(catch-all) bitch, don't kill my vibe

[invinciblemikey]

Who ⬤ manjiro sano, aka mikey, and you? ah, and a closed for toman!
What ⬤ substories and a lil' sleeping beauty prompt, as well as dealing with the elephant in the room (kazutora) for the tokyo manji. i will most likely update this log as time goes!
When ⬤ september!
Where ⬤ all them places and an abandoned shop
Content Warnings ⬤ well. extreme violence, language, dissociation, mental health issues, psychosis, delusion, and the sad reminder that mikey, kazutora, and baji are 15 years old while this is all happening.

Comments

[saintclaire]

I know.

[There is absolutely nothing preventing him from killing her. Anyone here could. She would barely be able to put up a fight, same as before. It's just her and her mouth. Jimmy's presence is a comfort, but neither of them can offer each other anything in the way of protection.

She doesn't want to answer that question, but she can't breeze by it again.]

And yes, I'm a lawyer, and I am married. Why?

[invinciblemikey]

(meanwhile, mikey has to recenter, to force himself out of destruction, and to force himself in all the same. a struggle that he had met at home, and undoubtedly continues here... and will occur sooner than later.

with kazutora still screaming bloody murder, it will probably be sooner.

either way, he'll stare at the familiar blonde, a shrug out of his shoulders.)

How much y'all charge?

[saintclaire]

[She contemplates whether to entertain this or just leave this kid to his business, but she settles in with a hand on her hip.]

At home, I'm a public defender. There's no charge to my clients, as costs are paid by the government. Why?

[invinciblemikey]

... Why? Did you choose that?

(he doesn't mean it sarcastically, nor is he hissing at her right now. it's an honest to god question.)

Though, you're... Definitely not Japanese. Things are different, I guess.

[saintclaire]

[That surprises her. She shrugs, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.]

Japan has its own right-to-counsel articles. Whether the counsel they provide is effective, I don't know, but I like my job. Even if the system is broken, I do actual good for people.

[invinciblemikey]

Also shitty client confidentiality, very few of you, and salty prices. Glad you can do it.

(not that mikey's been through the system, but pahchin is right now, and kazutora and baji had in the past. he's seen it, kinda sucks, and the system definitely made kazutora worse.

hate that for him.)

[saintclaire]

[Kim watches him for a beat. Any fifteen year old that knows jack shit about the legal system is probably one that's been through it, but she could have guessed that by his rough and tumble attitude alone. That makes brushes with the law just a matter of time.]

I've got a lot of clients your age. Their first concern isn't usually what I'm paid.

[invinciblemikey]

... How old do you think I am?

(is the west like that? movies mostly show delinquency in its older, more mature stages. he can't imagine - and well, considering his face and his height... she might be thinking he's younger.

which, again, it's fine. he became a gang leader at 12. this is normal.)

[saintclaire]

You're a teenager. [And with it, teenaged crimes. With a raised brow:] Are you about to tell me you're in your twenties?

[invinciblemikey]

(and for the first time, she'll hear his boyish laughter. he's even curling a little, arms around his stomach.)

Who the-- fuck would believe that?! No, no!!! 'm fifteen.

[saintclaire]

[Not her, that's for sure. She just smiles and turns away; let him laugh. She steps over to the counter to speak to the struggling internet café owner briefly, accepting an envelope from him and putting it in her purse. When she's done, she returns to the door, still rummaging through her purse. Cigarettes, cigarettes...

She asks:]

Have you been through the juvenile system?

[invinciblemikey]

(before she leaves, he'll ask her whether she can help this man, because this job is absolutely the worst. even if he did crack some skulls, nothing guarantees them to come when he's not around.

but she's back, and while they don't exactly get along perfectly, the company is better than monotony. she might be good to befriend, too.)

Not me, but some of the Tokyo Manji have. Some are right now.

(and his face remains, as always, neutral, even though he still hates it.)

[saintclaire]

[She fishes out the pack and draws out a cigarette for herself, and sets about lighting it. When it's snugly between her fingers and smoking, she leans against the doorframe. Sure, she'll chat. She's curious now.]

Your gang? [She gestures at his coat with her cigarette. She can read the kanji, but there's lots of kids in Royals jerseys. Doesn't make any of them George Brett.] What kind of consequences are they looking at?

[invinciblemikey]

Yeah, my gang. The one currently in jail is in because he stabbed a piece of shit. Since the dude didn't die or anything, he's just in a year. Another was for breaking and entering, sentenced to house arrest, but he got out not too long ago... And another was for murder, he was sent to a reformatory prison, but he got out, too. I guess since we're all just kids, the sentences are lighter on us.

(if she ever worried about the cigarette smoke, there would be no need. it's comforting. his older brother smoked, and that smell was attached to him more than anything.

he misses it, so there's even a little smile on the corner of his lips.)

It is what it is.

[saintclaire]

[She sets aside the concern about the violence of his life, of his friends' lives. It is easier to be a stalwart professional, cigarette aside. This is pure pragmatism, the pros and cons of these life choices. There's no judgement –– long trained out of her.]

Lighter now, but repeat offenders can get tried as adults. And the longer your criminal history, the harder they'll come down on you later.

[She's sure he knows that, but some things are worth saying anyway. She takes a drag and lets the smoke vent from her mouth, long and slow.]

That's worth it to you?

tokyo revengers spoilers here

[invinciblemikey]

I didn't order any of this, if you're wondering. They did it out of their own will.

(the two latter? the shop they entered was mikey's brother, and the victim was the same man.

so, nothing that he wanted to have happened.)

I don't have any, but it is my responsibility to keep them on the line. I know I almost kicked you, but I don't mess with normal people, nor do I hit girls, so I'll be fine, most likely. I was just trying to scare you so you're smarter about who you fuck with in this place.

[saintclaire]

[Kim raises an eyebrow, her expression sharp and watchful.]

You think a judge is going to give a damn if you don't mess with "normal" people, or women? The person getting stabbed or killed isn't the one on trial.

[And, with her pride plucked at:]

I also don't need lessons from you.

[invinciblemikey]

No need to get snappy at me.

(like he said, it was out of their own will.

mikey's future can hold so many possibilities. most wanted serial killer, biggest yakuza boss, who knows what he'll have here.)

Then die. If you're that stubborn and refuse to learn from others, then you deserve to get swallowed by this place.

[saintclaire]

[Kim is quiet for a moment, reflecting: snappy? Was that snappy? She thinks about squaring off with Lalo, the way he'd slunk off into the night after––

She laughs under her breath, and drops her cigarette onto the stone front stoop. She grinds the little orange glow out with the sole of her stiletto.]

I didn't get your name.

[invinciblemikey]

Manjiro, but no one calls me that. Mikey's fine. You?

(and it'd startle if anyone did. it is, however, still his name, so he'll give it - he's just very used to the nickname.

either way, he gestures behind him.)

Are you going to do anything about this poor bastard, by the way? I can't be here fucking forever, but I can't fix his financial crisis.

[saintclaire]

Giselle.

[She glances at the café owner, at the way he's slumped over on his folded arms, head on the front desk. It's a tough life, having a dream. Kim looks back to Mikey,]

Don't worry about it. My husband and I are working on something.

[invinciblemikey]

Are you going to give him a six-month financial plan?

(please, anything. he can't be here all day, doing absolutely nothing.)

[saintclaire]

[A curt nod.]

Shouldn't be hard. I used to do financial law.

[Jimmy's specialties lie... elsewhere.]

[invinciblemikey]

And him? A lawyer too?

(what a duo.)

Ain't that boring? Do you just talk about work?

[saintclaire]

[She suddenly understands why people say things like "you'll understand when you're older" to teenagers; how can anyone explain what it's like to be an adult in a relationship to someone who has never known anything like that?

With a trace of dry humour:]

Mmhmm. On date nights, we sit in the courthouse and read the ABA Journal to each other.