[color=#E34234][b]Takumi Minamoto - Stop! You're Tearing This Family Apart!!![/b][/color]
[i]Third Ward, Sakura Clinic, Fourth Floor[/i]
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In a single moment, the atmosphere of the room became electric. The kakugan of two beliigerents flared to life, and kagune unfurled, threatening each other and any interlopers. This was certainly a volatile situation. Takumi held held his hands underneath the table, bunching them up into trembling, white-knuckled fists. He did nothing more than watch as Itsuki crossed the room like a mad dog and Hana dispensed her venomous invective. Civility was thrown out the window as threats were loosed against the bystanders, and more insults were said than proper responses. To be fair though, Hana's sudden, angry change was understandable, given the uncooperative nature of the eldest male, who was dealing with his own emotional problems in turn. But despite his rationalizations, Takumi's disdain for it all was readily apparent on his face, as much as he tried to maintain a hard line with his mouth. His instincts were screaming at him to do something about it, to put down this anarchic dick-measuring contest, but he couldn't muster the will to move - not out of fear, but out of ambivalence. 

As much as he wanted to lose his shit and shout angrily about how this farcical mid-morning conflict was tearing their family apart in a desperate attempt to create a semblance of harmony, he understood that the damage had been done. There was no changing the past, and the underlying issues here were beyond his comprehension and ability to deal with. Thus, instead of adding fire to the flames, Takumi just breathed out a long, heavy sigh and slouched back into his chair. It was far too early to for him to deal with this sort of melodrama, so he did his best to tune it out. He swiped the newspaper that Asoka had left behind and began perusing the articles as the two - now three - continued their little scuffle. If there was anything to be said about his past antisocial reading habit, it was that it left him with a particularly useful skill for the purpose of not liberating oneself of the outside world. He was now in his own little realm of Dutch cannibal serial killers, trashy celebrity romance, and political bullshit that required more context to understand than he cared for, even if he was still going to read through it like he knew what was going on. 

[color=#E34234][i]'What am I doing? Even I know this is bullshit.'[/i][/color]

Takumi tossed the newspaper across from him. It was like a constant noise in the back of his mind, urging him to do his part against his best judgment. If only to appease his own conscience, he would say something. He trained his eyes on the family and rested his elbows on the table. [color=#E34234]"To think, eight years pass and we're already this close to tearing each other apart. Damn, the old man's probably rolling in his grave right now,"[/color] he commented, halfheartedly playing it off as an offhand comment. [color=#E34234]"Though I guess that means we really [i]are[/i] a family if I know my shows,"[/color]  he joked - an obvious attempt at bringing a bit more levity to the situation. He was having a hard time repressing the expression of equivocacy. [color=#E34234]"...We... [i]are[/i] family, right?"[/color] he asked, hesitation in his tone, [color=#E34234]"Doesn't really seem like it right now."[/color] He didn't think anything he could really say would make the situation any better, so he decided to quit there.  [color=#E34234]"...Well, if you ever need help, you can just find me,"[/color] Takumi said, giving a little goodbye wave, [color=#E34234]"Stay safe, nii-san."[/color]