#for some reason i really do not want them to bring back Nishiki compared to like Mine and Ryuji

[californianedgeworth]

I can not believe that Yakuza 3 ended with Mine realizing the error in how he'd lived, being told that he could get another chance to do better, and heroically sacrificing himself to take out Andre Richardson saying "maybe in a next life" and then Andre Richardson is the one who turns out be alive in Infinite Wealth. like lmao?

[itsybitsylemonsqueezy]

*sigh* I love him... oh, hey there tumblr! It’s been awhile, sorry about that. Been drinking a big ol’ glass of Loving Kiryu juice tho so it’s time for some Kiryu Opinions with Lemon. Sit’ya down and gather close. 

I’ve recently been informed that writing Kiryu is hard. This came as a surprise to me because Kiryu is very intuitive for me to wield. Like, there’s a certain amount of pressure with writing any protag, especially one who so defines a series and a universe, even now. But I just... don’t struggle with him. All of his decisions are intuitively relatable for me. 

But hearing that Kiryu was deceptively complicated made me stop and thinking about what about him appeals to me, what I find easy to move with him. I don’t know about any of you, but when I struggle to write a character, it’s because I struggle to understand their motivations. (Note that I said understand, which doesn’t necessarily mean agree with.) If I can’t explain to myself why a character is Like That, how the hell am I going to explain it to anyone else? How will I move them believably if I don’t know why they’re moving? 

So this got me thinking about... why Kiryu is Like That. 

One of the important things for me, whenever I have Kiryu in a scene, is that Kiryu is always in the Present. This is not true for many, many characters. Many people are reliving the past or hoping for the future. But in any given scene, even if Kiryu should be thinking about other things, what he responds to is the present, the here and now. That is first and foremost what motivates him. Whatever is happening right in front of him takes precedence. Both past events and future consequences mean very little to him compared to that. 

This is drastically different, as I said, from characters like Majima, who is nearly always living in the past. A strange thing for me to say about a character as self-aware as him, but being self-aware and being in the Present are two different things. But I’m not here to talk about him today. 

This is not to say that Kiryu is ignorant or foolhardy or callous. Kiryu does not deny the past its meaning or charge in blindly without an awareness of the consequences. He knows consequences will come, he simply accepts them faster than you might expect. And Kiryu is deeply affected by the past and does spend a great deal of time thinking about the past. But that’s not how his decisions get made. Many people are so afraid of or so hurt by the past, that all of their present decisions are predetermined by what has happened to them before. And that makes sense, we all learn from experience and react to it. It’s just a matter of which pieces of information any one of us is choosing to evaluate per decision. And rather than looking to past pain and past failures, or past successes, Kiryu gives deference to the most recent information. Part of the reason for this is that the only pattern Kiryu sees in the past is his failures. If everything he did before failed, why the hell would he do that again? And part of the reason is because the past is dead to Kiryu. 

I said before some people live in the past. They play it out every day, trying to redeem themselves, hoping for a different ending. If they just do it right this time, things will be different, things will be better. Other people believe in do-overs. Kiryu doesn’t. Kiryu internalized when he was young that there are no do-overs. Sometimes you get one shot and you live with the consequences. That’s what Kiryu believes. When he entered the yakuza, that was the ethos instilled in him. If you make a call, you stand by it and you live with it, good, bad, or break even. Kiryu believes that, even to this day. And in his defense, many of the decisions he’s had to make were like that. Any time he made a bad call, the consequences were permanent. Any mistake he made, he could lose a friend, he could lose a war. And when he made that decision, he had to be ready for those consequences. That’s what he learned. So for him there are no do-overs. The past is dead. It’s not an active, dynamic thing that he could change, even if he wanted to. He can’t bring Nishiki back to life, he can’t save Tachibana, he can’t un-orphan Haruka. Those decisions are made and gone. 

He’s not a fool and he won’t torture himself thinking about what he could have done differently. He accepts that these are the consequences. Sometimes you’re wrong and sometimes there’s nothing you can do about it. In some ways, this helps Kiryu let go. It means he’s never trying to save someone who’s already dead. It means he doesn’t dwell in regret. This gives him the ability to move forward. If he couldn’t do this, he never would have gotten up from the end of Kiwami 1. But Nishiki’s dead and there’s nothing he can do about it. So he doesn’t try. That’s the downside. Kiryu never goes back. He never tries to make it better, even for himself. Because he doesn’t think there is a way. It’s too painful to even consider that. Who is there to forgive him? Who is there to let him try again? The dead don’t talk. Kiryu accepts that he cannot change the past. Instead he flees from it. 

This is an opposite defensive maneuver from trying to relive the past, he’s trying to outrun it. If he never has to make those decisions again, then he can never fuck up like that again. It’s why he refuses to be chairman, it’s why he hates being in Kamurocho. It’s all a constant reminder of his mistakes and how much they cost. And Kiryu’s defensive strategy is sometimes overactive, deciding that he can’t fix situations that haven’t yet burnt to the ground. He always assumes people won’t forgive him, that they don’t want him to try. He always assumes his failure is enough to ruin all the relationships he has. Why would you forgive someone who ruined your life? Kiryu doesn’t know why you would and doesn’t think you should. He’s paranoid about failing the people he loves and he believes that if he has failed you, you rightfully don’t love him anymore and wouldn’t want to see him. He sees his mistakes too big to know how small they are to you. So he runs from good relationships because he thinks he’s already failed them, he thinks he’s already made too many mistakes and he doesn’t deserve that relationship anymore. Maybe he never did. 

And the more faith people put in him the worse this is. People treat Kiryu like he’s a god, a savior. And every time it makes Kiryu’s heart sore. He’s not afraid of his own power; he’s actually fairly confident in his abilities and has a good grasp of their reach. But seeing how much people trust him... it makes every mistake cost more. Kiryu worries because he knows he is human. No matter what anyone else thinks, he’s still just a guy. He sees himself as just a guy, maybe better trained or more gifted than some, but just a normal, mortal, flawed human being like anyone else. He knows he makes mistakes. He knows he will make mistakes again. And what if he makes a mistake that affects you? What if he’s wrong and it fucks you over? And how betrayed your trust is, how your faith in him falters... then you’ll finally see he was never worthy of it to begin with. Then you’ll feel deceived because he couldn’t live up to your expectations. 

Kiryu doesn’t want to hurt you like that, hurt anyone like that. He takes the expectations on him very seriously. He knows you’re only asking because you do need help. He knows you’re very sincere. And he badly wants to do right by you. But if he... if he fucks up, that doesn’t hurt him, it hurts you. And sometimes he can’t bear that. He can’t bear failing people, being responsible for their disappointment and hurt and ruined situation. 

It’s not that Kiryu wants to be reassured that he’s doing okay. People who want reassurance want to do the job they have. Kiryu hates this job. He hates being in the position to save or damn people. He hates the potential of getting it wrong and it mattering so much. And he would rather not help than risk it sometimes. His heart aches every time he’s asked again because that means... there’s no one else. It means he’s still the best you’ve got. And you deserve better, you deserve more than what he is. He’s just some guy and he’s not sure he can be what you need. He doesn’t trust himself to do it right. He wants you to have someone who WILL be there every time, who CAN weather it all. He doesn’t think he can. 

He will still help, because there’s no one else, because he does understand that if he doesn’t worse things will happen. And he’ll become responsible by not having stepped in. But this is why he’s inconsistent, he doesn’t think he can do more, he doesn’t trust himself. And he gets scared of how much people believe in him. 

He really doesn’t think that people could still love him, knowing he’s just some guy. He’s scared that if he isn’t perfect, like he’s supposed to be, like everyone wants him to be... everyone will feel betrayed. So he runs away to Okinawa to do something entirely different. But even then he’s scared of fucking up. He’s taken on all these young lives who depend on him and he’s waiting, he’s just waiting, to have someone tell him he’s a bad father, that he’s failed them, that he’s fucking up. And when that happens, he runs away again, so he won’t hurt them anymore. And because he doesn’t deserve to have relationships that bring him comfort and joy, he doesn’t deserve to feel useful and good, because he isn’t. He’s always been a failure. 

Kiryu carries the pressure on him EXCEEDINGLY well. He almost never breaks down. But he has those break downs. He has anxiety. He worries about fucking up. His confidence curves towards stables, but when he hits a rocky point... he’s unmoored. He’s left without any reassurance that he does know what he’s doing, that he is doing okay, that he hasn’t failed every relationship he’s ever had. People still love him and forgive him and want to be with him. Want to help him try again. 

I might even go so far to say that Kiryu has Imposter Syndrome. He has ex-gifted kid syndrome. Brought up with high expectations and high standards, more talented than his peers, launched into the stratosphere when he was still young, all of his personality moorings ripped away... He’s constantly just trying to be a good person, the best he knows how. And he takes it very, very hard when he falls short of what he was told all his life he could be. He doesn’t believe he ever achieved it.

I love Kiryu. I hope this helped show why.

[sweet-cool-twins]

A Nephew and His Uncle, A Hikaru Fanfic

This fanfic is born out of the frustration of Kageyama Hikaru not meeting his uncle. You could view this as a partial Galaxy ending!rewrite. This is my take on how their meeting would have been like. I don't know if Level-5 is ever gonna address this. If they never, at least you guys have this fic as a backup and consolidation. I had to consult some episodes of Galaxy to refresh my memory (my most unfavourable season, bless my resilience). I apologise in advance for any inconsistencies or distorted flow compared to the anime. There are minor alterations you might notice to accommodate this fic. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy the story!

*Dedicated to Hikaru, Reiji, and anyone who wished for this to happen in canon.

*The Earth Eleven only appear heavily at the first half of the story and are in no part of the reunion between Hikaru and Reiji. I apologise if you guys want to see their reactions to that.

Tenma, Tsurugi, Shindou, and Shinsuke were in the Galaxy Nauts's headroom on the way back to Earth from Falam Orbius. They were opening a video call to the Raimon Soccer Team to inform them of their return. The rest of the Earth Eleven members were making a ruckus at the back of the room trying to handle Minori who was aggressively manhandling Kusaka and Tetsukadou like they were leaves that she could brush off.

"Y-you see, M-Mizukawa-sa-" Kusaka tried to placate the girl.

"I ASKED, WHERE AM I?! ANSWER ME?!" Minori grabbed Kusaka's hair and forced him down on his knees to face her.

"Ah, my hair!"

"P-please l-listen to us. We'll be back on-" Tetsukadou stepped forward and tried to calm the green-haired girl as well.

"HUH?! YOU WANT TO FIGHT ME?! BRING IT ON!"

"Ahhhh nonono I have no inten-" Minori did not hear Tetsukadou's words. She grabbed his collar, lifted him high, and vigorously shook him back and forth.

"AHHHH, MOMMMMMYYYYY!" Tetsukadou screamed.

"Waitwaitwaitwait!" Kusaka yelled as Minori, with her hand still holding on to Tetsukadou's collar, wrapped her other arm around Kusaka's neck in an attempt to choke him. "Uck! Sa-save me..."

"They seem to be making a ruckus. Will they be fine?" Tsurugi commented to Shindou as they were watching the commotion. Meanwhile, Tenma and Shinsuke were setting up the conference at the console. "It's been a long time since I was with the team, but..."

"They will. We are the Earth Eleven after all." Shindou answered calmly. The brown-haired boy turned his body to face the monitor.

"I-is that so...?" Tsurugi eyed his senior with distress. A sweat drop rolled down his cheek. He took a glance at the back of the room, noting Ibuki making his way to sort out the fight, possibly exposing himself to torture. He quickly turned around to face the monitor, hopefully, to focus his attention on the video call.

"Tenma, are you sure you've input the details correctly? We don't want to randomly connect to some other off-world planet." Shinsuke asked from beside Tenma who was setting up the call.

"It'll be alright, Shinsuke!" Tenma said as he tapped on a few buttons while looking at a piece of paper by Kabata Shizune, the Galaxy Nauts's conductor. "I think these are the inputs...and...done!" A final push of a button and out popped a transparent window with a view of the Raimon Eleven players in the Raimon soccer clubroom.

"Hey everyone! We won the final match! We're coming back to Earth!" Tenma greeted his friends.

"Congrats on winning, everyone! How are you guys holding up?" Sangoku spoke for the team.

"A lot of things happened, Sangoku-senpai!" Shinsuke piped up. "Like Tsurugi was replaced by a Fake Tsurugi!"

"WHAT?!" The entire Raimon members exclaimed.

"And that he almost got engaged!"

"WHHAATTTTT?!"

"T-there's no engagement! I'm back now! A-and there was a proper reason for those things..." Tsurugi's flustered answer did not seem to expel the shock on the Raimon members' faces, much to the amusement to Shindou, Tenma and Shinsuke.

"Hikaru!" Tenma called out to the purple-haired boy. There was a particular reason for their call back home. An interesting gift for one of their Raimon member. After the revelation of their coach's identity before they left for space, the Raimon Earth Eleven members knew they had to do something to reconcile the kinship for both their coach and their friend. They had to delay the gift due to the severity of the situation, being that Earth Eleven needed to save their planet and the galaxy from Alien invasion. Now that the Tournament is over, they have the time to procure the present for their friend. It took a lot of convincing, some pushing and pulling from him getting away, but it got Kuroiwa to agree to the idea. Currently, the man was in his office in the Galaxy Nauts sorting out his work.

"Hm?" Hikaru hummed in acknowledgement.

"We have something special for you! From Coach Kuroiwa!" Tenma gave a warm-hearted smile. He noticed everyone's eyes widened, especially Hikaru's.

"C-Coach Kuroiwa..." Hikaru mumbled the name to himself, stunned at Tenma's words.

"What is it, Tenma?" Nishiki asked for everyone.

"He wants to talk to you about something!" Tenma replied, still with the large wide grin on his face. He could not help it. He was very happy and excited for his friend.

"Y-you're not kidding right, Tenma-kun?!" Hikaru asked. His face showed that he understood Tenma's hints. At the same time, he was uncertain if his guess was correct. All the time he consulted Tenma about Kuroiwa while Earth Eleven was still on Earth. All the mystery and confusion of his similarities to his uncle. It was going to be solved, right? "Whatever it is from Coach Kuroiwa..., it-it's the truth, right?!"

"No, I'm not lying! It's the truth!" 

"We know you'll be very happy, Hikaru!" Shinsuke and Tenma both gave the purple-haired boy a grin.

"Isn't that great, Hikaru!" Amagi came around Kirino and Sangoku to put his right arm around Hikaru's shoulders, pulling him close to hug him. "Having a present from Earth Eleven's coach!"

"Ah...I-I guess so, Amagi-senpai..."

"Oi oi Tenma-kun," Kariya spoke up beside Hikaru, "What's this information about Coach Kuroiwa and Hikaru? How are you so sure that he’s telling the truth?"

"Gouenji-san and Kidou-san told us! About Coach Kuroiwa and Hikaru's un-" Tenma was cut off by Tsurugi's hand covering the brown-haired boy's mouth. He had his other hand on Tenma's shoulder to ensure he had a firm grip on the teen.

"Tenma, you're saying too much."

"We know that you're excited, but we've agreed to let Coach Kuroiwa do the explanation," Shindou whispered to Tenma, so as not to expose the secret.

"That's right, Tenma! This is a surprise for Hikaru! We shouldn't spoil it for him!" Shinsuke spoke softly to Tenma as well for the same reasons as Shindou. Tsurugi uncovered Tenma's mouth when Tenma muffled something, which Tenma quickly let out the air that he had been holding.

"Pah! ...O-oh yeah...I'm sorry everyone...heh heh!" Tenma scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Tenma-kun!" The voice of Hikaru boomed through the speakers and caught the attention of the four Raimon players in the Galaxy Nauts. "P-please tell me your arrival time! I want to be there on time to meet him!" Hikaru radiated the most determination Tenma had ever seen on his friend. He knew he had to adhere to his wishes. Tenma turned to Manabe and Minaho sitting in the seat on the right beside them, hiding from the situation happening at the back.

"Manabe, what time will we land on Odaiba?" The light purple-haired boy pushed his glasses up before replying,

"Um...based on the calculations," Manabe tapped on some buttons, "it seems we will land at about three in the afternoon, Japan time, captain."

"That will be within thirty minutes. We both concluded together!"

"...! I've never said I needed your assistance, Minaho-kun."

"I know I know...Determining the answer separately gives it more credibility. Don’t you think so, Manabe-kun?"

"...Well, I won't disagree with your logic..."

"Thank you, Minaho, Manabe." Tenma turned back to the Raimon players. "You've heard them. Three PM on the dot."

"Thank you, Tenma-kun!" With that, the purple-haired boy exited the Raimon soccer club room in the speed of light, leaving the rest of the Raimon players still in the room.

"He's really excited," Kurama said with a smirk.

"Well, he's been thinking about it all this time. I wouldn't blame him for that reaction," Sangoku replied.

"He's been thinking about Coach Kuroiwa? How come?" Ichino questioned.

"Haven't you noticed? Coach Kuroiwa looks A LOT like his uncle, Kageyama Reiji!" Hamano jumped into the chat.

"If he could settle this issue with Coach Kuroiwa, it would be nice for Hikaru," Kirino spoke.

CRASH

"W-what happened?!" Kurumada asked. The four Earth Eleven members had turned their heads to the back and found Tetsukadou, Ibuki, and Kusaka on the floor bruised up. Matatagi was engaged in a staring contest with Minori. There was no clue how the fight would end with both person's destructive attitudes. The damage would hurt everyone. They had to stop the fight.

"Ah...t-talk to you guys when we're back. We have some things to take care of! See you guys later!" Tenma blurted out in a hurry.

"Byeee!" That was the last thing Tenma heard from the Raimon Eleven before he shut off the communication line.

----------------------------------------

The entire Raimon soccer team were standing in front of the Galaxy Nauts landing station. All had an excited smile on their faces, except for a certain purple-haired boy with hair shaped like pincers. He was fidgeting restlessly on his spot between Kariya and Kirino.

"Calm your nerves, Hikaru. You're too nervous." Kirino tried to calm the first-year when he noticed him quaking.

"I-I know, Kirino-senpai, b-but it could be him! There are so many things I want to talk to him about! A-at the same time, this is my first time talking to him in person, so I'm not so sure how to act in front of him...W-what if he's really strict and I embarrass myself! H-he will think I'm unworth- TAGAH!" Hikaru was interrupted by Amagi who hit his head.

"HIKARU! Listen to yourself! You've been saying how much you love soccer and how much you wanted to play in your uncle's place! You helped us perfect Double Wing! You scored a goal with your first hissatsu shot that you created! All this within the few weeks you'd been with us! You helped us progressed through the Holy Road and win the Revolution! Don't you see? You've done amazing things your uncle couldn't have done! You've worked hard to get to where you are because of your love for Raimon, your love for your uncle, and your love for soccer! You are worthy, Hikaru!"

"A-Amagi-senpai...You really think so?"

"Of course, Hikaru! We've seen it. We all agree with Amagi here." Kurumada came up to beside Amagi and patted the purple-haired senior's shoulders.

"Don't be afraid, Hikaru-kun! We believe in you!" Hayami encouraged the purple-haired boy. It seemed he was interested in the topic, even despite his meek self.

"A little bit peppy today, aren't you, Hayami?" Kurama teased him.

"I-I'm just trying to support Hikaru-kun that's all!" Kurama grinned, ignoring Hayami's protest.

"Right! Thank you so much, Amagi-senpai! Everyone!" The worries lifted from Hikaru's shoulders as he replied affirmatively.

"Heh heh, I never knew you had it in you, Amagi!" Kurumada's smile turned to a proud grin to his friend.

"W-what?"

"Yeah, Amagi! That's a great speech!" Sangoku complimented.

"You were really cool, Amagi-san," Kirino said next.

"Yes yes! I agree!" Hikaru's eyes beamed in admiration.

"You could be a minister, Amagi-san~" Hamano teased.

"I-is that so? Y-you guys think I have skills in public speaking?! Hehe...haha...HAHAHA! I, Amagi Daichi, am the best at speeches! AHAHAHA!"

"Did we let it get to his head too much?" Kariya commented on the side which no one was able to listen due to Amagi's loud laughter. Just then the loud whoosh from Galaxy Nauts's engines sounded from the skies above them. The Raimon players paused their chatting and quickly formed themselves in a line as they watched the sci-fi train descend and came to a stop at the landing track. The door opened and one by one, the Earth Eleven players exited.

"Ow...ouch!" Tetsukadou was the first out, with a black eye on his face and a bandaged wrist.

"Tek...Even my demon mode didn't work against her..." Kusaka was next, with frizzy hair and a bandaged neck.

"Are you alright, Ibuki? You were thrown very badly." Shinsuke questioned the main goalkeeper, who was limping weirdly and rubbing his shoulders.

"Tsch. I'll live."

"Hmm. Humans are so interesting. Who would have thought Potomuri-san possessing her would have suppressed her abilities that much." Minaho's ear twitched in interest.

"I prefer Minori-san when Potomuri-san was in control. He was so calm and collected." Manabe adjusted his spectacles.

"Captain should've let me handle that green-haired girl. How powerful can she be?" Matatagi rebuked at how he was pushed aside as not to start a fight with Minori.

"I thought you would say that." Zanakuro followed behind Matatagi, saying his common phrase.

"Maybe we shouldn't have hit her in the head. She could be a sweet girl if we let her-" Sakura cut off Aoi during her sentence,

"No no! That woman's a monster! An ogre!" She suggested.

"Rabbits...Flowers...Cats...Rabbits...Flowers...Cats..." Morimura was the last to exit, with her tiny form quietly mumbling safe words to herself.

The Raimon Eleven stared with their jaws wide open in astonishment. Three Earth Eleven players were injured, the girls were scared stiff, one wants to fight someone, two were discussing over possession, and out of all this mess, where were the rest of the Earth Eleven players?!

"Ah, you guys have done a number on this girl." That stopped the Raimon Eleven in their tracks. They watched a middle-age woman and Tenma carrying a green-haired girl on either side of her out of the train.

"Could you bring her to the infirmary by yourself, Auntie?" Tenma asked.

"Of course I can! Who do you think I am? She'll be up and running without you knowing!" The woman smiled widely.

"We don't exactly want her to be running around though..." Tsurugi came up behind the three, mumbling to himself.

"Sorry to trouble you like this, Auntie. Thank you." Shindou thanked Kabata Shizune before the woman gave one last wave. She brought Minori closer for her to lean against Shizune before carrying on towards the building's infirmary to take care of the girl. Kirino blinked in surprise to see his best friend. He left the other Raimon members to chat with the other Earth Eleven members, while he quickly ran up to the dark brown-haired boy, hoping he would solve all his questions.

"Shindou!"

"Kirino?"

"What happened back there, Shindou? There was a crash and-" Shindou interrupted his friend. He gave a confident smile to him in reassurance. It did not seem to placate the worry over Kirino's face.

"Don't worry, Kirino. The Earth Eleven are a strong bunch after all."

"No, no it's not, Shindou-senpai! A young girl just whipped half of our team to shreds!" Tsurugi called out on his senior's obliviousness in panic. "I'm gone for half of the tournament, and even I know that she was very different before I left!"

"Tsurugi, are you alright?" Tenma asked the blue-haired boy in concern.

"Yes...I'm fine..." At that moment Shinsuke came back to Tenma's side, so did the rest of the Raimon players who stood in a group in front of them around Kirino.

"You are afraid of her, aren't you Tsurugi?" Shinsuke chuckled into his hands.

"N-no I'm not!"

"It'll be alright, Tsurugi! Everything will work out somehow!" Tsurugi blinked. He turned his head to the brown-haired captain and stared into those light blue eyes, searching for doubts. He only found assurance. That calmed Tsurugi, just like all the other times Tenma said that sentence.

"Yeah...You're right." Tsurugi closed his eyes as he nodded, heart lifted from anguish.

"Tsurugi! Tenma! Shindou! Shinsuke!" Sangoku called the four Raimon Earth Eleven players.

"Welcome back!" The Raimon Eleven shouted. Tenma's smile shifted to a grin. He yelled back,

"It's great to be back!"

Just then, everyone heard a gasp. They turned to the sound and spotted Hikaru standing at the bottom of the platform to Galaxy Nauts, mouth and eyes wide open in shock. Meanwhile, Kuroiwa stood at the top of the platform, looking down at Hikaru. It was clear who had gasped.

"Uncl-Uhm...Coach Kuroiwa, I-"

"Hikaru." The voice of Kuroiwa made Hikaru stun for a few seconds. It did make Hikaru's nervousness disparate away.

"Y-yes?!"

"Come with me."

"Ah, yes!" The purple-haired boy followed Kuroiwa along a pathway away from the others. It seemed Kuroiwa wanted the two of them to go somewhere else to talk. The rest of the players looked at each other, wondering what they should do next.

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The Raimon members were all hiding in the bushes watching and listening to the scene in front of them. It was a large crowd, but they were somehow able to squeeze themselves in and still have mild space to move about. The Earth Eleven players had to leave earlier as some had to visit the doctor for their injuries, while the others wanted to see their friends and families after the long journey away from home. Kuroiwa and Hikaru were sitting on a bench along the Odaiba bay area. Their position facing inwards instead of the waters behind them. The sun on the clear blue sky gave the audience a clearer view of their facial expressions (mostly Hikaru's), and they could see how fidgeting Hikaru was. It was clear he was still nervous due to the overwhelming presence of his uncle. His uncle, on the other hand, kept his silence. His form painfully straight, yet not causing discomfort for the older man. A pregnant silence floated between them.

"Hey is this ok? Will Kageyama be ok? Ah-wait..." Kurumada stopped himself as he pondered his question.

"Which Kageyama are you referring to?" Amagi questioned.

"T-the younger one..." Kurumada replied. Hikaru’s voice broke the silence and quickly gained everyone's attention.

"Uhm...Un-Coach Kuroiwa..." 

"You can call me by my old name, Hikaru. The world knows who I am now." Hikaru gasped and quickly turned his body to face him.

"Y-you’re Kageyama Reiji! Are you really my uncle?!” 

"Yes. That's correct."

"Y-you really are-...I was right..." Hikaru sighed in relief. "I-it's nice to finally meet you, Uncle Reiji!"

"It's nice to meet you too, Hikaru, my nephew." There was a pause as Reiji gathered his thoughts. "But it's best you don't associate that name with me for too long. Kageyama Reiji has died 10 years ago," Hikaru's eyes turned sorrowful upon hearing his uncle's words.

"I-I can't call you Uncle Reiji?" Kageyama Reiji tilted his head forward, downcasted.

"I'm not sure. I was supposed to have died but was illegally injected with a serum that kept me alive. Now that I have outed myself to the Soccer Association to fight the Grand Celesta Galaxy Tournament, it's only a matter of time before I'm taken back to jail." Hikaru and the others in the bushes widened their eyes in shock.

"T-that can't be..." Shinsuke said dejectedly.

"After what he has done for Earth, it wasn't enough to unwind all the bad deeds he's done in the past," Kirino spoke.

"Hikaru..." Tenma murmured dejectedly. Hikaru eyed his fingers, unsure of what to do. He finally got to meet his supposedly deceased uncle, only to find out he was going to not see him again for another few years. Maybe even forever! Suddenly, a recall of Tenma's familiar words flashed through his mind. It gave him some positive confidence.

"It's ok! Everything will work out somehow!" Reiji and the other Raimon players focused their attention on Hikaru who exclaimed that sentence. They were surprised to see a cheerful expression on his face. The orange of the evening sky emphasised the emotion on Hikaru's face, providing a sense of warmth that everything will be alright. "Hehe, that's what Tenma would've said!" The purple-haired boy smiled widely. The Raimon players relaxed their shoulders, pleased with Hikaru's answer. Meanwhile, Reiji was still in shock at his nephew's positivity despite the gloomy future that was to entail. "It's fine by me if I call you Uncle Reiji or Uncle Ryuusei, you're still my uncle! Ah! T-that is if you're alright with that. Hehe... Are you ok with me calling you my uncle?" Reiji nodded. His lips lifted to a smile.

"You may call me any way you want, Hikaru." Hikaru had a bright smile on his face upon hearing that.

"Uncle Reiji!" Reiji's lips also widened slightly upon hearing his nephew calling him by his family title.

“Yes, Hikaru.”

"Gak! Does he not realise that he's making coach's situation worse if he keeps calling him by his original name?!" Kariya clutched his hands on the sides of his head in disbelief.

"Kariya, calm down! You're too loud!" Shinsuke whispered.

"But Shinsuke-kun..."

There were a few moments of comfortable silence before Reiji shifted from his crossed arms to placing his hands on his lap. There was an uncomfortable topic he wanted to discuss.

"How's your mother?"

"M-my mother?" Reiji gave a slight nod. Not too sure if he was wandering into uncharted territories by mentioning his sister.

"My sister, is she doing well?"

"Ah...yes she's doing well, Uncle Reiji! She admired yours and grandfather's soccer! Even if there were some illegal mistakes made, you have made up for them! We both watched Italy's match with Inazuma Japan, and I can tell she's very proud of you!" Reiji instantly let go of his breath he was subconsciously holding.

"I see..." Hikaru's face stretched to a wide toothy grin.

"I started loving soccer too! After all the praises my mother said, it made me want to play soccer!"

"You...started playing soccer because of that?"

"Mm mhm!" Hikaru nodded.

"Although I started kicking the ball not too long ago, my teammates say I learn very quickly! My position's a first-year forward! I've helped Raimon in the Holy Road Revolution and protected overpowered children from taking over the future by time-travelling!"

"Oi oi, what is he saying now?!" Kariya was aghast.

"The older Kageyama looks sort of stun doesn't he?" Kirino spoke next.

"Yeah yeah! He looks more rigid and paler than before!" Shinsuke followed.

"You're right. He does look uncomfortable." Aoi mentioned.

"Soccer probably wasn't this complex ten years ago. Else, why would Coach get so stumped?" Tsurugi suggested. The Raimon players nodded to Tsurugi's statement.

"I've joined Raimon because I've heard Raimon helped save your soccer. Maybe by joining them, I could experience the feelings you've had and continue in your place! Even when you weren't around those ten years, I can continue your love for soccer and help make your plays better! I want to learn more about soccer, so I can have lots more to talk about with you!" Even if Hikaru's eyes were black, it had a twinkle of determination that stirred something within Reiji. A long-forgotten feeling he used to have when he was young and admired his father. A feeling that had gotten him to love soccer. That last sentence too brought a lot of memories in the FFI. Particularly, a certain girl during the match with Orpheus. It then surprised Reiji when he saw the radiant boy slump down in dejection. "I know I've said that I wanted to continue on your legacy, but...I was not chosen for the Earth Eleven team..."

"Hikaru..." Tenma was saddened when he heard this. He never knew Hikaru was feeling this way.

"I don't have a Soul. I wasn't strong enough to be in the team that you're coaching. I wasn't able to fight against the universe. I'm...I'm not strong enough to be what you wished to be!" Reiji stayed patiently silent, listening to his nephew's issue.

"Hikaru, I used to think that winning in soccer should be the main thing for playing it, that's what makes soccer fun, that's what makes you strong. I was wrong. Soccer's about training hard, working to surpass others, and most importantly having fun. You've already got that. Why do you need to change?" Hikaru's eyes started to water by his uncle's words. It hit hard in his already vulnerable self-loathing heart. He could feel the love and hope his uncle wanted to instil into Hikaru.

"You have a long way ahead of you, Hikaru." Reiji lifted the hand closest to his nephew and placed it on his head. "But you're doing great. I'm proud of you." A lone tear rolled down Hikaru's red cheeks as his lips quivered. Slowly, those lips shifted to a warm smile.

"YES! I'll do my best! Thank you so much, Uncle Reiji!" The older Kageyama replied with a smile. He was glad he was able to comfort his nephew. He reminded Reiji of Rushe. The girl from Italy he had helped heal her eyes. They both have the same cute and carefree take on the world. He wished he could protect that at all costs. The purple-haired first-year rubbed the remaining tears with his sleeves. "Uncle Reiji, would you like to have dinner with us?" Hikaru asked, noticing the orange of the evening sky had turned dark blue. "My mother's making her special curry tonight! I've heard it's a family recipe!" Reiji gave a saddened smile.

"I would love to, but I have some things to report back to the Soccer Association. Maybe after that, I could join you all."

"Will anything happen to you, Uncle Reiji?" The addressed man paused in mild surprise, not expecting the young boy's intuition. He shook his head.

"I don't know. I was only told to inform the outcomes of Earth Eleven's matches. I don't know what will happen to me after that."

"I see..." Hikaru's eyes drifted to his lap. Another moment of silence overcome them before Hikaru lifted himself from the bench. "This will be the last time I'll see you in a while, right?" He looked at his uncle, hoping to drive the image of him into his mind. "I hope we can meet each other again, in the future!" Hikaru smiled brightly. Reiji nodded.

"We shall see. Like a certain someone's catchphrase, 'It'll work out somehow', no?"

"Yes!" Hikaru's laughter permeated the surrounding quietness. Meanwhile, the Raimon Eleven members were still in the bushes, watching the heartfelt scene that had happened moments ago.

"Isn't it great for Hikaru, being able to meet and have a conversation with his uncle?" Tenma questioned his team.

"Yeah, I'm happy for him!" Amagi yelled with his arms raised. It was miraculous that it did not attract the two Kageyamas' attention.

"We're all happy for him, Amagi..." Kurumada told his friend.

"We should head back. It's quite late already." Shindou said, looking up at the night sky.

"You're right. The two of them have talked it out. Our job is done." Kirino stood up. The rest followed his action.

"Alright. Let's go home, everyone!" The Raimon players walked away as a group, leaving their teammate and his uncle still at the bench making up for the lost time. Their future may be bleak, but Tenma could tell they would be alright.

---------------------------------------- 

I’ve always thought Kageyama Reiji had a sister. It’s never mentioned, but from the way he treated Rushe seems similar to Gouenji and Kidou with their sisters. He also acts like he’s very familiar with handing a younger girl. Hence, why I’m leaning more towards younger sister. As for how Hikaru got his mother’s surname, it seems there is a thing in Japan for a child to take on their mothers’ surname. It was explained by Ishido-Shuuji, but I could not find their tumblr now so you may find out more here. Cause Endou got his surname from Daisuke who is his maternal-grandfather, we could assume this is a thing. 

Thank you guys so much for reading this long fic! Bless you guys! I hope you’ve enjoyed it! <3

[servantofmischief]

Christmas

I am so sorry! I promised I would have it up sometime during last week, but I lost track of time and had a lot to do, but here you go, Fluff-Anon! 

When Uta had proclaimed that he’d go on an art trip for a whole year, his friends had supported him. They knew that this was something really important to him, and now that there was a somewhat steady peace between ghouls and humans, he had the chance at fulfilling this dream.

Itori will readily admit that she felt a bit bummed after he had been gone for a while, when she realized she had to celebrate her birthday without him. To his credit, he did make a phonecall to congratulate her and at the moment it had seemed enough. Then, once they had ended the call and she had been left alone in her bar, she had felt lonelier than ever.

She doesn’t feel any better now, when it is Christmas Eve and her bar is nearly empty because most people have someone to celebrate with. And she does not, because her partner in crime is halfway across the world. She keeps up the act of cheery barmaid for as long as she can, consoling herself with the fact that she is going to close the bar early tonight. No one is going to come and drink until the wee hours in the morning tonight. It is hard to keep the act up though, until it is near closing time.

And Renji enters the establishment.

“Ren-chan!” She jumps at the chance for a distraction from her depressing thoughts and feels a little less lonely when he sits down in front of her. Once everyone is gone, and the door is locked, she offers him a choice between wine and coffee. He grunts, and the answer is obvious. He can’t hold his liquor for shit, of course he wants coffee. She pouts, calls him a party pooper, but lulls the coffee machine to life.

“What brings you here, Ren-chan? Aren’t you going to celebrate with Touka-chan, Kanekicchi and Ichi-chan?”

“No one should be alone on Christmas.” Renji says, thanking her as she sets a cup of coffee in front of him. She fills herself a glass of wine, because even if Renji is here right now, she needs something stronger than coffee.

“Oh, were you thinking of me? How sweet of you, Ren-chan!” She gush, but he gives her that look that tells her he knows she is putting up a front. And she’s tired of faking smiles tonight anyway.

“Am I so transparent now?” She asks, smile falling off her face.

“Hn.” She takes a sip from her glass, mulling.

“You’re also invited over. Touka thought you might be lonely tonight.” Renji informs her and the redhead huffs.

“Contrary to what everyone else believes, I do have other friends than you and U-chan.”

“Are these friends real?” She glares at him, actually upset by his comment because no, they are not.

“Be quiet!” But he doesn’t keep quiet, surprisingly.

“Are you okay?” To have Yomo Renji, of all people, notice how she’s not her usually cheerful self, is kind of sad, but she explains to him how it feels kind of weird, and lonely, that for the first time for as long as she can remember, she will not be celebrating Christmas with Uta. Itori never once celebrated any birthday or holiday before she met the mask maker, so everything feels wrong, but she had honestly been excited on his behalf when he told her he had found the chance to go on this trip. A trip that would let him experience all kinds of art. Even though she knew he would be gone for quite some time, she hadn’t thought it would feel this bad.

“But he was so excited, it was almost like when we were kids again. He’s been wanting to go on this kind of trip since he figured out he was good at art, that he loved doing it.”

“For what it is worth,” Renji says as he stares into his coffee, “I think that you supporting him meant a lot to him.”

“I’ve always supported him.” Itori says quietly, grip tightening on her glass. “From when we were kids, I’ve always had his back. Hey, Ren-chan?” The male turns his head to look at her, and his eyes widen at the sight that meets him.

“Am I being stupid?” She asks, tears falling from her eyes. She doesn’t even bother attempting at stopping the waterfall. She’s kept this bottled up inside for so long, she’s wanted someone to talk to, but she’s had no one she felt like she could confide in. When humans and ghouls considered each other enemies, when the Clowns had been active, she had distracted herself with orchestrating the tragedies that took place, but now that they live in peace with humans, there are no more fights to create and watch over.

“Uh…” Renji doesn’t know what to say and that makes Itori laugh as she cries.

“I am stupid, aren’t I? I’m stupid for loving him! He’s going to find someone on this trip who is an artist like him, and he’s going to stay with them in whatever-country! Even worse, he might bring them home!” As he embraces his friend and tries to calm her down, Renji also sends a text-message to Touka to tell her he might be late.

Uta himself is feeling a bit lonely as well. There is a museum that is open today, but considering what day it is, it will probably close early. He’s still in bed in his hotel, it’s still early, but in Tokyo it is probably late by now. It is still better to call now though, than in the evening because he is sure no one will answer him then. He takes a shower and dresses himself, before heading out. The people outside are running around, carrying bags and boxes and nearly yelling into their phones. They are stressed, because Christmas is upon them and they must finish the last preparations before they can celebrate and Uta thinks about what his friends back home is doing right now. Back home, Renji is probably with the Kaneki household, Uta muses. Nico is probably scouring the streets for the one, the Nishikis are probably doing some kind of form of experimentations, Naki and Miza are having their hands full with their new family, most likely, and Itori…

Itori is most likely alone in her bar.

Uta misses her. A lot. This trip is fun, but it’s lonely too. He never expected to feel like this… the trip is fun, he just shouldn’t have gone all alone. And the coffee is awful. No one can compare to :Re, but it’s all he’ll get until he returns. He enters a café, asks for a cup of coffee, and pops in his earphones as he takes a seat by a table. He dials Itori’s number, hoping she’s got some time for a video-call and when she doesn’t pick up immediately he thinks that she’s either perhaps busy or asleep. He’s about to give up when she does answer. Her hair is covering half of her face and her eyes blink sleep from them.

“Oh my, did I wake you?”

“U-chan? What time is it?” Itori squints at her phone.

“Well, it’s almost noon here.” He quips.

“Where are you now? It’s two in the morning here.” She yawns.

“I’m in the states.” She brightens, eyes twinkling as he sleepiness is soon forgotten.

“How is it there? Are the Christmas decorations just as over-exaggerated as they are in the movies?” He laughs at her excitement and nods.

“Almost. They take it very seriously.”

“Ara, U-chan! Bring me a souvenir!”

“Do you have a gift for too, then?” She rolls her eyes and reaches out to beside the bed, before appearing on screen again, holding a small package.

“I have your Christmas gift right here, not that you’re here to open it in time.”

“Yeah, well-“ Uta is interrupted when a waitress sits down his coffee on the table as she cheerfully tells him to enjoy his beverage.

“Cheery girl.” Itori’s voice has lost some of it’s cheer and Uta blinks. She’s slid properly beneath the covers again, and she’s pouting.

“Hm, yes.” Apparently that is not the answer the redheaded ghoul wants to hear, as her eyes darken. “But as for my gift for you, what do you want?” Changing the topic seem to work. He sits for a long time with her as she lists all the things she’d like and Uta realizes he’ll have a hard time choosing from her list. His cup is almost empty by the time she’s out of things she wants him to bring home to her.

“Hm, that’s a lot.” He says, taking on a thoughtful expression. “How about you come with me next time?” There’s a pause as Itori tilts her head, watching him.

“Will there be a second trip?” She doesn’t sound all that enthusiastic about the prospect, and Uta himself misses his friends and his shop.

“Only if you come with.” He says. He misses Itori, their nights in the bar, the easy conversations which seem a bit difficult to have over the phone. He misses being able to just head over and visit whenever he wants. Itori thinks back to what she had told Renji earlier, how she has admitted to him the feelings she holds for the mask maker, her inner conflict over what to do, wondering if there even is something for her to do. She had been so surprised when the stoic ghoul had actually embraced her. Renji is usually so awkward when it comes to comforting others and Itori’s never sought comfort from anyone.

“Do what you must.” He had told her. “Don’t worry about what’ll happen, do what you have to do to feel better. No matter what, I’ll be here to listen.” And then, when he left, she had gone to bed with a newfound courage. She had believed she had a few months left until she could say anything, to have some time to think through her words.

“If it’s you and me, I guess I could tag along.” She mumbles, hiding her pink cheeks behind her pillows.

“Good.” He smiles. “You weren’t alone today, were you?” He asks and she shakes her head.

“Ren-chan came by.”

“Oh? Did you celebrate together?” He can’t exactly say that he’s unhappy that Renji came by, but there’s a dark emotion brewing in the back of his mind at the thought of the two of them alone.

“No, we just talked for a bit.” Her cheeks darken and she casts her eyes down, avoiding eye-contact, and that dark emotion grows. It’s jealousy, he gathers, though he tries to reason with himself that he’s the one who left on this trip, and that he never once told Renji how he feels about the redhead. If Renji holds the same feelings, then Uta left the playing field completely open by leaving on this trip.

“How nice.” Uta hears how forced he’s own voice sounds. Itori must have picked up on it too, because she looks up at him, eyes wide in confusion. That’s what alerts him to the redness of her eyes, and he comes to the startling realization that Itori has cried. He can’t remember the last time she did that.

“Itori-san, what’s wrong?”

“Wrong?”

“You’ve been crying?” Her eyes widen some more and she is suddenly in a hurry to end the call.

“Nothing’s wrong! Hurry up and finish your trip and come home!” She says and the screen goes black. He blinks at the screen, before he gets up from his chair and dials a new number.

“It’s three in the morning-“

“Tough luck.” Uta growls. He’s feeling a bit angry now, and he’d rather not cause a scene as he pays for his coffee. Just because Japan promotes peace, it doesn’t mean the rest of the world does.

“I’m about to go back to my hotel. Stay awake, Raven, I need to have a chat with you.”

“It can’t wait four hours?”

“No.” There’s a steely undertone to his voice which Renji haven’t heard since they were teenagers, so he wisely keeps quiet until Uta reaches his hotel room. He uses that tie to wake up properly so he can talk properly to his friend, and perhaps make some sense out of whatever it is that made the mask maker angry.

“I heard you stopped by Itori-san’s place earlier.” Uta says the moment he shuts the door behind himself. Renji blinks.

“Yes, to wish her a merry Christmas.”

“Then why has she been crying? What did you do, Renji-kun?” The silver-haired ghoul frowns on the other end before sighing.

“We were just talking. She had an issue, and instead of bottling it up, she let it all out and told me about it.” Uta is the one who frowns this time.

“What issue?” He hasn’t heard anything about a problem Itori might have.

“It’s not exactly something I’m comfortable with telling you. Ask her yourself when you get back.” Renji tells him, running a hand through his hair. “It’s personal, so ask her about it when you return. I assume she’ll have everything sorted out by then.”

“Renji-“

“No. I’m tired, this has nothing to do with me, enjoy your trip, call me when it’s actually appropriate to do so, like after eight in the morning.” Renji ends the call and leaves Uta pouting. True, he did call at an ungodly hour, but they could both have entertained him a bit longer. He’s curious about Itori’s alleged problem though.

Three days later, as Itori moves is cleaning up behind her bar, the door opens. She is about to tell whoever it is that has entered that she has closed, but nearly drops the bottle in her hands when she sees Uta enter.

“U-chan?” She nearly shrieks.

“Yo.”

“Wha- Aren’t you in the states?” She’s more than just a little bewildered. This explains why there had been no phone calls after Christmas, but still, what is he doing here?

“Renji-kun told me that something was bothering you and that I could help, so I came back.” Renji had never said he could help, but Uta had come home anyway, because he is worried. He is worried that Itori kept something bottled up, that she didn’t feel like she could confide in him, and that whatever is troubling her caused her to cry. Itori frowns. She thinks it is sweet of him, to cancel his trip and come home the moment he learns that she is troubled.

“Ren-chan said that? When?”

“I called him after we spoke on Christmas.” Uta answers and the redhead groans. Renji has for once not kept quiet. The one time she needed him to actually be quiet he blabbers like a gossip-loving teenager.

“What did he tell you?”

“That I should ask you yourself when I came back, because you would probably have it all sorted out by then. So, have you sorted it out?” Never mind the fact that Uta should still be gone for another four months, Itori thinks. Of course she hasn’t sorted it all out yet, with only a few days having gone by since she decided to actually spill the beans, so to speak.

“Obviously not. Lock the door.” She rolls her eyes and beckons him to come sit by the bar-counter. He does as told and waits for her to explain everything.

“It’s not a problem, not really. It’s just something that’s followed me for years.”

“Do I have to kill someone?”

“I doubt you will.”

“I can still kill, just point me in the right direction.”

“I don’t need anyone to die. If it was that simple, I’d do it myself.” She huffs and fills him a glass of blood-wine.

“Hm, true that. So, what’s bothering you?”

“Emotions.”

“Ah, they are a hassle, aren’t they?”

“Terribly so.” She agrees as she wipes the counter. Uta raises a brow, because usually when he visits and locks the door, she comes around and sits beside him. What is on her mind, he wonders.

“What’s on your mind, Itori-san?”

“I’m thinking about how to tell you this, without making everything complicated.” She tells him, ducking beneath the counter to rummage through the tiny shelves there for something, Uta doesn’t know what.

“You’re making this far too difficult, Itori-san. Just tell me and I’ll help you figure out a way to deal with it.”

“Absolutely sure of that?” She asks him, peering up from beneath the counter and he nods.

“Of course.”

“Okay then. Come here.” She stands up and motions for him to come closer as she smiles at him.

“You ready?” He nods. She leans even closer and whispers in his ear.

“I. Love. You. U-chan.” The expression on his face nearly makes her burst out laughing. His eyes are wide, his mouth hanging open, his expression a mix of disbelief and shock. She moves back to continue to clean up after her customers and lets Uta process what she’s told him. He doesn’t move for the longest time, but she doesn’t worry too much. It’s not like he showed a negative reaction to what she just told him. She does worry that she might have broken him a bit, but then again, that is an amusing thought too. She is about to turn off the lights and just leave him in the bar when he pulls out his phone and dials a number.

“Renji-kun, good evening. Also, what the fuck?!” This time she does laugh, and Uta spins in his seat, pointing at her.

“And you, you can’t laugh now!” His voice actually cracks and she curls in on herself, nearly falling over. They will have to talk about this later, have a good and long discussion where they figure out what to do, what they want to do, but right now she is more than amused with the display of the mask maker freaking out.

[itsybitsylemonsqueezy]

For the character post thingy Nishikiyama

Frienddddd! *hugs* Excellent choice

character: hate them | don’t really care | like them | LOVE them | THEY ARE MY PRECIOUS

I expected Nishiki to be much more of a Loki figure but, and I honestly mean this as a compliment, he’s not that smart. And that’s fascinating! Like, Nishiki is a coward and TERRIBLE at decision-making. Especially under pressure. Nishiki was never meant to be a leader, he sucks at it and he cracks like glass under pressure. Kiryu was always better at this stuff and Nishiki did ride his coattails and Nishiki knows it. 

Like, that’s what’s so heartbreaking about Nishiki. He was set up for failure. He’s not clever and he’s not strong, he has ambition in a way Kiryu never has, but he’s not smart enough to really pull it off. And his ambition stems from an inherent lack of self-worth. If people just told him good job once in awhile, he’d be happy. If people quit comparing him to Kiryu, or worse, EXPECTING him to be Kiryu, he’d be fine. But no, instead he was expected to be Kiryu, given absolutely no support or understanding while he was drowning, and under all that pressure, he snapped. 

And the terrible thing, the truly awful thing, is he knows the whole time that Kiryu is better than him, that Kiryu wouldn’t do this, that Kiryu would have made it work. But he’s not Kiryu. And he can’t. He truly believes he is less than Kiryu and... if that doesn’t fuck you up, just a little, I don’t know what to tell you. And I genuinely love that he’s allowed to be less than, he’s allowed to be wrong, to make mistakes and bad decisions, to not suffer as some saint and martyr to a path no one expected or wanted him to succeed at. Fuck yeah little buddy, you murder your way through because it’s all you’ve got. Your blood is on all our hands and I’m so sorry.

ship with: Woof, uhhh... therapy? Higher self-esteem? I actually think he and Reine would have been cute, if Nishiki hadn’t devolved into a pathological nightmare. Because she never compared him to Kiryu, she was never looking at him and trying to make him measure up or decide he was “good enough.” But, well. That didn’t pan out. 

brotp: The obvious answer here is Kiryu, I mean, Nishiki loves him, absolutely adores him, and Kiryu would do anything for him. But they’re bad for each other. 

There were many many failures with Nishiki down the line, on all sides. Kazama didn’t instruct him, Kashiwagi didn’t support him, and Kiryu, Kiryu didn’t let him grow. Kiryu was so worried about his brother’s weakness, instead of letting him take responsibility for his actions and go to jail, Kiryu took the consequences for him, denying Nishiki any real opportunity of growing into something beyond Kiryu. And that came from a place of love! Kiryu only wanted to protect him. But it was the final nail in the coffin of Nishiki’s doomed potential. Nishiki never learned what he could be outside of a placeholder for Kiryu. Everything that he achieves while Kiryu’s in jail is in his debt, because he knows the whole time that the only reason he’s out here, walking free, is because his brother took the fall for him. And so he can never truly say that his achievements are his. And from that space, his love, his envy, his fucking hero-worship of Kiryu turned to resentment and even hatred. 

Nishiki is this great example of Greek tragedy. I love that there were so many chances to avert what he would become, and at every stage, we dropped the ball. No one told Nishiki to stop, no one asked if he was alright, no one was there for him. If just one person had helped him, he wouldn’t have become this. There’s so much regret bottled up in Nishiki, the first big mistake of Kiryu’s trajectory, closely followed by the second Big Mistake. And I think it’s a really bold writing choice to make Nishiki this tragic, to saddle Kiryu early on with something he can never recover from, much less fix. It’s so fascinating that they just... let Nishiki run into the fucking ground and we have no one to blame but ourselves. It wasn’t that Nsihiki wanted too much or was just natively evil, he was trying so hard and he broke. That’s just great writing. 

But that does not answer the question. I don’t know if I’ve got a bro for Nishiki. I’d like him to have a friend he could trust. Not someone who’s going to save him, mind, just someone who he can be himself with. Kiryu has too many feelings of responsibility to be a good friend to Nishiki. It would have to be someone else. I can’t think of anyone who could have helped Nishiki that way, by actually being a friend. Sad answer :c

general opinions: For all that, I’m not particularly drawn to Nishiki. I think he’s a fantastic writing choice and I’m REALLY mad that canon doesn’t properly deal with the ramifications of his death. Like, game 2, Kiryu should still be Mad Fucked Up about it. And there’s A LOT of upsetting parallels in game 3 that never get fucking talked about. I’m really mad about that, because Nishiki’s death and the feelings of guilt and the fucking TRAUMA of watching it happen are a major turning point in Kiryu’s character. And the games should deal with that, his PTSD and that he can never apologize to a dead man. Just... I wish we talked about it more. I wish we dealt with it. It’s a Big Deal and it’s such a shame it isn’t given the weight it deserves. 

But as for Nishiki himself, his arc is complete. There was no saving him by the end. He did the only thing he could think of to redeem himself: die. Saving him there wouldn’t make him better, you would have had to have caught him much earlier than that, during his rapid spiral out of control, ideally, because once he snapped, he was gone for good. He made his choice to become something else, to survive, and he doesn’t... know how to be anything different. He’s scared and convinced he’s worthless. If you saved him at the end, it would take years of therapy to bring him back to a stable place where he was capable of feeling love for himself or others. He wanted to die, he wanted it to be over, it was the only thing he could think of, it was the only thing he’d been shown how to do. When things get shitty and it’s your fault, leave, that’s exactly what Kazama taught him. It would take monstrous work to undo that and I don’t think it needs doing. 

I think in terms of the plot and Kiryu’s character, his death is an important consequences to all the non-action and negligence that came before it. It should have been a major lesson in not leaving people alone and not keeping your feelings to yourself. The expectation that people will just weather whatever you throw at them is poisonous. The expectation that you should keep your problems to yourself and not ask for help is poisonous. Nishiki was right to break when and how he did. Absolutely justified. No one should be put in that position and the games repeat that (whether they meant to or not). I wouldn’t change that. I would change how his death is treated though. That boy didn’t die so you could forget about him. 

</essay on Nishikiyama Akira>