#᛭ — [IC] the unwanted will burn the world [IZANA KUROKAWA]

[deathfavor]

@raytm said: " judge me all you want, but this blanket fort has brought me more peace than anything else in my entire life. " rindou to izana 😔🙌

blanket fort prompts

Izana stares at the arrangement of pillows and blankets that take up part of the living room of the Haitani's places. Evidently Rindou had not expected anyone to be coming over — least of all Izana. Or, at least so Izana would assume. He doubted it would have been created if Rindou had known he'd been coming over. But he can respect Rindou's quick recover after the initial exchange of surprised stares when Izana had walked in and Rindou had peeked his head out. Few would have the guts to stick with it, much less admit to it being refuge.

" Don't let Ran hear that. " Izana remarks with an audible note of amusement, watching as Rindou disappears back under the safety of blankets and into the refuge he's created for himself. " I think he'd find a way to both be insulted and tease you for it. " Izana does not plan to tell.

He's struck by a memory he hasn't thought about in a very long time as he gazes at Rindou's fort, one that is bittersweet on his tongue. He remembers making one with Kakucho, huddling inside their castle. Izana had thought it was stupid to call something so flimsy a castle, but Kakucho had been beaming from ear to ear. And in the end, Izana had relented it to calling it their castle in the orphanage. As silly as it was, it was one of the coziest moments, just like the igloo they'd made. Izana takes a few steps closer to Rindou's refuge and crouches down outside the entrance of it.

What leaves Izana is not mockery or judgement.

" Can I come in? " He asks, surprising himself with his own words despite the fact he'd spoken them. And in the fact he asked lies the distinction. This is is Izana rather than the King of Tenjiku. To outsiders, he doubts there would be a visible difference. But there are small nuances, a softer side the subtly shows when he temporarily lets the crown rest in his lap rather than on his head. He gives Rindou a genuine choice that will be respected. " My shoes and coat are already at the door. " He adds, like he already anticipates a scolding if he's allowed entrance.

( It will, inevitably, be a moment only they know of and that Izana will not mention on his own in the future. )

[deathfavor]

@kyukicho said: ❛ how long has it been since you've slept? ❜ KakuIza

random assortment of sentence starters

The music has become nothing but a pulsing in his ears, like a heart still beating in his hands. It's noisy - it MUST be noisy because there's alcohol and drugs and music and too many people crammed together on the dancefloor under color changing lights. It all feels so far away though, like he's observing it through a haze that he can't quite break. Or that he doesn't want to break. Izana exhales ; lets his head fall back against the cushions.

None of this does anything. He still feels the dark tar in his chest cavity. It spreads and-

Izana's eyes blink, staring up at a concerned looking Kakucho whose practically caged him against the sofa. If it was anyone else, Izana would have beaten them for daring such a move. But it isn't just anyone. He takes a moment, his brain struggling to catch up with what Kakucho had actually said despite hearing it.

" I don't know. " He doesn't particularly care at the moment either. Kakucho won't like that reply. He narrows his eyes for a moment before they relax again and he turns his head to the side with a subtle sigh. " It's been a while. " Probably two days now, but he wasn't sure on that.

[deathfavor]

@ashrifts said: 🍻+ “ do you regret letting me close ?” for izana :)

send 🍻 + a question for my muse's drunken (honest) answer

It would be hard for most people to realize that Izana's gone past his limits with alcohol. It isn't a new thing, but it also isn't something that is common either. Normally he drinks just enough to relax and escape his head. Tonight he's gone well past that though his steady gaze doesn't show the typical signs of drunkenness. But he needs out, it's too loud and crowded and the fun from the first hour is replaced by misery. He turns and there's a subtle wobble, quickly fixed but evidently not quick enough when a familiar presence manifests by his side. His head pounds as he leans against Ran and he makes his intentions clear. Outside. At least for a bit. Sometimes he leaves when he takes these breaks, sometimes he goes back. He's a stubborn king who yields to no one but himself and even that is debatable at times.

The night air is welcoming against his flushed skin but the idea of being in the open makes his skin crawl. It doesn't matter when there's the luxury car they arrived in - but Izana kicks the driver out with an order to come back in an hour and promptly crawls into the back of the limo where its blissfully quiet and the leather is cool. He beckons Ran to sit and then decides to drop his head onto his lap. The rest of the world is kicked out and rejected - but the king allows one of his to remain. If Rindou was present, he would have him too. But he'd been busy with the music last that Izana could recall in his foggy memory. His eyes slip close - and then the question.

Wisteria eyes open, staring sideways at the other side of the car while the question sinks in with a heavy weight. He rolls onto his back instead, white locks splayed across the black fabric of Ran's outfit while he stares up at the oldest of the Haitani brothers. Does he regret it?

" Sometimes. " Izana finally answers, very quiet despite the silence the car offers them and knowledge they cannot be heard from outside the car. Rubatosis overtakes him as he stares at Ran. He does not owe any further explanation. He didn't even owe an answer. But alcohol has loosened his lips and truth he'd otherwise keep buried under the floorboards of his heart has now been shared. " I don't. But sometimes I do. I don't want you to leave. Or Rindou. Or Kakucho. Or Mucho, or Mocchi, or even Shion. " He laughs, pained and raw like a dying animal when the ugly admission comes clawing past his teeth like a traitor. He can hear his own breath shaking and his head falls to the side, cheek pressed to Ran's thigh.

" I don't think I could handle it. That scares me. " Izana whispers, and he can feel the frantic pace his heart races to at the thought. Can Ran feel it? How it jumps? " I said I'd never let anyone hurt me like the incident that led to what I did to end up in juvie. " He has never spoken of it, not even to those closest to him. " That might. I regret it at times for that reason. " It is what had also given life to the idea that if nothing else, he could always rule through fear to ensure obedience. As long as they listened...as long as they didn't abandon him...

Izana's head turns back towards Ran, lips parted slightly. " Not always though. " Izana doesn't remember the name for the feeling that claws at him with a demand to make this, too, known. Once he'd known it more, but it had been strangled in the night like his old self, yet now it rises from its grave in his chest. " You make me happy. " And it feels like a self-inflicted murder to say the words, because one part of him loathes the admission and the other demands to say before he forgets again. " Warm. When we're all together. " He blinks, frowns as though something has upset him, and then speaks again. " But also just you. As Ran Haitani. I think sometimes you know me more than I know me. You keep the abyss away even without knowing it. "

Izana reaches a hand out for one of Ran's, fingers graceful even when slowed by the alcohol, and then links their pinkies together like that childish promise in juvie before Tenjiku had formed. He stares for a long minute, not saying anything more but just lingering like that before looking up to Ran's face to see his reaction. " Can we just stay here a bit more? " And even drunk, Izana knows his word is law - but he also does not intend to force Ran to stay here where it feels like layers of him are being peeled away if he'd prefer the fun of the party inside.

[deathfavor]

@soulsballad said: “Oh no… it said teaspoon, not tablespoon.” ( from ran, for izana! )

Give Izana a list of names of people to ruin and he could have it done in a few hours max. Give him a situation where he needed to make the police dance like marionettes for him and it would be done with all the ease of someone who held the title of King. Give Izana a recipe book...and evidentially it wouldn't help anything. Izana stares blankly at Ran and then the mixing bowl.

" . . . How badly do you think that's going to effect it? " Izana muses, peering down into the mess of ingredient

There's no easy way to fix THAT much vanilla extract as far as Izana knew. It wasn't like flour or sugar where you could potentially scoop it back up. Nope! The vanilla had already started to seep into all the other ingredients and ensure it would not be taken out of the equation unless they wanted to start the whole process over. Which probably wasn't very likely. But really, they shouldn't have been left to be the ones baking as it was.

" Do you want to start over or just keep going? " Izana squints at the bowl for a moment. " Maybe if we add more flour and chocolate chips it'll turn out fine?

Izana is silent for a few moments.

" If we continue though, I vote we make Shion try one first. " Just in case.

[deathfavor]

He just sighs.

[deathfavor]

" Is this what you all do when I'm away? "

[deathfavor]

@ashrifts said: 004. for izana! hope he has good balance

Christmas Scenery prompts 004. on an ice rink, careful to dodge the bustling crowd that stumble and rush past.

   It’s nearly the holidays, which means everywhere feels like a kicked anthill — swarms of people like angry ants flooding their surroundings. Some were out searching for last minute gifts, others were rushing for limited time events, dinner reservations, parties, or just taking in the holiday atmosphere. What do they qualify as? Izana supposes it would be the lattermost option if it had to be confined down to a singular option. 

   He’s as graceful on the ice as he is in a fight, the world falling muted for a moment as the string lights cast a warm glow over the ice rink as he slides onto the ice. He casts a knowing look towards Ran, though amusement thrives in his eyes and coats his words when he speaks. It's a rarer lighthearted tone that appears on brief occasions when it was only one or two others rather than everyone.

   “  If you were hoping to see me fail, you’ll only be disappointed.  “  Shion on the other hand – there’s a reason that Izana and Ran were on the opposite side of the ice rink.  

   It’s also less crowded over here. Occasionally the flailing person or wandering group comes gliding across the ice near to them, but it is otherwise peaceful compared to the center and entrance of the rink where people are flocked together in tight bundles and chaotic shrieks and laughter. Being in a crowd or on his own has never seemed to phase Izana ; whenever he stands is his spotlight where he shows as confident and smiling. It was as empowering as it could be terrifying once you knew his strength. ( Such was the fate of those in juvie who had thought he'd be an easy target when he first arrived with a delicate smile — and then learned otherwise when he beat them all to a blooy pulp under his fist. ) His head tilts back, his breath forming a small cloud in the air as the stars shine high above artificial light. He glances at Ran from the corner of his eye briefly before looking ahead again. 

   “  Kakucho and I used to go ice skating sometimes when we were at the orphanage. “  It isn’t often that Izana speaks of his past, and certainly not of the times before juvie. Not to anyone other than Kakucho at least. Maybe it’s a Christmas miracle in its own right that he decides to share some coveted personal information. " Sort of. " He adds as an after thought with a chuckle. " We didn't have proper skates most of the time. Mostly because we snuck out at times. Only on occasion did we 'properly' skate. "  He cracks a smile at the memory when he looks more directly towards Ran this time and then back towards the ice..

[deathfavor]

IZANA KUROKAWA has appeared! What to do?

Play Dead

Kneel Down

Punch

Feed Them

[deathfavor]

@ashrifts said: captain be honest if i contacted you through ouija board you wouldn't leave me on read right 😔

" If you ask something stupid I might. " At least he's honest about that. " But otherwise....no, I wouldn't. "

[deathfavor]

@ashrifts said: 😊 (let ran put some makeup on izana 🩷)

send 😊 for my muse's reaction to yours holding their face for some reason BONUS: ADD DETAILS & WHY

It is an honor to be allowed to lay hand upon the king. Should the wrong person attempt it, it would be a mercy to merely have all the bones in their hands crushed. Ran, however, is allowed such an honor without the need to fear retribution.

It does, admittedly, feel a bit silly with his head between Ran's hands. Lily white eyelashes flutter at the warmth that seeps from his palms, and it threatens to stir something awake that he'd long crushed under his heel like all of the people who stood in way. ( Izana stood a king among the people , untouched and far from anyone's reach , warmth forgotten in winter's frigid blizzards that he used to protect himself. To feel it now is strange. ) Wisteria eyes focus on Ran, a simple smile painted upon his face. Anyone who didn't know might think him something delicate and fragile. ( He feels like he must look like that in Ran's hands ). He remembered the snickers when entering juvie, the comments on how pretty and delicate he looked, and how quickly superiority others had felt turned to fear under him. But Ran knows better, they all know better, even when the king allows them closer. The warmth is nice.

" Ran. " Izana interrupts Ran's commentary on different looks they could go for considering the lace and leather outfit that Izana has gone for tonight. His voice doesn't raise, he isn't upset. Instead, he allows a rare, single note of genuinely soft laughter to leave his lips. Not mocking, not cruel, not cold, but warm. It is something to ease any concern that his interruption might have caused to spike. " I trust your judgement. " This is far more Ran's territory than it is his.

He lifts one hand to gently rest it against the back of Ran's left hand as it cradles his face. " Do what you think would look best in your opinion. " His touch lingers before he returns his own hand to his lap. " You know what you're doing. I'll allow it. My accessories as well you have free reign over. " It is a small act and yet the gesture is enormous - more so that even Izana himself consciously realizes. For a man who demands control of everything with bared fangs and vicious relentlessness, he now hands it to Ran without demand or constraints. As if it were natural when it is anything but to him.

[deathfavor]

@kyukicho said: [ OBSERVE ] - Izana kakucho

soft action prompts [ OBSERVE ] sender purposefully runs out into the rain without an umbrella to enjoy the storm while receiver watches.

  Few things can get past Izana’s gaze, especially when he has an uncanny ability to accurately read people’s next moves. He’s plenty aware of the fact that Kakucho is staring at the rain with a longing that almost makes him feel jealous. Which is ridiculous considering it’s just rain and nothing to compete against. What about it is appealing? Izana can’t fathom it. Rain is just manifested misery. 

  “ Kakucho? What are you- Kakucho!” 

  Even if Izana had predicted the following act, he still gawks when Kakucho races out into the heart of the rain to enjoy the storm. Izana himself remains safely tucked under the shelter of the covered walkway wondering if Kakucho's finally gone mad. Kakucho seems to be enjoying it though. Izana watches the smile that blossoms on his face and the raindrops that cling to skin and fabric. He can't fathom why someone would enjoy it so much and yet he is a witness to the fact that someone does.

For him, it's only ever brought pain to mask his tears. It tastes of pain and loneliness, of anger and sorrow raining from the sky above. Any time he's been out in the rain has always been at his worst. When he was ripped open and bleeding before Shinichiro when the ugly truth was shoved into his hands, when he'd dragged his broken body back to the orphanage before juvie. He stays away from the rain like those drops will unleash fresh sorrow onto him.

At least Kakucho is having fun.

Izana has no intention of joining his servant, but he does stand still to wait for him and bear witness to a moment of care free joy. Kakucho deserves to have that. To have joy offered so gently in a way that Izana never quite knows how to express and has to hope Kakucho understands. If he can at least watch such carefree joy, then he will gladly stand here five minutes, thiry minutes, an hour, all for Kakucho's delight.

[deathfavor]

" Kakucho ~ ( @kyukicho ) "

Izana calls for his right hand with a breathless laugh. Everything was going flawlessly. In fact, it was going even better than Izana had been prepared for. Forget conquering the gangs, Izana was conquering the entire criminal empire. And poor, broken Mikey was a very useful tool to achieving those ends. His Mikey. But right now it's just him and Kakucho and the adrenaline high of another victory whose only evidence is a splash of red against Izana's right cheekbone.

" Everything's going perfectly. " Izana wraps his arms around Kakucho's shoulders, staring directly at Kakucho with a knowing look. As if Izana wouldn't know his servant. (It's an irony he won't claim.) " What? Is something on your mind? " There's no hiding from the seemingly all seeing eyes that seek him out even when it is just them in the living room. " Is it about Kisaki? Or.... " His eyes narrow for a moment as he looks to the side. He wasn't forgetting something, was he? No. Izana's quite sure he wasn't forgetting an important date.

Fingers sink themselves in the dark hair - he remembers mentioning to Kakucho how he liked his hair like this. It's still very much true. " You seem tense. "

[deathfavor]

@kyukicho said:  Not just a scratch, reverse. KakuIza

send ' not just a scratch ' for your muse to catch my muse patching a wound in secret

" Hey Kakucho. Why did you hide those from me? "

Izana stands in the doorway of the bathroom, his arms folded across his chest as he stares at the mess. It's impossible to tell how long he might have been standing there, simply observing. It could have been a few minutes, it could have been mere seconds. He could be the silent observer when he chose to be.

Wisteria eyes fall to survey the injuries, his jaw clenching subtly. It would take a more than a keen eye to notice the gesture ; only those who knew him well had any hope of even perceiving the small detail and change in his otherwise impassive expression. So this is where Kakucho had disappeared to. As if a king wouldn't notice when something was amiss with his servants, much less the most loyal of them.

" Sit down. " He points at the closed toilet, finally pushing off of the doorframe and walking into the bathroom to fetch the usual medical supplies. It only made sense that he had them on hand considering the amount of fighting that happened. They might be HARD to hit, but anyone could be injured. ( Admittedly, it was most often Shion. Shion had a strong offensive skill but his defense was pathetic. They'd all had some wounds here and there though over time. ) He holds out a hand, curling his fingers in a give me motion towards the bandaging Kakucho had in his hand.

It's only once it's given that he speaks again. " I'll patch you up. Now tell me why you didn't say anything. "

[deathfavor]

@ashrifts said: After the years they’ve spent together, there’s no one in Tenjiku who wouldn’t be used to the eccentricities of the Haitani brothers — but the knowledge of its existence does not grant them the foresight to predict when and how it’ll manifest, much less how to react to it: today, it’s Ran strutting into the warehouse with a suspicious, large sack carried over his shoulder. The pom pom hanging off the black Santa hat on his head bounces with each step, equally dark fur-lined costume snugly tied with a gold designer belt around his waist, the heels of his leather boots loudly clicking against the floor, looking less Santa Claus and more runway model. 

“Captain,” he greets with a tilt of the head, then unceremoniously drops the sack in front of Izana. He opens it with exaggerated flourish, revealing a pile of wrapped presents — and with a mischievous glint in his eyes, he takes one out and nonchalantly holds it away from them both before opening the lid.

A red rubber boxing glove immediately springs out of the box, aiming for a face that would’ve eagerly been leaning down to see the surprise inside the present. Ran pushes it back down when he closes the lid, then opens another colorful box at random to reveal an innocent bag of candy sitting at the bottom of it. A gift sack full of pleasant and unpleasant Christmas surprises.

Ran grins and holds another Santa hat towards Izana.

“Want to help me hand these out and see whose luck is worse?”

The holidays are never something that seem to be capable of passing by quietly. Izana knows its only a matter of time for an exorbitant display from Ran in some form or another to be displayed. He has his guesses to what might occur, but Ran is not so boring as to be easily predictable in these sorts of things. So even Izana is surprised when Ran comes strutting in to where he's currently seated with papers and notes. ( Izana is king, but he is far from uninvolved. He leads as much as he commands. ) He's not surprised by the outfit, but rather by the large sack carried over his shoulder. It's suspiciously generous appearing.

" Ran. " Izana greets in turn, one leg cross over the other while he observes the sack dropped in front of him like a cat's offering from a hunt. That is rather akin to the feeling that this situation creates. Izana does not disrupt the theatrical presentation that Ran puts on for him while showcasing the bag full of gifts. Again, far too generous seeming to not raise suspicions. The suspicions are only reaffirmed with the oh-so-familiar gleam of mischief in purple eyes and Izana sits a bit straighter with interest.

It's comical and he can imagine several victims to such a prank. ( Which is funnier - the lack of reaction or overreaction - has yet to be decided in his mind. ) Izana makes no effort to peer into the second box, but Ran's tilting shows that this one is harmless. The generous amount of gifts makes far more sense now.

Wisteria colored eyes shift from the bags of gifts to Ran and the dangling hat being offered. A devious, child-like delight flares in his eyes despite his otherwise usual composure as he listens to the offer. His decision is given even before he speaks. Izana hops up, snatching the offered hat and placing it upon his own snowy locks.

" Sure. " Izana agrees with a grin, standing up to join Ran in his gift-giving endeavor. " This will be fun. " He laughs, easy and light despite the mischief the two of them are up to.

[deathfavor]

survival starter call | @redue

Izana hadn't been expecting for one of his captains to report that one of Toman's former members was in his territory. As far as he was aware, most of them had seemed fine with letting things be and fading into retirement. So why the hell was someone snooping? It wasn't his main priority but...It could be trouble. With that in mind, the king decides to pay a little visit to where this observer has been spotted.

He approached from behind, ready to crush whatever old member has been poking around like a bug under foot. But he doesn't expect it to be that person, crouched behind a wall in some poor attempt to be stealthy.

" I'm beginning to see why Kisaki viewed you as such a problem, Takemichi. You're stubborn and nosy. " Izana speaks, looming over him with a cold expression. Something old gnashes its teeth in his chest, a dormant volcano that quietly rumbles again, but he pushes it down.

He steps closer, wisteria eyes peering down on him with evident distaste. " What do you think you're doing? " His lips curve up, like he's thought of something funny. " You're not trying to start a fight all by yourself, are you? Or are you trying to get back into the gang lifestyle? "

[deathfavor]

@requiemofrebellion said: “ please tell me you didn’t cancel your plans for me… ” ( mikey to izana, any verse)

so you had a bad day starters

Izana's lips quirk ever so faintly when he hears Mikey's comment as he shrugs off the black coat he'd worn to fend against the beast of winter's frigid nights. He hangs it up by the door while waving a hand casually. " It wasn't anything important anyways. You know how these things go. " He answers, turning away from the front door to approach the couch that Mikey was nestled onto. " If something important happens, someone will let Kisaki know and he can reach me. "

Thus the real leader sits down next to Mikey, wisteria eyes roaming over the other's face in search of an explanation. A hand reaches out to cup Mikey's cheek, an empty smile on his lips while he regards him. " We'll need to touch up your roots soon. " He didn't like the blonde peaking out, like some defiant vermin to the image Kisaki and him had molded of Mikey. That's something for another night though. There are more pressing matters even now than fixing hair.

" I'm glad you called. " It was good that Mikey had turned to him, latching onto him for guidance like a lost animal seeking another for aid. He'd make sure to guide Mikey just where he wanted him. " You know i'm always here for you. " Izana murmurs, sickeningly, deceptively sweet. " The others left, but I'll always be here for you. " It's another dose of poison fed under the guise of sweet care as he gently brushes his fingers through Mikey's dark locks. He feeds the lurking darkness like a trained beast, while acting as the guiding light, the refuge against the world.

He hums a few notes of reassurance, smile still in place before he speaks again. " Did you eat anything yet? We should get you some food if not. We have a big deal coming up in a couple days after all. We might actually have some fun crushing the enemy together. Wouldn't that be nice? It's so rare we really get to use our strength. " Izana sighs with a smile in a warped sense of delight.