And sorry for the wait! It's been real crazy with life and being stuck with a mini writer's block about 1/4th of this chapter but here you go! Hope yall enjoy this one because I've been dying to post this one (you'll know why, wink wink)!

Chapter Text

Chisaki peeled open his eyelids with some difficulty, the dark of the room greeting him. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he lifted a lethargic arm to the bedside table, where he gently tapped around in search for his phone. He cussed quietly to himself when his fingers unintentionally flicked it a little ways away, but shifting his body towards the furniture for an extended reach did the trick.





Once acquiring the device, he brought it up to his face and thumbed over the power button, lighting the screen up. He read the time and sighed, letting his arm fall back to the bed with the phone still in his grasp as he brought the other hand over his eyes. With a deep intake of breath through the nose, he helf it a moment longer before releasing it. It's a little earlier than he intended to be awake, but ultimately no reason to dawdle around. He gave himself a few seconds and willed himself to get up.





Swinging his feet to the floor and finding the slippers, he heads to the bathroom to prep himself up for the morning. The fractured reflection imitated Chisaki as he moved to run the tap, splashing water over his face. Weighty golden eyes pierced back in the kaleidoscope of a reflection, revealing disheveled hair and haggard features as water trickled down the contours of his profile and into the sink.





Would the efforts amount to something worthwhile?





He tore his eyes away from the mirror and began brushing his teeth.





Minutes later, he disrobes. The showerhead rained down mercilessly on Chisaki, enveloping the shower cubicle in white hot steam as he lathered his damp head in hair shampoo. He methodically rinsed the foam off then worked the same on his body. Hands lather from top to bottom, precise and firm. As he moved back into the spray of water, Chisaki rinsed and scrubbed every inch of his skin coated in soap, applying specific amount of pressure of his skin. Once again, he lathered from top to bottom and rinsed them off with careful scrubbing.





It's only when Chisaki's hand reached for another round of body shampoo, fingers in contact with the soap pump that he catches himself with a pause. He blinked at the action and immediately retreated the limb. Instead, he put his mind into making sure that there weren't anymore suds on his person. Soon, the drumming of water ceased upon being closed. That's enough showering, he tells himself as he palmed open the glass shower door causing steam to barrel out of the cubicle, fogging every surface of the bathroom it could reach but he paid no heed, going for the fresh towel to cease the bumps on his skin.





He dabbed the moisture off his person as he briskly headed back to the room to begin dressing himself up for the day; the daily routine of donning on the usual work attire aided in the swiftness of his movements. His mind continued to function on autopilot as he put on the tie when his eyes caught sight of his phone blinking to life within the dim room. Chisaki wastes no time in picking it up, unlocking it to view the notification. It seems that the emails and messages have already started coming in as he was showering, the time stamp indicating the minutes of a time a while back. His thumbs dance accross the keyboard in reply to the texts requiring his attention and input, specifically of those delegating the next task of the following phases before locking the phone and pocketing it.





The mask on the bedside table is next to be picked up. With one hand supporting the beak, his other hand is occupied with holding onto the latches as he brought it over his head but promptly paused inches from his crown, hovering almost hesitantly. After a moment's deliberation, Chisaki walks to the next room with the mask by his side.





The sight of Eri upon pushing the door open made the corners of his mouth twitch upwards. Sprawled were the tiny limbs of the little girl, a loose interpretation of a starfish with her plush lying on her chest. He closed the distance to put the toy aside but started when her arms suddenly seized his at the speed of a springtrap, causing the plush to fall to the side. To his dismay and amusement, he found that Eri's arm strength is deceivingly stronger than her compact form.





Goodness. Had his men given her some sort of muscle training without his knowledge? Indeed it is beneficial for her to be tutored in combat for purposes of self defence but didn't they know better that they were to seek his approval before...





Ah.





Chisaki blinked as the answer came to him.





Rappa. Of course.





Chisaki decided then and there that there will be a talk with that man once he's done with both him and Katsukame tonight. Without another choice he set the mask aside on the pastel headboard and lowered himself onto the soft mattress, the surface immediately giving in to his weight. The locks of her hair are soft under the back of his fingertips as he ran them down her head. "Eri, wake up." Chisaki said in hushed tones. "I'll need to work soon."





"Mmh." Eri grumbled, pulling his arm closer and curling her face and shoulders into it. His fingers flinched away as shoulders tensed before sagging as he sighed moments later.





"Time to get up Eri, Bun Buns is waiting for you." Chisaki tried again but she responded with a mumbled, incoherent mix of words into his arm.





"What is it?"





She peeked her head from the winter jungle of her hair, one of her arms relinquishing the grip on his limb to give a rub at her drowsy eyes. "Her name's Miss Bun Buns. You've got it wrong again.." She said, yawning.





"Is that so? Well, she looks like she's okay with just being called Bun Buns." He reasoned.





She giggled. "That's because you can't hear her telly patty." Eri grabbed the plush toy's arm with one hand and held it above her chest. "See? She's grumpy now."





"Then she'll have to deal with it."





"Chisaki, nooo." She pouted.





A breath of light air escaped him, eyes smiling at her. Chisaki hummed and averted his eyes to the plush. "Hm. I think I can hear the telepathy now."





Eri's ruby eyes widened. "Really? What's she saying?" She asked excitedly, lowering the toy bunny as she pushed an elbow against the bed to sit up. Her hand stayed firm around his captive arm. "She's very angry for one." He said offhandedly, earning another round of giggle from the girl.





"It's like what you said. Her name really was Miss Bun Buns."





"Did you apologise?"





"In my head, yes." The comment triggered an offended look on Eri, her mouth drawing a straight line from her lips being drawn into a pout.





"Well if you did then I guess that's okay." She said, but Chisaki is quite confident that Eri is trying to convince herself of those words as well.





He bent a little towards the plush toy. "My apologies, Miss Bun Buns. As recompense from a yakuza, I would more than glady offer you my pinky." He said in an even tone, puzzling Eri as he brought up his free hand with an outstretched pinky. "Ah, but it just so happens that the knife in my other hand is stuck. Hold on a moment."





Eri laughed, squealing as she dropped the plush to renew her grip on Chisaki's wiggling arm. "Noo! She says it's okay, she doesn't want your pinky!"





"Then the matter is settled." he affirmed, eyes softening. She smiled from ear to ear, happy to be able to talk with Chisaki. It's too bad that he's busy all the time.





Oh!





"Do you have to work now?" She blinked, hugging his arm. He resisted a sigh. "Yes I do. Why don't you go get cleaned up before Setsuno arrives with breakfast?"







"Okay.." Eri mumbled. "Will I get to see you tonight?" She asked, feeling a little optimistic.







"No, it's another busy day." The look on her face as her hopes were dashed produced an unpleasant feeling in his lungs, but it's for the best. 'The truth is always something harsh but lies will forever be a poison,' were the words that came to the forefront of his mind. "How about you play with grandpa? He'll be free tonight."

She finally perked up at that, a smile returning to her face. "Okay, I'll text you all about the fun you'll be missing!"







The corners of Chisaki's mouth lifts upward the slightest bit. "I look forward to it." Before Eri could form a reply, the sound of a conversation and the front door of the unit unlocking reminded both of them of the time.







"Oh, Eri-channn! Food's here, and they're your favourite!... No, Tabe. We've been through this. Shoes off before stepping in. Hojo could you get this to the counter please?"







Eri kicks away the blanket and quickly jumped off her bed, running to the closet to rummage for her choice of clothes of the day, then to the bathroom. "Come home safe, Chisaki!" She said, shining a smile his way before shutting the door. Chisaki shakes his head and turns to his pick up his mask, putting it on and making appropriate adjustments for comfort and function.







"Eriii, were you being a sleepyhead aga— wAAh!" A very surprised Setsuno choked a scream after poking his head into the room, hand immediately grasping at his chest as if it was the last bastion that kept his heart from leaping out of his throat.







"S-sire!! Didn't you have a meeting today? I mean— Not that you're expected to be there— No! What I MEAN, is.." The blonde spluttered, unfiltered words escaping from his mouth in a lapse of judgement.







"... That, the meeting is due to start.." He finished, face flushed and strained.







"Yes, I'm well aware." Chisaki readjusted his tie. "You're doing very well at looking after Eri. Keep it up." He commented, strolling towards the door. Upon seeing Chisaki heading his direction, he moved out and aside to make room for his leader. "Thank you, sire! I won't let you down." He said, allowing himself to bask in the praise, a rarity that Chisaki grants when the mood strikes right on a job well done.





Hojo was setting up the table with Tabe's assistance as Chisaki comes into their view. The two were taken aback by his unexpected appearance but respectfully bowed and greeted him anyways, to which Chisaki acknowledged with a nod as he walked to the coat rack. "Good work. Get some rest before your next shift." He said as he lifted his jacket.





The lights in their eyes shine a little bit brighter and Chisaki finds no fault in that. Patrolling in the underground throughout the dead of night after Nemoto and Sakaki's shift can be quite uneventful after all. A bit of well-placed encouragement is the least he could do to give them a little boost.





Four unopened bento boxes were set on the round dining table, paired with a glass of orange juice, and a pair of chopsticks and a spoon. Tabe switched on the television and changed to the channel to the news, revealing the slouching back of a retreating boy with spiked blonde hair, rudely dismissing the reporter. The screen cuts to another scene where they were about to ask a disheveled-looking man something but cuts off to a remark at his appearance but the man paid absolutely no mind and proceeded to shoo the news crew away like the pests they were.





It was about time the Heroes grew some form of backbone, but for them to be so unprofessional on the news amused Chisaki greatly. One step forward, two steps back.





No matter. This doesn't concern him.





Chisaki puts on his jacket and heads out with swift steps.





________





"Itadakimasu!" four voices around the table cheered before digging into the bento. A chorus of delighted sighs rang out shortly after the first bite into the food.





Each bento contained different sides of meat and vegetable, decorated minimally to look the slightest bit charming just the way Eri likes them. At first, it was just Eri's bento that had the cute Rilakkuma onigiri, piglet-shaped meatballs, mashed potato chicks and the like to coerce her into eating but once she warmed up to them, they learned that she had a habit of sharing all things cute so none of them would feel left out.





As heartwarming as the action was coming from the little girl whom had recently just lost her parents back then as a result of a quirk-emergence gone wrong and landing herself into the yakuza family partly due to her blood relation to the Boss and his firm insistence to care for her, it pains Setsuno's admittedly thawing heart that she's more than fine to eat less just for the sake of ensuring everyone's happiness. Hence, he decided months ago that the cute-ification of everyone's bento was way overdue.





It was either that or waiting till the guilt slowly ate him from the inside until it made leaping from the highest building available in the district look like a theme park in comparison. He's a smart man, and his personal mission of Kawaii Bento was a calculated move, no matter what Hojo says.





"Your food's getting cold."





Tabe made a guttaral noise of agreement, face somehow decorated with stray bits of rice.





"Whatcha thinking about Setsuno?" Eri asked, looking up as she took a bite into her Totoro-nigiri.





Setsuno smiled, humming. "Hmm, oh you know." He waved a hand in the air with a shrug. "Adult stuff."





She blinked. "Dodging taxes and hiding bodies?" Hojo and Setsuno freezed with their spoons in mid motion. An octopus sausage gets lodged in Tabe's throat and Eri became a bit worried when the man began to flail. There was a beat of silence as the pair glanced at each other while Tabe grabs his own neck and tries not to be done in by the deadly morsel. Setsuno grabs the kitchen towel on the table and holds it a few inches away from Tabe's mouth, keeping his sights at the inside of Tabe's oral cavity and activated his quirk. With a wet shlop, the morsel gets ejected into the cloth and fails to claim its victim.





" Eri.." Hojo began with hesitance lacing his voice. "Where did you learn that?"





"Grandpa! He knows a lot of stuff!" Eri exclaimed excitedly now that the cause of unease is gone, arms wide as if to show the depth of her mentor's knowledge, completely unaware of the distress her answer induced.





None of the men knew how to feel about that.





Before the answer was thrown into their faces, they'd had chalked it up to one of Nemoto's and Rappa's antics when it was their turn caring for Eri, but no... Apparently not. Never would they have imagined that it was Boss all along, and they felt like a fool to think otherwise. Of course it was the old man. You don't simply become the Boss of the yakuza clan with none of the experience to show for it. Eventually, Tabe returns to his food, eyes squinting sceptically at each of the other smaller morsels this time. Swallowing, he looked at Eri. "Grandpa's cool." He croaked as he bit into another large spoonful of food.





"Yeah! He is!" She said with hands fisted in adoration, simply happy that someone shares the same thought.





"What else did Grandpa teach you?" Setsuno asked and took a page from Tabe's book, resuming his breakfast. Hojo downs some orange juice before following suit.





"There was this one time he taught me about fighting bullies! He said to go like this, and like that!" She jabs at the air as she recalled. "But most importantly, he said to go for easy weak points 'below the belt'! No wait, that was Rappa."





The three can only summon their best poker face and nod supportively as Eri delved deeper into her into the rabbit hole of tips and tricks she'd picked up from Rappa and the old man. Despite the awkward air, everyone was done with their bento soon enough. Working as a cohesive unit led by Setsuno, everyone including Eri cleared the table and deposited the tableware to the kitchen sink to be washed and dried.





Once that was done, they all sat by the television where they watch Eri's new favourite Disney movie, Mulan, for the nth time. With the trio determined to forget the nagging horrors of Eri's too soon knowledge, they sang along in grandeur with Eri to replace it with memories of a more pleasant nature.





________





The cacophony of chairs gently sliding office chairs and thumping of feet rang in Chisaki's head like white noise as the members invited to the meeting made their exit.





His mind felt like they were allocated into slots for specific tasks; one part ran with upcoming arrangements based on the reports gathered, another ruminated on the meeting itself, while the last bit is put into the start of the conference call with the brokers, everything mixing and blending together with the leftover haze of fatigue. Near another hour of the day passed before the call marked its end, Chisaki finding it fortunate that little of his prodding was required today. Everything had gone by quickly once the discussions and statistics were done, and none of the brokers were speaking the least bit vaguely this time either.





Other than the call, the meeting went smoothly if not uneventful, something he often counts as a blessing when it came to the younger seasoned members who still ran on crass fronts and hot blood in their veins.





Some of these men run their mouth like they still had things they've yet to prove, unlike their more mellow elderly colleagues. Still, Chisaki had no doubt that just because they were quiet didn't mean that they didn't have their own reservations on the subject where he was involved. They may have gained some respect for him over the years since his participation and eventual co-leadership with the Boss, but he'll still be a child in their eyes until they've earned back the glory days of a bygone era; a fool's notion. Though most of all, it was an unspoken consensus among everyone to at least heed his guidance out of respect for their Boss.





What they need now is an evolution, or in other words a business transformation, and this doesn't come to those who are stubborn about sticking with the old ways. Their network had understandably shriveled up since the age of quirks but still they need to push further or the walls will close up and box them in, leaving them to rot. And yet they have to be wary not to push too far lest they get tangled up in the net set by the current kingpin of the underworld.





They have to be smart, or they'll one day find another number to add to the list of missing persons.





"How've you been, Chisaki?" He blinked, the train of thought for feasible plans put on hold as he looked at Boss. The familiar face had not fared well. Creases and hints of fold held his frame as dark spots spread like constellations across his tan yet off coloured skin. He's wearing a deep burgundy suit today. "I've been fine." Chisaki said, getting up from his seat and tucking the chair to the table. He walked up to the Boss and held the handles. "The kitchens?"





"Yes, a bite of something would be great." He agreed, amicably. Chisaki gently pulled and pushed the wheelchair from the table and out of the room. "Did you put aside the food I told Tengai to get for you again?" He questioned sharply, to which the Boss gave a noncommittal 'hm'.





"I'd taken a gander that you hadn't eaten either, so I saved it up for until your conference ended to share the portion with you." He said, turning his head to Chisaki. "I know you skipped dinner last night."





Chisaki knew for a fact where this was going. How could he not, with the amount of years being raised by the very man? Both of them knew most of the habits the other have at this point, as well as the ways appropriate in approaching them. It was however unfortunate that the Boss is better at it, with all the experience under his belt. "There were things that need to be done. You should know better than developing this penchant of 'saving food for later', it's bad to always eat reheated food." He deflected without a beat.





"Then at least eat on time so I don't worry about you." The Boss said, determined not to let it slide. "There is no need to be restless about that. I know my limits and how to take care of myself." Chisaki said, pulling a sigh out of the old man. There was silence before the Boss spoke up again, a little pressing in the conscious attempt at pushing the issue, yet even when Chisaki expected them the internalised weight of the words almost made him stop. "I'm not as young as I used to be, Chisaki. And being like this isn't exactly doing wonders to me."





'Then why won't you at least let me fix what's damaged?' were the unspoken words that sprung into his head like a suffocating scream in the dark. He chose not to let them get past of his mouth, knowing full well of the outcome were they to be voiced based on past fruitless arguments. His lungs feel uncomfortably warm– too warm, with all the pressure pushing from all sides in his gut, the frustration of practicing restraint from saying what's on the tip of his tongue travelled to his hands that now clenched tightly on the handles as he tried to be mindful of his choice of tone. "Very well. I'll see to it that I do."





"If that's the best I can get out of you then I'll take what I can get." The old man sighed, a hint of jest returning to the worn edges of his voice.





They turn at the last corner and lead them into the expanse of the living room which currently held more occupants since his return hours ago. The men voiced their greetings towards them before getting back to what they've been doing, which wasn't much. It was to be expected since its just around the hour of the household's erratic lunchbreak. A few sat around the low table while others took some of the available sofas as they ate, some on their phones or catching up on a few precious minutes of extra sleep and others with their eyes on the television. A large crowd of fiery spirited news crews were shown to be pushing at each other to get through an oddly shaped gap of some gate.





He pauses with a frown when the unmistakable sight of U.A High's blue-tinted glass windows and alphabet-shaped building slips into view. It was public knowledge that the so called number one hero academy is equipped with security that kept unwanted persons out, so how exactly did the press find a way into the premises unhindered? Their standards must be slipping if the public could just barrel in through the front gates uninvited.





The press aren't too bright themselves if a simple scoop of whatever they're aiming for is all they're thinking about with a televised stunt like that. What an era, to make the people careless in their actions because Heroes are more than available to clean up after them like glorified janitors. It strikes Chisaki as something odd how even news professionals are unaware of the many eyes that are watching from the shadows, and though most were now wise enough not to jump into a den of Heroes and Heroes-to-be, the possibility still remains glaringly far from a zero percent.





After all, no matter how bright the famed pillar of light shined, All Might is and forever will be just one man against the world. For all the miracles he can pull at admittedly blinding speeds, there are bound to be some corners in Japan that he have failed to save. This alone goes to show that a single pillar wasn't going to be enough, and this pillar is getting old. Yet the masses set the man on a podium like an an invincible figure of admiration when in truth it's the quirk they worship like a cult, an absurd notion of society spawned from a special brand of twisted and crazed crowd mentality and it just spreads and spreads and spreads akin to a cancerous plague. It's sickening to think they assume quirks were the cure all solution when it's so clearly the very origin of poison rotting the mind. They need to change, they have to. He needs to put an—





There was a firm tap on his hand and Chisaki blinked, brought back to the busy room full of the household members. The Boss gave him a reassuring smile and only returned his attention to the news upon seeing a delayed nod from Chisaki. He willed himself to dismiss the previous line of thought. Later. He'll think about it later. He'd gone through this rabbit hole before and he'll remind himself that it was wrong. He's was wrong.





He loosened the knuckle white grip he'd unconsciously had on the handles and worked himself through a few calming breaths as he held his eyes on the screen. It didn't matter much seeing as whatever was on wasn't registering to him, the figures and words were all muddled and blurred together with the sounds like white noise around him. Little by little, the cold tension in his lungs felt more bearable. Breaths came in and out less greedily and it was good enough. He'll regain his usual inner composure in a few minutes.





In the background, he hears the weather report stating that a light drizzle is to be expected come evening. Okay. That's fine. He reached for the handkerchief from the inner pocket of his jacket and swiftly dabbed at the few droplets of sweat on his head before pocketing them.





Tengai and the old household cook soon appeared in his peripherals, walking out of the corner and giving a bow of greeting before into the kitchen with a wrapped bento in one hand while the other woman carried two bagged groceries. Chisaki paused a beat, eyes zeroing in on the groceries and gave the Boss a look, of which was reciprocated with a deceivingly innocent smile for a man of his stature. Chisaki let out a soft huff of air at that. Of course the old man would do this. Without much choice in the matter, he pushed the very pleased Boss to the small dining table just outside the kitchen and seated himself in front of the man.





"I won't be back early tonight, Boss." Chisaki began. "But Eri would like to spend some time with you."





"Hn. You'd make a terrible father if you keep this up." The old man said offhandedly before nodding in acknowledgement to one of the men that walked up to their table with two cups of hot tea.





"Then it's fortunate that she at least has a caring grandfather." He countered with unblinking eyes. The antique clay cup is lifted with a gloved hand and deposited in front of himself where its left to cool.





Boss leveled an unimpressed gaze as he took a sip of tea. "She misses you, you know." The old man placed the cup to the side of the table and folded his hands together, sighing. "Never was there a day that goes by where she doesn't mention about the idea of being able to spend more time with you."





"She understands why. Her livelihood as well as the clan's take precedence."





"Taking a few hours or even a day off that schedule of yours wouldn't kill the family. Nor will it ruin your plans."





Chisaki moved the cup to the side and looked at the nearby window that framed the great expanse of the sky. Silvers of grey clouds hung amongst the whites like a blotch of dirt tainting a pristine azure canvas. "It needs to be perfect."





"Is that so." The old man glanced commented and let the silence between them sit for a while. There it is again, the obsession for all things to go perfectly. As the head of the clan, he more than understood for the want of smooth plans and unhindered pursuits, of course he does. But while he toiled through days on end in blood and sweat, he ensured that there were days where his mind had a moment of rest as well. He took on hobbies like playing shogi with his men, growing bonsai trees, and hell, even ikebana.





Chisaki though, this boy. Its like he never understood the concept of rest unless its about passing out in bed, and eats only when he deemed it necessary. In all of the time spent with him, the closest to a hobby he'd observed to have picked up was shogi but even then it only seemed like the boy only treated it as the sort of interest that coincided with obtaining ideas to further his arsenal of strategy, and absolutely none of the entertainment. This continued like a bad habit at least until the boy met his granddaughter, a fragile little one back then. She'd been emotionally catatonic, unable to move on from the shock of losing her parents from what she'd done, unable to truly grasp the concept of 'killing' her own father, and being abandoned by what had been a loving mother as consequence; all that warmth she'd been used to taken away so abruptly and replaced with a chilling cold of being with stranger of an absentee grandfather, parodying as its substitute.





The vacant look in her eyes were familiar, if not the same as Chisaki when he first met him on that fateful day. Their circumstances were almost an ironic parallel to each other as well, like some ill-fitting joke orchestrated by the universe. Another victim of tragedy, another person he wants to aid, to help them get back on their feet so that one day, they would find peace within themselves and be grateful to see another day. To live life and not just survive.





That's why, when the brief shine of intrigue flashed in the boy's eyes when he explained dear Eri's situation and quirk abnormality, he summoned the faith he'd had in the boy and let him assist in bringing her up. It was an extremely rocky beginning, what with Chisaki's slow aptitude to humane relations, but it with some firm intervention and advice, the risk seemed to have paid off.





No longer were the gold in Chisaki's eyes an indifferent barren landscape. Instead, they are replaced with what he'd generously describe as small sparks of benevolent understanding when he's seen spending time with the little angel. He had no doubt that Eri, once she'd made progress on coming out of her shell, played a big part in shedding his walls with her giving nature. And he is glad, thankful even, for both of them to have come so far.



Which is why he'll force his hand if he had to make sure that both of them get the time they should have with each other. "Then I'll take over for when you're spending time with Eri." He said, tone firm. "Take the Sunday off and bring her to a theme park or something. I'll be in charge of the site management on your side."



That snapped Chisaki's attention back to the Boss, squinting incredulously at what he'd just heard. "That's not—"



"I know how you run things, and I'll have Kurono with me if it helps to put you more at ease." The old man inserted. "You know very well how lenient I'd been with your inane schedule, but if you keep being stubborn about running yourself haggard like a fool, then I have the right to put a stop to it as the head of the house."



Chisaki exhaled a breath. "That is far from necessary, Boss. Not that I doubt your experience, but things are fine as they are and my presence is essential for the client engagements taking place that day."



"In that case, I'll cover all the other parts irrelevant to engagements. Just make sure you spend some time with Eri is all I ask. Do we have an agreement?" The younger man massaged the bridge of his nose, exhaling once again. "I'd rather not, honestly. Had the choice been given to me, I would have picked another day."



"Hmph. Funny how you said the same thing a few months ago." Boss said, taking another sip. "So, an agreement?" He asked again as he put the cup aside.



Chisaki idly watched as the cup is placed; the little pinky, aged and undoubtedly course from its toils, jutted out a little below the bottom of the cup in a confident gait and sought contact with the surface of the table before the ceramic, acting as a cushion as the cup finally lands. Precise yet a touch attentive. Interesting how seemingly insignificant movements could somehow reflect the overall person. Chisaki's mouth twitched behind his mask. Well, seeing how the old man wouldn't budge on the matter Chisaki acquiesced, nodding. "Yes, unfortunately."



"Pleased to hear it. And dont think about getting out of this. One day is all I ask of you."



"And one day it will be." If there was anything Chisaki learnt from growing up in the same roof as the old man, this little 'request' of his would most definitely not be a one-off event. But loath as he was to be forced into what ultimately counts as a time out, he couldn't bring himself to deny the Boss; the amount of times the Boss asks him of something unrelated to their— or his, daily grind were incredibly few in between after all.



"Apologies for the wait, masters." The harried household cook said as she came with steaming plates of food stacked neatly on her flattened, elongated arms. One by one, she deftly arranged the dishes and two bowls of rice before them and wished them a good meal, excusing herself back to the kitchen. Chisaki carefully took off his mask and set it down to the side of the table.



"Itadakimasu." Both said in unison, marking the end of the discussion and dug into their meal. Served were the usual balanced meal consisting of fish, chicken, veggies and herbal soup, each cooked in different oriental styles familiar to their cook's mixed origin. Chisaki blew lightly at the piece of meat at the end of his chopsticks and ate it along with his rice, swallowing once chewing the appropriate amount of times. Some of the members chatted amongst one another, gossip of whatever was the latest scandal or whatnot, while the news channel played in the background.



Minutes flew by between them as they ate, attention drifting to the chatter and television showcasing the usual heroics happening all over Japan. Most of the news were tame, shots of villains getting into police cars were shown with the story behind them being done in by All Might himself before crimes had a chance of escalating. Interspersed were heroic feats of other Heroes all over Japan, and of course, the news were selective in which of the Heroes shown due to airtime and rating constraints.



The screen showed Hawks singlehandedly taking down a group of bank robbers without any casualties, Best Jeanist immobilising a flying thief in mid-flight and securing her safely in a confinement of threads before the perpetrator's unsightly landing, Endeavor, Centipede assisting a man out of a truck that's about to fall off the edge of the mountainside highway, and... Ah, how surprising it is to see such a rare face. That man's efforts must have paid off then. Excellent. Once this guy gains traction and becomes more famous, he'll consider charging extra for the services. Especially so for the emergency requests he tends to make every now and then.



"Thanks for the food." Chisaki picks up the napkin and swipes his mouth clean. "I'd like to have a word with Rappa this evening, Boss. After you're done with the rookie who caused the headache."



"Hm." The old man grunts, dabbing at his mouth with his napkin before speaking, depositing the cloth to the side in a folded square. "What for? Or is it about the furniture that were broken just last night?" His old hands pulled a small leather-bound notebook from his blazer and flicked through the pages.



"That, and to confirm my suspicions of him training Eri without my knowledge." Chisaki fished out his phone and checked his emails as the old household cook came by to collect the dishes, stacking and piling them neatly on her flattened arms and disappearing into the kitchen once more. The Boss chuckled as he squinted at the words written in the pages. "What gave you that idea?" He said, not the least bit surprised considering the fact that his granddaughter is being trained by a muscle head with only ideas of getting into fights in every though process.



"Eri had an impressive grip that no child should ever have business in having. And in her sleep, no less."



"That explains your tardiness this morning. Who would have known you were being manhandled by a child." The Boss brought out the pen from his front pocket and proceeded to write. "On that note, you must not have met a lot of children her age, the little ones can surprise you with the amount of tenacity they have packed in their little frames."



There it is again with the neutrality. There's something the old man wants him to find out what he's not saying. Restraining the urge to sigh, he carefully put on his mask. There were multiple possibilities but a hazard of an answer had already formed in his mind. "Don't tell me you were the one who greenlighted Rappa to coach her."



"Close." He chuckled. "I'm the one coaching her. Rappa only asked to be in on it, so it's a bit of a joint effort."



It's a bit of a what now.



Chisaki rubbed at his temples, wrapping his head around the idea. "I don't recall you bringing up any interest in providing physical education for Eri." In fact, now that he thought about it he hadn't mentioned about anything remotely close about Eri either.



"If you had spent less time with work and more with Eri and I, you'd know that she has a yellow belt in Taekwondo now."



"... She's involved in Taekwondo." Chisaki said flatly, not really a statement and not quite a question. The Boss smirked at the look he's been given, apparently finding this somewhat entertaining. Good for him. "Yes, she's been at it for about three months now. Even made a few friends."





Eri hadn't mentioned anything about this either and she's always keen on updating him about what's happening around her. And while the Eight Precepts technically had to report to him, never had Chisaki made it clear that they were to report to him on Eri's agenda when it's decided by the Boss. Aggravating as it was to admit it, he really is the only one to blame for missing out on this development. Resigned, he had to swallow the bitter pill of the Boss's words and accept that the old man was right. "That's great but wouldn't personal tutors be better? Who knows what sort of illnesses the other kids could infect her with."





"Don't you worry about that, I've already had my men to go through the other kids' medical histories; all of them have been vaccinated." With a full stop penned to mark the end of whatever he wrote, the old man capped the instrument and returned it to his pocket. The leather-bound notebook folds to a close and finds itself returned as well. "The tutor is one of the best in the area and the class isn't too big either, so the tutor will have appropriate attention to focus on teaching everyone equally."





"I still think a personal tutor would suit Eri better. None of the risk of catching sickness and all of the attention for her advancement in learning the skills."





"Nonsense. She has to socialise and build her own connections with people her age too. Otherwise, she'll be trapped in her own comfort zone when she grows up."





Chisaki frowned, he personally thought it was the worst idea to date. Kids other than Eri were living nightmares of disease carriers and if he had a choice, he'd immediately withdraw her from the class altogether and personally hire the best of the best to tutor her. Plus, he grew up just fine so what was the issue with being homeschooled? Though if the Boss is set on his decision then no matter. He'll be sure to get Eri a body checkup every now and then.





"Since it's already been decided, then so be it. I'd still like a word with, Rappa regardless." Chisaki stood, walking to the Boss's wheelchair and pulling him away from the table and redirecting them to a separate hallway.





"Go ahead. I don't see why you assigned him to guard me in the first place. My men are more than enough for the job." He said, with a leisure wave of his hand.





"I like to be prepared for the worst." They made a turn and went down a low ramp where their minimalistic house gardens greeted them. The temperature was a little warm even with the cloudy skies overhead but it made for a pleasant enough stroll around the greenery and ponds.





"The worst, huh." The Boss murmured, looking off to the left.

x - x -x - x - x -x -x -x





Chisaki paused, following his gaze and saw their elderly garden caretaker fishing out a weakly struggling sparrow hatchling out of the tortoise pond enclosure with a net. The thing must have fallen from its nest. Drawing his gaze upwards, he saw its parent nestled in a little nest presumably with the rest of its hatchlings in the branches of their tree just above the pond, peeking downwards curiously. Once the net was withdrawn, the caretaker reached into the net for the tiny bird with a shake of his head and headed for the wastebin by the shed.



How unfortunate.





He flicked his gaze to the Boss, where the old man's frame had bowed slightly with both his palms held together in a prayer. Chisaki stood idly and waited. The elderly caretaker returned, now with turtle feed in one hand and a filled watering can in the other. The man crouched slowly onto one knee and lightly threw the feed into the enclosure, making sure they landed close to the tortoises before getting back onto his feet and tending to the flowers.





It was the moment the man watered the second flower where Chisaki resumed the stroll, as the Boss just returned his arms back to the armrest.

x - x -x - x - x -x -x -x







"You know what I mean." They passed the koi pond, where their small array of colourful koi fish swam around under the lotus leaves in languid strokes of their tails. Other than the increasing collection of bonsai and flowers, the ponds were the Boss's favourite installment in the gardens which was understandable since he'd had a hand in maintaining them back when he was fit for the task. However, the this place only brought unpleasant feelings for Chisaki.





"Of course, of course." The Boss said, looking at the koi. Chisaki brought the wheelchair nearer to the edge of the pond where a pole was propped, a can holding fish feed nailed onto it. Everyday, the garden caretaker would fill it with small amounts of food around these hours for the Boss so that he could feed the fish when he came by. The Boss grabbed some feed and tossed them into the pond where the fish immediately scurried to where the pellets landed.





Chisaki was offered some but as always, he declined the invitation. He'd rather not touch any of the feed, even with gloved hands. The Boss responded with a chuckle and returned to tossing bits of the feed, enjoying the peace that came with it. Chisaki stood behind the wheelchair with folded arms, shifting from one leg to another as he observed the koi rippling the water at every pellet that landed.





He was momentarily distracted when he felt a vibration in his pocket. Chisaki brought his phone out and woke it up to see the notification that came in. Upon reading the details, he huffed and returned the device.





"Boss, I'm afraid there's a change of plans for today."





________





The air carried the reek of forgotten garbage and clogged drains from the nearby alleyway. Drips of water travelled down the pipes and steel beams of the construction site as Chisaki, Kurono, Irinaka, and Nemoto navigated through the small concrete maze. The sky was pitch black, but with the help of some constructions lights, they made it to the centre of the site.





"Man, took you long enough. Its not like I might be bleeding to death or anything yanno?" A gruff man scoffed, limping into sight from behind a thick pillar. The man, covered from head to toe with thick, short grey strands of thread, had coagulated droplets of what looked like blood that oozed out of his head and body, clumping the masses of hair together.





"That is to be expected when you requested to meet in Kyoto rather than Shibuya." Chisaki said, stopping a few feet away from the hairy man with Chrono, Nemoto, and Mimic flanking him.





"Oh yeah, didn't tell you about my relocation did I? Well whatever, you know now anyway." The waved offhandedly as he leaned onto the pillar for support. "Turns out I outperformed the tabulated data the agency forecasted so they ended up moving me over to their other branch in the busier city. Crime rates are crazy high since All Might doesn't appear here as often. I mean, look at me." He motioned at himself.





"I've just got here a few hours ago and bam! Had to resolve four crimes in a row. Could you imagine that?! Fuckers here are crazier too, who would even think of running headfirst into me with my quirk activated? I know I wouldn't!" The man continued to babble on while Irinaka prepared the small tent nearby. It was messy business having to overhaul an entire person, so they had to take preventive measures to not leave a single trace during the procedure.





Once it was all set up, the mimic turned to face Chisaki and held an 'okay' sign to signal the end of the preparation stage. As Chisaki turned his gaze back on the client, his peripherals spotted Irinaka mimicking a heated talking gesture to Kurono and Nemoto, mocking their client. Chisaki's mouth twitched upwards behind his mask.





"—and then this hotshot of a policeman had the gall to tell me, ME! That I was too hard on the rookies when I told them to put more chains on the piece of shit!" The man ranted.





"Cact Hide." Chisaki said as he removed a glove.





"Like come on, really. What happened to the brain and backbone they used to—" It was by virtue of keeping it clean and professional that Chisaki had not rendered the man into an unsightly splatter of blood on the spot. That, and the somewhat generous amount of money this one pays for every procedure. With a sigh and the small patience Chisaki could muster, he repeated himself a little louder. "Cact. Hide."





"Huh? You say something? Speak louder next time, my ears weren't how they used to be. What is it?"





"You may enter the tent now." Chisaki gestured at the propped shelter. "Oh. Okay." He said, promptly entering the tent with Chisaki. Inside, the man laid himself down without further instruction, already familiar with the knowledge that he was to have his back on the covered floor and hands on his side ever since the first service trial. And to keep quiet or his innards won't get overhauled right, whatever that meant.





Kneeling, Chisaki sat a foot away from the Hero with a raised palm above the man's arm and waited for the tent to shimmer an odd sheen of black. As soon as the shelter glistened, the inside turned faintly warmer but both occupants paid it no mind and instead waited for the eventual extension of cloth between them that gently wrapped itself around Chisaki's extended arm.





The procedure then ended as soon as it began with a touch of Overhaul’s fingertip. When Cact Hide awoke, he saw the surgeon withdraw his hand from his side of the tent that was now filled with the familiar splatter of his own blood and guts. It took a lot of effort but the brusque man managed to hold back the gag reaction the stench drew. Sheesh. He'd thought that he'd get accustomed to it in time but he'd always prove himself wrong on the next surgery. There's just some things that even Heroes can never get used to.





Cact Hide got up and shed the bits of his hair that had squishy bits of himself off himself before stepping out of the tent, wiping his boots on the small carpet outside. God, was he glad to finally breathe something other than his own guts. He swiveled an arm and bent his waist to check his renewed mobility. Damn it felt good to finally be able to move without his own cacti hair embedded in his freaking skin.





This Overhaul kid’s quirk would work miracles in all of Japan’s hospitals. Emergency rooms would be a thing of the past were he to work as a proper doctor. A shame that he’s shady as hell though. Ah well, life is a terrible comedian anyway.





“Thanks for the assist. You’re one of the few men in your generation I know that are reliable in a pinch. Good job!” The gruff man stretched as Chisaki busied himself with drying his hand with a wet towel, signs of hives beginning to show where skin came into contact with his blood. Yikes, poor kid. Hilarious as hell though. Not that any of them would catch him saying out loud. He may be blunt but he’s not looking for a death wish anytime soon. “I got the cash hidden just nearby. And don't worry, I've put in some compensation for the surprise road trip. Which one of your men’s gonna to follow me to it?”





Gold eyes shifted from the towel to Cact Hide. “Chrono, Nemoto. Accompany him.”





“Yes, sire.” “Understood.”





The three men walked into the distance and Chisaki felt the telltale activation of Nemoto’s quirk verifying the information with the man as they turned into a corner. At the lack of discord a few minutes later, he deemed it safe and finished up scrubbing the grime off his arm. He handed the cloth to Irinaka once the man was done with absorbing the tent, alongside the entrails within. Irinaka promptly absorbed the dirtied cloth into himself upon receiving it. “Guy’s as honest as men can come, but fuck if he isn’t annoying.”





“Hm.” Chisaki hummed, noncommital but in agreement. He brought out a small bottle of hand sanitiser and applied them, albeit clumsily as he only needed it on one hand before pocketing the bottle and putting on a new glove procured from the innerside of his jacket. It isn’t ideal, but it would have to do for now. He’d have to bear with the crawling dread of filth on his skin until they get back to the car where spare watered bottles were readily available to wash his hands with.





He surveyed the area with Irinaka, stepping into the direction where the others have gone to, and the man followed closely behind. Both of them had eyes and ears alert for any possible intruders prying into their business. Despite choosing the best location for privacy, none of them were willing to completely drop their guard; there was always a chance things might go wro—





Shots of Chrono’s and Nemoto’s silencers pierced the air, Cact Hide’s surprised cry accompanying the cacophony. Overhaul and Mimic wasted no time in sprinting toward to din of a fight. The sound of grunts and rapid clashing of steel against what sounded like a blade could be heard and Chisaki had to wonder if this was an ambush of some kind from a third party as he slid the gloves off his hands.





If it was one, then who the hell was it? Was it another Hero or villain lying in wait past that corner? They could hear Nemoto using his quirk against the assailant but the skirmish continued just as loud without a hint of a pause. A swear, and the sound of a body hitting the ground echoed ahead. It didn’t even take a second longer before another thud joined. What were their numbers if they were able to go up against two of his men and a Hero?





Chisaki skidded to a halt at the corner while Mimic jumped in front of Chisaki as precaution, shifting to his full size without blocking his view. On the floor were Nemoto and Cact Hide looking a little roughed up, bleeding from the few knives protruding out of their body—none in the vital regions thankfully, and still very much alive. Though, judging from the lack of movement from the two on the floor, the assailant must have some sort of paralysis quirk.

Chrono was using his gun and dagger to parry a merciless yet unpredictable barrage of slashes from the attacker's katanga. The man sported a dark combat suit with cloths of red and sullied white draped around his neck and crown. Chisaki's eyes widened in anger. They knew this man. Skilled in hand to hand combat, a paralysis quirk, the katana.





“What is the meaning of this, Stendhal?!”





Spotting Chisaki and Irinaka, Chrono quickly leapt back as layers of spikes closed in between the space around the assailant. But with a violent twist, Stendhal forced his body to spin in midair, swinging his katana in a wide arc as he laughed. “You...!” The move succesfully cleaved through several spikes, creating a narrow path behind him where he skillfully utilised one of the longer ones to propel himself out of danger. The man dropped into a roll and used the momentum to recover into a run, his gaze now set on Chisaki and Mimic.





“Didn’t you know it’s Stain now, Overhaul?!” Stain leered. Mimic held his arms up in defence, with his body as a shield in front of Chisaki.





“Kai!” Kurono screamed. He leapt above the spikes and dashed, hurling his dagger aimed at the back of Stain’s head. At the last second, the man whipped around and deflected the weapon to the side, the speed of contact between the two weapons creating a dull spark that briefly illuminated the area.





Chisaki tapped once more on the wall behind the cover of Irinaka’s frame, this time manifesting an onslaught of attacks meant to impale from below, their directions erratic and uneven but even that didn’t work; Stain nimbly lunged into the air and catapulted himself upwards again to the beams above with the help of a pillar and disappeared from sight. “How are you doing, Overhaul?” Stain’s words echoed in the site, his alias coming out in a drawl. “Enjoying the change? HUH?!!” The man bellowed, encapsuling the atmosphere with his anger.





Their eyes searched the overhead beams where his voice came from but fail to catch sight of him. Chisaki furrowed his brows. He knew. He knew of the recent news of a crazed Hero Killer going by Stain, whom had succesfully slaughtered three and crippled five Heroes around Japan. Heroes and police alike had trouble tracking him down but survivors have reported that Stain had an agenda: to purge those unworthy to be called Heroes. Gold eyes stared at Cact Hide, whose eyes were peeled open in fright looking for the assailant, no doubt aware of his fate. He shifted his attention to Nemoto who laid nearby the Hero, then to Kurono who jogged a little closer with eyes peering upwards and around, before focusing on the search again.





This doesn’t make sense.





“What game are you playing at, Stain?” Chisaki questioned.

"No. What are YOU playing at?" His voice countered. "Earning your coin as a proper villain not enough for you? 'SAVING' lives now?... How far you've fallen."

Chisaki broke out a short incredulous laugh, his chest beginning to burn with a low fire at how pissed he was at Stain. Him? Playing Hero? "Are you telling me you believe I'm trying to be a Hero?" He asked, arms raised in the air meant to provoke. "You injure my men because of a half baked assumption? Where do you get off?"

"I thought you to be smarter than that but of course you'd disappoint. Not only are you a hypocrite but you're blind to your own actions as well." The air echoed. "I know this fake excuse of a Hero isn't the only one you're helping. Think. Every fake you save, you only further the spread of their selfish ideals."

"Moreover, you bask in the praise of those you save while pawing into their pockets... You're no different from the fakes I so despise." A shadow flitted by the beams in his peripherals. Chisaki crouched and slapped a palm on the ground, having heard enough. Stain was clearly already out of his mind. There were no answers to gain from a man so far off the deep end.

In the span of a second, misshapen cracks spread from the ground and to the beams above where the shadow was last spotted. An eruption of composite spears impaled the vicinity above like a parody of a firework. But Stain wasn't there. "Though you do not preach the falsities of besmirched ideals, you play the saviour for these filth so tell me.... Why should I leave you alive when you seek to undo my purge?!"

"Sire, behind you!" He whirled around to find Irinaka shielding him from behind. Shifting his gaze down, he sees a sword pierced through the mimic's gut.

"Irinaka!" Chisaki supported the man's large frame as the sword was immediately gets pulled out in a violent fashion. Stain somersaulted into the air and severed Chrono's minute hair that shot close to his arm. Upon landing, a solid punch finds purchase on Stain's face, stunning the man for a second. "That fucking hurt, you bitch!" Mimic spat, wound healed with Chisaki's help. Behind the mimic, a crouched Chisaki slammed his hand on the concrete just as the punch landed, creating spikes beneath Stain with the full intention of skewering the man where he stood.

Stain recovered in time to dodge most of the spikes coming at him, deftly swerving his body sideways and back, but the slight second of delay costed him some wounds on his ribs, arm and legs. Blood dripped from the gashes as he took off to the overhead beams once more just as Chrono began shooting in his direction, disappearing.

"Stop playing hide and seek, asshole!" Irinaka shouted.

Chisaki tapped on Irinaka's shoulder, catching his attention and flicked his head to Nemoto's direction. He nodded in understanding ran ahead of Chisaki while Kurono tailed behind, with their leader in the middle.

The sharp sound of things getting forcefully cut down disturbed the air just as they were nearing Nemoto, and a glance upwards greeted them with the sight of falling debris and iron bars. Chisaki responded with tapping the ground and creating a cover that shielded everyone from the danger, even Cact Hide. Stain can prattle all he wants about whatever unhinged belief he held about Chisaki, but he'll have another thing coming if he dared to disrupt any of the clan's source of income.

The falling wreckage relentlessly rained at the top of their cover, chipping at them away little by little with every contact until it was over. By then, the dust from the fallen debris was obscuring everyone's visibility. It'll take near another minute to wait it out but Stain would use it to conceal himself for a final strike to finish their numbers off since the paralysis for the affected should be coming to an end. This was bad, but no matter. Chisaki was close enough that he could fling Nemoto and Cact Hide to his side to cure them ahead of time. He could still pin point where they were.

A pained cry from Kurono distracted Chisaki, his head whipping around to see him fall to the ground. "Wha— FUCK!" Irinaka yelled in surprise as he too, fell when his limbs turned immobile.

Shit, Stain still had Irinaka's blood...!

"Run, Kai!"

Disregarding the previous plan, he used his quirk to catapult himself away from where he crouched, Stain's katana a hair's breadth away from slicing his back before it met concrete. Chisaki cussed and hissed a little when he landed ungracefully, a thin iron bar getting lodged through his foot.

He crouched, about to overhaul his foot when he noticed Stain already bolting at him with his sword poised for a killing blow. His hand raised defensively in reflex while the other quickly made for the ground, hoping to be quick enough to make a form of cover strong enough to shield from the attack.

A crack of bones could be heard and when Chisaki opened his eyes, not knowing when he closed them, he is met a rush of red and white that melted and bounced from the walls at an insane speed. The intruder got Stain on his guard, the man swivelling around trying to predict where the next hit will come from. The Hero Killer made a wild yet calculated swing towards his right but got himself clotheslined rather than the satisfaction of slicing the threat.

"PHANTOM MENACE!!"