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Hanagaki Takemichi was insecure, it wasn't very hard to see that, from the way he held himself, from the way he talked about himself. Every step he took was brimming with the need to prove himself, to be better than he was before, to save his friends, to save everyone he could. Takemichi was willing to use his final breathes saving these people, and the people who were once shown to him as his enemies, are now people he confidently and endearingly calls his friends. Of course, he would go back and save them, of course he would risk his meaningless life for them, of course he would take all the pain in the world for them. As long as it meant they were happy, as long as he could ensure that happiness, it didn't matter what he had to go through.
So, now, Hanagaki Takemichi finds himself asking why he wants to throw away all that happiness and security for Mikey. He achieved his goal, proven by the fact that Naoto's no longer his gateway to time travel. Why isn't he satisfied with that? He's going to get married, this timeline is the best one he's managed to get, so why the fuck is he so unsatisfied? Maybe Mikey is destined to forever be unhappy, maybe his dark impulses are something that Takemichi can't do anything about, maybe he isn't savable. But in the back of his mind, he hears himself chanting "Save Him. Save Him".
Hanagaki Takemichi has always accepted the fact that he is a weak man, he will never be Draken or Mikey, just Takemichi. And being Takemichi was more than enough for him, Hina made him understand that. He knows that saving Mikey means getting hurt and screwing up everything that's going so damn right in this timeline. But Mikey infests his brain, he lives there, he sits on the stairs strategically above him as if to make Mikey the ten feet tall he feels. And his smile, his weird ass childish nature, his need to have flags on his food, the way his hair blows in the wind, the way he says "Takemitchy!". It won't leave. Even when looking at the absolutely stunning dress Hina is going to be in during their wedding, all he can think of is why isn't Mikey here.
So, when Hanagaki Takemichi finds himself with a gun to his head, and the heady voice of Mikey fills the air, he almost forgets himself. He wants so badly to turn around and see what grown up Mikey looks like this time around. If he looks the same as when he died in his arms. He wants to see his onyx eyes; he wants to feel seen by him again. He wants to touch his warm skin, brush against his calloused hands. And at this point Takemichi does think to himself, "that was pretty gay.". But he finds himself not giving a damn, because Mikey is right behind him. Mikey, Mikey, Mikey. And he can't even fully pay attention to what's going on despite this being a very life or death situation. And it's not until he's shot three times in the chest that he realizes, "Oh fuck, I'm supposed to be getting married soon, I probably shouldn't be dying right now. This hurts really fucking bad". All he can taste is the unsettling and telling flavor of copper, and he retches. He's gagging on his own blood flowing up through his mouth, and he feels incredibly lightheaded. He gulps and chokes and it feels like he's drowning. He can't manage to catch his breath, it's like he ran up ten flights of stairs. He feels himself run cold but feels so warm at the same time. This is such a pathetic death. And he's wondering right now, "How did Baji manage to die so coolly? This is the worst feeling". And yet, still in the back of his mind he can hear the chant of "Save Him!" and "Mikey!"
Hanagaki Takemichi never expected that he would be crawling to a window, bleeding out more than he thought was capable, holding onto the man who just shot him with, quite literally, all the strength he had left in his body. He was yelling at Mikey with whatever came to mind, with everything he could muster, and the smile that came to his face once Mikey asked him to save him was a genuine one. He felt warmth as his vision started to go dark, and when he grasped Mikey's hand, he thought of a time where he could just hold Mikey's hand and not worry about anything else. Entangled into each other, and the warmth he felt wasn't because he was moments away from death, but because he was in love.
When Hanagaki Takemichi wakes up, now sixteen years old, his face flushes red. "What do I mean love? I have a damn girlfriend! And I'm engaged! And Mikey tried to fucking kill me!". His heart starts to beat in a way that it only did when he thought of marrying Hina. All too fast, and all too hard, his blood rushing to his cheeks, and his trademark tears welling up in his eyes, and a smile he didn't ask to be there swells up into the apples of his cheeks. Oh fuck. Oh, fucking shit. He starts to realize that maybe, thinking about someone all the time, even when your soon to be wife is getting fitted for her stunning custom-made dress, and wanting to save them and see them more than anything in the world, isn't a bit gay, it's a full-on flat-out crush. And Takemichi is FUCKED, because not only is the Mikey here a Mikey that want nothing to do with him, but how can he manage to fight and overthrow the man that he is certainly in love with. Although, he might shock Mikey if he just suddenly kisses him mid fight. That would be a horrible kiss! And consent is important he can't just kiss Mikey! And why is he even considering this in the first place? He has a girlfriend. His mind rattles on, and he realizes that he's not even ready for school yet.
Hanagaki Takemichi has not been one to run recently. He's learned to face his issues and his problems dead on, because if he didn't do that, then others could get hurt because of him, or even worse, others could die because of him. So, he's learnt that running away fixes hardly anything, but here he is, running. He's pushing down the very obvious and mind-numbing feelings he has for Mikey, because how else is he supposed to deal with them? Go up to him and talk to him? Yeah, sure, if he's interested in dying for real maybe. Besides, there's no chance of Mikey even possibly feeling the same way, and what he has right now with Hina is amazing. She makes him feel alive, and he's finally invented a timeline where she survives, and she's more importantly happy and content with her life. So why would he risk that for a chance at something impossible? But as he thinks about it more and more his heart starts to yearn, and he thinks more about Mikey. His eyes start to water and before he can wipe his eyes they start to fall. He doesn't fully understand why he's crying; he doesn't know what he's missing either. But once his tears start, he can't make them stop. He's longing for something, and he doesn't even know what it's supposed to feel like. He's still a useless crybaby virgin, he doesn't deserve Mikey, and he certainly doesn't deserve Hina. But he wants so strongly.
When Hanagaki Takemichi wakes up in the hospital after Mikey beat the shit out of him, he wished he died. Because now his goal seemed even more far away, and he knows for sure Mikey hates his guts. And despite having a broken arm, and a new scar, he feels even more in love with Mikey. And he hopes with his whole heart that Mikey came and visited him. Or even thought about him. That would be enough. He wonders if Mikey ever even viewed him as a friend. If Mikey saw him as more than just a loyal follower, if Mikey understood how he felt when he collapsed in his arms, if Mikey could feel that Takemichi would do anything short of leave him alone for him. He notices the flowers next to his bedside despite not being able to move his head much. "They don't call him the Invincible Mikey for nothing", he thinks. Being on the receiving end of Mikey's deadly blows wasn't something he considered happening. He couldn't save South, or Draken. Takemichi was reminded of how week he was again, reminded that he can't rewrite what has now happened. Draken and South's deaths are his fault. And he was miles away from the end of his journey. He moves his head to look out of the window the best he can. When he looks out, he thinks he sees familiar dark eyes and long blonde hair. His heart stops for a moment, his eye widens as far as it can in this moment and starts to water with the all too normal feeling of tears. He stares at what he believes is Mikey, and what he believes is Mikey stares back at him. His mind lets him believe he sees a smile on his face. He hears in the back of his mind, "You're such a crybaby, Takemitchy!". And his heart beats faster and faster, and when his eyes become blurry with tears and he finally blinks, Mikey is gone.
Hanagaki Takemichi has felt sadness before, he knows what it feels like to ache for someone to be by your side. But he doesn't ever remember it being this strong, or half as bad. It was always an ache in his side that he could will away or distract himself from. And the more he thinks about it, he usually ran from all of his emotion. A hospital bed isn't a place where you can do much running. So, he's bombarded and forced to face all of the feelings he's been repressing since he first learned how to time leap. Why did he choose to investigate Mikey? Despite everyone telling him it was stupid, and that he would die. Why? Did he always feel ... what he feels ... for Mikey? Was this him absentmindedly chasing after Mikey? Mikey made him who he was today. When Mikey decided to befriend him, Mikey changed his fate forever, and he always thought what he felt was admiration because he saved him. He was willing to do anything for him to repay him right? Not because he was in love with him. So, why now, after all he should feel for Mikey is hatred for putting him in the hospital, why is this the most love he's ever felt for another person? The most dedication he's ever felt, and the most desperate.
Manjirou Sano was a complex boy, he felt things that he wasn't sure any other living person felt. Now that Takemitchy wasn't Infront of him, or blocking South, or doing anything other than recover from the harsh reality he served him, he has time to think. He knows that his Takemitchy is back, the one that was with him two years ago, the one that he used to trust with his whole life. Everyone's crybaby hero, someone he holds close to him. When Mikey finds himself standing outside of the hospital, he knows Takemitchy is staying at, he doesn't really know why. When he found his window, he couldn't help but stare at him. Broken arm, he was aware of that much, his side of his face closest to Mikey is all bandaged up, which makes him feel reassured in his starring. Knowing that Takemitchy couldn't possibly see him. Until he reads his mind and turns his face directly towards Mikey. And even though he's so far away, he can see the tears well up in his eyes, and it makes him smile. He feels heat rush inside of him and his tired eyes don't feel so tired anymore. Takemitchy stares at him for what feels like forever and Mikey doesn't know what comes over him, but he feels like he needs a closer look. He needs to see him, to see the damage he's done, and it doesn't matter how, as long as he gets to be in his presence. And his feet are moving before his mind can catch up and tell him what a terrible idea this is and how Takemitchy might be a good guy, but he's no saint, he's bound to be pissed that he bashed his face in. But Mikey would let him do whatever he seemed worthy as punishment if it meant seeing him.
Manjirou Sano ran into the hospital, "Hanagaki Takemichi please, I'd like to visit him". The lady typed the information given onto her computer, "He's on the second floor, room 203.". Mikey went as fast as he could towards the stairs, and he ran up the stairs, he needed to see him. Need, that was all he felt, need, need, need. Takemitchy, his captain of the first division, the boy he found first, he would never let anyone else have him. The only exception being Hina, since he was hers first, but that was it. No one else. Not Inupi, not Senju, not Chifuyu, no one but him. He doesn't know what he's going to say, he didn't bring shit with him, but he can't seem to even care.
Hanagaki. Takemichi. Mikey stands Infront of the room he's in, and if the label didn't give it away, the sniffling did. He was here, he was so close, Takemichi was right there. His legs stop and his mind finally catches up with him. Takemichi doesn't want you here, and more than that, you're going to ruin everything you're trying to do if you contact him. Get the fuck away from him you monster. "Sir?", a nurse asks him, he can hear Takemichi's sniffling cease, and he freezes. When it came to fight or flight, he's always been someone who never hesitated to fight, he's never stopped in his tracks, and he's certainly never been rendered speechless. Words bubble up in his throat and they don't come out. What will happen if Takemichi hears him outside of his room? "Sorry sir, but I need to know what you're doing here.". His breathing hitches, and he starts to pick at the skin on his fingernails. What did he get himself into?
"hello...?" a scratchy voice says from the room his Takemitchy is in
"i'm awake nurse... is there someone with you ma'am...?" his voice is broken, and it must hurt to speak, and Mikey did that to him, but that voice, that voice was undeniably his. And he breathes, and it feels like the freshest breath of air he has ever inhaled. The nurse rushes past him and with the door now wide open, he can finally see him.
Takemichi knows that right now, he looks horrible.
Mikey has never seen someone more beautiful.
And neither of them says a word, but the machine monitoring his heartbeat speaks for him. it speeds up, and his face flushes at the traitorous machine, and Mikey smiles for the second time that day, and that's more than he's smiles in two years. His shoulders drop and he gulps on air. He shouldn't be here. He should've walked away. The nurse is checking all of his vitals but the two can't stop starring at one another. Mikey finds himself wanting to touch Takemitchy, wanting to kiss him, hold him, embrace him. Wanting to forget about his dark urges and how they won't go away. Wanting too just be his. He wonders if that would save him? Having Takemitchy, his Takemitchy, with him, all the time, getting married to him, having his own family with him, working at his grandpa's dojo with Takemitchy, kissing him and holding his hand, kissing the wedding ring that adorns his finger. Dammit Hina, why did you take him first. Mikey wishes that he could time travel, so that he could've asked him out before Hina could've. A silly childish idea. He wonders when he started classifying his ideas as unrealistic and dumb instead of naively believing if he worked hard enough it'd come true.
"I'm sorry", the nurse left.
"what?" his blue eyes look up into his black ones.
"I'm sorry that I did this to you, but... Takemit ... Takemichi. I mean it when I say if you ever get in my way again, I will kill you."
"i'm in love with you."
"Huh?"
Mikey stares intensely into Takemichi's eyes.
"i love you, so it's impossible for me to stay out of your way. i have to save the people i love." Takemichi meets his intensity with his one eye.
He clears his throat, "I told you in the future that I would save you Mikey. And I intend to keep that promise." He gives Mikey his signature No-Matter-What-You-Say-I-Refuse-To-Change-My-Mind, look. Dammit.
All Manjirou Sano can think about after he gives his speech is how stupid good the scar on his lip looks. A silver lining to beating the ever-loving shit out of him he guesses.
"Go to the future and stay in it, it's where you belong."
"I refuse."
"What if this conversation saved me? Then you have no reason to be here. So go check."
"Give me your hand"
"What?"
"It's how I leap through time; I shake the gateway persons hand."
"Sounds like you just want to hold my hand" he teases.
"I'll check for you, so give me your hand."
Mikey finally surrenders his hand, and it feels good to touch his hand, sparks feel like they're flying, and he holds his hand for a while longer while other Takemichi comes back to his senses.
Hanagaki Takemichi knows that he took the bait Mikey laid out for him so obviously, so what he doesn't expect is to wake up in a comfy fluffy bed, tangled up in someone else's limbs. It feels so right, he's wearing a shirt that definitely isn't his, and grey boxers. "Takemitchy..." the body he's cuddled around groans out. He gasps in air. "Mikey?" he looks at him frantically, and Mikey holds onto him tighter. "I thought that it was 12 years, not ten, this is a great morning surprise." He smiles against his throat. "Can I kiss you, michi?" Takemichi's heart flutters, and he nods his head. Mikey leaves kisses up his throat, as he trails to his mouth. When he reaches his destination, he leaves a kiss on the scar on his mouth, before diving in and passionately kissing him.
Sano Takemichi is left breathless.