Favorite Crime || Mikey/OC/Mitsuya

11 - 12 years into the future

the moment we arrive home, Mikey locked himself up in his room. Draken stayed for a while to talk to Emma who cried rivers at the news, and then as I walked him out, he pats my shoulder and smiles at me.

"what? you're being a creep," I mutter, looking away from him.

"idiot," he scoffs, "just- just get some rest alright? don't worry about Mikey too much, you've been through a lot today too."

"thanks, head home safe."

after that, in opposition to what Draken had advised, I did worry about Mikey too much. I was sitting outside his door, debating whether or not checking up on him right now was the right thing to do. if I were him, I'd want to be left alone...but Mikey always suffers alone though. he never lets anyone see how much he hurts, and that's precisely why the nagging feeling to be with him in his time of need won't go away.

before I knew it, the door opens, and since I was leaning on it, I fall back. I was ready to hit the floor, but was scooped by Mikey's arms instead. he had crouched down, my arms over his as he held on to them with my back to his bare chest. I look up at him and he smiles warmly at me.

I wish he didn't smile like that. not when I knew but couldn't even begin to understand the amount of pain he had to deal with.

"Mikey," I breathe, surprised by the sudden position I found myself in.

"hi," he grins.

again with the facade.

"you okay?" he asks as he stands us both up.

I nod, glancing at him from head to toe. his hair remained untouched—still tied with my pink hair tie and still bloodied from the wound on his head. his face was covered in dried blood from earlier which only reminded me that his smiles were purely for show. the bandage around his stomach was gone, and from behind him I could see he had tossed it in the trash can; so aside from it, he looked exactly like he was hours ago.

"what's wrong?" he asks in concern, tilting my chin up so I could meet his gaze.

"really? what's wrong?" I ask incredulously as my lips quiver, causing him to look alarmed. "everything's wrong. you shouldn't be smiling- I mean, of course I want to see you smile. but Baji died only hours ago, Mikey! you don't have to act okay right away! at least not in front of me...never pretend when you're with me."

"then what am I supposed to do?" he asks, his voice carrying every bit of the lostness he felt.

I ignore the throbbing in my chest after seeing him like this, reaching my hand out to take the tie off his hair. he looks at me questioningly as I give his hair a light ruffle.

"you need to take a shower," I give him a small smile.

he sadly smiles back at me, holding my hand that held his hair as he tilts his face to the side, kissing the inside of my wrist. his lips were feather-like against my skin, as warm and delicate as the message he wished to send through the contact.

"I'm sorry about earlier...I didn't mean to push you away like that."

"Mikey, it's fine. you were just lost."

"I promised you otherwise, Izumi. I'm really sorry I've failed you, I'll never be that way again."

after Mikey got in the bathroom to shower, I finally got to check my phone that I've neglected on my bed. there was a missed call from Takashi; I'd forgotten that I asked him to call me. with a sigh, I call him back. Takashi doesn't pick up which probably meant he was resting by now. I don't even have much headspace left to feel sorry for forgetting about him—there's already too many things I feel sorry for.