(Untitled)

[p_reservation]

[As he waited on the pink haired samurai to finish his phone call, he wondered exactly just how much longer things were going to take. He wasn't exactly comfortable in public, and standing near the alleyway with his hat brim lowered over his eyes was the only temporary solution he had to the position he had found himself in. Yukimi was busy with

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[death_flowers]

[Raikou felt a little awkward around Yoite. It was as if his jokes fell on deaf ears, and maybe they really did. Raikou was talking rather animatedly with Gau, his voice occasionally falling to a whisper. Whenever his voice lowered so much that Yoite couldn't hear him, his eyes flicked up to watch the boy. Raikou laughed and told Gau he'd call later, closing his phone with a snap.]

"Are you ready, Yoite-kun?"

[p_reservation]

[After several moments, he finally glanced to the side to look up at the pink haired man with a slight nod, pushing himself off the wall to go stand near him. He didn't catch everything that was said, but he had learned to mask his growing deafness with reading lips.] "...Find out anything?"

[death_flowers]

[Yoite's growing skill in lip reading was easily masked by Raikou turning away at appropriate moments, or covering his mouth. Raikou shook his head, feigning a discouraged expression.]

"Gau's waiting for Yukimi. He got caught up in something." [That was a lie - Gau and Yukimi had already met up. However, Raikou wasn't quite sure what to say.] "We'll catch up with them later, after we're done. He briefed me on the basics, since he phoned Yukimi."

[Raikou glanced around, looking for something to distract Yoite.] "Come on, Yoite-kun. I'm hungry." [He pointed to a small restaurant selling something - probably takoyaki. Without waiting for his temporary partner, Raikou went to investigate. He snuck a peek over his shoulder to see if Yoite was going to come along with him. And if he didn't, everyone would be treated to Raikou's very loud voice to get Yoite's attention.]

[p_reservation]

[Listening to what the pink haired man had to say, he nodded once again before turning to follow in toe behind the samurai. It only took a few moments to get to the restaurant, glancing to the side to watch Raikou's facial expressions. He wondered if something had held Yukimi up. He always was late for important rendezvous.] "...I wonder what's keeping Yukimi this time."

[death_flowers]

[Raikou smiled at the woman working the counter. He requested two orders of takoyaki and held one out to Yoite, then sat down on a nearby bench.]

"Oh, well you know Yukimi. He'll be around soon enough. Go on, eat. Yukimi says you need to keep up your strength." [This was really just an excuse to get Yoite to sit down and appreciate what was around him. Even if he couldn't taste the food, maybe it would arouse his appetite a little if he could smell it. Raikou was worried about Yoite more often than he let on.]

[p_reservation]

[Looking at the outstretched offer, he paused another moment before taking it in both gloved hands and returning to the table the pink haired man had picked out for them. Sitting across from the samurai, he poked one of the steaming circular balls and without waiting for it to cool, popped it into his mouth whole. After a few long chews, he digested it and poked the second one on the tray, momentarily glancing up towards Raikou in thought.] "...Why are you so concerned about me?"

[death_flowers]

[Raikou blew on a piece of takoyaki before popping it into his mouth whole. Just because Yoite could eat them while they were still steaming didn't mean he could. He paused, waiting until he had chewed and swallowed to speak again.] "Yukimi said you're my responsibility when he's not around. So I'm doing that. Go on, eat."

[Truth be told, there was more to it than that. Raikou was worried about how Yoite felt, and how much time he had left. But he would never say those words.] "If you pass out because you haven't eaten enough, Yukimi will never let it go."

[p_reservation]

[Already finished with the third takoyaki ball and moving onto the fourth, he glanced over to the pink haired man once more before finishing up his meal. He glanced down to the now empty tray, noticing that Raikou wasn't nearly half done, but as much was to be expected. He was somewhat used to Yukimi shoveling food and kicking the door in as they sped off in his green mini towards the next place Hattori needed them to investigate. He wasn't exactly sure why Raikou was taking care of him, Yukimi's orders or not. It felt awkward at best, but he had never been socially outspoken to voice such thoughts.] "...Thank you for the meal."

[death_flowers]

[Raikou took a bit more time with his food than Yoite did, it seemed. He liked to savor his meals, but could understand that wasn't always the case with Yoite.]

"Finished already? You want some more?" [Raikou took another bite of takoyaki and disappeared, returning with two more servings, and two cans of green tea. Yoite could eat them all if he liked. He had heard rumors from Yukimi complaining about the food bill since taking Yoite in. It must be a side effect of using Kira because Yoite sure didn't show any of that food he ate.] "You're welcome, Yoite. How's Miharu doing?" [Raikou asked as he sat down again, opening one of the cans of tea.]

[p_reservation]

[Watching the pink haired man for a few moments, he glanced to the new serving of food and instinctively picked up the new tray, repeating the previous process with second nature. After a mouthful of savory takoyaki, he reached for the green tea can and opened it, drinking for it for a moment before returning it to the table counter. He really didn't understand why the samurai was so charitable, but he assumed it was this sort of nature that made Gau so attached to him. When the subject changed, he took pause to consider his words.] "...Miharu has been well enough. He reads the newpaper when Yukimi receives them and eats when Yukimi orders take out."

[death_flowers]

[This wasn't something Raikou thought about either. Things like what he was doing now were nothing more than instinct. It was the same as protecting Gau or Raimei. Yoite, for all his abilities, needed to be protected as well.]

"I'm glad. He needs to keep his strength up too." [Raikou couldn't help but think how fragile all these kids were. He wanted to be able to see them grow up and get stronger, but Raikou was afraid that wasn't a possibility for everyone. That sentiment was definitely best left unsaid.] "Do you think he'll want to go out soon? I bet he's getting bored of sitting around Yukimi's place."

[p_reservation]

[When he was done with the second tray of food and halfway done with the can of green tea, he shifted his gaze back to his pink haired companion.] "...Yukimi told him to stay behind. He might be safer there than in public right now."

[Regardless of they were currently in the front world, they had both been trained to expect attacks revolving around Nabari at any place and given time. He hoped that one such confrontation revolving Miharu could be avoided.]

[death_flowers]

[Raikou had finished his first tray of food, and started on the second, but left it within Yoite's reach in case he wanted more.] "Yukimi's probably right. I just can't see Miharu willingly staying put for so long. Yukimi and I can protect him, and you'll be there too."

[He had seen the way Yoite looked at Miharu, and vice versa. There was no way those two wouldn't protect each other until the very end. Raikou's lips curved into a slight smile. He was happy Yoite had found someone he could be so close to, even though the end was unavoidable.]

[p_reservation]

[Watching the pink haired mans face for a few moments, he glanced away. He wasn't accustomed to other people wanting to protect him. Throughout his entire existence, he had been ridiculed and belittled. Words no longer affected him, having grown used to such terms as "Death God" and "murderer" from a young age. It still hurt sometimes, when Yukimi and him would get into a verbal spat. He knew Yukimi didn't actually mean half the terms he spewed in the heat of the moment, but somewhere, subconsciously, it still pained him hearing such things come from the older blonde man. He usually would chide his head and walk away, opting to respond in silence

[death_flowers]

[Raikou would stand by and wait for Yoite and Miharu to need his help. He couldn't simply ignore them. Miharu was important for Hattori's cause, but he was important to the world of Nabari as a whole.]

"You're planning to go against Hattori?" [Raikou tried to look surprised, but maybe not as surprised as he should.] "I hope you're prepared for what it means." [Raikou turned away and took a drink of tea, composing himself before speaking again.]

"You know who Gau and I are. You know what we'll have to do. I don't want it to come to that."

[p_reservation]

[Fixing the pink haired man with an intense look, he kept his mouth closed. Of course it would be wrong to tell Raikou about how he and Miharu were planning to run away from Kairoshuu, if things came down to it. It was by Yukimi's good graces things had continued to work out as smoothly as they had thus far. He didn't exactly trust the pink haired samurai, considering his position within Kairoshuu and his loyalty to Hattori. He knew that man couldn't be trusted. Even if he had saved Gau's life, because Raikou was too weak to do anything about the problem himself, a favor such as turning a blind eye wouldn't ever be an option. He never wanted anyone's help to begin with. He didn't need anyone's help, now that he had Miharu and the majority of the hijitsu's were within their reach. They would take the right precautions they needed to ensure their survival for that much longer and when they were out of the city, if it came down to it, they would never look back. He would help Miharu become the King of Nabari, as he promised. And in