Chapter Text
The funeral was treated as another black and white affair.
Sano Manjirou’s burial place was next to Shinichiro’s and Emma’s. Draken did not attend the funeral rites, Chifuyu was guarding his boss carefully like a hound. Baji was nowhere to be seen, Kokonoi and Inupi were handling internal affairs in Tokyo Manji now that Mikey was gone and Takemichi would replace him.
Senju had been the first to give her condolences, Chifuyu was not aware yet of her initial schemes. Takemichi thought the less people knew, the better. This way, he could protect the Black Dragons too. He’d share the truth to his trusted people but for the meantime, until the issues and power struggles were settled, Takemichi would act according to the script.
“I’m sure she’s proud of you,” Senju relayed, hinting at the nameless grave Takemichi dearly kept. But Senju had not met her, Tachibana Hinata would plead for Takemichi to let her go, to let her soul rest, and to let his vengeance dissipate. Hinata, in the end, always wanted what was best for Takemichi and nothing less.
Senju didn’t fail to remind him what was the price of achieving this revenge. Toman would be under his rule and shall be surrendered to Brahman soon.
Kisaki had been the last to pass on his sorrows and prayers to Takemichi. For a moment, Kisaki sounded genuine, but the mirth in his eyes underneath his glasses were too noticeable to miss. It was as if Kisaki was enjoying how the events played out, Chifuyu didn’t bother to hide his distaste over the man and glared at Kisaki without any preamble.
“I can’t wait to see where you’d bring Toman, hero,” Kisaki mumbled, clasping their hands together and hauling Takemichi into a consoling hug. He winced at the contact, the pain in his bones throbbing. Chifuyu almost drew out his weapon but Takemichi gestured quickly to stand down.
They’d deal with Kisaki later. For now, they’re raising the curtains for the widowed man. The man who lost his first and last loves, the man who did not shed a single tear as the casket of his husband was lowering six feet underground. The new exalted kingpin of the underworld, with broad territories, competent men, and financial accounts enough to change an era.
Takemichi caressed his bandaged arm, where a bullet was lodged a few nights ago. A scar that testified his vows to the invincible Mikey, that Takemichi may have not shed tears for Mikey, but he had shed blood for him.
And Takemichi would continue to do so for him.
Several pairs of seething eyes darted on his back as Takemichi entered the main meeting room of Tokyo Manji gang.
Chifuyu tailed Takemichi loyally, everybody was present except for Baji. Draken was already smoking a quarter of his cigarette when Takemichi arrived. Takemichi was lucky that every Captain was in attendance as he expected less since the entire ordeal. This meeting was important as Kokonoi emphasized greatly.
Takemichi sat in Mikey’s chair, at the end of the long glass table with the clear sky windows walled behind him. Chifuyu positioned himself on where Baji usually was, Takemichi was sure something went on between the 1st Division Captain and his former Vice-Captain. Takemichi didn’t pry though, not when he himself had his own secrets yet to be revealed.
Kisaki had a curt smile on his lips with the scene unfolding.
The tension was a single match away from setting the room ablaze. Takemichi could make out the shape of guns underneath their pristine coats. One wrong word could be one clean bullet to his skull.
“Draken,” Pah-chin growled with vehemence. “You’re just going to let this happen? Kisaki said—”
Of course, Kisaki would already cause discord and spread strife among the other ranks and members.
Takemichi pulled out his pistol and shot Kisaki straight in the head. The grin Kisaki had was wiped off his face with blood. Kisaki’s head dropped loudly to the surface of the table.
A pool of red began growing from his spot, the rest of the Captains were shocked and stunned into silence by the abrupt act. Some of them were preparing to retaliate, Mitsuya with a palm hovering over his holster, Nahoya with a smile stretching to the nines, Yasuhiro with his fingers drumming over the table.
“Ah, that feels better honestly,” Takemichi exhaled and tucked his gun in place before addressing his new right hand man. “Any other traitors we should kill, Draken?”
“Nope, just this one and Hanma,” Draken puffed his final wisps of cigar. “But Baji is taking care of that.”
The Captains were in disbelief, if Draken was coordinating with Takemichi and the reason why Baji was not here was because of Takemichi’s command…Mitsuya opened his mouth to retort. “Explain–”
Suddenly, Mitsuya was cut off when a figure with jet black hair emerged behind the Captain.
“ Boo! ”
Takemichi sighed, if only Mikey could afford to be a little less childish. The crowd was engulfed in silence over the new look of the man, Mikey in casual clothes and with his original hair color. Mikey was almost unrecognizable, he could be reborn this way.
If Mikey asked to be free, Takemichi would allow him.
“Mikey!” the others shouted in unison. Draken clicked his teeth and shushed the roars of everyone too.
Pah-chin jumped and tackled Mikey with a cuss, “of course you’re fucking alive!” Hard pats on the back of the supposedly ‘deceased’ man were struck. Sooner than later, Kisaki was a rotting old tale, Toman could care less about a traitor besmirching their organization with dirty manipulation. Kisaki was on the background, to be forgotten and not mentioned in history.
“So what’s up with all this charade?” Mitsuya questioned after everyone had settled with the astonishing news. Mikey lazily perched himself on the other end of the table, gazing eye to eye with Takemichi. “We had a funeral and all.”
“Takemitchy was brought up as the head of Black Dragons by Brahman,” Mikey explained. “The intention of their proposal was to kill me. At the very last minute, my husband changed his plan.”
“I figured out Brahman would kill me too after I killed Mikey. Then Brahman would take over both Black Dragons and Toman afterwards,” Takemichi surmised, magnetically attracting everybody’s attention to him. “They were working with Kisaki to watch over me. They betrayed me and manipulated me to their whims.”
“For now, we’ll tell the world Sano Manjirou is dead. I will work with Brahman and tell them how I was taking over Toman, then we will strike against them where they least expect it.” Takemichi informed, “they were planning a war against us anyway.”
The Captains glanced at each other, a wordless communication exchanged between them. The final decision was up to the man on the other side of the table, even dead, the world was spinning to his control.
“Takemitchy saved me, he could have killed me but I didn’t,” Mikey convinced. “He opened my eyes to the truth, Toman right now is not the Toman we dreamed of years ago. Black Dragons had always been an inspiration to Tokyo Manji, they were better in everything we lack.”
Mikey nodded to Draken who reached under the table and pulled out a paper bag. Inside was the Tokyo Manji jacket Mikey had. With a wave of Mikey’s hand, Draken stood and walked towards Takemichi with the coat.
Draken donned the jacket over Takemichi’s shoulders, everybody witnessing the implied initiation of Takemichi to Toman.
"This is my revenge, please help me, everyone,” Takemichi asked. Help me avenge myself.
In a second, cheers were shrieking and echoing in the soundproof chamber.
“You’re the boss’s husband after all!”
“Who do we kill first?”
“When’s the bloodbath? Can’t wait to see those Brahman bitches on the ground!”
Mikey flashed a smirk at Takemichi across the distance. He was handsome as always, Takemichi hated to admit. But the smile on the corner of his lips proved otherwise.
The bells of war shall soon be commenced against Brahman.
Mikey dyed his hair black like Shinichiro, like the first leader of Black Dragons.
His Takemitchy seemed fond of it as he was carding his fingers over his hair in the bed they shared. The apartment was cleaner, no trace of the mess it was before. Somehow, the place was feeling more like home these days.
“So what are we?” Takemitchy kissed his forehead. “We aren’t ghosts, nor are we lovers.”
The white bandages were stripped off his arm, Mikey expected to die by a bullet but his Grim Reaper was merciful. Takemitchy chose Cantarella with the knowledge of the night Mikey was targeted by a sniper. Mikey was immune to poison, even though sometimes he craved death for the thrill of it.
Takemitchy could have killed him, but he didn’t.
Mikey would live for him. Maybe both of them were ghosts who need a reason to live.
“We are a married couple,” Mikey reminded, and it evoked the sound of laughter from his beloved.
“I’m really starting to like you, husband,” Takemitchy confessed.
“Only now? I have liked you since the night we met,” Mikey professed.
In the privacy of their property, a future with even more bloodshed and death awaited them. Their relationship had never been normal, never been sweet, it was born out of desperation and hopelessness. It was affection that could only be found in dark places, because at least they weren’t alone. Both Mikey and Takemitchy understood this emptiness after the loss of a loved one, but somehow this emptiness slowly starting to fill up with the presence of the other.
There'd be trial and tribulations tomorrow with Mikey into hiding and Takemitchy into leading Toman as his own.
But no matter what may come after them, Mikey and Takemitchy together would fight against the current, against the tides.