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Azumane always accepts the pamphlets she gives him, but he never opens them.
They offer information about self-help groups against drug addiction and abusive relationships.
Every time he gives her a pained smile that pulls the corners of his lips down, but whenever she leaves the classroom after him, she finds the pamphlets in the the trashcan by the door.
Of course. He probably can't be seen with them. Because if his boyfriend found out, then... Michiyu doesn't even dare think about it.
The party was almost a month ago, but she's been thinking about it non-stop.
Azumane is such a sweet, kind-hearted guy, but is innocence makes him gullible and susceptible for bad influences. And his Nishinoya Yuu basically had 'bad influence' written all over him in brightly lit neon letters.
So she had decided to do what real friends do and get Azumane out of these evil clutches before anything worse could happen. Noya had openly admitted to using him for sex, but there was no telling what else he might do.
But Azumane was already in too deep. He needed more than pamphlets to free himself. So Michiyu had to step up her game.
“Azumane-kun?” she asks after class, brushing a strand of hand behind her ear and trying to look unassuming, even as he gives her a wary look, “Would you like to go get some coffee with me? I know you have a free period, too, now.”
“Th-that's nice of you,” Azumane says carefully, “But I'm actually already meeting someone.”
“Oh?” she feigns surprise, though a sense of dread is creeping up on her, “Anyone I know?”
“W-well,” Azumane drops his gaze, “Noya. And our friend Tanaka. They're teammates.”
Another one, Michiyu thinks helplessly. No wonder Azumane doesn't dare fight back.
“Oh, well,” she laughs a little, knowing it sounds forced, “Have fun then, I guess.”
He offers her a small smile and then wanders off, a gentle giant among the vividly moving body of students, everyone streaming into different directions.
It's an easy thing to follow him.
They meet at the small campus café. Nishinoya is looking a deviant as ever, piercings and bleached hair, clad in a black leather jacket. The other one, Tanaka, looks just as dangerous, almost as tall as Asahi, but his head is shaved and he's wearing a foul expression on his face.
If they are really still high school students, shouldn't they be in school, Michiyu wonders. Shouldn't they be wearing school uniforms?
But no. Delinquents fight the system. They've probably never worn a uniform in their life.
After Noya has jumped his boyfriend and attacked him with a kiss, Tanaka throws his arm around Azumane. Like this, the poor boy has to stoop down, even as he is being dragged into the café.
Michiyu waits for a few moments to make sure that she's not being too obvious. Then she follows them.
The atmosphere inside is warm, suffused with the scent of coffee and baked goods. Furtively, she looks around for a place to both hide and watch. By some miracle, she spots Fuyu-chan and her girlfriend Ito sitting at one of the table, not too far away from where the three boys have settled down.
“Hi, sorry for the intrusion,” Michiyu says a little breathlessly, “May I join you?”
Ito gives a lackadaisical 'go ahead' gesture and Fuyu smiles as Michiyu sits down.
“I've never seen you come here alone, Miyu-chan,” she muses, “What's the occasion?”
“Reconnaissance,” Michiyu answers curtly, already craning her head to get a better look at the other table. Fortunately, the café is relatively empty today, so if she strains her ears she can make out the conversation.
“How are you liking the university so far?” Azumane is asking, “Did you get to sit in during any classes?”
“We checked out something about physical education,” Tanaka answers, “And ended up in something law-related. I didn't understand a single word.”
Of course he didn't, Michiyu scoffs mentally. Criminals speak their own language. Usually with their fists and weapons.
“At first I totally felt out of my depth, too,” Azumane admits, “But you get used to it.”
“I dunno,” Tanaka rubs the back of is bald head, “I don't really think uni is for me, y'know?”
“Ryuu is thinking about joining the police,” Nishinoya pips up, heartily slapping him on the back.
Oh no, Michiyu closes her eyes in prayer. They are infiltrating the law executive forces. It's probably already started. They must be bribing judges and politicians, too. No one was safe.
“I'm not sure what I wanna do yet,” Noya admits then, skillfully balancing on the hindlegs of his chair, “I just wanna be done with school, so uni seems like just more studying. But...”
“But?” Azumane prompts and Nishinoya gives a cocky grin, “But I kinda wanna move in with you and get the full experience, yeah?”
Azumane blushes and mutters something indiscernible.
“He's right, Noya,” Tanaka agrees, “You could just get a job and still move in with him.”
Azumane really can't get away from him, can he? How is Michiyu supposed to help from the outside if Noya is just always there, in Azumane's home, in his bed, in his head? He'd never get a reprieve from the brainwashing.
“What exactly,” Ito asks in that moment, “Are you doing?”
“Shh,” Michiyu hushes, waving a hand at her, “Not now.”
“Is this still about you thinking that Azumane-kun is a pedophile?” Fuyu-chan sounds pained.
“Of course not,” Michiyu sniffs, “Azumane-kun is the real victim here. His boyfriend is a criminal.”
“That Chibi over there?” Ito chuckles, “I doubt it.”
“Look at his hair,” Michiyu insists, “Look at his piercings.”
“Judging by that, I must be a criminal, too,” Ito points out dryly, because of course she's got a nose ring and her undercut is currently dyed in hues of peach and yellow.
“But it's more than that,” Michiyu insists, “It's his attitude, his language. It's... it's his tattoos.”
Her eyes widen as she watches the scene unfold at the other table.
“Show him, show him,” Tanaka urges, pushing at Nishinoya who obediently lifts his shirt, exposing his skinny hipbones and a surprising set of abs.
“Look what I got,” Noya offers proudly, a grin big on his face.
It's a small tattoo, black and white, etched across his left hipbone, Roman letters slanted against a circular background. Michiyu can faintly make out that it reads 'ACE'
What does is stand for? Is Ace the gang of Yakuza he's working for? Is it an acronym? Aggressive Child Elite? Abusive Captains of Evil? Anarchy's Chief Executives?
Yes, that must be it. But what is the background image meant to represent? It looks like some sort of ball or... Probably their gang's symbol by which they recognize each other. And hadn't Nishinoya mentioned at the party that he and Azumane played for the same team, just like that Tanaka guy? That was probably some sort of Yakuza lingo. Same gang, same team, same difference.
Azumane, in the meanwhile, has flushes red up to the tip of his ears.
“Th-that,” he stutters out, his entire body shaking, “Y-Yuu, are you s-sure about th-that?”
“'course I am,” Noya laughs, “What, don't you like it?”
“I- I do,” Azumane says, twisting his hands, “But... didn't it hurt?”
It must have been the tattoo that finally identifies Noya as part of the Yakuza, Michiyu knows. And you don't just get one like that, you had to prove yourself first. So an initiation rite had been involved, maybe Noya got tortured, maybe he had to cut off his own nipples, maybe-
“A little bit,” the boy admits and scratches his cheek, “But it was totally worth it! You should get one, too!”
And once more he is trying to drag Azumane into his maelstrom of crime and violence.
“I don't- don't think that's a good idea,” he tries to resist hesitantly, “I mean, what... what would I even get?”
“How about his name in an arrow heart across your chest?” Ryuu cackles even as Noya elbows him in the ribs, but Azumane is already blushing anyway.
“I'll...,” he says, his voice choked, “I'll think about it.”
“That's alright,” Noya laughs, “Until then I'll just have to make do with giving you hickeys.”
He and Tanaka fist-bump each other while Azumane sink deeps into his chair.
It's about possession, Michiyu thinks faintly. A mark of ownership. 'Hands off!' to anyone who got too close.
“I understand that you're worried,” Fuyu says carefully, giving her a sympathic look, “But I really think you're reading too much into the situation, Miyu-chan.”
“Don't derail me,” Michiyu tells her, “I won't be able to forgive myself if something happens to Azumane-kun.”
“Have you taken some sort of drug?” Ito asks wryly, “Medication? If not, then maybe you should.”
“Okay,” Nishinoya claps his hands, “We should probably meet up with the rest of our class again. They only gave us like half an hour.”
“Right,” Tanaka jumps up as well, “Though I don't think listening to another admin explain everything will actually convince me to go to uni.”
“Yeah,” Nishinoya stretches his arms over his head and yawn widely, “I need so real incentive to make my decision, y'know, and-”
He is cut off when Azumane suddenly leans down and pulls him into his arms, silencing him with a deep, lingering kiss.
“Is that enough of an incentive?” he asks when he pulls away, and his voice is slightly rough, slightly seductive, even though his cheeks are burning.
Nishinoya's mouth opens and closes, opens and closes, and then he is slowly blushing up to the roots of his delinquent hair. Tanaka, however, is laughing maniacally.
“I think you broke him,” he taunts, poking Noya's temple with a finger. Noya doesn't even fight him off.
“When you are done with your field trip, you could come by my place later,” Azumane offers.
“Ooh,” Tanaka, “Are you sure about that? Can the old ace really handle the new ace and the guardian deity? Do you have that much stamina?”
“Not like that!” Azumane squeaks, jerking back slightly, but Noya is already pummeling Tanaka with fists.
“Don't even joke about that, Ryuu!” he hisses like a feral cat, “I don't share, I'll never share, go find yourself someone else-”
“Oh my God, Noya, it was a joke!” Tanaka insists, dancing out of his reach and toward the door before adding, “Though if you ever feel like you're missing something-”
“Shut up, shut up, shut up!” Nishinoya screams, barreling after him. Azumane just sighs, gathers up his things and follows them out of the café.
Michiyu is left with Ito and Fuyu, and her own deafening thoughts.
“Are you alright?” Fuyu asks, noting how pale she has gone.
Wide-eyed, Michiyu turns toward them.
“It's that Tanaka guy,” she says, swallowing, “He's probably a porn star or something. And- and involved with sex trafficking. I'm sure I've seen his mugshot on the news-”
“Here we go,” Ito mutters and drowns the last of her coffee. Fuyu only pats Michiyu's hand, no longer even bothering to object.