Lying is a Sin, A Sin Hanagaki Takemichi Commits Too Often

Is There Time?

June 25th, 2017

When Takemichi collapsed to his knees, completely unresponsive to everyone's yells and touches, Mikey had almost never felt this terrified. The only thing beating it was the time Emma was in a hit and run accident that nearly shattered her arm. He didn't understand what was happening, he didn't know who this random woman was, he didn't know why Takemichi collapsed when he saw her, he didn't know what to do. Mitsuya and Pah-chin are beside him within seconds, each grabbing one side of Takemichi and lifting him up. That's when he finally sees Takemichi's face, he's not unconscious, which shocked him, his eyes are wide open, unblinking... blank but yet overflowing with indecipherable emotions.

Nobody knows what to do, Baji and Chifuyu are gripping tightly onto Kazutora who keeps trying to swing at the older woman. He doesn't know what's going on. Naoto grabs Ms Sato by her wrist and drags her out of the villa, any respect he had for her was shoved out the window.

"Tell me the truth right now, what did you do to Takemichi for him to react like that?" He questioned, he doesn't give a crap about how loud he is anymore. He hates this woman and he hates himself for not trusting his instincts.

"Nothing the brat didn't deserve. Forgot the little bastard even existed not too long after he ran away, but I'm glad you brought me here officer. Because seeing an expression like that on his little face is something I've missed," The hag doesn't get a chance to smirk at her success because her head whipped to the side after Naoto slapped her.

"You little shit!" She screamed, "I will ruin you!"

"Try me you wretched wrench, just try me and I will press a child abuse case against you."

She sneered, wrenching her wrist from his grasp and walking away, Naoto doesn't give her the attention to watch her walk away, presumably to call herself a taxi. He hasn't the strength to keep himself standing any longer and he lets himself fall to the step to the front door.

"I'm a fucking idiot." He muttered to himself, holding his head in his hands.

He felt terrible, all he wanted was to surprise Takemichi and help him. Yeah, he surprised him, and he also probably just traumatised him. He knew there was something off about her but he let his dumbass overlook it. He wasn't extremely close with Takemichi until near the end of highschool, before that he was mostly just Hina's little brother who looked three years younger than he was. He knew from his sister when Takemichi still lived in his family home that he was the only one ever there, Takemichi cooked for himself and everyone else, he had mentioned his mother a few times, but only ever to explain that she wasn't there because she worked a lot. And when he was 16 and moved to that smaller apartment, it was because 'he didn't want to live somewhere so big anymore' and that his mother was okay with him living alone. Thinking back on that now, he knows that it was Takemichi's escape. His escape from his abusive mother. And he just shoved her in his face.

.

Takemichi had been moved to the couch, he had yet to respond to anyone's questions, simply silently blinking every so often. Those who were aware of his cancer were especially worried and Kazutora's fiance's couldn't understand why he was seconds away from attempting murder.

"Everyone, quit crowding 'round him!" Takeomi commanded.

"Takemichi, hey...can you hear me?" Hina asked, gently rubbing his arm.

"He's probably dissociated, can't fucking blame him," Kazutora snaped, wrenching his arms from Baji's hold.

"Do you know something? Because you were about to hurt Ms Sato," Chifuyu questioned.

All eyes were on him, he's protected Takemichi's secret for so long, but no one is going to forget about this, "The cunt was abusive," he muttered, "I figured it out and confronted him when I was sixteen. Helped him get out of that hellhole and into that apartment...I had no idea Naoto was bringing her."

Mikey stood up abruptly, Shinichiro did just as quickly, "I know you're angry Manjirou, but you're not going after an old lady."

"Not that stupid. I'm going after Tachibana."

"Ok, that's enough! Naoto had no idea, no one else did. Right now, we just need to help Takemichi ...Kazutora-kun, do you know how to...bring him out of this state?" Hina exclaimed.

"I can try, but I don't want to just yet."

"Why?"

"Because he's not feeling anything right now, no pain. Seeing her would have been really traumatising for him and it's his brain's coping mechanism. I can try soon, dissociating for too long isn't healthy," Kazutora explained, knowing from personal experiences.

"How did we never know?" Kakucho asked, he thought back to when they were kids. Takemichi always had marks on him, he would always say they were from fights with older kids.

"Takemitchy's a really good liar," Draken said.

.

Naoto felt hands graze his back, startling him. Whoever it was then sat down next to him, it was Hina. She sighed softly and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Don't blame yourself."

"How can I not?"

"You didn't know. You were trying to do something nice for him."

"I shouldn't have done it regardless, it's not something he's ever made clear he wanted. I just wanted to be some saviour."

"Well I'm not going to lie, that is true. But I know you had good intentions. It's been difficult, knowing this whole time about his...y'know," she didn't say it, because who knows who might be listening, "and you just wanted to make him happy. Wait a bit, then apologise to him, give him a few days."

"Who knows how long he has left Hina, he stopped doing the chemo-"

"Naoto," she gave him a look, to be careful of his word choices.

"He stopped all that, who knows if he even takes his meds regularly. He could leave at any time. And the amount of stress I just put him through, what if I-'

"Stop thinking like that. He will be fine...he...he still has some time left."

.

Do I like to make you all suffer? I believe the answer is yes.