Title: underneath our bones
Summary: A little honesty goes a long way. Or, Masaomi decides to tell Mikado about the Yellow Scarves.
Pairings: Mikado/Masaomi is endgame, with some mentions of Masaomi/Saki.
Notes: A week late, here's the last chapter. :) Thank you for the follows and favs. Strap yourselves in, this chapter is hella long.

Chapter Three: Mikado

It's been six months since the discovery of Harima Mika, and according to Mikado, life is pretty good. He's getting along great with Masaomi (sometimes a little too well, he thinks, but keeps the thought to himself), and he feels like Anri is opening up to them a little as well. Although she still has the habit of glancing away, a faint blush on her cheeks when he accidentally looks at her too long, and she's still soft-spoken, downright shy when it comes to speaking her mind, which she rarely does, even now.

There's still something that bothers him, though. Not the Dollars. They haven't done anything noticeable in months. Not the Headless Rider – or Celty, as he's come to know her. None of them have anything to do with it, but it doesn't stop him from worrying endlessly.

He finds himself trying to make up excuses to walk Sonohara-san home, so she doesn't have to be alone. The slasher is about, after all, and if the news reports indicate anything, it's that the attacks are ever increasing.

The Dollars message board isn't particularly helpful in his investigation. No one knows who the attacker is beyond a shadow of a doubt; the closest look anyone has had at the perpetrator came up with nothing more than the bare description of 'it was a human shaped shadow, with red eyes!' If there weren't so many victims, Mikado would've thought the Slasher might just be an urban legend. (But if there's anything he's learned from living in Ikebukuro, it's that its urban legends are just as much citizens of this place as he is. Like Celty.)

"So," Masaomi says to him one day, when Sonohara-san has excused herself and it's just the two of them having lunch.

"So, what, Masaomi?" Mikado asks, looking up from his lunch box.

"You know, when you first got here, I thought you'd still be easy to read – and easy to rile up," he adds as he pinches Mikado in the side, who promptly yelps. "But," he continues, "there's something I'm not really sure about. You like Anri-chan, don't you?"

"I- what? She's our friend, of course I like her." Mikado blinks. Masaomi fairly frequently teases both him and Sonohara-san, asking them whether they've gone out on a date yet, whether they've kissed yet, or—or worse! But he's never outright asked Mikado about his feelings for the bespectacled girl.

"You see, sometimes I'm not sure whether you're thick, or if you're just being extremely honest." Masaomi nods to himself, chin in hand. Mikado finds himself staring at him, a little dumbfounded by this sudden declaration. "Mikado," Masaomi says, his expression serious, "Would you like Anri-chan to be your girlfriend or not?"

The question is so sudden and straightforward Mikado finds himself at a loss for words, because, honestly, it's not something he's spent much time thinking about (or at all, really). Of course he likes her, but... He's never actually considered Anri to be more than a friend, because he doesn't know if what he feels is friendship or not. Especially when he compares it to his close relationship with Masaomi.

When he looks back up, Masaomi seems to take his silence as an affirmative, and somehow, it's like it disappoints him.

Mikado knows Masaomi has a girlfriend who is still in the hospital, but it's always possible he's developed feelings for Anri, right…? "Do you want her to be yours?" he quietly asks, and Masaomi's eyes go wide so quickly it's almost comical.

"Ah, well, you know," he waves Mikado's question away without really answering it, which confuses Mikado even more. "But you know you can always come to me if you want some tips!" he says with a wink, and affectionately pokes Mikado in the chest. Mikado is about to reply, to ask for a clarification, but the bell to indicate the end of their lunch rings and Masaomi sprints away before he can open his mouth.

Later that day, when Mikado waits at the spot where the three of them meet every day to walk home together, he and Anri wait for Masaomi to show up, but he never does. He texts Masaomi, but gets no reply, and they give each other confused looks. "He didn't say anything at lunch," Mikado says. "This is odd..."

Anri nods, but keeps her thoughts to herself. Briefly, Mikado wonders if she knows something he doesn't – but even if she did, it's unlikely she would share it with him. She's a very private person, after all, and he knows she wouldn't want to interfere in other people's relationships.

"You're okay, right?" he asks, to be certain, and she jumps.

"I'm fine." He bites his lip, because he knows fine can be the equivalent to 'it's really not fine but I'd rather not talk about it'. On the other hand, it can also just mean 'fine'. Anri can be a very confusing person to talk to...

He really doesn't know what else to say without sounding pushy, so when she says she'll see him tomorrow, he lets her walk away home, without him. He's not so worried about Masaomi being alone, he knows the other can look after himself (even if his big mouth can get him in trouble sometimes). Anri, on the other hand... He sighs and grips the strap of his bag. He's not going to follow her. She can look after herself, too.

At least, that's what he believes until he's in the chatroom later that night, and Kanra-san says there's been an attack on a high school student, a girl. He can't help himself and checks if Anri's all right, even if Kanra assures him his classmate is not the girl that was injured. He leaves to go see her even if it's already late at night, and lets Masaomi know about his plan as well. They meet their friend in front of the police station, both of them worried sick.

"Are you okay?" is the first thing that blurts out of both his and Masaomi's mouth. Physically, she looks fine. No bandages, no blood, no injuries. She looks a little surprised to see them standing there, and then quietly nods. He tries to ask not too much, because from what he's heard, she actually witnessed the crime, and... she was not even touched. Did she see who it was? Did she notice anything strange? Did she see the person attacking the other high school girls, and did their eyes glow red like the rumours say? There are so many questions in Mikado's head, but he asks none of them.

From the looks of it, Masaomi is wondering about the same things, but with Anri walking between them, neither of them can bring themselves to ask. Not because she needs protecting, Mikado thinks to himself, because he would also worry if it were Masaomi. Sometimes people don't want to answer questions. Or they don't want to think about the answers. As a friend, he should know when these moments occur.

They simply walk her to her apartment, so she doesn't have to be alone. They don't offer to come inside, and when Anri closes the door after thanking them, Mikado and Masaomi give each other a meaningful look.

"I don't think she's telling us everything," Masaomi says while they're walking back, sharing a little of the road home together.

"Probably," Mikado agrees, "but she doesn't have to." Masaomi nods in agreement. "By the way, where were you this afternoon?"

"Just... had some things to do," Masaomi says, and Mikado tilts his head. "I visited Saki," he elaborates, "to ask her for some advice." Mikado recalls that she was released from the hospital about two months ago, so occasionally, Masaomi visits her at home after school.

"So you had to ask Saki?"

"She has a good head on her shoulders, even if I'd rather she didn't talk to Izaya. I trust her judgment. Most of the time, anyway."

"What did you ask her for advice about?" Mikado curiously asks. If Masaomi didn't come to him with those questions, maybe they were things only a girl could answer? (Mikado is kind of uncertain what questions he would ask a girl, that he wouldn't ask a guy.)

Masaomi goes surprisingly silent at his question, seeming to weigh his words with precision, something he almost never does. "I..." he starts, and then stops. He struggles with his words now the way Mikado always has, terribly bad at expressing himself and just going for politeness instead. It doesn't mean he's not worried, however, because Masaomi has always been able to express himself clearly, and he is not the type to keep things bottled up, unless he doesn't want to worry anyone else.

(And it's not as if Mikado hasn't noticed the abundance of yellow on the streets these last couple of weeks, or even months.)

"Is it about your... gang?" he carefully asks, and Masaomi's gaze snaps up.

"No, not at all," he quickly says, and even laughs a little as the tension in his shoulders eases. "Far from it, actually."

"Then why can't you tell me what's going on?"

At this, Masaomi actually blushes. "It's, um, got to do with you, actually." A little embarrassed, he scratches his cheek and pretends to study the lamppost they're close to passing.

Mikado, however, isn't any closer to discovering what Masaomi actually means, what he's trying to tell him. He's usually very straightforward about what he wants. Mikado suddenly stops walking, realisation dawning on him. Masaomi takes a few more steps before he notices his best friend isn't following his lead anymore, and he turns his head. "Are you coming?"

Mikado doesn't reply to his question. Instead, he says, "Are you scared?"

"Scared of what?" Masaomi asks, and although there's a grin tugging on the edges of his lips, it looks like he has to force himself to smile. And Mikado wants him to burst out into laughter, to make fun of Mikado, to think it's hilarious that he fell for his joke – but Masaomi is being so peculiar today it's harder to imagine than he thought it would be.

While they've been talking, their feet have taken them to Mikado's own place, and he looks at Masaomi, at the door, and then back. "You know what I mean," Mikado says, and gestures to the door while he walks up the steps. If he wants, his friend can follow. If he doesn't...

The heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach lifts up a little when he hears Masaomi's footsteps on the stairs behind him, just after he's unlocked the door. He drops his bag on the floor, and Masaomi makes himself at home on the floor, letting his eyes slide over the ceiling while Mikado grabs something for them to drink.

He realises he's trying to make everything as normal as possible, while it's far from that. Masaomi isn't paying attention to him when he glances at him, not even when he puts two glasses on the table. The question lies on the tip of his tongue; he wants to ask Masaomi so badly about what's going on, why it involves himself, but he doesn't want to drive him away even further, or put words into his mouth.

It doesn't stop him from being startled and spilling his drink on his jeans when Masaomi does start talking, however, his right leg perched on the knee of his left while he lies on the floor. "You know how I said six months ago that I told you everything there was to know, when I told you about the Yellow Scarves, and about what happened to Saki?"

"Yeah, I remember," Mikado slowly says.

"It wasn't entirely true," Masaomi says with a sigh. "I mean, at that time I didn't know there was more to say, but I slowly realised..."

"...realised what, Masaomi?" His best friend tilts his head back, so he's looking at Mikado upside down. He looks at him completely still, both serious and calm, and Mikado feels a little strange, to be studied this closely.

"It was a funny feeling, at first," Masaomi says, "although it wasn't bad. It sort of made me... giddy, I guess. I was happier than I'd been in months, and I justified that with reasons like starting a new school and finally being able to talk to Saki again. Even when I knew it must have started around the time you arrived here," he smiles fondly, "and I'd seen you standing on the platform, but you hadn't seen me yet."

A thousand impossibilities cross Mikado's mind, but Masaomi still doesn't look as if he's joking, and surely he wouldn't joke about something like that? Of course being with him makes Mikado happy, but... Surely what he means isn't…

"I've been turning it over in my mind, and I didn't want to say anything, because why ruin it all? Why should I mention it at all, if it meant I could lose you." At this, he laughs, as if he hates himself. "Mikado isn't saying anything at all, so, at least I have to be right in that respect."

"I- I thought you had a girlfriend?" Mikado doesn't want to say Saki's name now, because these last few months she's become a bit of a friend to him as well (even though he knows she and Masaomi will always be infinitely closer).

"Not anymore," Masaomi quietly says.

Mikado expects a further explanation, more words, but it stays quiet. Masaomi is determined to keep his mouth shut now, to have the ball in Mikado's court.

"You haven't ruined it," he says at last, his tongue feeling thick and useless in his mouth. "You haven't ruined anything, Masaomi. In fact, I... think you're brave. That you... that Masaomi can just..." That he can simply say what he wants, despite his fears. He lets his hands curl into fists on his knees and clenches his eyes shut. He doesn't want to look outward now. Not when there is such turmoil wreaking havoc in his mind. Of course he likes Masaomi – his best friend makes him impossibly happy, and he looks forward to spending time with him every day, but he's never once considered that these feelings could lead to something else, something more than what they are right now.

"Mikado," Masaomi says, and he opens his eyes when a hand folds over his own. Masaomi has turned around, and is facing him now, lying on his stomach. "It's okay." I'm glad, he says with his expression, without words being necessary.

They stare at each other for what feels like an eternity, and Masaomi's grave look turns soft, small lines crinkling around his eyes when he smiles. And, honestly, Mikado thinks he wouldn't mind if their friendship has changed into something more than best friends, because he really can't imagine a life without Masaomi in it, whether they are best friends or... or something else entirely, something undefinable.

Everything Masaomi is, is indescribable to Mikado, because he is everything Mikado is not. Outspoken, and courageous, and funny. "Is it?" he asks carefully, because the last thing he wants is to hurt Masaomi. He looks down, at the hand still covering his own, and slowly his hands relax, and he twines his fingers between Masaomi's, like they have always belonged there.

"It is now."

Mikado smiles, and Masaomi's hair spreads over his thigh when he lays his head down, his eyes closed while he breathes softly. He looks happy, Mikado thinks, and wonders if his own face mirrors Masaomi's, brimming with excitement about the future (their future), and all the same content with how it is now.

Anri looks okay the next morning, despite the scare she had the previous night. Although she says nothing about what happened the previous night, Mikado sees the way she looks at them, curious and inquisitive. He thinks she's already seen what he can't yet talk about, the words still hidden in the corner of his mouth, but conveyed in actions when Masaomi leans forward during lunch and tells the both of them a joke he heard from a second year, his arm casually slumped on one of Mikado's shoulders.

He doesn't expect anything else to happen to Anri, but a few days later, they hear from her while she's in the hospital, having been attacked by the slasher the previous night. Mikado has just read her text message out loud to Masaomi, and watches him pace back and forth on the floor of his apartment. He isn't entirely sure whether he's ever seen him this agitated before. "Something needs to be done," Masaomi says, but Mikado thinks he's more talking to himself than trying to start a conversation. "This whole slasher business is getting out of control. Mikado."

"I know." Having his best friend look at him this intensely is a bit unnerving, to say the least.

"How do you know the slasher isn't part of the Dollars?"

"Um." To be honest, Mikado has considered it, because anyone can become part of the Dollars if they're invited, and if that person just happens to be the Slasher... "I guess there's only one way to find out," he says, and turns to his computer.

Of course he remembers asking the members of the Dollars if they knew anything weeks earlier, but time has passed, and things could have changed. He feels his heart beat loudly in his chest while he types, and waits, and types some more, waiting for answers he fears might not come. He can feel Masaomi sitting close next to him, their knees touching, but he doesn't look his way, for fear of getting distracted, either by Masaomi getting even more upset at the lack of answers, or because he fears he might see something he wouldn't want to. Masaomi is protective of their friend, like he is of Saki. Maybe he fears a repeat of that.

He reaches out and squeezes Masaomi's hand, scrolling down the board, taking in as much information as he can, but…

As expected, no new information turns up. "Maybe we should visit Sonohara-san in the hospital?" Mikado suggests. He wants to get Masaomi's mind off things; he's been antsy ever since they heard Anri was attacked, and Mikado knows he's itching to do something. He understands the desire he must feel to protect her, but they're just two boys.

"I suppose it would cheer Anri-chan up," Masaomi says close to his ear, his head resting on Mikado's shoulder.

"It would." Mikado smiles, even as he scrolls down the board. Masaomi seems to have accepted his involvement in the Dollars, even though he made Mikado promise he wouldn't get into trouble, especially not all by himself. "We could go tonight, if you want?"

"Sure," Masaomi says, and nuzzles Mikado's ear.

His action reminds Mikado of something. "Do you think we should we tell Sonohara-san, about us?" It's a thought he's been having more than once this past week. Not saying anything feels... dishonest, if he and Masaomi have crossed the boundary of close friendship into something more. They're spending more time at each other's places than ever, and it makes Mikado feel wanted. Maybe even needed. It's a strange thought, that Masaomi might need him, but he likes it all the same. Simultaneously, he's not sure if he's ready to share the thoughts and feelings he has with anyone else. (Excepting Masaomi, of course.)

"Only if you want to," Masaomi says, and leans back just enough so Mikado can look him in the eyes. "I know we haven't really named this thing of us."

"It's just us. Together."

"Ah, Mikado, if I'd known you were so eloquent..." Masaomi grins, and lightly punches him in the shoulder. "Also, there's something else I need to do. I've been approached a few times now, to return to the Yellow Scarves."

"Are you going to?" Mikado asks, already getting worried.

"Nah. But the fact they're apparently recruiting new members is troubling, and I have to do something about it. As far as I know, they've already been getting into fights with people they think are in the Dollars." He grimaces. "I don't know yet how they will react, or if they will even listen to me. Technically I'm not their leader anymore."

"Would you like me to come with you?" Even before he's finished speaking, Mikado already knows what the answer will be.

"This is something I have to do on my own. And I wouldn't want you to be involved, with you being in the Dollars and all that. But if I'm not back after a few hours, please call emergency services on my behalf," he jokes. Mikado doesn't find it very funny.

After half an hour of waiting and getting no good responses on the Dollars message board, they decide to go to the hospital to visit Anri. "Don't want her getting lonely up in her hospital room," Masaomi says on their walk there, and Mikado just smiles because Masaomi sounds more like himself again. He doesn't like it when he's wallowing and blaming himself for things that aren't his fault.

Anri is (unsurprisingly) happy to see them, even cheerful despite the fact she's in the hospital. Mikado finds himself getting increasingly jealous while she tells them Heiwajima Shizuo (of all people!) saved her life a few days earlier, and even more amazing than that, she got a ride from the headless rider yesterday!

"I thought you were attacked by the slasher," Masaomi says, hesitant when reaching for the bandage on her cheek when she's finished speaking.

"Well," Anri says, and she seems to think for a moment about what to say, while Mikado can see Masaomi's expression harden where he sits on the opposite side of the bed. He wishes he could reach out to him and squeeze his hand, but... Maybe now is not the time. "It's a long story," she says at last, "and I don't know if you'll believe me..."

For some reason, Mikado thinks he won't have much of a problem believing Anri's story, seeing as the three of them have seen some strange things these last couple of months. He tries to nod encouragingly when she looks his way for assurance.

"The slasher isn't actually a person," Anri starts. "It's more of an entity that possesses people?"

On second thought, Mikado thinks, maybe her story will be a lot more out of the ordinary than theirs is.

"An entity?" Masaomi asks, and her eyes flick to him as she nods.

"A sword," she says, and Mikado thinks he's about to fall out of his chair.

"Wait, so the slasher is not a person, but a sword that possesses people?"

"I know what it sounds like," Anri says, and her gaze is focussed on her lap now where she creases the blanket between her fingers. "I could hardly believe it myself."

"So, a sword tried to possess you by having a random person try to slash you?" Masaomi asks, and he sounds as if he believes her, even if what he's saying is hardly believable.

"Well, someone tried to, yes," she admits, and scratches a bit at the bandage on her arm. "But it wasn't their fault," she quickly adds, "it was because of Saika."

"Saika?" Mikado says, surprised, because he's definitely seen that name before, in the chatroom he frequents.

"The name of the sword," she elaborates, "or the entity within the sword. I'm not entirely sure which it's supposed to be." She already knows so many things that Mikado doesn't, and briefly he feels a sting of jealousy, because he's been yearning for that knowledge, and his friend had to get hurt for her to find out.

Or did she?

"The sword didn't possess you?" he asks, and almost slaps his hand over his mouth at his own insolence. But she's definitely been cut up by something sharp, and he finds it hard to believe she did it to herself.

When she looks over to him, however, she's not mad at his sudden exclamation. Instead, she smiles for the briefest of moments. "I haven't been very brave, to be honest," she tells them, "even if I really like both of you, Kida-kun, Ryuugamine-kun, I couldn't bear to share this with you. I would've liked to, sooner, but as I said, I'm not... not like that."

"Bravery isn't a virtue," Masaomi says, and crosses his arms while he leans back in his chair. "I'm probably a hypocrite, saying this, but the truth is what it is and whether it's inside of you or out, you can't change it." He exchanges glances with Mikado before he uncrosses his arms again and reaches out to touch her hand. "If you're not brave, Anri-chan, I also have to admit to being a coward."

"Kida-kun!" She looks at him, wide-eyed, alongside Mikado, who has to stop himself from gaping.

"I have a confession to make," he says, and Mikado really doesn't like the look in his eyes right now, "an exchange of truths, so it can become our truth."

"Our truth?" she slowly echoes.

"Friends without secrets," he acknowledges. "That's why... you should know, a few months ago, there was a girl on another floor of this hospital. I care for her like I care for you, and she was seriously injured. Because of me."

"I'm sure you didn't mean-"

"It doesn't matter whether I meant to! She got hurt, and I'm the one to blame, because I'm a coward and I couldn't save her. That's the way it is, whether I like it or not."

Mikado briefly reconsiders, then stands up from his chair and bows towards Anri. "I'm one of the chief members of the Dollars, Sonohara-san. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."

He hears the legs of Masaomi's chair scrape over the floor as well, and then he says, "So am I. Sorry, that is. When I was in middle school, I started a gang. The yellow scarves."

"I, um," Anri says, and it sounds like she's struggling with what she has to say. Mikado straightens up a bit, and then he smiles, because it's not supposed to be about forcing her to say anything. They trust her enough to tell her, and so, he hopes she trusts them enough to tell them too.

"I'd already decided," she says, after she's gathered herself back together, "many months ago, after we helped Harima Mika, that I would tell you. Both of you. But I still was afraid that you would leave me behind, and that I would be alone again. And I thought, but what if I deserve that? Who am I to deserve friends like you, when I don't know if I can offer the kind of friendship you offer me. But last night I realised... Everything that's happened has become part of me. I have to live with it every day. I tried to keep my distance from you, but it doesn't make it hurt any less, does it?"

It gets harder for her to talk with every sentence she says, but she still keeps going, in spite of that. "So, I've decided to tell you, to not go back on my own word, because I have always disappointed myself, and I no longer want to do that. Ryuugamine-kun, Kida-kun... I'm really sorry that you've unnecessarily worried over me. You see... the slasher would never have been able to hurt me. Five years ago, I… I became the owner of Saika, after my parents died. Even if someone who also possesses a sword tried to slash me, they wouldn't be able to harm me. My sword is the mother of all other swords. You should know that, when someone uses Saika to possess someone, they become a child of that Saika. But without guidance, and enough strength of will, they can break free and might start possessing people as well. That is what happened. I'm sorry for not taking control of the situation like I should have."

It's a lot to take in, if Mikado is honest, and he's been stunned silent by Anri's waterfall of words. He's stunned even more so when he hears Masaomi quietly say, "Thank you, Anri. For telling us. But I…" He smiles brightly, surprising both Anri and Mikado. "I think this may be the best thing I've heard all week."

"What? Why?" Mikado asks at the same time Anri says, "Really?"

"In all seriousness, by the way you were acting I almost expected you to tell us you'd accidentally murdered someone. You haven't murdered anyone, have you?"

"No...?"

"Good," Masaomi says. He's taking all this a lot better than Mikado thought he would, seeing how angry he'd been at the slasher for daring to hurt Anri. And now that they know about this... He glances back up at her, and she's too shy to look at them now, having lost a secret to the confines of the room. He just hopes Masaomi won't start cracking jokes about Anri possessing people for her own personal gain. That would be… extremely inappropriate.

"You aren't... mad?" she carefully asks.

"Anri-chan, we all have reasons to keep things to ourselves. I'm glad you told us. I do have one question, however, if you're willing to answer it. You said you became Saika's owner, five years ago." She nods. "It hasn't possessed you, though?"

Anri actually laughs a little. "No, because it never cut me. That's kind of one of the requirements. I can always hear it, though. It's not very nice, but I try not to listen to it too much."

Now that all of their secrets are out in the open, Mikado feels relieved. Well, all but one of their secrets. "Ah, I have the same problem," Mikado tries to joke, "it's really hard to think when Masaomi is talking all the time."

"Oi!" Masaomi says, but Anri laughs, and then all three of them are laughing, and Mikado feels like the sunlight streaming into the room, bright and warm. "I thought jokes were my territory?" Masaomi says when they've all caught their breath.

"Your bad humour is catching," Mikado tells him, and Anri giggles again, because she knows all too well what constitutes as a joke for Masaomi.

"Mikado, obviously anyone would want my sense of humour, because it's amazing and we were all laughing, weren't we?" His smile isn't exaggerated, however, and Mikado feels protected underneath his gaze.

"There was something else, Anri-chan," he starts (and only realises later he didn't address her the way he usually did), "Masaomi and I... we, um..." He's trying to look at her while he's talking, but it's too difficult not to be distracted by his best friend's giant smile. "We're..." he tries again, but his brain isn't working because Masaomi is wiggling his eyebrows now and he can't stop staring at him while he feels his cheeks getting hot.

"What dear Mikado is so eloquently is trying to say," Masaomi takes over, "is that we are wooing each other."

Mikado stares at him. "...what kind of word is 'woo', Masaomi?"

"Well, it means to court, or-"

"I know what it means!" Mikado is sure his ears are red too. This is really embarrassing. Why did he decide to confess to Anri, again? "I just, um, I mean, you are..." He directs his eyes towards the ceiling, hoping he might see a message of encouragement there. Unfortunately, there isn't.

"I understand," Anri says, surprising him (and maybe Masaomi as well). "You... really like each other, don't you?" she smiles as she says it, and Mikado's hammering heart finally calms down enough for him to be able to reply.

"Um, I guess so," Mikado says and scratches at his cheek with his index finger, which he does often when he's nervous.

"You guess so?" Masaomi says in his ear, and he's moved across the room so quickly Mikado momentarily freezes in his seat. Masaomi takes to patting his head and smiling at Anri. "Isn't he cute?"

"Ma-Masaomi!" Mikado tries swatting his hand away, but Masaomi is nothing but persistent, so it takes a little rough-housing before they finally let go of each other, breathing heavily but laughing all the same. (Even if Mikado does try to get them both to quiet down, because this is a hospital).

Anri looks at them fondly, Mikado notices, and he's glad she isn't mad or upset, but instead happy for them. He thinks she must have figured it out, earlier. Maybe even before they did themselves.

Visiting hours are close to ending, so he and Masaomi say their goodbyes. "I'll probably be at school the day after tomorrow. The doctor said they'd probably release me next afternoon."

"We'll come pick you up," Masaomi promises, and when they're standing in the elevator, he grabs Mikado's hand. "I'm going to see them, tomorrow. The Yellow Scarves."

"You're sure?"

"I have to, Mikado. I'm responsible for them. Or I feel like I am, anyway. I also know they talk more about the Dollars than I would like them to. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt."

Mikado squeezes his hand. "I can handle myself. I have amazing friends after all, right?"

Masaomi snorts. "Yep. Your amazing friends, the teenage delinquent gang leader, and the katana wielding high school girl. You sure know how to pick them, Mi-ka-do."

When they step out of the elevator, their hands stay entwined for a moment longer, and then they let go. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mikado," Masaomi says, and Mikado watches him leave.

They're going to be alright. He believes that now. No matter what happens tomorrow, they'll get through it. He and Masaomi and Anri... they'd stick together, the three of them.

He continues to feel certain when he reaches his house and unlocks the door, puts aside his shoes, and boots up his computer while he boils some water to make tea.

Then, he opens the Dollars website and nearly spills his just-made tea all over himself while he reads on in horror.

There is an outpour of messages on the board from members this evening who have been attacked, or are being attacked, or have seen someone be attacked – because somehow, someone found out they were a member of the Dollars. They're being assaulted by Yellow Scarves. Mikado's hand tightens on his mouse, he squeezes his eyes shut and breathes in deeply through his nose, trying to calm himself down. Of course, just when things seem to be looking up...

He doesn't believe for a second Masaomi has anything to do with the attacks – he's told him himself they've repeatedly asked him to return, but that he always has declined. And besides, Masaomi has been with him all day.

He goes to bed worried sick, after posting multiple messages on the board and trying to help out his fellow Dollars members as much as he can. He sends Masaomi two texts (the second after he doesn't respond to the first one). He can only lie on the floor after that, staring at the ceiling, wondering what he should do, if there's even anything he can do.

He's still awake when his mobile buzzes at 3 am. 'Did something stupid, don't hate me,' the text from Masaomi reads.

'Where are you?' he hurriedly texts back. He wants to say many other things, but he needs to know he's safe first.

He gets a one-worded reply: 'Home.'

Just after Mikado's been able to read it, Masaomi calls him. "Are you okay?" is the first thing that comes spilling out of Mikado's mouth.

"Kind of," Masaomi says after a while. "I'll probably have a black eye tomorrow."

"And?"

"And what, Mikado?"

"I've known you long enough to know you have more than just a black eye. Where else are you hurt?"

"I don't think there's any place in my body that doesn't hurt somewhat," Masaomi finally says after a long silence. "I saw your text on my way home, and I just... I knew I had to do something about it. So I went to the place where the Yellow Scarves usually meet."

Mikado wants to yell at him, say, 'Well, what did you expect to happen?' But he can't. "What happened?" he asks instead.

"They were surprised to see me, at first. Some guys even welcomed me back. They weren't so happy when I told them I disbanded them. That yellow means nothing." Mikado feels himself becoming horrified, because if any of his altercations with gangs mean anything (not that there have been many of those, and he'd rather not have a repeat of the ones he has had), he knows Masaomi wouldn't have got off scot-free after saying something like this.

"And then?" he quietly asks.

"Some people agreed, I think. Didn't really know why they were there at all. Until this one guy started accusing me of hanging out with Dollars members. Said he saw me with Takiguchi." Masaomi is silent for a moment. "So I asked them if they'd turn on one of their own, if they knew they hung out with Dollars members." Mikado feels the cloud of dread fast approaching, because Masaomi is never one to leave things half-finished. "I should have known they would," Masaomi says. "Especially because I've never been a leader to some of them. It's as if the people I created it with just disappeared."

"How hurt are you, really?"

"I'm considering not going to school tomorrow," he admits "I don't know if I'll be able to move."

"I'll tell the teachers you're sick," Mikado assures him, and Masaomi chuckles.

"My attendance is sloppy at best, I don't think it'll make much of a difference. But if you want to, go ahead. I appreciate the effort."

Mikado finally lies down again, because he knows he can't come over at this hour, even if he really wants to.

"Stay on the phone for a while?" Masaomi asks, and Mikado smiles, and agrees. Even when he hears Masaomi's breathing evening out, he keeps listening. He falls asleep just past four am, and he wakes a few hours later at his alarm going off.

The day goes by slowly without Anri or Masaomi there, and he can't help but stare out the window, thinking about how to solve this problem. He's never wanted any of this to escalate. Now, people are getting hurt because of him. And he's sure Masaomi feels guilty as well. He just hopes the guilt isn't bad enough to make him do something even more stupid than he did last night. They'd texted back and forth a bit during lunch, and Masaomi had tried to assure him he was okay, that he'd been exaggerating, but Mikado would rather see the damage for himself before he believes him.

He lets himself into Masaomi's house later that afternoon after school, after sending Anri a text to let her know they can't come to pick her up. His friend – boyfriend? – looks awful. His right eye is almost swollen shut, and circled with purple and blue, and he sits up in his bed with a heavy sigh. "You didn't have to come rushing here after school, you know," he says, but Mikado still knows he's happy to see him.

"I didn't rush." Mikado puts his bag on the floor, "I waited for every stoplight!"

"Did you?" Masaomi says, and he leans forward with his elbows on his legs. He has bruises forming on his arms as well, Mikado can see, but he pretends he doesn't see them when he sits down next to him.

"What really happened last night, Masaomi?" Mikado asks, and Masaomi looks down, at his hands. Mikado is often uncertain about what he has to do, but now he doesn't hesitate when he takes one of Masaomi's hands in his own. "You know I'm not angry, right?" Masaomi hums, but he still doesn't look up. "I was just worried," Mikado continues, encasing both of Masaomi's hands in his own. He feels a little weird, sitting like this, but it also feels right. "I didn't- don't want to see you hurt." Without really knowing what he's doing, he pulls Masaomi to himself, and wraps his arms around him. His shoulders are shaking, he notices, and there's a growing wet patch on his uniform on the place where Masaomi has burrowed his face.

They sit for a while in their embrace, and Mikado thinks they have to make this all right. He doesn't know how, too young to truly understand the implications of trying to placate a gang that is quickly growing out of control. Maybe it's not too late yet to ask for help, he thinks. He's slowly carding his fingers through Masaomi's hair, and after a while he stops trembling.

"Thank you," Masaomi whispers into the crook of his neck, and Mikado is glad he decided to come over. I'd always do this for you, he thinks, and before he can change his mind he leans forward and brushes their lips together. It's probably not as romantic as either of them imagined as a first kiss, but… He wants to let Masaomi know how much he cares about him. And he's not sure if words can convey that right now.

He makes Masaomi promise not do anything stupid after he's gone (or at least consult him if he's thinking about it), and after he's home he sends a text to Celty, if he can ask for a favour.

'Of course!' the answer comes, almost immediately. Celty is still grateful to them, for that one time when the three of them introduced her to Harima Mika, when she still thought the girl in question was wearing Celty's own head. 'What do you need?' she asks.

Ideally, the Yellow Scarves would have to stop existing; not just so Masaomi would no longer be involved, but also because he wants his fellow Dollars members to stop being harassed. How to accomplish this, though, he isn't entirely certain. 'Can we meet?' he ends up asking, and Celty sends him the address where she, presumably, lives.

They agree on the day after tomorrow, because Mikado wants to bring Masaomi along, and Anri as well, and he needs both of them to be able to get around without being in too much pain (mostly in Masaomi's case).

"Involving the headless rider?" Masaomi says two days later during lunch, halfway through a sandwich. "I dunno, is that really a good idea?" He'd shown up for the first time again this morning, after being sick for two days. He still looks fairly terrible, however.

"I think so," Mikado insists. "It's not like we can handle it ourselves anymore, can we?"

"Celty-san is a good person," Anri adds, "I'm sure she's willing to help us, if she can."

Masaomi remains hesitant, however, even when they sit in the subway, even when they are about to ring the doorbell to Celty's (surprisingly spacious) living area. She's not the one to open the door, however.

Mikado isn't entirely certain if he's met Kishitani Shinra before, but on the other hand, if a guy regularly wears doctor's coats around the house, he's bound to attract some eyes on the streets. "Welcome!" he says, opening the door wide. "Celty said you would be coming. I'm Shinra, by the way, future husband of the beautiful, darling Cel- oof!" A mysterious shadow appears out of the living room and has wrapped itself around Shinra's head, across his mouth. Not that it deters him in any way, as he enthusiastically gestures to the room where Celty is waiting for them.

"Um, hello," he says, and Celty hurriedly stands up while Anri and Masaomi next to him bow in greeting.

'It's good to see you again,' she types, and her stance is welcoming and relaxed. They all manage to sit down on a chair or on the couch, and Mikado starts to talk. He'd asked for Masaomi's permission, beforehand, because he knew... He knows Masaomi would be uncomfortable talking about this, to strangers. And even as Mikado talks, he realises Masaomi's thought must have drifted off, because his gaze is focused on the clouds gathering outside. By the time Mikado has finished, it's slowly started to drizzle.

"We were... we just didn't know what to do," Mikado says, after a pause. "I mean, we caused some of the mess, I suppose, but it got way out of control. And it's not something we can easily fix, by ourselves, even if we want to." He doesn't add that Celty is the only adult he knows he can ask for help, without expecting anything in return.

Shinra has been nodding along to his story (or shaking his head, when he reaches certain points), but Celty made sure he hadn't interrupted, and Mikado is grateful for that. 'It definitely sounds like a scary place to be in,' she says to him, and Mikado nods and looks at his knees.

She then shows Shinra a line or two of text, who nods and smiles. "Kida Masaomi-kun, was it?" he says, and smiles in a way that is supposed to be friendly.

Masaomi finally looks up. "Yes?" he says. His eye is still bruised, although he's able to open it again, and it's now slowly turning yellow.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to check you out for any injuries. It seems you were beat up pretty bad."

"Yeah," Masaomi says after a moment, looking uncertain. Shinra stands up, and begins to usher him into a backroom.

'Don't worry,' Celty says, 'I asked Shinra to. Your friend will be fine. Shinra's a great doctor.'

"Um, thanks," Mikado says, not quite knowing what else to tell her. It's true that he's been worried over Masaomi's unwillingness to go see a doctor, because he's seen the darkening bruises on his torso and back, and the way he winced when he picked up his schoolbag this morning. He tries not to show it, of course, mostly by being even more exuberant than he usually is, but Masaomi has been quiet most of today.

(They'd had words, at first. Masaomi wanted to solve the yellow scarf problem himself; it was his fault, he'd said.

Even if it was, Mikado had replied, there is no shame in asking for help.

Maybe Masaomi just never learnt that. Maybe there was no one around to teach him that it was okay if you couldn't solve a problem by yourself. Mikado usually refrains from thinking badly of Masaomi's parents – but that's because he doesn't know them. Not really, anyway.)

"Do you think you can help us?" he finally asks, because the silence, aside from Shinra and Masaomi's muffled voices coming from behind the closed door, is making him uncomfortable.

'I'm not sure,' she types, 'you've really managed to get yourselves in trouble, haven't you?'

"It's not Masaomi's fault," Mikado says, quietly. "He tried to stop them, even got hurt like this in the process. He's not the one that ordered for the Dollars to be attacked. To be honest… I think he blames himself even for that, because he created the Yellow Scarves, but… I think it's quite beyond us now."

Celty looks a little exasperated with them. If she had a head, she'd be shaking it now, Mikado imagines.

"He's right, though, Celty-san," Anri quietly says from beside him. It's the first time she's spoken up since they've arrived here. "Right now, we're just trying to help each other. We just want him to be okay."

'You all will be,' Celty tries to assure them, and at that point the doorbell rings, a few times, and they all look up. Celty shrugs her shoulders, as if to say, I wasn't expecting anyone at this hour, and Mikado and Anri look at each other when she stands up to get the door.

"I wonder who it is," Anri softly says, and Mikado nods. It's not as if they had invited anyone else over, either.

The next thing they know, Celty is helping Heiwajima Shizuo into the room, who is covered in blood and looks more cranky than a cat thrown out into the rain.

'I'll get Shinra!' she hurriedly types, after leaving some towels on the couch so he can at least sit down.

Shizuo eyes both of them, sitting there with wide eyes. He cocks his head at Anri. "...have we met before?"

"Ah, yes," she says. "You've saved my life before, Heiwajima-san."

"Oh," he replies, as if it's still not quite dawning on him. Shinra interrupts their awkward silence by barging into the room with surgical supplies, and freaking out over Shizuo bleeding all over their couch.

"It's a good thing Celty thought of the towels," he mumbles under his breath while he cuts Shizuo's clothing away from the wounds. "Do you know how hard it is to get a bloodstain out of furniture?" Shizuo looks as if he doesn't care – either about Shinra's couch, or about the wounds in his stomach and leg.

Celty reappears then, without Masaomi, and she says, 'I left him alone for a while. Shinra patched him up. He'll be okay.'

"Man, how did this even happen?" Shinra complains. "I thought most people knew enough about you they wouldn't consider shooting you. Although I'm impressed you're still walking around after being shot twice."

"I'll definitely kill them when I find them," Shizuo says determinedly. "I'll return the favour, since they tried to do me in first, especially the guy that ordered them to do it – Kida Masaomi!" He cracks his knuckles, while everyone else simultaneously looks up to the door on the other side of the room. It's no longer closed.

"What?" Shizuo says, when no one reacts.

It's not the first time Mikado has found himself speechless, but it's definitely the last time and place he'd like to be. Masaomi has heard everything Shizuo just said, so when he steps forward into the room, he seems resigned to his fate.

"Who're you?" Shizuo says when he spots him.

Mikado knows Masaomi well enough to see he's not scared right now, but neither is he brave or particularly courageous. He just looks incredibly sorry. "I'm Kida Masaomi," he says, and drops down to the floor, before Shizuo can even manage to get a word out (or throw Shinra's table in a rage). "I'm not asking you to forgive me, because what my... what my subordinates did to you was wrong. I'm sorry." They all stare, slightly uncomfortable, and Mikado sees him trembling slightly – or perhaps that's just him, anticipating the need to jump forward if Shizuo loses his temper. "I should've done something about them much sooner," he says, "but I kept stalling, pretending they weren't there, and maybe if I hadn't this wouldn't have happened."

He carefully sits up on his knees when no one else moves around him, although there is nothing of Masaomi that Mikado can recognise in him. He looks tired.

"Kida Masaomi, huh," Shizuo says as he stares down at the youth in front of him, oddly passive for someone who just swore they'd kill the boy sitting in front of him right now. Mikado can see the bandages peeking out from underneath his shirt collar, and he wonders what Shizuo is thinking right now. They stare at each other a while longer, then Shizuo tilts his head back on the couch and sighs, "I need a smoke."

An unmistakable breath of relief goes through the group.

Masaomi manages to drag himself up onto the couch, closes his eyes and appears to be thinking – although, in Masaomi's case, he could probably also be halfway to sleep. Still, Mikado makes sure to sit between him and Shizuo, because you never know with a man like him.

Even with his eyes closed, Masaomi manages to find Mikado's hand and tightly grasps it. He doesn't say anything, but Mikado knows what it means.

Shinra has deemed it safe enough to continue working on Shizuo's injuries, and Celty wanders off to make tea.

"Heiwajima-san," Anri says, breaking the silence. She's still standing in the room, the only one who hasn't sat down. "I know and trust Kida-kun more than I justify, probably, but I know he didn't order to have you killed. He isn't that kind of person. I know he's not." She glances at his sleeping form. "Ryuugamine-kun can attest to that as well."

Mikado quickly nods, but Shizuo just mouths his last name to himself, and furrows his brows. "You're... Ryuugamine?"

"Um. Yes." Mikado isn't entirely sure how to go on about this. "Ryuugamine Mikado."

"It sounds familiar..." Shizuo taps his lip with his free hand. "I remember thinking... that sounds like an aircon." Mikado wants to laugh, but he doesn't think he can manage anything except a grimace right now. "Now that I think about it, the guy that shot me, he mentioned you. Said he'd do you next."

Mikado stares at him, nearly gapes, and next to him Masaomi wakes from his slumber and stumbles off the couch. "I'm going to fucking kill Horada," he says, Mikado looks up as he talks. "I don't care what he does to me, but threatening Mikado... Next time I see him, I'm going to wring his little neck and then I'll-" He makes a stabbing motion, looking as if he'd really like to get his hands on this Horada guy now, just so he can strike him with his imaginary knife.

"Um," Mikado says.

"How do you know it was this Horada guy?" Shinra cuts in.

Masaomi points at his face. "He's the one who did this to me. And if he knows who Mikado is... I know he'll jump on the opportunity to take him out. And I'm not going to let that happen."

"Oi, kid." Shizuo's voice stops Masaomi's march to the front door, and he looks back. Shizuo gets up despite Shinra's protests ("don't you see you're still bleeding?!"). "Sit down. Whoever this Horada is, if he's the one that shot me, then he tried to kill me. I'll gladly return the favour."

Before either Masaomi or Shinra can manage to get a word in, he stomps out of the apartment.

Shinra immediately springs up. "Shizuo!" he calls out while he runs after him. "At least let me bandage you up! Don't be such a..." they can't hear what he says next, because he's ran too far for them to hear.

Celty shakes her head, clearly exasperated with the two men. 'Look,' she tells Masaomi as soon as he steps closer, 'Shizuo's taking care of it. You don't have to worry about it anymore.'

The three of them look at each other, still a little perplexed at the night's events.

"Let's go home?" Mikado asks.

"Yeah, let's go home." Masaomi nods.

"Kida-kun." Both boys turn around, to face Anri. "I know you worry about us all the time, and that you want us to be safe. But we want the same for you, too. I think, more than anything, we want you to be happy."

"I know," Masaomi softly says, and he reaches out and squeezes Mikado's hand. "To be honest, I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you guys. You guys feel the same about me, huh?"

"I'm glad you're getting that through your thick skull," Mikado says with a smile, using Masaomi's own wording against him. "So let's promise each other, we won't. We're not going to let anything happen to any of us. Because we're stronger together, right?"

"Right," Anri and Masaomi say at the same time, and they look at each other and grin.

Ikebukuro's most famous urban legend finds herself smiling (or, she would, if she could). The musketeers do come in threes, don't they?