in relief. "Why didn't you say so sooner? I'm Domyoji, a proud member of SCEPTER 4! I can take you straight to the Captain's office, if you'd like; you'll be taking the long way around if you keep continuing on that way."
"That would be much appreciated, Domyoji-kun. I'm Dazai, a member of the Armed Detective Agency and Fushimi Saruhiko's older brother." Dazai responded pleasantly, watching with amusement as Domyoji's eyes widened.
"No way! Fushimi-san has a brother? That's...weird to think about, actually. He hasn't said anything concerning you."
So he doesn't talk about me, huh…
"Considering how closed-off Saru-kun is…" Dazai raised his shoulders as if asking, What can you do about it? Domyoji nodded, turning around to lead the way to the Blue King's office.
It was quiet for a minute, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Domyoji broke the silence, being a man of conversation similar to Dazai. "...I've only heard rumors of the ADA. Did you guys really team up with the Port Mafia to protect Yokohama, as the reports say?"
"My reputation seems to exceed me here!" Dazai put a hand to his forehead as he feigned swooning, Domyoji laughing at the display. The brown-haired male made a mental note about the reach of SCEPTER 4's influence; Yokohama was nearly a four hour drive from Shizume, and while the former is a port city they haven't had a lot of contact with the latter negotiation-wise. "And yes, we did. The whole plan would have been jeopardized if not for Dazai Osamu, the only one the Agency can trust and the person who the populace adores!"
"Hoh? I wasn't expecting to meet the Dazai Osamu inside of my headquarters." A third party replied, making Domyoji stand at attention. The bandaged male pivoted on his heels to face a dark blue-haired man with a calculating look in his deep ocean blue orbs, bangs swept to the left side of his face. His glasses glinted in the sunlight as he regarded the two of them with interest and faint amusement, hands clasped behind his back to, ironically, show that he was relaxed. "Excuse my surprise and lack of manners; the Agency is rather well-known here. I am Munakata Reisi, the Captain of SCEPTER 4."
"Captain! I was just taking Dazai-san to your office; he said that he has an appointment with you concerning the Strains in Shibuya." Domyoji piped up, his smile never leaving his face even as his King gave him his utmost attention.
"Is that so?" Dazai could see that the newcomer resisted the urge to smile, the corner of his lips twitching upwards ever so slightly before the man turned his gaze onto him.
Mocha met the sea incarnate, their owners analyzing the other with practiced scrutiny. "Indeed it is, Blue King."
"I can take this man from here, Domyoji-kun. You are dismissed." Domyoji nodded before walking at a brisk pace, tapping the shoulder of a brown-haired man wearing the same uniform as him.
"Hidaka, you'll never believe…"
Their conversation faded out of earshot, leaving the suicide enthusiast and the captain of SCEPTER 4 alone. The blue-haired male turned away, Dazai following him once he began to walk.
Silence.
Tension charged the air around them at a stunning rate, weighing down on their heads and swirling around their forms. The two were intertwined so deeply to their roots that even Dazai had a hard time of breaking the ice. "Are - "
"We'll talk more in my office, Dazai-kun." Munakata cut him off in a light yet clipped tone, not once turning back to acknowledge him. Dazai merely sighed and shrugged his shoulders; he was starting to see why Saruhiko tolerated the Blue King.
He, at least, got straight to the point.
"As you wish." He conceded, tan coat rustling as he seemed to glide down the hallway. Soon enough, the Captain stopped in front of a set of imposing double doors, their rich brown complexion indented by intricate engravings that felt smooth to the touch. Dazai raised an eyebrow as the Fourth King gripped the leather handles and swung them open, walking inside without pause. Dazai followed suit, brown eyes taking in the cleanliness of Munakata's office. Kunikida would like it here, no doubt…
"What did you really come here for, youngest Port Mafia Executive in history?" The Blue King spoke just as the doors clicked shut, taking a seat in his beloved chair as a knowing gleam entered his eyes.
"And where did you hear such a thing?" Dazai stood in place, an easygoing smile placed on his features.
"I acquired this information long ago, Dazai-kun."
"My, SCEPTER 4 is as scary as they say!" The bandaged man rubbed his arms and trembled as if he was terrified.
"Says the pot calling the kettle black." Munakata almost smiled with mirth at Dazai's reaction, folding his arms on the dark brown desk as he closed his eyes. "Now, tell me; my clan is quite busy quelling the riots in Shibuya, and many deserve a week's leave for their dedication."
"I came here for Saru-kun." Gone was the smile, in its place a thin line as Dazai stared straight at him. For a moment, Munakata thought that the other was peering into his soul but disregarded it as paranoia. After a glance around his office he levelled his gaze on the man.
"Ah, the brother you left four years ago? You know I can't give out any sensitive information pertaining to my clansmen, Dazai-kun." Before Dazai could speak he raised his hand to halt him. "However, if I were to obtain some intel on the rogue strains in Shibuya that would be a different story."
"An exchange of classified information?" Dazai chuckled without humor as Munakata smiled innocuously. Spotting a chair the bandaged man took a seat, turning to face the Blue King.
"Where would you like me to begin?"
"Why did he have to show up now of all times?" Fushimi Saruhiko muttered as the cool summer breeze hit his face. He really thought that he could finish his paperwork and leave sooner rather than later to deal with the nuisance of an older brother by himself but…
He came early.
And tracked him to SCEPTER 4.
Dazai Osamu is a terrifying man.
(They're not all that different, actually.)
Shaking away the thoughts with his trademark click of the tongue, the third-in-command shoved his hands into the cobalt blue pockets of his coat and picked up his pace; the further he got away from SCEPTER 4 and, in turn, Dazai, the better off he would be.
...Why did Dazai decide to visit, anyways?
The impromptu question caught him off-guard, making him pause slightly. Why did he care in the first place? The bastard left him to fend for himself for four years; this shouldn't be any different.
Did he…?
"Tch." No; that idea was preposterous. Dazai Osamu isn't that type of man.
After all, he left just like Misaki did.
And the bastard had the nerve to take offense to his offhand comment about Odasaku.
"Always "Odasaku-kun" this, "Odasaku-kun" that…" He grumbled, glaring at any passerby that looked his way. Honestly...his brother was obsessed with his "friend"...
" - close to Reisi's headquarters."
"That wasn't much of a long walk, now was it?"
"Of course not."
- Wait.
That couldn't be…
Fushimi craned his head to stare across the street. Sure enough, he spotted the current Red King walking towards the direction he was leaving behind, holding the hand of a man he recognized instantly.
Chuuya Nakahara. Port Mafia Executive and Misaki's older brother.
"Shit!" After the curse left his mouth he increased his speed, knowing that if he was spotted it was all over. The man he looked to as a role model will reject him, too, for becoming this and discard him.
If he lucky enough, he could make it to the intersection. At this point in the day, it was the busiest part of the city; blending in shouldn't be too hard enough (minus the glaringly obvious blue coat, but Fushimi doesn't focus on the details sometimes). That way, all he would have to do was enter his apartment and curl under the covers of his bed...and maybe erase any evidence of his brother entering SCEPTER 4 while he was at it.
But of course he didn't have that kind of luck.
"...!" Anna began to pull her accomplice towards him, the third-in-command cursing every deity that looked down on him today while breaking into a sprint.
"Anna?!"
"It's Saruhiko-kun." He was almost there…The intersection was a mere two feet away…!
"And where do you think you're going?"
A red glow surrounded Fushimi and lifted him off of his feet, ceasing him in his tracks. His face contorted into a scowl; of all the times to encounter him...did it have to be now?
"...Nowhere, apparently." He answered once they were within earshot, Chuuya raising an eyebrow at his tone while Anna kept silent, observing him. He always hated when she did that; it felt as if she was digging deeper into his soul each time she invoked her powers.
"And apparently you learned to sass your elders." Chuuya said carefully, a frown forming in contemplation.
"What do you want?" Fushimi finally asked as the silence between them became unbearable. At the sound of his voice Chuuya snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at him with acute azure eyes, his lips settling for a frown.
"We need to talk."
/Ah, finally done with Chapter 2! It isn't as good as the first one, but These couple chapters mainly set up what's to come in the future. Thank you guys for your support, and I will talk to you guys again in Chapter 3!