Drabble 04 | Save Me

[toremainbehind]

Inspired by the prompts: Sacrifice, Trust, Breathe Again

When Izumo was younger, he often heard stories of those who tried to break free from the lives they were born in. He heard stories of adventure, of broken trust and broken friendships. Often, he thought, these people were stupid; no one would be able to actually accomplish breaking free from a life they had only ever known.

No one would be willing to give up that part of themselves.

Yet, as he stood behind the counter of the bar he ended up purchasing (much to the urging from Totsuka), he watched these people make a chaotic scene. They were loud, unusually so, and their bonds were formed from their similar pasts. All of them had been recruited by the Red King, the head of another assassin group who could honestly care less about going out and actually doing his job. They were a group of people that didn't seem to match or blending in perfectly to become a single person.

A myriad of personalities that would never seem to make sense to him.

He could feel his right shoulder blade aching, stinging with the scar his new King - was it safe to call him 'friend'? - had given him when they first met. A painful reminder of their meeting which ended with both of them being bloody and bruised for weeks after - it was also the first time Izumo had ever held so much respect for someone.

Though, somehow, he should have expected Mikoto to be an arsonist, recalling how the redhead had him on the ground while he burned Izumo's shoulder blade with a lighter.

Shaking his head, Izumo shifted his gaze away from the group of boys when he heard the stairs creak. Upon seeing his brother, he simply gave a nod, a silent assurance everything was all right.

They had been with HOMRA for four years now, but some things had never changed.

It took them that same exact amount of time before their ability to trust again could be properly formed; though, Izumo still, admittedly, had troubles with this from time to time.

He watched Fujishima walk over to greet Eric happily, causing his brother to shrink back slightly before he mumbled out a greeting in return. Izumo felt that ember of annoyance flickering inside of him, but he turned away, knowing that Fujishima was good for Eric - it helped his brother to slowly adjust to the world they were now suddenly living in.

Izumo gave another nod when Eric gave him a look when Fujishima asked him a question, earning a nod in return. He smiled, waving to the group as they finally began to file out of the bar, their voices still loud even when the door shut behind them.

Sighing, he glanced over to the side when he heard the phone ring before lifting his gaze when he sensed another presence still lingering in the bar. Upon seeing Mikoto's inquisitive gaze, Izumo simply smiled at him. It earned him a slow blink and a nod before the redhead turned away as Izumo answered the call.

"Hello?"

It wasn't a life Izumo imagined himself to be living, not working as an informant and definitely not as a barkeep to a group of men who seemed to be unsuited for such a lifestyle. However, it eased the tension off of Izumo's shoulders, and when he heard the door open, seeing Totsuka coming in, he knew it wasn't a life he would change.

This was his life now - this was his family.