Chapter Text
His alarm has been ringing for barely two seconds when Keigo slams a hand on the screen to turn it off. He always wakes up five minutes before his phone can even throw its tantrum, be it on weekdays or weekends. Habits. Or bird DNA maybe.
Keigo rolls on his stomach, stretching his wings into the sunlight that breaks through the half-open blinds of the room. The thumping pain of a headache lingers behind his eyelids, a not-so-kind drawback of that party he shouldn’t have attended. Well, Keigo has never been a person gifted with self-preservation anyway. He’s knocking on the door of his thirtieth anniversary but that fact won’t turn him into a grampa, hell no, he will be forever young at heart. Sleep is for the dead anyway.
Still, his body feels sluggish as he drags himself into the shower to clear the fog from his brain. He makes quick work of his messy, nest-like hair, then jumps into a suit before rushing to the kitchen for a much-needed coffee.
“What kind of sore excuse for a tie knot is that ?” Tsunagu is peeking at him over his laptop with a deadpan expression, his never-ending legs stretched across the sofa.
“Good morning to you, too~” Keigo answers with a sing-song voice, rolling his eyes at his roommate. Nevertheless, Tsunagu being the hit designer since his debut in that one TV show, his point of view can hardly be ignored - even if his passion for jeans is rather exaggerated..
“Better like this?” Keigo struggles with the tie, hastily making a better job of the knot.
Tsunagu hums in appreciation: it’s a passing grade, Keigo assumes. “You received some letters again, I left them on the counter with the others.”
Keigo blinks at him before laying his eyes on the pile of paper left untouched in the kitchen. They’re all from his mother, a one-sided conversation they’ve been having since she was put into a mental ward. He should take some time to read them and answer properly but he can’t find the heart to do it. Negativity is something Keigo prefers to stack in a box, then kick into outer space. That may make him a coward, but it’s the only coping mechanism he’s found so far.
“I’m sorry for the mess, gonna put them in my room.” Keigo fumbles in his jacket, fishing some bills from his wallet. “Here, it’s for this month’s rent.” He says, putting the cash on the coffee table.
Technically, he’s not really Tsunagu’s roommate, but more of a squatter. Keigo had a hard time finding a flat when he first arrived in town, and Tsunagu had been so kind as to lend him a comfy roof to stay under when he was desperate, so he owes him way more than a cheap rent.
“You don’t have to act like an unwanted cat, I wouldn’t throw you out even if you’re a bit late to pay me.” Keigo laughs at that, bitterly. The more Tsunagu makes a show of being compassionate, the more Keigo feels like he’s taking advantage of his friend’s kindness.
“I will search for a flat, once I’ve finally got that promotion.” He waves his hand goodbye, grabbing his coat and opening the door.
“Good luck, man.”
Keigo barely hears it. He’s already too short on time and has to run down the street to catch the bus.
He grabs his second coffee in the small shop near his workplace and actually doesn't need to say much, since he's been a regular for more than two years now and the baristas have his order memorized.
His paper cup is all set and he winks back to the cashier standing behind the counter, pushing the exact amount of money in the waiting hand, sliding his fingers on hers in the process.. The little blush she makes at the touch is quite cute, and with a quick glance, Keigo can see a set of numbers written at the bottom of the cup.
Sweet.
Keigo throws her a knowing smile, adding her into his contacts under the name Coffee girl before pushing through the huge doors of Endeavor Company and climbing the stairs up to the ninth floor in a hurry – elevators are way too slow.
Tokoyami is already on the phone, probably taking care of one of his clients, when Keigo rolls into his chair at the desk across from him. His kouhai’s scrunched up face and quick wave of the hand makes him believe that this day won’t be relaxing - not that they really ever were.
Soon, the typical ringing of his own phone, as well as the emails piling in his inbox, set the rhythm of his morning schedule.
In a society where quirks can go out of control and policemen have their hands full with every kind of incident, companies, like Enji Todoroki’s, that sell security and quirk-suppressing devices are the keys to reassuring people that they can live life normally in all of its extraordinary circumstances. Making sure that everybody gets what they need to live safely and finally accept each other’s differences was what motivated Keigo to come work here.
Like in every kind of job, there were highs and lows, but he’s never regretted coming to work here.
Keigo’s small wings flutter in the air with excitement.
Back to business again.
*
Lunch break is always salvation.
A moment of reprieve, where they can bitch about clients and let out some steam. Today isn’t an exception and once again, Tokoyami is the privileged victim of Keigo’s ranting.
He’s blowing into the rest of his boba through the straw, the annoying and wet bubbling sound giving birth to a twitch of Tokoyami's eyebrows. The black bird swallows his mouthful of vegetarian pad thai and sighs.
“Tough week again?”
Keigo stops at once and his face brightens, glad to be able to complain again.
“Thirty concluded deals, Tokoyami! THIRTY! And not even an ounce of gratitude!” He slams both hands on the table and Tokoyami flinches from the sudden outburst, food dropping from his chopsticks. “I'm working my ass off being the ace of this sales department and they still won't promote me to Enji-san's team...” Keigo whines loudly and bumps his forehead on the table in a dramatic show of desperation.
Tokoyami glances at him with a mix of exasperation and genuine worry. It's not the first time he hears his ex-mentor complaining and it sure won't be the last.
“Maybe you need to relax a little and take some days off every once in a while...” He proposes before bringing his glass to his mouth.
Keigo's head jerks up and he deadpans: “Yeah, I definitely need a good fuck.”
The younger man chokes on his water and coughs awkwardly, tears pricking his eyes.
“T-Takami-san!”
“What? You said I needed to relax,” Keigo smirks, then rests his head on his palm, amused by the bright blush spreading on Tokoyami's cheeks. So much innocence in that goth bird… “Don't worry, you're not my type anyway. And I don't fancy bringing work home. By the way, how is it going with Tsuyu-chan?”
The blush on Tokoyami's face manages to stand out even despite his dark plumage and he tries his best to avoid his co-worker’s prying golden eyes, clearing his throat.
“I don't know what you're talking about. She's just my working partner.” He argues, waving his hand as if Keigo just told him Earth was flat.
“Yeah right~”
Pulling out the tsundere card. As if he never noticed the way his little kouhai would fidget whenever the girl was around him. He's totally whipped and it's actually quite cute. Maybe he just needs a small push... and Keigo would gladly give it to him.
He's about to take the teasing further when his eyes catch sight of movement in the crowd gathered at the entrance. There are a few voices yelling, then a woman’s figure emerges from the ruckus. She’s running toward him at full speed, her bunny ears bouncing up and down along the way.
Oh. Keigo knows this look. Smells like trouble.
He braces himself for the incoming storm as she crosses the room in a flash and grabs the edge of their table before taking a deep breath in.
“Keigo!” Her voice puts an end to the canteen's commotion and all heads turn toward them like spotlights. ”Don't tell me you forgot about this afternoon's meeting!”
Rumi is a lot of things – fierce, beautiful, athletic, and Keigo's best friend since high school – but subtlety has never been a part of her vocabulary.
Keigo blinks in surprise. He searches for an answer in Tokoyami's, eyes who shrugs back.
“The meet-” He begins, but as soon as Rumi's face contorts with some hardly-restrained anger, he holds his hands up in defence. “Oh no, of course I didn't. Not my style ah ah...”
The bunny girl glares at him, ruby eyes throwing fire and one eyebrow arching up, visibly not believing any of this bullshit. But to Keigo's relief, she seems to be too short on time to insist any further.
“Great. We're starting in ten minutes. Don't. Be. Late.” Then, she storms out of the cafeteria, scattering people in her path as if she was Moses.
Rumi is probably the most feared woman in the whole building and her negotiating skills match her audacious temper. Keigo wonders how people put up with working under her tutoring (the soft and quiet Tsuyu-chan is the first to come to mind...).
As soon as she disappears, Keigo slumps back in his chair and whines.
“I totally forgot we were going to meet our new rival company's flock. Smells like extra hours of work waiting ahead, hooray, I can kiss my precious rest goodbye...”
“The League, huh? I heard they have a new salesman. A very talented one.”
Curiosity suddenly tickles Keigo and he swings himself forward, leaning both elbows on the table.
“How interesting. What's his name?”
Tokoyami scratches his beak, lost in his memory.
“It's something like Himura if I remember correctly? Tall, black-haired, a whole set of ear piercings and intimidating blue eyes. He kinda looks like your local emo gangster to be honest.” Keigo snorts at that. Funny to hear Tokoyami talk about goth aesthetics when even on a casual day running errands he’s dressed like the Grim Reaper. The young man frowns, fidgeting with his chopsticks. “He stole one of our biggest clients last month. That's why our manager got fired.”
Keigo's jaw drops to the ground.
“No fucking way?! I thought he just screwed up!”
Tokoyami shakes his head. “Technically, he was overtaken. Lost all of his clients overnight. Quite scary, right?”
“Indeed.” Keigo twirls his chopsticks between his fingers and smiles. “This meeting might be more interesting than I thought.”
“I know that face. You're up to something...” Tokoyami points out with a grimace and Keigo's smile only widens, turning into a wolfish grin.
“You don't say...”
*
It only takes two minutes for Keigo to grab his fifth cup of coffee since this morning – always with enough sugar to kill a diabetic – and reach the meeting room.
Rumi is waiting for him outside with a pile of files stacked against her chest, waving her hand to hurry him up.
Keigo barely makes the effort and when he gets past her, she grabs his shoulder, stopping him one step from the door.
“You really forgot about the meeting, huh?” She scolds in a low voice, her squinting eyes sending threats.
Keigo lets out a sheepish smile and wiggles out of her grasp.
“Don't make such a fuss about it Rumi, you know I always make it on time. Who's the fastest one here?” He adds with a wink.
Her ears twitch and she pinches the bridge of her nose, not bothering to hide the annoyance in her voice.
“You're a nightmare and a giant pain in the ass, I swear.”
“That's why people love me though, if you know what I mean...” Keigo wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. Rumi rolls her eyes so hard it's almost creepy, but she's too used to her friend's stupid jokes to be surprised.
“Yeah, yeah, very smart. Try to stay focused, we're on a big mission here.”
“Relax Rumi, we're gonna kick ass, as always. And when this stupid thing is over, let's grab some drinks, I need alcohol in my blood system.”
“Only if it's on you. You ruined my bank account last time, fucking heavy drinker of a bird.” Rumi complains as she grabs the door's handle.
As expected – and to Rumi’s most annoyance – they’re indeed the last ones getting there and all heads snap in their direction, expressions varying from light amusement to hardly-restrained irritation. Not that Keigo even cares. He’s making his way to the seat awaiting him like a prince, waving at his audience all the while.
Enji’s here, of course, sitting at the end of the twenty-foot long table with one eyebrow raised in disbelief that slowly gets replaced by a clenched jaw.
Ah . He’s a bit mad. Keigo will have to keep a low profile during this one if he doesn’t want an earful before the day ends.
When Keigo takes his eyes off Enji, it’s for them to fall on a similar kind of turquoise gaze – though more lidded – from a lanky man with hair as black as despair itself and so many piercings that he would look like a Christmas tree in the sunlight. Something like tiny handcuffs are poking out from under his silky white shirt when he slicks back his rebellious hair from his forehead. Seems like Tokoyami wasn’t exaggerating after all. Local gangster boy is in the place.
He’s not entirely Keigo’s type, but he’s got the kind of aura that would’ve made him get down on his knees given any other circumstances. Shame he’s a professional.
At his right sits a blond guy, seemingly close to his forties, wearing a suit that begs to be ironed (Tsunagu would definitely shriek to death at the sight), fidgeting in his chair and giving worried sideways looks to whom Keigo assumes is the boss, despite his young face. Still, Keigo would gladly recommend the guy some healing balm. His face looks like it’s been literally eaten by stress or some sort of allergy considering the many patches of irritated skin he occasionally, leisurely scratches. The last member of the crew seems so out of place it’s unreal. The girl has barely emerged from her teenage years, munches on gum like she’s ruling the school playground, and her long blond hair is tied up in two buns on each side of her head. She wears mischief on her face like a queen and trouble like a knife on her waist. Gotta stay away from her .
Hard to believe that this circus is actually part of the new competition, but Keigo knows more than anyone that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Enji doesn’t seem as much at ease as usual – which means Keigo can’t let his guard down either.
Once everyone’s ready, the meeting starts with a round of introductions. Keigo makes the effort to remember each name, but he can’t help referring to them with nicknames in his head.
So, Edgy Boy is Himura Touya (that one he will remember pretty well, for some personal reasons), Anxious Lad’s name is Jin Bubaigawara, Peeled Wallpaper is Shigaraki Tomura, and Harley Quinn cosplay goes by Toga Himiko.
He’s too distracted to follow whatever Enji’s personal assistant – Kamiji Moe – has to say about their foreign branch. This is a tad bit boring, despite the entertainment of studying everyone’s reaction throughout the meeting. His eyes soon drift to Enji’s silhouette, and so does his mind.
From three to one, this is how Keigo would rank his most favorite things in the world: fried chicken, sex, and Enji in a tight fancy suit hugging him in all the best places. No joke, those big tiddies are so illegal, he should definitely be spanked for that (Keigo would gladly volunteer).
But as easy as the first two requirements are to fill and give Keigo’s life joy, Enji is more that kind of holy figure he’s always looked up to. How Enji Todoroki built his empire from scratch, out of an endeavoring spirit and tenacity, truly inspired Keigo to fight his own way through the charts, despite all struggles he had to face. The day he got hired at his idol’s company, Keigo had been so excited he was almost vibrating in place for the first week, baffling his coworkers with his unwavering enthusiasm. He would do anything to work in tandem with the big boss, even if it would be the death of him – in a good way. Keigo knows that his fanboyism turned into some deity worship. Except that this one has flesh and bones. And tiddies.
Rumi shoves her elbow into his ribs, calling him back to Earth with an embarrassing squeak. When he gets his main focus on the meeting, it seems like they’re all expecting him to speak because everyone’s eyes are on him.
Fuck.
He doesn’t have a single clue of where the conversation went since he left.. Edgy Boy throws him a mocking smile and Keigo feels his cheeks heat up out of shame. Once again, it’s Rumi who saves his ass by tapping a finger on his report, whispering: “Sales numbers.”
Oh, right. Bless you, Rumi.
Clearing his throat, Keigo flips his papers and clicks his pen in an unnecessary show like the business man he is. He purposely chooses to plant his eyes into the infuriating turquoise of Touya’ s, pulling out his best smartass smile.
“I see that your sales turnover has indeed been quite remarkable lately, but there is no guarantee you will be able to keepput it through the years. It’s pretty common for a start-up to have a skyrocketing debut. Nevertheless, sharing half of our sales percentage with you seems a bit unfair to us. It would be putting our company at too much risk regarding our own business. We already have solid foundations, so why bother?” Damn, he truly aimed for the kill with this one, maybe he’s been too aggressive? No, with the way Tomura clenches his jaw and his two accountants’ faces turn constipated, it’s worth the price to pay – whatever it will be. The only thing that leaves a bad taste at the back of his mouth is actually Touya’s impassive face. As if Keigo hasn’t been convincing enough.
Enji sighs through his nose. “That’s a good point. I guess you need to give us more proof of how we can benefit from this alliance.” Keigo notices how tired and uncomfortable he looks. It’s in the way he runs his fingers along one of his arms, both crossed over his chest, like a defensive stance.
But when Edgy Boy suddenly clears his throat, Enji’s reaction is the most out of character. Like someone just stabbed him in the back, muscles all tense and a faint hitch to his breath.
“Taking into account the fact that you lost 10% of your market share in the Kansai prefecture, where your associates find your service delivery far too expensive for their liking, I would worry more about the slow but inevitable collapse of your business as small but competitive start-ups such as ours will eventually steal your business.” His piercing blue eyes sweep the table before planting themselves into Keigo’s golden ones. “Every foundation, no matter how solid it is, still hides many weaknesses. You just need to know where to strike.”
That feral smile shouldn’t be allowed on such a handsome face. It makes Keigo want to choke him and bend him over the table at the same time. Or be bent over. Oh wait...
“Are you threatening us?” Moe almost combusts in place out of rage. It dispels whatever kind of stranglehold this meeting has on Enji, who lifts his hand to quiet her.
“I can only go up to 25%.”
Rumi gasps while everyone stares at the boss with widened eyes.
“40%,” Shigaraki Tomura, who’s been rather passive until then, leans over the table as if he was ready to strike, and Enji arches an eyebrow at him.
“30%.” God he’s so upset the air seems to vibrate with heat around him – and maybe it does. It’s during those moments that Keigo is glad quirk use isn’t allowed in public unless it’s legitimate defense, and that Enji’s got a full set of his own inventions attached to his body to avoid any kind of, well, literal outburst.
Shigaraki squints at him, not impressed in the slightest, and Keigo can’t suppress a grimace when the man opens his mouth, ready to raise up the offer once again.
He’s stopped right in his tracks though, and his eyes dart to the side, where Touya is sitting. They don’t do much more than exchange silent eye contact before Shigaraki finally lets out through gritted teeth: “30% it is.”
Wait. What was that? Keigo frowns, deaf to the deal’s conditions being enumerated by Enji as his assistant begrudgingly takes notes.
It’s so unusual for the great Enji Todoroki to flatten himself like this during negotiations. He’s supposed to be the ruthless, merciless businessman here. The shark in the pool. And those punks are getting off so easily?
For the rest of the meeting, Keigo glares at Touya, who occasionally gives him back a sneer, like a satisfied cat who just messed around the house without getting caught.
*
“You know what? I’m pretty sure that high heels are actually a man’s invention, considering how much of a plain torture they are.” Rumi huffs, massaging both ankles as her pumps lay under her desk.
“Pretty sure they’re secret weapons made by some woman to get rid of her own peers.” Keigo hums, putting another finished report on the pile towering on Rumi’s desk. They’ve been at it for more than two hours now and Keigo fights the urge to toss the rest of them in the shredder once and for all. “You really let them pile up all week long, uh?”
“I’ve been hella busy.” Rumi growls, “Come on, only three more left…”
A quick look at the clock, annoyingly spilling time, tells Keigo that they won’t make it to the bar before the end of Happy Hour.
They’re the only ones left – them and their respective teams. Hierarchical laws in Japan imply that you can’t leave your office before your direct supervisor does. Keigo feels sorry for Tokoyami who just got sent to the photocopier with enough reports to keep him busy for an entire night.
“Oh, Tsuyu-chan!” Keigo calls out to the young woman who tilts her head to the side, her tired face poking out from behind the computer’s screen. “You know, maybe you could help Tokoyami with his task. He’s always been awfully clumsy with technology.” Keigo flashes her a smile, one that’s received by a perplexed expression. Her gaze goes back and forth between Rumi's face and Keigo’s before Rumi finally gives her a nod.
“It’s ok, you already helped more than enough here, Tsuyu.”
A smile graces her amphibian features and she stands up promptly before disappearing into the box next door.
“You’re a terrible matchmaker.” Rumi points out, throwing quick glances at the two young employees gesturing around the photocopier. Even through the thick glass separating the rooms, it’s easy to notice Tokoyami’s flustered state, feathers puffed out all around his neck. Keigo grins at the sight.
“Bet you a week's worth of lunch that I can make them date each other before the end of the month.”
“I’m not making any bets with you anymore, you’re a cheater and a sore loser.” Rumi doesn’t even look at him while speaking, rushing to finish her last report.
Keigo squints at her. He’s not, ok?
A brief silence settles between them for a moment, allowing the memories of their last meeting to bug him once again.
“What did you think of the boss’ decision this afternoon?” Rumi lifts her head up, eyeing him curiously.
“There is definitely something off with this whole alliance business. Giving them free rein over the whole Kansai prefecture? To me, it feels like they used some kind of bargain. Besides, those punks are irking me. Who do you think they are, popping in from nowhere and trying to teach us our own job?”
Keigo lets his gaze wander the room, fidgeting with a pen. “Mmmmh… the blue-eyed man was kinda hot though.”
“Keigo!” Rumi pulls at her hair with both hands, “Can’t you focus on something that doesn’t involve a dick for once, please?”
“Hold your horses, I was just spitting facts here.” Keigo rolls his eyes but to be honest, he saw enough of this guy’s attitude to write a whole report about him. A very non-professional one.
Enji’s attitude was off though, no doubt about it. Like, he was almost fidgeting.
“Maybe Fuyumi knows something about it?” Rumi’s ears stand up at once, face darkening. Whoopsie. Wrong thing to say apparently.
“We don’t talk about work at home. That’s the most unbreakable law that’s been settled between us.”
Figures. Keigo can’t blame her. It’s already complicated enough for her to date the boss’ only daughter, better not bring any more hardships into their safe house. When they first started going out, Rumi had begged her girlfriend to keep their relationship a secret, scared about losing her job or about whatever sentence would fall upon her head. They fought a lot over it. Keigo had been there to listen to Rumi’s heartbreaks and dilemmas, trying to cheer her up as much as possible. To be there, simply speaking.
At some point, they gathered the courage to open up to Fuyumi’s family, revealing the true nature of their bond.
It had been a strange night, according to Rumi. But she’s never been happier than she is right now.
Sometimes, Keigo feels envious of what she has. Of the way she’s always facing every obstacle with so much bravery. He wishes he was the same…
“Done, at last!” Rumi slams her hand on the last report before collapsing further into her seat with an exhausted sigh.
“Hooray!!” Keigo throws his arms up in the air in victory. 9pm. Could be worse for a Friday evening…
It’s already cold outside when they step out of the building, the autumn night blowing its unforgiving, freezing wind at Keigo’s face.
“The usual place?” Rumi secures her scarf around her neck.
Keigo nods, his mouth already watering at the idea of a fresh alcoholic drink quenching his thirst and warming his throat at the same time.
He takes one last look at the building, where Enji’s office located near the top is still lit with an aggressive neon light. The boss isn’t alone. Keigo’s raptor eyes can discern a tall but thin silhouette looking through the open window, his black spiky hair dancing in the wind.
Maybe Rumi’s right after all. There is something fishy about it all.