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There’s always been something off about Takemichi’s boyfriend.
Don’t get Takemichi wrong, he loves his significant other! In fact, it’s because of this unconditional love for his boyfriend that he chose to ignore all the red flags that waved right in front of his blue eyes.
He was too entranced by his lover’s sweet tone and hypnotic lilac colored irises to question the older man. He was so kind, so thoughtful, and always made sure Takemichi was comfortable and safe and loved. The curly haired man craved his soft touches that set his heart ablaze. Michi craved the attention his lover would offer him.
Before Izana came strolling into his life, Takemichi was lonely, touch starved, and worthless .
They met by chance; Izana was supposedly feeling nostalgic and decided to walk into the DVD store Michi worked at. The handsome white-haired man was the one who struck up the first conversation Michi had in a long while. The DVD worker stumbled over his words a lot , but Izana didn’t seem to mind in the slightest.
After that first meeting, Izana kept visiting the DVD store, and—at some point—asked for Takemichi’s number to hang out outside of work.
(Again, Michi was lonely and craved human interaction just like any other being, so he agreed to hand over his number.)
What first started as a friendly gathering between two men quickly escalated into something else the second Izana confessed his feelings for Michi. Admittedly, he was very hesitant in accepting Izana’s confession, but the loneliness in his heart urged himself to say yes.
So, like a pathetic man who craved for something he knew he didn’t deserve to have, he accepted the confession.
That’s when things began to change.
It wasn’t until after dating Izana did Takemichi find out that the older man was rich. Rich and powerful—the exact type to own a Porsche and a Lamborghini for show.
In the beginning, it was very overwhelming, especially when Izana would send the dvd worker expensive gifts.
That’s right, not give— send .
This was probably the only thing Takemichi ever dared to question the older man about. It was, without a doubt, strange to find a package on the doorstep outside his apartment even though Michi had no recollection of giving his lover his address. When he asked about it, Izana quickly reassured that Michi had given his address to the man while they were both drunk at one of the bars they used to visit frequently (Michi was stupid enough to believe it). As for the gifts he would send to Michi, Izana explained how his occupation caused him to move around a lot, making him unable to deliver the gift himself.
After the whole ordeal, Izana joked about the possibilities and benefits of Michi moving in with him.
“I’m just saying Takemichi, if we lived together then I’d be able to give you gifts face to face AND I’d be able to see your adorable face everyday~ ”
Takemichi, face set aflame by the harmless comment, stomped on Izana’s foot and walked away, leaving a laughing man behind in the dust.
So, imagine Takemichi’s surprise when two months later, the DVD store shuts down.
It was so weird, completely out of the blue as well, and left Takemichi jobless and hopeless. He could barely make enough to pay rent as it was with his new greedy landlord.
He should’ve known that something was up the moment he got a text from Izana, the very same night, asking if he wanted to come over to his place to watch movies.
But he didn’t know. He was too blinded by the sweet gestures and hopeless despair to pick apart the scrambled pieces and put them together.
He went over to Izana’s that night, watched movies, cried his feelings away, asked for a place to stay, and cuddled underneath a warm blanket with the warm buzz of love vibrating beneath his skin.
Then he moved into Izana’s condo.
He didn’t want to admit it at the time, but something about Izana changed.
He was much more possessive and clingy . Every time Michi mentioned something about trying to find a job Izana would pull him into a warm embrace, place his lips behind his ear where he knew Michi was most sensitive, and talked the idea down.
“You don’t have to get one right now…just stay here with me, ok?”
And Michi fell for it.
Every.
Single .
Time .
So, with the overwhelming feeling of being loved and taken care of like a baby bird with a broken wing, he banished the thought of getting a job in order to stay in Izana’s embrace. Talk about pathetic.
Speaking of jobs, Izana was apparently a bodyguard for some big time CEO.
Takemichi discovered this piece of information after the two had finished making love and were rambling aimlessly about anything and everything. Michi, with his head tucked in the space between Izana’s neck and shoulder while his arms encased the older man’s tan body, felt like he was on cloud nine.
In the midst of his endless rambling, he thought about Izana’s job, a bit ashamed that he never thought about asking the older man about his occupation.
The look in Izana’s eyes as he answered Michi’s question was dark and unsettling. His lips were set in a straight line and his eyes crinkled in a way that said ‘ stop being nosy’.
So he did.
Takemichi never asked about Izana’s job again because he was in love.
Sadly, as it turns out, turning a blind eye in the name of love can only do so much.
Takemichi had just woken up from a deep sleep when he opened his eyes to find his lover no longer beside him. It was getting pretty common to wake up without the sight of Izana next to him and Takemichi would be lying if he said it didn’t disappoint him. But he could never be mad at Izana.
His occupation kept him busy and helped provide for the both of them, so Takemichi doesn’t have the right to complain.
Sighing deeply, Takemichi arose from his slumber and stumbled into the kitchen, looking for something to eat.
That’s when he saw it.
A vanilla folder.
Not just any Vanilla folder, but a folder with Izana’s name on it along with the name of Tokyo’s most notorious mafia gang.
TOMAN REPORT: IZANA
A bead of sweat rolled down Takemichi’s brow as he stared at the cover.
Now that he thought about it, he remembered seeing Izana flipping through a folder that looked a lot like this a few weeks ago with a smile on his face. Michi never got the chance to look inside since Izana saw him approaching and quickly snapped it closed, but now…
‘Don’t be nosy’ rang through his head like a never ending bell the closer he got to the vanilla folder.
He wanted to look away.
Ignore it.
Hide his face in Izana’s chest as he reassures the younger man that it’s all a big misunderstanding.
Curiosity, on the other hand, won.
Takemichi grabbed the folder and opened it.
He didn’t know what to expect when peering inside the folder, but it definitely wasn’t…this.
Photos of dead people with labels written on the side greeted Takemichi with every flip and turn of each page. They were all killed in the most gruesome way; from blood loss, suffocation, torture, missing limbs, and… and—!
Takemichi threw the opened folder back onto the kitchen counter and hurled all over the kitchen tiles. His arms wrapped themselves around his torso as his stomach emptied itself out, burning his throat and tongue and chest and brain and heart.
Izana worked for Toman.
No…he didn’t just work for Toman.
He was one of the executives of Toman.
It suddenly felt like everything was caving in and no matter how hard Takemichi tried, he couldn’t get his tears to stop pouring out of his eyes.
Izana did this.
Izana killed all those people.
Izana’s a monster.
A fucking monster.
And…and he was living with the monster!
Reality dawned on Takemichi right then and there. He needed to leave. He needed to escape. He needed to get the hell away from this monster before he sank his claws and teeth into Takemichi’s skin, leading to a gruesome death.
He ignored the folder and throw up on the floor and dashed for the bedroom, determined to pack up everything he needed to leave Izana behind.
However, Takemichi made one little mistake.
He didn’t take into account that Izana might come back from work early.
The first thing Izana took note of upon stepping into his condo was the familiar foul stench of throw up radiating from the kitchen area.
If he was any other person, he probably would have scrunched his nose up and grimaced at the bile he would inevitably have to clean up, but because of his line of work he’s grown accustomed to the disgusting smell.
Plus he loves his Michi. He doesn’t mind cleaning up his lover’s messes, even if it was something as gross as vomit.
Izana could also make out the sounds of Takemichi bustling through their shared room.
What on earth could he be doing…? If he’s sick, shouldn’t he be in bed?
“Michi, I’m home!” Izana called out into the vacant area, listening with satisfaction as the sound of Takemichi rummaging around their room came to a halt.
Normally, when he announces his arrival to his significant other, Takemichi would drop whatever he was doing in order to give Izana a warm welcome. A bright smile, blue eyes twinkling with love and warmth, and an embrace that has Izana’s heart soaring into the heavens!
What he got instead was a small click.
Astonished, Izana stares at his bedroom door with a baffled look. That sound was unmistakably the noise a doorknob would make when someone turns a lock. And it came from his bedroom door. Where his Michi resided.
Takemichi…locked the door? Why…?
Perhaps he was embarrassed about the vomit? It wouldn’t surprise Izana; Michi can get embarrassed and flustered over the weirdest things.
Speaking of which…
For a few moments, Izana decides to ignore the locked door and focus on the mess radiating from the kitchen area.
And he stops.
All it takes is one look towards the kitchen counter for his heart to start pumping and bursting erratically in his chest.
Placed on the counter was Izana’s opened folder containing his monthly report from Toman.
Slowly and carefully, he glazes over the last page it was left on and feels his heart plummet to the depths of his stomach. Sure, every single photo and document inside the report was anything but rainbows and unicorns, but this photo in particular has got to be the most gruesome .
It was a picture of Izana and Sanzu creating a pile of decapitated heads. They both looked straight into the camera, smiling so maliciously while holding a couple of severed heads. Izana vividly remembers the moment it was taken and the euphoric feeling he got from dismembering every last traitor that tried to take over Toman. It was exhilarating and addicting like those awful drugs Sanzu keeps stashed away in his pockets.
But now it was coming back to bite him in the ass.
Did Kakucho drop the report off at his condo without his acknowledgement? If so, was it on purpose?! He can’t be, Kakucho is too loyal to pull such a stupid stunt. His best friend knows better than anyone not to double cross him…so why…
Why was this happening?
What did Izana do to deserve this?
He just wanted one good thing in his life and now… now everything’s ruined.
Takemichi without a doubt had seen the pictures. They were practically in plainsite just waiting to be looked through.
And Takemichi…precious, stupid, idiotic Takemichi decided to stick his nose where he knew it didn’t belong.
Michi knows better than this. He’s always been such a good boy with his unwavering smile and hesitance to ask questions. He must’ve known that it wasn’t any of his business. He should’ve just looked at the folder and walked away. He should’ve just minded his own business. He should’ve just been a good boy and waited till Izana got home to explain things further.
But no.
Takemichi just had to ruin everything.
Ignoring the folder, ignoring the throw up on the floor, ignoring the rapid beating of his heart, ignoring the voice in his head that screamed at him to wrap his hands around Takemichi’s neck and harshly scold him, Izana very calmly made his way to their bedroom door.
He gave the doorknob an experimental turn. The door didn’t open.
This is why Takemichi locked the door.
With a heavy sigh, Izana knocks on the door.
“…Hey Michi?” Izana calls out. “Can you open the door? We need to talk.” Izana waited patiently for a response, but was instead met with endless silence.
He could at least respond back…
“I know you’re confused Michi, but that’s ok! If you can just open the door and give me a chance to explain myself then you’d understand.” Instead of being met with silence, a small sniffle could be heard from behind the door. For a split second, Izana’s heart clenched at the thought of Takemichi crying all alone. Without Izana. All Michi had was a blanket and his own thoughts to comfort him and Izana wasn’t there.
“You’re a smart man Takemichi…you know there’s more to that report than what meets the eye, right? You’re just scared…I understand, really, I do, but unless you open this door I can’t help you,” Izana tries tugging on the doorknob again and nothing’s changed. The door’s still locked. Why wasn’t Takemichi saying anything? The curly haired man was only making it harder on himself by not answering.
Is that what Takemichi wants? To suffer alone with his thoughts of dread and loneliness and fear? No, the younger man would tear his mind apart without Izana there. He can’t deal with this alone. Izana knows. And Izana knows that Michi knows. So why?
Why suffer alone?! Does he not trust Izana?! After everything the older man had done for him?! After everything they’ve been through?!
Was Takemichi really just gonna throw a year old relationship away because of a few little hiccups?! How stupid…how pathetic!
Izana leans his head against the wooden surface of the door and inhales sharply through his nose. His blood was starting to boil and his ears felt warm and hot.
He just needs to stay calm. For himself. For Michi. For the two of them.
“You and I both know you can’t process this information alone. You’re going to do something rash and reckless if you keep yourself locked up in there,” Izana states as he squeezes his eyes shut to keep himself from doing something irresponsible. “Just let me in…I said I’d explain everything, right? You don’t have to do this alone, Takemichi.” He tried to make his voice as soft and comforting as he could without grinding his teeth together in frustration.
Izana gives the door another tug. It’s still locked.
Why was Takemichi being so difficult?!
“Why are you doing this to yourself?” Izana asks out loud, this time not bothering to hide the hint of frustration in his voice. “You’re not stupid Michi, you know what’s best for you. Staying in that room isn’t gonna help you in any way, i promise…so just—“ Izana tugs on the doorknob again. Nothing. “—Open the damn door already!” He turns and tugs and nothing.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Ok.
Alright.
Fine.
Izana didn’t want to have to do this, but his Michi isn’t giving him much of a choice.
“Takemichi Hanagaki. I swear to whatever fucking god is out there that if you don’t open this damn door then I’ll break it in myself.”
Izana can’t hear any sniffling. No moving. No Takemichi. None. Nothing. It was like the room was completely empty.
And Takemichi still hasn’t opened the damn door.
That’s it.
Izana’s had enough.
“DO YOU FUCKING HEAR ME YOU CUNT?!” Izana screams with enough force to tear his own throat apart. “I’M NOT LYING YOU STUPID BITCH! I’LL THROW THIS DOOR OFF ITS HINGES IF YOU DON'T OPEN IT RIGHT THIS SECOND!!!” Izana exclaims while slamming his fists onto the door’s surface.
He doesn’t care if he has to scare the living shit out of his lover to get him to open the door. Not anymore. He tried being nice. He did. Honestly.
But…for some reason…Takemichi wants to test his patience.
Who knew his sweet innocent lover was capable of being such a monster?!
Izana laughs widely at the irony as he continues to pound his fists against the door.
“I’ll give you till the count of three to open the door, so be a good boy and be quick about it.”
Takemichi’s never been a strong person—mentally or physically.
Most of his childhood was spent getting beat up by kids twice his size and being used as an errand boy in order to avoid getting his shit rocked.
There might’ve been a time where Takemichi refused to give up and back down from a fight, but those days were long gone. That spirit he once had has died out and crumbled away.
The experiences life offered to the young man ultimately destroyed his mentality and reduced the lonely man into a person who apologizes profusely about the littlest of things.
But the thought of surviving kept him from opening the door.
Izana’s sweet words of reassurance had almost shattered the younger man’s resolve; Takemichi desperately needs an explanation and his lover had said he’d grant him as such if he opened the door. Takemichi imagined the scenario so many times in the span of a few minutes and each one ended in him being comforted in Izana’s embrace.
There’s nowhere for Takemichi to go and unlocking the door would definitely be the safer option. He just needed to trust in Izana, in his lover, to make things right—
A maniac-like smile and glowing lilac eyes entered his mind and kept him rooted in his hiding spot. Izana still killed and brutally murdered all of those people.
And he was smiling .
Takemichi could no longer trust the words of a monster who dismembered their victims.
So despite his weak mind and body, he stayed still and refused to move from his hiding place in the depths of their shared closet.
Takemichi tried to tune out the words spoken from the other side of the door, but at one point they got louder. Frantic even. Takemichi has never heard Izana talk like this; heavy breaths and with a demanding tone.
It broke Takemichi’s heart.
“DO YOU FUCKING HEAR ME YOU CUNT?!”
Takemichi practically jumps out of his skin at the sudden scream. Tears roll down his cheeks in endless waves and it takes everything in Takemichi to keep himself from sniffling out loud. He was beginning to hyperventilate and shake under the loud booming voice of his ex-lover.
So this is who Izana truly is.
“I’M NOT LYING YOU STUPID BITCH! I’LL THROW THIS DOOR OFF ITS HINGES IF YOU DON'T OPEN IT RIGHT THIS SECOND!!!”
Even if Takemichi wanted to open the door, his body wouldn’t allow it. No matter how hard he tries, he couldn’t get his figure to stop shaking. He’s frozen in place, unable to get his limbs to cooperate and move the way he wants them to.
‘Stay away stay away stay away’ his mind whispers as he squeezes his eyes shut to try to stop the onslaught of tears.
It doesn’t work.
Takemichi can distantly hear the sound of Izana laughing hysterically from behind the door.
Stay away stay away stay away stay away.
The pounding stops.
It’s quiet.
Takemichi’s body won’t stop shaking.
He can’t move.
Is it over?
Is he gone?
Is Takemichi safe—
SLAM!
Takemichi’s body moves on reflex and curls itself into a tiny ball. His hand finally moves to cover his mouth, stopping a surprised yelp from escaping his lips.
Izana broke through the door.
Oh god oh god oh god!
From the closet, Takemichi can hear Izana’s heavy breathing and footsteps entering the room. Takemichi digs crescents into the exposed skin of his arms. With what little control he has left, he tries to breathe calmly through his nose to stop the rapid beating of his heart.
“ So you were planning on leaving me, huh? Like a pathetic coward?!” Takemichi winces at the sound of his opened suitcase being thrown onto the floor.
He could hear his voice getting closer.
“ You didn’t even want to hear my side of the story. Do you really hate me that much?”
Despite the new information Takemichi had learned, he doesn’t hate Izana. He knows he should; it would be in his best interest to…but he was more terrified than anything else.
And a part of him still clung to the love they once had.
“Takemichi…you know I love you more than anything in the world,” Izana whispers and Takemichi is able to pick up the tone of sadness laced in his voice. “And I know you love me too. We were meant to be together, Takemichi! To stay together forever!”
Sadness quickly fades into insanity.
“ Don’t you understand?! You were always meant to be mine! You fucking belong to me!!!”
Takemichi doesn’t want to be anyone’s possession. He doesn’t want to belong to anybody, especially to some man killing monster.
Izana suddenly stops talking.
His footsteps are practically inaudible.
It's like he’s frozen in place.
Takemichi can’t hear anything.
He can’t see anything.
He can’t move anything.
Takemichi’s trapped.
What does he do?
What does he do?!
Nothing?
Would that be the safer option?
To do nothing at all?
Maybe.
Izana said he loves him, right?
Takemichi could work with that.
It’ll take time.
But that’s fine.
Finally regaining the strength to move his limbs, Takemichi forces his head to look up from its place hidden in his knees. Takemichi could already feel the crust and tears forming through his closed eyelids and brought an arm up to wipe the substance away.
Takemichi went back to hugging his legs.
Then, finally, he opened his eyes.
He was immediately greeted by a blank-faced Izana.
His heart stops.
His breathing stops.
His movement stops.
He was caught.
And Izana? His lips gradually quirk up into a malicious smile.
“Found you~”
Before Takemichi could scream his heart out, a hand reaches out and grabs the young man by the throat, almost tight enough to cut off his air supply. Takemichi clawed and scratched at the hand as Izana dragged his body out of the closet.
Without a single warning, Takemichi is roughly thrown on top of the bed.
He’s full on hyperventilating now. His tears stain his cheeks with salt and water.
And all Takemichi could see was the imposing figure looming over his small body.
Izana’s hand returns to his neck and gives the younger man a tight squeeze, leaving him gasping for air.
He can’t move his body, not with Izana’s figure caging every limb.
Takemichi can’t escape.
The hold around his neck loosens; he sucks up any air his pathetic lungs can get ahold of.
Izana leans in close and his lips brush against the shell of Takemichi’s ear. This time, the younger man shivers out of fear instead of delight.
“You were always meant to be mine, Takemichi,” Izana whispers. “Nothing you say or do will change that simple fact.”
Takemichi’s heart plummets to the pit of his stomach as the words leave Izana’s lips.
He wanted to scream, kick his legs, land a solid hit on his ex-lover in hopes of creating an opening to escape, but his body stayed frozen from underneath Izana’s figure. The only thing Takemichi could do in his panic-induced condition was stare up into Izana’s glowing eyes and gasp for air.
He couldn’t breathe.
He needs to breathe!
“…I-Iza—“ the only words Takemichi could force himself to mutter were abruptly stolen from him by a pair of soft lips and a wandering tongue.
The kiss the couple shared was anything but romantic—Actually, Takemichi wouldn’t even call it a kiss. It was all teeth and tongue—the hard press keeping their lips locked together was beyond painful and the occasional nips to his bottom and upper lip left the younger man whimpering.
But Takemichi didn’t have enough time to dwell on the awful kiss the two of them shared, not when the hand around his neck kept him from breathing properly.
Black spots began to appear in his vision; he was feeling dizzy and light headed from the lack of oxygen.
Takemichi’s limbs fell limp at his side and he gradually found himself giving in to the endless darkness.
The last thing Takemichi manages to conjure up in his mind before blacking out was a simple reminder.
A reminder that will later bring the man more misery and sadness.
Takemichi will always belong to Izana… whether he likes it or not.