for @doggonemad

[throughbamboo]

just bros being bros

Comments

[throughbamboo]

[wow, shit sure happened. Sure hope no cops come along to arrest anyone!!

There's nothing more to be done for now and so, Saejima decides that's the perfect time to go take a smoke. Not by himself, hopefully - he meets Majima's eye and tips his head in silent invitation when he announces what he's doing, before he heads for the way out.

He doesn't go far, just somewhere nearby - and somewhere he can sit, as the adrenaline starts to fade and the aches and pains begin to set in. A satisfying feeling, the kind that comes with a good fight . . . but also - fuck, he's really getting old]

[doggonemad]

[ the first thing he did once he was able to was call his lawyer.

And it's a damn good thing he did, because the police were out for blood. Not that it was his fault that the yakuza world imploded yet again. His ass was fairly covered, since it was obvious that he was a victim in all of this and, thank fuck, Kurosawa's plan to frame the Majima Family didn't come to fruition thanks to Kiryu-chan and the others.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much else they could really do for Kiryu, and his involvement was very, very public. With Saejima, however . . . between Kurosawa's meddling and Kosaka's testimony, Majima's lawyer believed that something could be done there. And what else was all this fucking money for if not to throw at lawyers when shit hits the fan?

So when Saejima gives him the silent invite, Majima hesitates only briefly, glancing down at his phone for any urgent messages — jesus christ, he needs to give Nishida one hell of a bonus soon — and then pockets it, trudging along after him quietly. ]

[throughbamboo]

[despite his convictions, Saejima really doesn't want to go back to prison. So when Majima gets his lawyer involved he can't help but feel some measure of relief. He'll still protest it - it's the right thing to do, at least in his eyes - but his bro has always been the smarter one. And if he says there's a chance, then he'll believe it.

He pauses as he pulls his cigarettes from his pockets, eyes giving Majima a good once-over as he follows him out. Watching the way he moves, looking for any sign of injury he might not be addressing . . . cataloging the similarities and differences like he did the first time around, when they had the time to just exist in the same space for a little while.

He shakes a cigarette loose and pulls it free, then offers the pack to Majima]

[doggonemad]

[ He's moving more slowly now that the adrenaline is gone and the pain has set in. Not just from his fight with Saejima — which was, at least, a nice cherry on top of his shit sundae, and if he had to die in this whole mess, he couldn't have imagined a better way — but also from Kurosawa and his goons after they'd chained him up like an animal.

He hadn't felt that demeaned since . . . shit, back when Shimano was alive? Or maybe even further back, when Sagawa still liked to yank on his dirtbag ponytail like a leash.

It hurts, sure, but there's not much to be done for it. So instead, he makes his way over and plops down next to him, taking a cigarette from the pack. ]

— thanks.

[ and then takes out his lighter, offering it to him. ]

[throughbamboo]

[he grunts his own thanks and takes the lighter, lighting his cigarette and taking a long, slow drag before handing the lighter back.

He lets it out just as slowly, tipping his head back to look up at the sky. He lets the quiet stretched out for a few minutes, going over the frankly fucking insane last few days. There's a lot he could say.

He hums softly and takes another pull]

Knew ya were still alive. I got a couple'a "I told ya so"s to hand out later.

[casually, like he'll actually do that. But he won't, because that isn't the part that actually matters]

[doggonemad]

[ He lights his own cigarette, and— there it is.

It takes everything in him to not wince at that. ]

. . . Yeah, well. [ takes a drag. ] Figured ya'd know better'n anyone else.

[throughbamboo]

Yer damn right.

[it comes out a little softer, but no less certain. He watches the smoke from his cigarette float upwards]

Would'a got down here sooner if I could.

[doggonemad]

[ The softness makes him glance down at the ground, brows furrowing somewhat. ]

Was hopin' ta keep ya out of this shit. Figures it'd all blow up.

[throughbamboo]

[that makes him glance over, frowning]

Ya really thought that'd keep me out of it?

[doggonemad]

[ Just because he slept some doesn't mean he sleeps for awhile. Eventually, in the morning, Majima manages to crawl out of bed, trying not to disturb Saejima, and goes off to do a few things.

First, he shuffles down the hall and flips on the heat, finally. Sometimes, he remembers that he's not nineteen and dirt poor anymore and he can afford to indulge in modern conveniences like heating his swanky-ass penthouse suite. Then, after pulling his robe on again, he calls Minami to bring in something for breakfast — because if he doesn't feel like making shit, there's no way in hell he's asking his bro to do that.

And then, once the heat has kicked on, he flops down on the couch, arms spread out as he stares up at the ceiling.

What a fuckin' week. ]

[throughbamboo]

[it's a little after that Saejima stirs, or rather - his eyes snap open and he waits for the guards come by to wake everyone else up. Except they aren't coming this time and he doesn't have to be awake, but twenty-five years have ingrained it into him so deeply that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep even if he wanted to.

He gets up as he thinks about the last few days. Looks around the room, a little at a loss because it isn't a rush to get going and he isn't being yelled at about what to do next. It's fuckin' weird, and he has to let it sink in.

He stands there for a good couple of minutes. Then, with a grumbled "Shit." he rubs at his face and slips out of the room]

[doggonemad]

[ kicks his feet in the air when he hears the door open. ]

Yoooo, bro. Food's comin' real soon.

[throughbamboo]

- yeah?

[god, that's surreal.

He wanders over to the couch to sit down too] Mornin'.

[doggonemad]

[ keeps his legs up long enough for Saejima to sit down, then lowers them across his lap. ]

Mornin'. Ya warm enough?

[throughbamboo]

[also surreal, but familiar. His lips twitch, and he waits for Majima to settle before resting his hands on his legs]

Pretty warm. Did ya turn on the heat?

[doggonemad]

Yup. Thermostat's in the hall over thataway.

[ waves a hand idly in one direction. ]

So if I forget ta turn it on an' yer cold, go for it.

[throughbamboo]

Fancy.

. . . yer better off controllin' that.

[throughbamboo]

[he doesn't really intend to nap himself, perfectly fine with sitting there and being Majima's pillow and furnace. As his bro is falling asleep, he's careful when he pulls out his phone to quickly ("""quickly""") fumble the ringer to vibrate, then tosses it to the other end of the couch. His bro wants to sleep, he'll make sure he gets it.

But it's comfortable. And it isn't like he sleeps great, either. And before he knows it, he's falling asleep too, head tipped to rest lightly against Majima's]

[doggonemad]

[ normally, in this sort of situation, he'd get a lot of sleep. normally.

unfortunately, with the whole getting shot and then faking his own death and running around behind the scenes to try and nail the mastermind to the wall, his everything is kind of fucked. it then becomes all too easy for the nightmares to seep in.

the knife plunging at his eye. the laughter from his captors as he braces himself for another round with the hot pokers. sagawa's hand stroking at his chin. shimano grabbing him by the neck roughly—

his eye snaps open as he inhales sharply, staring ahead. it takes everything in him to will himself not to move as he realizes where he is and who he's with. ]

[throughbamboo]

[his arm shifts to tighten around him a bit as he stirs, rumbling out a soft, curious noise. Is he awake? Is he still asleep? Who knows, because he doesn't move otherwise]

[doggonemad]

[ part of him is comforted, and part of him is crawling out of his skin.

what the hell is wrong with him.

Majima dips his head, closing his eye tightly for a moment as if to will the adverse feelings away before he starts to try to pull away so he can get up. ]

[throughbamboo]

[he doesn't try to stop him, moving his arm to rest on the back of the couch instead. He cracks an eye open to watch him]

[doggonemad]

[ paces for about a minute before stalking off to the balcony. ]

[throughbamboo]

[. . .

He rubs at his face with both hands, muttering out a curse when his neck protests the way he was napping. The balcony gets a long look before he decides fuck it and gets up to follow, though he doesn't step out, just cracks the door open enough to see if he's - well, not all right, but]

Majima?

[doggonemad]

[ he's already lit up a cigarette, staring out at Kamurocho below them. ]

Sorry ta wake ya, bro.