[ Nishikiyama initially doesn't realize he's being talked to. With Mine's presence a comfort he's taken for granted, his eyes are locked on the body now being dragged across the floor of the ring. A power washer and blow dry follow to carry away the blood puddles; teeth that've been knocked loose. He observes in silence. Pupils move to Mine after he senses his reply is being waited for. Nishikiyama should say something. ]
Oh, right.
[ Like he's surprised, but he's been counting the rounds for Mine's turn in specific. There's a thoughtful pause before he says anything. He has to send him off properly. ]
—Win.
[ Because if anything, Mine is obedient. Nishikiyama stares firmly at him. The days apart have only accumulated and made an unspoken conviction stronger. Rather than a suggestion, what Nishikiyama says is an order.
[ Then, neither will have realized the intense look of the other pointed at the octagon. Blood splattered across the white floor each round. Mine hasn't even flinched at what might be his in turn or even he one of the men getting dragged out unconscious. He suppresses the idea, the anxious expectation, to justify his confidence and Nishikiyama's lack of comment on it confirms him in that method.
Mine waits patiently and only stands up from the booth seat when his patriarch seems willing to let him go. With a grave, look his pulse jumps at the chance even so and after all, knowing he'll be in the ring. He bows down into his shoulders. ]
Of course.
[ Nishikiyama's send-off is perfect for all those reasons; Mine's dutiful need to excel and the passion that has been pooling in his conscious, too. Although he doesn't look up to find it matched in Nishikiyama's eyes, his gaze flits past when he stands up straight again. ]
–In that case, I'm leaving.
[ It'll only be moments before Nishikiyama sees him again. Mine takes fast-paced steps down the stairs leading out of the viewing ranks, gone backstage soon. ]
[ For Kazama, saddled with injury more than age, making his way down the levels and stairs of audience seating is patently arduous. Each step is just one at a time, with first his left leg, then the right and his cane to follow. His gaze is placed, with seemingly mellow aim, on the next tread in front of himself. His true motive, though, is to reach Nishikiyama.
Within two years, distance between Kazama and the young man he still kept under his Family’s name has already become as difficult to cross as his walk down. Withdrawing from early confrontation back at Tojo’s headquarters the opportunity’d delayed itself until now. Nishikiyama’d signed up as his own entrant into the competition, spurning Kashiwagi’s invitation—his right as the patriarch of his own group—but there are manifest reasons that Kazama disapproves of it. ]
What were you thinking, Nishikiyama?
[ He finally appears when Nishikiyama has had time to think about Mine’s absence. At a calm tempo, paternal judgment still reveals itself in Kazama's tone. ]
[ Nishikiyama watches Mine for too long when he leaves, but when his space is encroached by an unwelcome party, the displeasure in turn quickly makes itself evident on his face. His body doesn't turn to face Kazama from his seat in the audience, and only his eyes move, cold under the the furrow of his eyebrows. ]
What do you mean?
[ Not quite bitten, but he thinks the context is plenty for Kazama to understand. It's funny how Kazama only contacts him when he wants to make criticism. Actually, to be an ass, he smiles before the old man can respond: ]
Hello, Kazama.
[ Isn't this how a proper exchange should start? He'll demonstrate his own manners where Kazama won't. This greeting is pointed. ]
[ Kazama's expression remains stoic in the face of Nishikiyama's attempt. His gaze shifts briefly to the smile, acknowledging it without much change in his own demeanor. The sternness persists, not likely to be ensnared by the formula the other man tries to invoke. ]
Your decisions reflect not only on yourself, but on the entire Family. Do you understand?
[ Maybe he doesn't. Kazama pauses, but without giving Nishikiyama a real chance to reply. ]
Your focus should be on their well-being and stability, not on new acquaintances who may bring unforeseen complications.
[ Even without saying a name, it's clear that he means Mine. Kazama believes his own influence when he gives the warning now. He's been watching the developments in the Nishikiyama Family and saw his misgivings confirmed at the assembly last month. It troubles him to see their continuation tonight. ]
[ Met without any sort of response, the rude smile dissolves without a trace. What's left instead is the same bitterness that'd accumulated ever since Kiryu's imprisonment. What'd laid in the aftermath of Yuko's death and in Yumi's disappearance. Nishikiyama is deafened by his own hatred. He hears nothing— only the senile nagging of an old man he'd desperately tried to sever himself from.
He gazes at the coliseum below for Mine, unlike earlier, now hoping for him to give Kazama a reason to shut up. ]
Like growth? How terrible.
[ It's the only complication Mine could bring that Kazama might fear. What if Nishikiyama's Family overtakes his own? It's undoubtedly the only reason that he's talking to him right now. ]
Seems you've forgotten the Nishikiyama Family's recent clan-wide recognition, the same way you've forgotten anything other than your own agenda. It must be nice to have most of us out of your hair so you can focus— with Yuko dead, Yumi missing, and Kiryu in the pen.
[ Nishikiyama folds his arms across his chest and folds one knee over the other. ]
I don't need you badgering me about my selection. You should be worrying about your own men and hope they aren't against mine in the ring.
[ Kazama has seen the consequences of unchecked arrogance numerous times. Opposite Nishikiyama, it makes him appear numb and detached, but worst of all, disinterested in a future that threatens to repeat the mistakes of the past. Despite the barely concealed bitterness directed at him, he remains stoic. ]
Nishikiyama, your resentment blinds you to the essence of leadership. Your decision to rely on personal rivalries won't earn you anymore recognition in the Tojo Clan, either.
[ Acutely aware of Nishikiyama's recent achievement, he doesn't view it as an act of independence. To Kazama, it's clear that Mine's money fuels Nishikiyama's ambitions, but not where his wealth comes from nor the conditions the man provides with it.
The names of the children he once brought under shelter stir a lingering question in Kazama's mind, a sense of protection. His gaze darkens, unable to comment– is he shielding Nishikiyama from being exposed, or is it Yumi he's safeguarding from Nishikiyama's pursuit? Kazama feels only more sure of the latter. The answers are intertwined, and both lead back to Kiryu's sentence. Kazama's grip on his cane is strained. ]
I'm not here to criticize you for the sake of it.
[ How Nishiki would seem to see it, guarding himself when he crosses his arms. ]
The battles won't all be settled in this arena, consider the bigger picture.
[ Kazama turns away momentarily, contemplating whether further discussion is worth the effort. Another fight should begin soon... ]
[ Kazama hits a nerve, but Nishikiyama is quick to defend himself. ]
Hate to disappoint, but I'm not obsessed with you the way that Kiryu is.
[ There's some truth to that. Nishikiyama's hunger can't be sated simply by revenge on Kazama— he wants more than that. He has to show everyone what he can do. After his disillusionment with Kazama, the big picture, as he'd called it, becomes far less foggy. The goal is clear in sight. ]
I can take care of anyone stupid enough to cross me on my own. [ Matsushige case and point. ] I don't need you pretending to be my dad, which should come as a relief because you were never very good at it.
[ There's subtle sadness in Kazama's eyes. It's a reflection of the disappointment he feels seeing Nishikiyama head down a path that could bring more turmoil; then, also, because of personal rejection. ]
Your Family deserves a leader who can navigate the complexities of power without succumbing to personal vendettas.
[ Maybe, if things were different, that would simply mean Kiryu. Kazama silently hopes that Nishikiyama will understand the gravity of his role and contemplate the weight of his choices—thinking the same way he does, ultimately. Without waiting for a response this time, Kazama turns away, cane tapping against the floor to continue his departure. ]
[ Mine doesn't spend much time preparing out of sight. Even just walking up to the platform, he notes how far away he'd been sitting and how large the stage looks up close. Imposing, even he feels apprehensive about taking those last steps into the ring. The cage itself begins to be brought down slowly as soon as the two fighters are inside.
Mine has no idea about Kazama's appearance, and can't even make out his figure swinging his walking stick between steps, now. For a moment, disoriented by the bright lights from high up, his eyes jump across rows of the auditorium, trying to find his seat from before. And Nishikiyama, still there. Chains rattle until the fence around the ring seals in with a metallic bang and it locks Mine's gaze inside. There's jeering and howling from the crowd, impatient after a few minutes' break, not for one of the contestants in particular.
"The Kazama Family's Tashiro Vs. the Nishikiyama Family's Mine!"
A low-profile fight. Mine doesn't recognize his opponent, short-cropped hair and probably his same age—a stance like he's out on the street.
The ceremony has been the same for every battle. Hand on his tie, Mine pulls off his shirt before the gong sounds– The fresh, flushed and obvious irritation's faded since a few days ago, so just the newest colors are raised slightly from his skin. The yellows and reds; he imagines, mane and flames surrounding the kirin only looking more bold because of it. To have his tattoo out and breathing, Mine's unease withers in the moment. ]
[ Nishikiyama doesn't trust Kazama, and there's nothing more to be said to him. As the man's back becomes smaller the further he walks away, Nishikiyama feels like spitting at it. Scoffing. He's fidgety when Mine finally appears, unpocketing a cigarette and sticking it between his lips. The cage goes down.
And naturally, of course he'd be going up against the Kazama Family. Nishikiyama had perhaps unknowingly jinxed it with his snarky remark from earlier. Even at this distance, he sees that Mine's back is finished, colorful and becoming of a yakuza; done within two weeks, in obsessive multi-hour sessions. Nishikiyama wouldn't be shocked if the skin were still sore.
As for Mine's opponent, he isn't sure of him. A completely unfamiliar party. Kazama had always been so secretive. Both Nishikiyama and Kiryu had in actuality only known a few of his men, so Nishikiyama doesn't know if the stranger is strong. His stomach tightens while the metal rails lock in place below. A roar goes up around him, and the match's starting point is blared through the speakers. Nishikiyama stays both quiet and still while this happens— wondering what Mine feels and thinks now. Is he still so brave? It's too late to rewind from this. Nishikiyama can't remove him from the ring he'd so desperately wanted to fight in. Should he have resisted the suggestion more?
Uncertainty stewing, his gaze moves to Kazama, who's now a mere figure in the distance sitting beside Kashiwagi. ]
[ Kanda, who'd spent some time prior enjoying the delights of Purgatory, returns to the Nishikiyama Family's seating area just in time for Mine's match. His patriarch hadn't noticed him, his thoughts somewhere else, but Kanda's lighter still bathes the end of Nishikiyama's cigarette in its flame. Once lit, it's concealed somewhere within his jacket. He sits down on the end, obscuring Nishikiyama's line of sight and cutting Kazama from view. For once, however, his inability to read the room is appreciated. Nishikiyama leans back where he sits when Kanda abruptly cheers for Mine— the one who'd defeated him and stolen his slot to fight. ]
Fuck him up, Mine! Beat the living shit out of 'im, haaaah?!
[ Without any bitterness left behind, Mine's self-appointed aniki makes his support known. Shouting at him with all of his chest, his voice carries to the ring stronger than anyone else in the Tojo Clan's.
The confidence makes the corner of Nishikiyama's mouth move. ]
[ He wonders, briefly, if Nishikiyama up there waits with faith in his victory. If he took his word, when Mine'd affirmed, that the tattoo on his back stands for his very own strength. Of course, it hadn't been finished at the time.
Another criticism of the same day'd stayed in Mine's mind. Nishikiyama'd taken issue with him never having been in a brawl, a dirty street fight. He'd gone to rectify that in a dangerous way; Mine makes himself out to be someone worth robbing in one of the many back alleys of Kamurocho's neighborhood. Once having gone in, outside the Nishikiyama Family's office hours, his looks alone'd been good bait. Then, he'd knocked out every junior criminal wanting to take his watch or his wallet. Finally, blood speckling the pavement, he'd learned it's easier when he throws the first punch.
Mine takes the same aim now, not hesitating after the gong sounds. A wide right hook at Tashiro. The arm snapping up in front of his face lets Mine know he's not facing a novice fighter—neither acknowledging that he is one. It's where studio-trained technique kicks in, though, untouched by the uncouth tactics of a yakuza scrapper.
The hook is a ruse. Mine throws a left; Tashiro sees it too but then, quickly, another right– It's the only one meant to connect. No gloves and no protection; Mine's knuckles snap hard against Tashiro's cheek. The feeling buzzes in his arm.
Nishikiyama's champion takes no pause to revel in his success. Mine's fists come up to protect his head. He sidesteps immediately, wanting distance and to keep up movement. He beat Kanda with strategies the other man simply doesn't know, and he's confident that they'll work again. Mixed martial arts; there's no "yakuza" style, is there? Mine kicks in front of him in a wide sweep, testing his reach and Tashiro's reaction—who stays defensive, shaking his daze.
Mine doesn't seem afraid. Although he has hardly time to recognize it above the clamor of the crowd—none to wonder why, even, when Mine just cost him his spot—maybe it's thanks to Kanda cheering him on?
Tashiro tries to retaliate, directing a roundhouse kick to do damage. Mine shoves his foot against the leg keeping balance and Tashiro buckles at the knee. Mine keeps moving. ]
[ Nishikiyama is relieved to see that Mine is good— that his diamond-cut and analytical mind, sometimes alarming in how removed it is from his peers, makes a formidable weapon while conducting his fists. There's no unbridled fury, no sloppiness to them. Every move is calculated and with purpose. The reason he'd defeated Kanda, knowing this now, becomes very obvious to Nishikiyama. He slowly exhales his cigarette smoke while Tashiro stumbles from a leg parry. It shakes out into the air when Nishikiyama laughs to himself, Kanda beside him backseating and hollering louder like someone's crazy dad or sports team coach.
Mine is talented. What worry had been in Nishikiyama's stomach, made anxious by Kazama's earlier appearance, has now melted. Not because Kazama's fighter is completely terrible or anything, but more because Mine has evolved in such a short span. If this is his starting point, where will he go from now? He's himself into a bleed of instinct and rich boy martial arts experience, compulsively shaped and finessed every detail. Actually, should Nishikiyama have even been surprised? Maybe this is why he'd been so confident before. It hadn't been out of naivety. As Mine navigates the ring, Nishikiyama's eyes drift to the vibrant kirin on his back. He wants to see it up close.
Nishikiyama snaps for someone's attention— ]
Sake.
[ It isn't Kanda who accepts the command, someone else shuffling to pass a chilled and unopened bottle to him. He drinks it straight from there, leaning forward in his seat for a better view of Mine below when he swallows. ]
[ The window for Mine to reach back past Tashiro's guard is small after his stagger. Kazama's man thinks, too, that his offense will be a better defense—for a moment, he'd been surprised as well to find his challenger an apt fighter for someone who had no name in the ring. Mine blocks Tashiro's hook at his head, but at the same time pulling his arms up to guard his face opens up his midriff. The top of his foot slams into Mine's flank with a dull slap. ]
Hn–
[ His ribs that side shiver, sucking in a quick breath. His quick success makes Tashiro careless and him stay close. Rather than taking the needed moment to reorient himself, Mine puts his hands on the back of his neck, pulling him in– He knees into his thigh, his stomach, and his chest. The last one lets him break away with distance and leaves Tashiro wheezing. Bent over, still, when Mine's taken his step back, he leans back in to shovel up a hook at his face. Tashiro parries.
A sheen of sweat makes the harsh stage lights reflect off of Mine's cheekbones, his collarbone and his pecs, the belt of defined muscle across his shoulder blades. Both fighters are left with a step between them again. Mine notes his own shoulders lift higher, catching his breath. Tashiro too; there's no quick winner.
After he recovers enough and before he can think—seconds for the crowd just watching from outside, it feels longer in—Mine uses the space between them again. He kicks, a hard connect to Tashiro's shinbone that's evident to hurt—the man's face twists. Up at his torso, even higher up at his head– Mine's foot reaches with apparent ease, speed and strength. Blocked and blocked. Rapidly, those technicalities devolve again. Punch traded for punch, Mine's fist rasps away at the skin and bone of Tashiro's nose. ]
Ghh! [ Tashiro's knuckles are sharp and open a cut on Mine's cheek. His head snaps back with it.
One man sways more than the other. Mine dodges an unbalanced swipe. Tashiro, lunging forward, stumbles unchecked to the other side of the ring. Mine faces his back, his own kirin rearing its front legs up at where the Nishikiyama Family's sat. He kicks Tashiro into the railing. ]
[ Nishikiyama wipes his lips with the back of his hand, lowering the sake bottle against the top of his knee. With Kanda beside him yelling, complaining and groaning when Tashiro gets any sort of hit in on Mine, Nishikiyama can hardly hear his own thoughts. Somehow, though, the noise isn't bad for him. Not as it usually is, it's far better than what Kazama had left behind for him, and far more easy for him to focus on instead. His teeth bite down when Mine takes a hit on the face. The movements below suggest their family's still in the lead, but Nishikiyama imagines it will be a matter of stamina.
Swallowing down what concern had once arisen, Nishikiyama becomes more curious than anything. Wondering why or how Mine is capable of throwing such high kicks, or knowing when to grapple out to make space for himself. He's come far for only two weeks. Nishikiyama doesn't flinch when Tashiro's face hits the caging of the ring— a metallic clank ringing hard in the air. Skin splits vengefully there it seems, deserved for the earlier punch that'd sent Mine's head back.
Nishikiyama stands up beside Kanda. His cigarette glows orange when he takes another drag of it, fingers idly letting his sake bottle hang by the neck between them. The match will end soon. ]
[ Mine keeps his hands up, a return from the quick and dirty trade of blows to the textbook stance and composure he'd started with. He doesn't move, also the first time since. The spotlight on him is hot as well as bright. Beads of perspiration gather, then, and want a path down Mine's sculpted body. From his neck across his back, where sinew tugs under the skin, sweat seeks the slope of his spine. The way he's bent slightly forward, elbows just out of the way, contours the small bundles of muscles that reach around his ribs each side, too. Under the satin gleam of the colors of his tattoo, areas that are so newly done and raised are sensitive to the sudor.
His arms open up around his chest to relinquish protection. Mine feels air puff warm against his upper lip. His abs squeeze every breath as he stands upright. Tashiro is essentially down for the count. Mine hears the jeers of the crowd as more than just noise. Some are happy, some are not. Kanda's is pretty clear. He raises his head in that direction. He looks at Nishikiyama. Mine swallows—probably just—spit. His Adam's apple rolls down the front of his bared throat. Heat has collected underneath his chin and the skin shines damp. He licks up a drop of sweat that rolls over his lip. Mine wants a remedy for Nishikiyama's absence in the past weeks.
Win. The simple command buzzes in his head, easy to keep to even within the trance of the brawl. Though, with the victory already sure, Mine thinks of his own desire that'd placed him in this contest. Here's proof that he wanted Nishikiyama to have: his strength, his determination, his capability. More of himself, he'd said. Maybe most—?
His face twists. Serious, decided. He breaks eye contact. Tashiro only groans when Mine grabs and flips him on his back. The scent of his own exertion mingles with the metallic tang of blood streaming down the other's face. No one'd actually counted down; the fights are over when one of the men is out for good. Mine stands above and doesn't hesitate. He drives his fist against Tashiro's jaw so hard, that his head snaps up from the ground and lolls to the other side, limp as blood splatters across the white mat. Mine's won. ]
[ There’s a moment where he feels their gazes connect. Even from this distance, Mine is able to find Nishikiyama perhaps by finding Kanda first. Kanda, who erupts in cheer as Mine slams a fist into the face of Kazama’s fighter. With Tashiro lying still on the mat, Nishikiyama’s attention fails to abandon Mine. He weighs words on his tongue without speaking them yet. Behind the cloud of cigarette smoke he breathes, Nishikiyama’s eyes gleam with a stirred attraction that’d been dormant for two weeks. With the smell of blood hanging in the air now, he craves not prey but another creature of his own kind. ]
I have to go.
[ He hands Kanda the unfinished bottle of sake. ]
I want reports on Shindo and Arase’s matches. Keep tabs on anyone strong.
[ Then, he goes. He goes with the intent of meeting Mine in the back areas where a shower room and medic are present. He cuts a path through the bleachers and tables, through crowds asking about Mine and his background. He passes Kazama a smirk on his way out when he feels him and Kashiwagi looking. ]
[ The adrenaline wears off quickly. Mine can feel every bruise that'll form before he even reaches the backstage area. Because he's upright, and waves off anything more than a quick look, medical waits for his opponent to be hauled in. Mine feels sticky with sweat. A shower. Cold water. It's hardly longer than a rinse; all he'll use the provided amenities for. Where the analgesia had sooner abated, Mine leaves the cabin when his pulse slows.
Newly minted realization'd overcome him when he struck Tashiro's already bloody face. In the street, they'd just scrambled away before they couldn't walk anymore. He can do this, too. Remorse gets shut away behind the shower door.
Without the thought that Nishikiyama'd left the arena when he did, Mine doesn't expect him there. Almost like he's back on the stage, where he's had to squint against blinding lights, Mine looks at him and checks his expression. He's confident enough to think that it's satisfaction. Pushed back but not fixed by anything, his hair swoops down and hangs into his face when Mine bows his head. The cool water's left him with a duller sheen than the heat spread across his body in the ring. In matte, the colors of his tattoo peeking over his shoulders are still bright, though. A towel cuts the image off at the kirin's hind legs. ]
Boss– [ Mine doesn't know what to say—but it's the end of their time forced apart. He stands up. ]
Well done. [ Nishikiyama says while he looks at him.
He's run out of his cigarette. With Mine there across from him, droplets of cool water rolling over skin that's blooming mauve in spots from bruises. His eyes go to the tattooed streaks of gold and red on his shoulders when Mine bends, catching only a glimpse of the colors before Mine is upright once more. His lashes cast a little lower with his focus. ]
You won. [ And the reward for doing so is implied.
The expression on the young patriarch's face is unlike what he often shows on it and only Mine is here to witness. Satisfied is a word that matches. More than that though, he wants something from Mine— something, he thinks, in one glance that Mine will understand without him needing to speak aloud. ]
Are you okay?
[ Before hurrying out with him, he refers to the injuries. Manners. Where he is now, Nishikiyama can see places where Mine's skin had split, washed a light red now by the shower. They'll probably dry and start to scab over by the time he dresses himself. ]
[ Praise. That's why he did it. There's no more noble reason—how, when the terms of the fight itself are explicit. Mine notes the remnant smell of blood and sweat on him, not having taken the time to scrub, mixing with that of still just-warm tobacco. The invisible cloak of Nishikiyama's close presence. Now he revels in the moment, pause he couldn't take in the ring even in view of his triumph, heard over speakers.
All because privacy between them had been hidden away behind demands made of tonight. There is something that will have made worth Nishikiyama's absence, Mine's deprivation. The patriarch's gaze promises. Mine meets it, matches it. He wants to give more than his victory in the Coliseum. ]
I'm fine. [ The next day or two'll see scrapes and bruises darken, but for now. Hair gets pushed back out of his face again. He'll get dressed. Hope is that Nishikiyama can skip watching the other two fights– he's here right now. Isn't Arase's already happening? ]
Yeah. Kanda will let me know how the rest of them go.
[ Shindo and Arase are queued to follow. Though Nishikiyama doesn't say anything about his plans, he figures that Mine has caught on. He watches the hanging shorter pieces of Mine's hair get combed back and flat against his head. They stay matted down for a while, but their weight makes them fall the same way Nishikiyama's do without hair product. Nishikiyama hasn't seen him so unstyled before. ]
The other families needed to see that from you. It was good.
[ It's small talk. Nishikiyama drifts closer to the doorway and leans his back against one of the walls. His readiness to leave is apparent while Mine dresses himself. ]
[ Mine doesn't offer the indulgence of asking how Kanda'd taken it; he doesn't think Nishikiyama even wants it. He'd heard the man cheer and howl, something that quietly amazes him.
Compulsively, while getting dressed, Mine keeps pushing his hair back, until the remaining product that didn't get washed out lets it sit in some way like his normal style. Still, unusually lose. He's aware of Nishikiyama's eyes on him, they barely wander. ]
I did it for you. [ Mine's pretend to be nowhere in particular, honest but reserving something, knowing that Nishikiyama's comment hadn't been meant for much. ]
[ Nishikiyama's heart flutters in his chest at the statement, but his face only sort of winces in turn, like he doesn't know how to respond. Not out of pain, but out of unfamiliarity. He hasn't had someone say something like that to him in a long, long time. Eventually, his eyes soften beneath his brows. The look in his eyes that had been so fixed is now fleeting like he's careful to have it noticed. He finds somewhere else with his gaze. ]
Thought so. [ His throat tightens. ] —That's fine, though. I like it better that way.
[ Then, embarrassment. Should he have even said so? Mine's face is still handsome when he looks up to see it again, and Nishikiyama's mouth pulls with some uncertainty. He tries running the moment over, deliberately leaving no room or pause for Mine to linger too long on the sentiment. ]
[ Mine'd asked already, if he's wrong to think and do so. Nishikiyama's delay and changed expression almost make him want to repeat it, not because he really believes the patriarch has made up his mind differently, but to be candid in the way Nishikiyama'd commended. He'd liked praise for that, too.
Mine doesn't go searching for the look that avoids him, though. Same tightness, presumably, that squeezes Nishikiyama's throat settles beneath his breastbone. He couldn't say anything in between if the other man let him, frankly, finding himself wound around the sensation. Having another reason isn't unwelcome; he feels strange and flighty.
Nishikiyama's impatience helps– ] Yes, [ Somewhere else means something this time. Mine slides his tie up tight against the collar, replacing the other feeling. ] Let's go.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2024-01-31 04:49 pm (UTC)Oh, right.
[ Like he's surprised, but he's been counting the rounds for Mine's turn in specific. There's a thoughtful pause before he says anything. He has to send him off properly. ]
—Win.
[ Because if anything, Mine is obedient. Nishikiyama stares firmly at him. The days apart have only accumulated and made an unspoken conviction stronger. Rather than a suggestion, what Nishikiyama says is an order.
And if it's an order: Mine will not lose. ]
1/2
Date: 2024-02-01 12:59 am (UTC)Mine waits patiently and only stands up from the booth seat when his patriarch seems willing to let him go. With a grave, look his pulse jumps at the chance even so and after all, knowing he'll be in the ring. He bows down into his shoulders. ]
Of course.
[ Nishikiyama's send-off is perfect for all those reasons; Mine's dutiful need to excel and the passion that has been pooling in his conscious, too. Although he doesn't look up to find it matched in Nishikiyama's eyes, his gaze flits past when he stands up straight again. ]
–In that case, I'm leaving.
[ It'll only be moments before Nishikiyama sees him again. Mine takes fast-paced steps down the stairs leading out of the viewing ranks, gone backstage soon. ]
2/2
Date: 2024-02-01 12:59 am (UTC)Within two years, distance between Kazama and the young man he still kept under his Family’s name has already become as difficult to cross as his walk down. Withdrawing from early confrontation back at Tojo’s headquarters the opportunity’d delayed itself until now. Nishikiyama’d signed up as his own entrant into the competition, spurning Kashiwagi’s invitation—his right as the patriarch of his own group—but there are manifest reasons that Kazama disapproves of it. ]
What were you thinking, Nishikiyama?
[ He finally appears when Nishikiyama has had time to think about Mine’s absence. At a calm tempo, paternal judgment still reveals itself in Kazama's tone. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-01 07:13 am (UTC)What do you mean?
[ Not quite bitten, but he thinks the context is plenty for Kazama to understand. It's funny how Kazama only contacts him when he wants to make criticism. Actually, to be an ass, he smiles before the old man can respond: ]
Hello, Kazama.
[ Isn't this how a proper exchange should start? He'll demonstrate his own manners where Kazama won't. This greeting is pointed. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-01 11:57 am (UTC)Your decisions reflect not only on yourself, but on the entire Family. Do you understand?
[ Maybe he doesn't. Kazama pauses, but without giving Nishikiyama a real chance to reply. ]
Your focus should be on their well-being and stability, not on new acquaintances who may bring unforeseen complications.
[ Even without saying a name, it's clear that he means Mine. Kazama believes his own influence when he gives the warning now. He's been watching the developments in the Nishikiyama Family and saw his misgivings confirmed at the assembly last month. It troubles him to see their continuation tonight. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-01 05:48 pm (UTC)He gazes at the coliseum below for Mine, unlike earlier, now hoping for him to give Kazama a reason to shut up. ]
Like growth? How terrible.
[ It's the only complication Mine could bring that Kazama might fear. What if Nishikiyama's Family overtakes his own? It's undoubtedly the only reason that he's talking to him right now. ]
Seems you've forgotten the Nishikiyama Family's recent clan-wide recognition, the same way you've forgotten anything other than your own agenda. It must be nice to have most of us out of your hair so you can focus— with Yuko dead, Yumi missing, and Kiryu in the pen.
[ Nishikiyama folds his arms across his chest and folds one knee over the other. ]
I don't need you badgering me about my selection. You should be worrying about your own men and hope they aren't against mine in the ring.
no subject
Date: 2024-02-02 01:20 am (UTC)Nishikiyama, your resentment blinds you to the essence of leadership. Your decision to rely on personal rivalries won't earn you anymore recognition in the Tojo Clan, either.
[ Acutely aware of Nishikiyama's recent achievement, he doesn't view it as an act of independence. To Kazama, it's clear that Mine's money fuels Nishikiyama's ambitions, but not where his wealth comes from nor the conditions the man provides with it.
The names of the children he once brought under shelter stir a lingering question in Kazama's mind, a sense of protection. His gaze darkens, unable to comment– is he shielding Nishikiyama from being exposed, or is it Yumi he's safeguarding from Nishikiyama's pursuit? Kazama feels only more sure of the latter. The answers are intertwined, and both lead back to Kiryu's sentence. Kazama's grip on his cane is strained. ]
I'm not here to criticize you for the sake of it.
[ How Nishiki would seem to see it, guarding himself when he crosses his arms. ]
The battles won't all be settled in this arena, consider the bigger picture.
[ Kazama turns away momentarily, contemplating whether further discussion is worth the effort. Another fight should begin soon... ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-02 05:56 pm (UTC)Hate to disappoint, but I'm not obsessed with you the way that Kiryu is.
[ There's some truth to that. Nishikiyama's hunger can't be sated simply by revenge on Kazama— he wants more than that. He has to show everyone what he can do. After his disillusionment with Kazama, the big picture, as he'd called it, becomes far less foggy. The goal is clear in sight. ]
I can take care of anyone stupid enough to cross me on my own. [ Matsushige case and point. ] I don't need you pretending to be my dad, which should come as a relief because you were never very good at it.
1/2
Date: 2024-02-02 11:25 pm (UTC)Your Family deserves a leader who can navigate the complexities of power without succumbing to personal vendettas.
[ Maybe, if things were different, that would simply mean Kiryu. Kazama silently hopes that Nishikiyama will understand the gravity of his role and contemplate the weight of his choices—thinking the same way he does, ultimately. Without waiting for a response this time, Kazama turns away, cane tapping against the floor to continue his departure. ]
2/2
Date: 2024-02-03 01:13 am (UTC)Mine has no idea about Kazama's appearance, and can't even make out his figure swinging his walking stick between steps, now. For a moment, disoriented by the bright lights from high up, his eyes jump across rows of the auditorium, trying to find his seat from before. And Nishikiyama, still there. Chains rattle until the fence around the ring seals in with a metallic bang and it locks Mine's gaze inside. There's jeering and howling from the crowd, impatient after a few minutes' break, not for one of the contestants in particular.
"The Kazama Family's Tashiro Vs. the Nishikiyama Family's Mine!"
A low-profile fight. Mine doesn't recognize his opponent, short-cropped hair and probably his same age—a stance like he's out on the street.
The ceremony has been the same for every battle. Hand on his tie, Mine pulls off his shirt before the gong sounds– The fresh, flushed and obvious irritation's faded since a few days ago, so just the newest colors are raised slightly from his skin. The yellows and reds; he imagines, mane and flames surrounding the kirin only looking more bold because of it. To have his tattoo out and breathing, Mine's unease withers in the moment. ]
1/2
Date: 2024-02-03 12:36 pm (UTC)And naturally, of course he'd be going up against the Kazama Family. Nishikiyama had perhaps unknowingly jinxed it with his snarky remark from earlier. Even at this distance, he sees that Mine's back is finished, colorful and becoming of a yakuza; done within two weeks, in obsessive multi-hour sessions. Nishikiyama wouldn't be shocked if the skin were still sore.
As for Mine's opponent, he isn't sure of him. A completely unfamiliar party. Kazama had always been so secretive. Both Nishikiyama and Kiryu had in actuality only known a few of his men, so Nishikiyama doesn't know if the stranger is strong. His stomach tightens while the metal rails lock in place below. A roar goes up around him, and the match's starting point is blared through the speakers. Nishikiyama stays both quiet and still while this happens— wondering what Mine feels and thinks now. Is he still so brave? It's too late to rewind from this. Nishikiyama can't remove him from the ring he'd so desperately wanted to fight in. Should he have resisted the suggestion more?
Uncertainty stewing, his gaze moves to Kazama, who's now a mere figure in the distance sitting beside Kashiwagi. ]
2/2
Date: 2024-02-03 12:44 pm (UTC)Fuck him up, Mine! Beat the living shit out of 'im, haaaah?!
[ Without any bitterness left behind, Mine's self-appointed aniki makes his support known. Shouting at him with all of his chest, his voice carries to the ring stronger than anyone else in the Tojo Clan's.
The confidence makes the corner of Nishikiyama's mouth move. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-03 10:29 pm (UTC)Another criticism of the same day'd stayed in Mine's mind. Nishikiyama'd taken issue with him never having been in a brawl, a dirty street fight. He'd gone to rectify that in a dangerous way; Mine makes himself out to be someone worth robbing in one of the many back alleys of Kamurocho's neighborhood. Once having gone in, outside the Nishikiyama Family's office hours, his looks alone'd been good bait. Then, he'd knocked out every junior criminal wanting to take his watch or his wallet. Finally, blood speckling the pavement, he'd learned it's easier when he throws the first punch.
Mine takes the same aim now, not hesitating after the gong sounds. A wide right hook at Tashiro. The arm snapping up in front of his face lets Mine know he's not facing a novice fighter—neither acknowledging that he is one. It's where studio-trained technique kicks in, though, untouched by the uncouth tactics of a yakuza scrapper.
The hook is a ruse. Mine throws a left; Tashiro sees it too but then, quickly, another right– It's the only one meant to connect. No gloves and no protection; Mine's knuckles snap hard against Tashiro's cheek. The feeling buzzes in his arm.
Nishikiyama's champion takes no pause to revel in his success. Mine's fists come up to protect his head. He sidesteps immediately, wanting distance and to keep up movement. He beat Kanda with strategies the other man simply doesn't know, and he's confident that they'll work again. Mixed martial arts; there's no "yakuza" style, is there? Mine kicks in front of him in a wide sweep, testing his reach and Tashiro's reaction—who stays defensive, shaking his daze.
Mine doesn't seem afraid. Although he has hardly time to recognize it above the clamor of the crowd—none to wonder why, even, when Mine just cost him his spot—maybe it's thanks to Kanda cheering him on?
Tashiro tries to retaliate, directing a roundhouse kick to do damage. Mine shoves his foot against the leg keeping balance and Tashiro buckles at the knee. Mine keeps moving. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-04 01:55 am (UTC)Mine is talented. What worry had been in Nishikiyama's stomach, made anxious by Kazama's earlier appearance, has now melted. Not because Kazama's fighter is completely terrible or anything, but more because Mine has evolved in such a short span. If this is his starting point, where will he go from now? He's himself into a bleed of instinct and rich boy martial arts experience, compulsively shaped and finessed every detail. Actually, should Nishikiyama have even been surprised? Maybe this is why he'd been so confident before. It hadn't been out of naivety. As Mine navigates the ring, Nishikiyama's eyes drift to the vibrant kirin on his back. He wants to see it up close.
Nishikiyama snaps for someone's attention— ]
Sake.
[ It isn't Kanda who accepts the command, someone else shuffling to pass a chilled and unopened bottle to him. He drinks it straight from there, leaning forward in his seat for a better view of Mine below when he swallows. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-04 05:13 pm (UTC)Hn–
[ His ribs that side shiver, sucking in a quick breath. His quick success makes Tashiro careless and him stay close. Rather than taking the needed moment to reorient himself, Mine puts his hands on the back of his neck, pulling him in– He knees into his thigh, his stomach, and his chest. The last one lets him break away with distance and leaves Tashiro wheezing. Bent over, still, when Mine's taken his step back, he leans back in to shovel up a hook at his face. Tashiro parries.
A sheen of sweat makes the harsh stage lights reflect off of Mine's cheekbones, his collarbone and his pecs, the belt of defined muscle across his shoulder blades. Both fighters are left with a step between them again. Mine notes his own shoulders lift higher, catching his breath. Tashiro too; there's no quick winner.
After he recovers enough and before he can think—seconds for the crowd just watching from outside, it feels longer in—Mine uses the space between them again. He kicks, a hard connect to Tashiro's shinbone that's evident to hurt—the man's face twists. Up at his torso, even higher up at his head– Mine's foot reaches with apparent ease, speed and strength. Blocked and blocked. Rapidly, those technicalities devolve again. Punch traded for punch, Mine's fist rasps away at the skin and bone of Tashiro's nose. ]
Ghh! [ Tashiro's knuckles are sharp and open a cut on Mine's cheek. His head snaps back with it.
One man sways more than the other. Mine dodges an unbalanced swipe. Tashiro, lunging forward, stumbles unchecked to the other side of the ring. Mine faces his back, his own kirin rearing its front legs up at where the Nishikiyama Family's sat. He kicks Tashiro into the railing. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-04 05:34 pm (UTC)Swallowing down what concern had once arisen, Nishikiyama becomes more curious than anything. Wondering why or how Mine is capable of throwing such high kicks, or knowing when to grapple out to make space for himself. He's come far for only two weeks. Nishikiyama doesn't flinch when Tashiro's face hits the caging of the ring— a metallic clank ringing hard in the air. Skin splits vengefully there it seems, deserved for the earlier punch that'd sent Mine's head back.
Nishikiyama stands up beside Kanda. His cigarette glows orange when he takes another drag of it, fingers idly letting his sake bottle hang by the neck between them. The match will end soon. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-05 12:30 am (UTC)His arms open up around his chest to relinquish protection. Mine feels air puff warm against his upper lip. His abs squeeze every breath as he stands upright. Tashiro is essentially down for the count. Mine hears the jeers of the crowd as more than just noise. Some are happy, some are not. Kanda's is pretty clear. He raises his head in that direction. He looks at Nishikiyama. Mine swallows—probably just—spit. His Adam's apple rolls down the front of his bared throat. Heat has collected underneath his chin and the skin shines damp. He licks up a drop of sweat that rolls over his lip. Mine wants a remedy for Nishikiyama's absence in the past weeks.
Win. The simple command buzzes in his head, easy to keep to even within the trance of the brawl. Though, with the victory already sure, Mine thinks of his own desire that'd placed him in this contest. Here's proof that he wanted Nishikiyama to have: his strength, his determination, his capability. More of himself, he'd said. Maybe most—?
His face twists. Serious, decided. He breaks eye contact. Tashiro only groans when Mine grabs and flips him on his back. The scent of his own exertion mingles with the metallic tang of blood streaming down the other's face. No one'd actually counted down; the fights are over when one of the men is out for good. Mine stands above and doesn't hesitate. He drives his fist against Tashiro's jaw so hard, that his head snaps up from the ground and lolls to the other side, limp as blood splatters across the white mat. Mine's won. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-05 08:38 am (UTC)I have to go.
[ He hands Kanda the unfinished bottle of sake. ]
I want reports on Shindo and Arase’s matches. Keep tabs on anyone strong.
[ Then, he goes. He goes with the intent of meeting Mine in the back areas where a shower room and medic are present. He cuts a path through the bleachers and tables, through crowds asking about Mine and his background. He passes Kazama a smirk on his way out when he feels him and Kashiwagi looking. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-06 09:27 am (UTC)Newly minted realization'd overcome him when he struck Tashiro's already bloody face. In the street, they'd just scrambled away before they couldn't walk anymore. He can do this, too. Remorse gets shut away behind the shower door.
Without the thought that Nishikiyama'd left the arena when he did, Mine doesn't expect him there. Almost like he's back on the stage, where he's had to squint against blinding lights, Mine looks at him and checks his expression. He's confident enough to think that it's satisfaction. Pushed back but not fixed by anything, his hair swoops down and hangs into his face when Mine bows his head. The cool water's left him with a duller sheen than the heat spread across his body in the ring. In matte, the colors of his tattoo peeking over his shoulders are still bright, though. A towel cuts the image off at the kirin's hind legs. ]
Boss– [ Mine doesn't know what to say—but it's the end of their time forced apart. He stands up. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-06 11:21 am (UTC)He's run out of his cigarette. With Mine there across from him, droplets of cool water rolling over skin that's blooming mauve in spots from bruises. His eyes go to the tattooed streaks of gold and red on his shoulders when Mine bends, catching only a glimpse of the colors before Mine is upright once more. His lashes cast a little lower with his focus. ]
You won. [ And the reward for doing so is implied.
The expression on the young patriarch's face is unlike what he often shows on it and only Mine is here to witness. Satisfied is a word that matches. More than that though, he wants something from Mine— something, he thinks, in one glance that Mine will understand without him needing to speak aloud. ]
Are you okay?
[ Before hurrying out with him, he refers to the injuries. Manners. Where he is now, Nishikiyama can see places where Mine's skin had split, washed a light red now by the shower. They'll probably dry and start to scab over by the time he dresses himself. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-06 01:25 pm (UTC)[ Praise. That's why he did it. There's no more noble reason—how, when the terms of the fight itself are explicit. Mine notes the remnant smell of blood and sweat on him, not having taken the time to scrub, mixing with that of still just-warm tobacco. The invisible cloak of Nishikiyama's close presence. Now he revels in the moment, pause he couldn't take in the ring even in view of his triumph, heard over speakers.
All because privacy between them had been hidden away behind demands made of tonight. There is something that will have made worth Nishikiyama's absence, Mine's deprivation. The patriarch's gaze promises. Mine meets it, matches it. He wants to give more than his victory in the Coliseum. ]
I'm fine. [ The next day or two'll see scrapes and bruises darken, but for now. Hair gets pushed back out of his face again. He'll get dressed. Hope is that Nishikiyama can skip watching the other two fights– he's here right now. Isn't Arase's already happening? ]
We can leave. [ Mine thinks so. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-06 01:44 pm (UTC)[ Shindo and Arase are queued to follow. Though Nishikiyama doesn't say anything about his plans, he figures that Mine has caught on. He watches the hanging shorter pieces of Mine's hair get combed back and flat against his head. They stay matted down for a while, but their weight makes them fall the same way Nishikiyama's do without hair product. Nishikiyama hasn't seen him so unstyled before. ]
The other families needed to see that from you. It was good.
[ It's small talk. Nishikiyama drifts closer to the doorway and leans his back against one of the walls. His readiness to leave is apparent while Mine dresses himself. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-06 03:35 pm (UTC)Compulsively, while getting dressed, Mine keeps pushing his hair back, until the remaining product that didn't get washed out lets it sit in some way like his normal style. Still, unusually lose. He's aware of Nishikiyama's eyes on him, they barely wander. ]
I did it for you. [ Mine's pretend to be nowhere in particular, honest but reserving something, knowing that Nishikiyama's comment hadn't been meant for much. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-06 03:49 pm (UTC)Thought so. [ His throat tightens. ] —That's fine, though. I like it better that way.
[ Then, embarrassment. Should he have even said so? Mine's face is still handsome when he looks up to see it again, and Nishikiyama's mouth pulls with some uncertainty. He tries running the moment over, deliberately leaving no room or pause for Mine to linger too long on the sentiment. ]
You done? Hurry up, let's go somewhere else.
no subject
Date: 2024-02-07 09:12 am (UTC)Mine doesn't go searching for the look that avoids him, though. Same tightness, presumably, that squeezes Nishikiyama's throat settles beneath his breastbone. He couldn't say anything in between if the other man let him, frankly, finding himself wound around the sensation. Having another reason isn't unwelcome; he feels strange and flighty.
Nishikiyama's impatience helps– ] Yes, [ Somewhere else means something this time. Mine slides his tie up tight against the collar, replacing the other feeling. ] Let's go.