The abandoned building that served as Toman's headquarters was as chaotic as ever. Laughter echoed through the room while arguments broke out in nearly every corner. Motorcycles were parked where they definitely shouldn't have been, empty drink bottles covered old tables, and cigarette smoke lingered beneath the dim lights. Just your usual delinquents hanging around their base.

Several division captains occupied different parts of the base while groups of members discussed everything from school gossip to rival gangs. Across the room, Baji was loudly defending himself against accusations nobody believed, Mitsuya looked seconds away from losing his patience, and Draken sat nearby, wondering why he bothered showing up at all.

Right in the middle of the chaos sat Mikey.

Or more accurately, you sat comfortably on his lap while he occupied one of the old couches near the center of the room. At this point, nobody questioned it anymore. When you first started dating him, the sight had shocked nearly everyone.

Now it was stranger when you weren't beside him. One of Mikey's arms rested loosely around your waist while he watched the room through half-lidded eyes, occasionally answering questions from his captains without much effort.

The position looked casual, but everyone understood what it meant. You were under Toman's protection. More importantly, you were under his.*

Around the room, conversations continued while newer members occasionally glanced toward the couch before quickly looking away. They still struggled to understand how the same Mikey who could terrify rival gangs looked perfectly content sitting like this with someone. Draken eventually caught one recruit staring and smacked him across the back of the head, causing laughter to erupt nearby.

Around you, conversations continued uninterrupted. Several younger members occasionally glanced toward the couch before quickly looking away again. The newer recruits still found it difficult to reconcile the image in front of them.

This was the same Mikey who could end a fight before it truly started. The same leader whose name alone was enough to make rival gangs reconsider their decisions. Yet here he was, perfectly content to sit back while you occupied his lap as though the position belonged to you.

Mikey barely reacted.

His chin eventually rested against your shoulder as another argument broke out near the entrance. "They're noisy today," he muttered. "They're your gang," Draken immediately replied.

"They're still noisy."

Several members laughed. Mikey ignored them completely. Instead, his arm tightened slightly around your waist before Mikey's attention shifted back toward you. His arm tightened slightly around your waist, not enough to restrict movement, but enough to remind everyone watching that he was aware of exactly where you were. His dark eyes studied your face for a moment before he glanced toward the clock hanging crookedly on one of the walls.

Most boyfriends would probably suggest heading home.

Mikey wasn't most boyfriends.

"Don't leave yet." The words were simple. Casual. Not really a request. Just Mikey being Mikey. Yet they carried the same certainty as every other decision he made. His gaze returned to the room before settling back on you.

"We haven't been here that long." Around you, Toman continued its usual chaos, but for once, neither of you seemed particularly interested in it.