I'll Save You (Mikey x Reader)

Episode 43: Rise Against

2006:

As soon as we arrived at the hospital, we were immediately sent to the morgue.

We were five minutes away from the hospital when Emma had died. Even if we ran, we wouldn't have made it in time.

I looked down at the girl, as tears dripped down my face, seeing her covered in a white blanket on a metal table.

"I'm so sorry, Emma!" I cried. "I should've killed that Kisaki bastard when I had the chance. The amount of fun times and sleepover's he's robbed us of... I swear, I'll protect Mikey, just as you asked."

I bowed to my friend, before leaving the room and closing the door behind me.

As I looked back up, I realized that I was standing in front of Draken, who wore a panicked look on his face.

"Emma, where is she?"

My voice got caught in my throat, so I just pointed to the door behind me, before taking a seat next to Mikey.

He was slumped against the wall, as he blankly stared at the ground, still processing Emma's death. With tears in my eyes, I sat next to the boy, pulling his head to rest in the crook of my neck.

There's nothing in the world that I can do to help ease his pain, but I can at least keep my promise to Emma by protecting him.

Takemichi walked out of the room, giving Draken a minute alone with Emma. He seemed like he was about to say something, but thought twice once I had shaken my head.

"Draken..." The First Division captain stood up, as our friend left the viewing room.

"Mikey, come outside for a minute."

The boy stood up without a word, following the tattooed male outside.

***

Worried about what the two were about to do, Takemichi and I followed them.

"What happened?" Draken calmly asked Mikey.

"..."

"How did this happen?" The tattooed boy clenched his fist, before punching his best friend. "You were there, so how did this happen? Hey... Mikey! What the hell were you doing, you piece of shit?!"

"Knock it off, Draken!" I shouted. "It wasn't his fault!"

Takemichi dropped to his hands and knees, bowing so low that his head smacked the pavement. "It was my fault! I was closest to her, but I failed to protect her! It's not Mikey's fault, it's my fault!" He slightly raised his head. "If you're going to blame anyone, blame me!"

"I'm to blame, too!" I raised my voice, as more tears flowed out of my (e/c) eyes. "We ran into Izana Kurokawa at Shinichiro's grave, and Mikey told us to get Emma away from there. She was my responsibility too!"

"No, he left you and Emma in my care!" Takemichi argued. "So, you're hitting the wrong guy when you hit Mikey!"

Draken didn't even care about hearing the truth, as he continued to bash my boyfriend's face in, before picking him up by the collar of his uniform. "I thought you made Toman, so you could protect all of us!"

"Draken, stop it!" I shouted, as he continued to deliver right hook after left hook to Mikey's face.

I went as far as grabbing one of the tattooed boy's arms, while Takemichi grabbed the other, in an attempt to restrain him, but neither of us were strong enough.

"Pah got arrested!"

"What the hell are you talking about, Draken?!" I tried to pull on his arm, but that wasn't enough, since he still used it to punch Mikey.

Pah was arrested because of his decisions and Kisaki's plan to manipulate him. There's nothing any of us could've done to stop that.

"And Baji died! Kazutora got arrested too!"

Takemichi and I watched with horrified stares, as Toman's commander was knocked to the ground.

"Mikey!"

"Get off!" Draken elbowed Takemichi in the face, before knocking me backwards. "And now, Emma..." He was the only one left standing, as the rest of us laid on the ground. Tears began to pour from his eyes, as he broke down. "Even Emma..."

"Get a hold... of yourself... Draken," the First Division captain panted. "The Draken I know... The Draken I know has it in him... to overcome this and accept what's happened."

Like he's one to talk. At least he was able to go back in time to save the girl he loves. We don't have the luxury of that.

-Inside the Morgue-

I sat beside Mikey, keeping a hand on his back as he stayed frozen like a statue.

Takemichi marched over to us, kneeling down. "Mikey... I realize... It's inconsiderate to talk about this now, but... today's our showdown with Tenjiku. Without your orders, Mikey, we can't make our move. Mikey... the one who killed Emma was... Kisaki. Knowing him, he'd done something cunning to make sure he didn't get caught. I'll fight Tenjiku, even if I have to do it alone."

And just like that, the First Division captain was gone.

I rested my head on my boyfriend's shoulder, as I stared at the ground.

It all just seems so pointless now. People are dying, and it wouldn't have happened if we never formed this stupid gang!

Why do I still fight? Is it so I remember my father's teachings, or is it because it's the only way I'll be able to stay around my friends. Am I that scared of being left behind?

Maybe these questions are the reason I quit Toman in the future.