Chapter Text
Within the Special fire brigade order the emperor who resides in the First brigade church is the head figure who holds the favor of executing missions.
And it’s only appropriate that the 8th finally received a direct order from the Emperor to visit Asakusa. A region where the infamous 7th fire station and the great Benimaru Shinmon reside.
Hinawa was supposed to assign the mission to Maki and Tamaki, but seeing how over the moon Shinra and Arthur were during the briefing; the lieutenant reevaluated for the young third gen to take over instead, and acquire some necessary skills (he strongly reasons).
“Woww, look Shinra! How come Asakusa has those cute little mop things??” Arthur points at the strange object-- Fingers itching to touch them.
Currently, the two fire soldiers were taking a stroll down Asakusa, journeying to the station post of the 7th brigade as per the emperor's orders.
“Those aren’t mops stupid.. Those are matois, flags to signify a fire. Captain Benimaru also uses them to fight against the infernals.”
“…Matoi? So the 7th fight with mops??” Arthur sneaked a feel at those Matois— Cringing at its gritty texture.
“[Sigh] I don’t care enough to reply twice to that… You’ll see later. We’re already here.” Shinra announced.
The building was much more humble than Shinra had anticipated, it was a traditional wooden home with a simple Genkan and a curtain that framed the entrance.
“Huh... Is this it?” Shinra absently scanned the abode - Wondering if they’d mistook the address.
“-What are you doing standing in front of the entrance?” A gruff voice brusquely mumbled from behind them.
“EEK-!” Shinra jolts in surprise- his natural impulse was to find leverage - but ends up accidentally bumping against Arthur, toppling them both against the ground.
Standing before them was THE Benimaru Shinmon. Asakusa’s king of destroyer- a legendary captain that singlehandedly defeated a devil, proclaimed as the strongest fire brigade captain presently—
And this- was the entrance Shinra and Arthur had graced upon the legend.
Great. They’re so gonna get it from Lieutenant Hinawa...
Shinra quickly scrambled to his feet… “Sir! We are 3rd generation soldiers from the 8th brigade here reporting for duty from the emperor!”
“...The emperor?” Benimaru grumbled, his nonchalant guise was seemingly lazy the more he spoke.
“Yes, Daitacho!” Shinra and Arthur salute.
“ Hm…? Leave.” The man commands before walking past them towards the entrance.
“…But-“
“No buts. Just leave. I don’t care what the emperor has to say, and we are not entitled to entertain you here.”
“Daitacho! I have a question-“ Arthur dares to interject the captain.
“Huh..?” Benimaru tilts his head in question, his mismatched eyes eery, and somewhat daring Arthur to speak against him. Shinra is admittedly afraid for him.
And then Arthur says it…
“-Those matoi things... Or whatever it is that you call those, do they function as a mop also??”
Shinra wants to disappear.
“You...” Benimaru growls.
Shinra feared the absolute worst-- and not just for the idiot Arthur, but for himself as well.
Before he could expect a flash of pain to land on either of them, a shriek was heard echoing around them. And there was fire.
“Tch- how unexpected. I’ll leave this for another day… I expect you two gone by the time I’m done.” — And that was final.
The captain bolted to the rescue, taking the aforementioned Matio as he flew off with a scorching blast.
“Huh.. I guess he’ll tell me the next time we come here.” Arthur mused, his idiocy somehow more concerning than the fire currently ravaging around the town.
“...I swear to Sol, I can’t believe you just asked captain Captain Benimaru that.” Shinra face-palmed.
“Why..?? It’s a valid question devil.” the blonde scoffed.
“Ugh. Whatever— Let’s catch up to Captain Benimaru.”
The sight they were met with was that of a demon. Patterned swirls adorned its chest and horns, its eyes glowed like no other Infernal— you could just tell that they were dealing with something out of their league.
Searing flames seeped from its maw as it stood at full height - overpassing the houses that stood beside it.
“Crap…” Shinra gapes, the foreboding fear flashing down to his feet - Planting his soles flatter to the secure ground beneath him.
“—Let’s go devil! What are you doing just standing there?!” Arthur barks at him, facing against terror as he unsheaths his Plasma blade- already gearing up to attack.
A wave of confidence washed over Shinra in the face of Arthur’s fearlessness. The blonde could just be provoking him, but the tingling sensation on his feet could only mean one thing — “…Right. Let’s beat this fucking thing-!!”
———
“Tch- small fries…” Benimaru scoffed as he spotted the 8th soldiers carelessly approach the aggravated demon.
The demon roared, fire licking brighter from under its ivory coat. It’s now or never- Shinra thought, leaping his scorching kick against the demon’s jaw.
Fire had never stung Shinra before.
But this fire was like no other. It smoulders hotter than a plasma blade as it eats at the skin of his heel.
“Shinra!!!”
Arthur swiftly sliced the demon’s cheek, putting some distance between them. Shinra took that moment to recuperate, stomping down the laving fire from further singing his entire leg.
“Be careful Arthur-!!” Shinra shouted almost immediately, overlooking his friend who’s a foot away from the demon.
Arthur turned on his side to meet Shinra’s gaze. His mouth made movements without the company of words- Too far away for him to hear.
Shinra’s instinct reared in. He neared the distance between them, rushing towards Arthur’s blind spot as the demon actively charged for his blonde idiot.
“—ARTHUR!”
Before his feet could strike, a flash of light blinded Shinra’s eyes. And a steady chime of ‘GO SHINMON BENIMARU! DESTROYER OF ASAKUSA’ booming in his ears.
And just like that, the battle ended in their favor.
————
It was thanks to Captain Benimaru and Vice-captain Konro that Asakusa was saved.
Shinra couldn’t get over how astonishing it was to witness the sheer power of Captain Benimaru’s crimson moon— it took only seconds for it to scorch the devil’s flesh clean off its bone.
Now, there was only one thing he needed to straighten up… Shinra stomped towards Arthur - “Are you stupid?!” he yelled, his poor overworked heart going into overdrive as he flattened Arthur’s stupid face.
“W-What are you talking about devil?? I had it under control…“ Arthur mumbles under his breath, his eyes not meeting Shinra’s.
“YOU WOULD’VE DIED IF CAPTAIN BENIMARU DIDN’T STEP IN YOU IDIOT!!”
“I… I’m fine. You’re the idiot, idiot Shinra….” Arthur shakily mumbles. A blush steadily formed across his cheeks.
“NO YOU WEREN’T— Stop talking as if your life wasn’t at risk! ”
“Shinra…”
“—I was so scared… You can’t endanger yourself like that. I need you- The 8th NEEDS YOU.”
“Enough you two.” Benimaru Shinmon interjects, Shinra felt a steady grip pulling him away.
“You both were brave to stand up against a demon like that.. And you- blondie, what you did was stupid I must admit. But if you did not step in, your friend here would’ve taken a huge blow.”
Konro smiles from behind Benimaru, “He means to say he respects your candor young knight.”
Arthur didn’t hesitate to give a salute, “Thank you, captain!”
“Tch- Konro overshot that compliment…. Come inside you two, I’ll call Obi and Hinawa over to pick you up.”
Shinra felt his heart pause at the mention of the lieutenant.
“Uhh- It’s fine captain. We can definitely go back on our own! We’ve troubled you enough.” He gave a curt bow as a form of apology.
“[Sigh] It’d be great to let you boys go… But I need your superiors to come and make a report out of this incident.”
Shinra and Arthur glanced at each other, the nervous look they shared was enough to give a hint to the formerly clueless Benimaru.
Hinawa and Obi arrived at Asakusa with purpose in their steps.
“Do you think they are ok??” Obi nervously inquired, his heart hadn’t stopped palpating ever since he got the call from Benimaru Shinmon.
Hinawa kept a neutral guise despite the rapid pounding in his chest. “I’m sure they are fine Daitaicho, they’re resilient soldiers.”
“Well, resilient or not they still went against a demon…” Obi quickened his pace towards town.
“I say we have faith in the kids Daitaicho.”
————
“Where are Arthur and Shinra—?!” Captain Obi practically barged through the brigade entrance. Disrupting Captain Benimaru’s perfectly nice dinner.
“…Can you be any more boorish?” The younger captain scowled.
“Captain Benimaru Shinmon, Lieutenant Hinawa reporting for duty! We came here to fetch the 8th soldiers, and conduct their performance.”
“Sure…. They’re out around town with Konro right now. Come inside and take a seat.”
“ARE MY KIDS-“
“Daitacho.”
“…Are my soldiers alright?!”
Benimaru voluntarily ignored that prior slip-up.
“The 8th soldiers are alright… They acted quite recklessly, but they’re fine. Just make sure it never happens again,
-they’re good kids.” Benimaru mumbles under his breath. Taking small bites of his rice to accompany the resounding silence.
“—How reckless?!!!” Obi pestered on, clinching the young commander’s shoulders perhaps a bit too tightly.
“-Tch, well Shinra’s foot got treated but otherwise they are both alright.” He reiterated his answer, feeling his patience wearing thin for the day.
“WHAT HAPPENED TO SHINRA’S FOOT-?!!!!” Tears began to undoubtedly swell in the corner of Obi’s eyes.
“Well….” Benimaru hesitates, “he kind of burned his heel fighting against the demon’s flames.”
Hinawa visibly flinched upon hearing his captain’s banshee cry.
—Truthfully, he didn’t feel any better hearing the news. Hinawa could feel his anxiety shooting up again, edging dangerously into a panic attack.
He hoped to holy sol that Shinra was truly alright.
“How is Shinra’s condition now captain Benimaru?” Hinawa couldn’t help but abandon his humility over his insecurity.
Benimaru dreaded this outcome. He wasn’t much of an altruist, if so, that is only reserved for Konro. But these two looked like they needed consoling, and he didn’t have any patience left in the tank either to lend an ear.
“I think you two need to calm down. Shinra and Arthur may be young, but they’re soldiers, it’s inevitable for instances like this to happen..”
“Benimaru shinmon- Do you know what it means to be a family?!”
“I’m adopted.”
“FAMILY IS THE BEACON OF LOVE AND SUPPORT!! THE 8TH IS ONLY STRONG FOR THE BONDS THAT WE HAVE CULTIVATED--
“Correct.” Hinawa chimed.
-SHINRA AND ARTHUR ARE NOT JUST OUR SOLDIERS, THEY ARE A PART OF OUR HOUSEHOLD.”
“You don’t need to scream it out! I understand. I’m not opposed to that ideology,” -- Asakusa was his family after all. That has always been his code of ethics, his purpose is to uphold the lives that were entrusted to him.
“Then you’d understand why we’re here right now.”
“…Because you need to file a report?” The younger captain glares.
“That- but we also want to see our boys, please.”
“[Sigh] Understood. I’ll notify Konro to return immediately, your soldiers- or boys are just grabbing dinner. In the meantime, perhaps we can work on that report..”
“Understood captain Benimaru, please excuse my doltish gorilla of a captain- I’ll take it from here.”
“I’m glad to finally hear a reasonable voice from you 8th.” The start of a smile finally graced the young captain.
“Shinra.”
“What is it?” He gave a brief glance at Arthur’s serious tone.
The blonde drew in a deep breath “I think I’m gonna move to the 7th.”
“—Haa??! What are you talking about you idiot!” Shinra grumbles, yanking at the blonde’s stupid ahoge.
“Ouch-! Don’t do that you devil!“
“Well why the hell would you say that in the first place idiot-!”
“Ugh, I’m not going anywhere... It was just a joke stupid Shinra.” Arthur gave a frustrated huff, tying his knight hair back up again.
“What joke…?”
“A joke about the loach stew we had. I tell you that needs to be a part of my daily diet devil, it was simply heavenly~”
“Pfft— Totally! We’ll just have to visit Asakusa on our days off yeah??” A warm arm brought Arthur close against a sturdy chest.
And his brain inevitably short circuits.
“Boys, we’re close to the base!” Konro calls out to them from the fore.
———
“SHINRA!!! ARTHUR!!! MY BOYSSS—” Obi quickly dashed towards them, the wooden floor of the abode groaning under his feet as he jumped the two soldiers in a bone-crushing hug.
“Daitaicho, mercy please--“ Shinra gasps, feeling the oxygen slowly wringing from his lungs.
“Oh- my boys!!! I am so glad to see you’re both alright~” Obi shamelessly sniffled, not even hiding the tears now steadily streaming down his cheeks.
“Y-Yeah, we’re completely fine Daitacho- please don’t kill us…” Shinra squeaked, casting a concerned glance at the bluish hue slowly coloring Arthur’s face.
“Oh! My apologies you two. More importantly, how’s your foot Shinra??“
“Sit Shinra.” The wholesome moment was prematurely interrupted beneath the deathly glare of the lieutenant. Shinra obediently sat.
Hinawa carefully inspects the bandage covering Shinra’s foot. It seems that his minion was well-treated, albeit not as perfectly as he would’ve done it- though manageable… He’ll properly treat it when they arrive home.
“ Clear.” The lieutenant declares to his captain. Obi spared a relieved sigh…
Hinawa’s gaze then shifted towards Arthur - the man paused.
“-Did Arthur sustain a head injury?” He inquires to the 7th.
“Not that I know of…” Benimaru mumbles, equally puzzled to see the boy’s absent stare with seemingly no thoughts to occupy it.
“…He seemed fine when he was with me?” Konro affirmed in his anxious fashion- Throwing an assuming look at Shinra.
“What-- Don’t look at me! I don’t know what's gotten into him!”
Hinawa threw him a skeptical look “Shinra… I promise I won’t give you a harsh reprimand if you give me a genuine answer.”
“Wha- I won’t lie I swear! Not when it comes to Arthur’s well-being, you know that.”
Hinawa’s demeanor took on a softer tone. “Alright then, I believe you. The 8th soldiers always take care of each other, understood?”
“Understood mom…” Shinra flashed his neurotic toothy smile - Unbeknownst to the stunned faces of the 7th.
“Well, since we’ve already filed the report I think it’s time we take our departure. Daitacho, I’ll bring in the matchbox. Shinra, please take care of Arthur.”
“Yes lieutenant!”
Hinawa took his cordial leave.
“[Chuckle] I apologize for my lieutenant’s intense manner captain... You could say It’s maternal instincts.”
Konro and Benimaru looked at Obi as if he’d grown two heads.
“Forgive me, but I am not following your point..?” Konro reluctantly posted.
“Eh? It’s like what Captain Obi said. What mother would want to hear their kids hurt?” Shinra reiterated like it was obvious.
“So, you two really are their adoptive kids?” Benimaru questioned.
Shinra and Obi shared a pointed look - A wide smile decorated their faces.
“I like the sound of that! Families don’t have to be tied by blood after all.” Obi grins.
A moment of vulnerability overtook Shinra. “Obi daitaicho and Lieutenant Hinawa are our guardians, and the 8th brigade are our second family to me and Arthur.“
It wasn’t just a duty to serve in the 8th brigade, his role had eclipsed beyond fidelity. Shinra has labeled them as his family, replacing the hole Shō and his mother had left behind.
A gentle hand softly treads across his hair, Shinra looks up to meet both Captain Obi and Hinawa looking back at him. Donning each of their own respective smiles.
“Let’s go home Shinra, Arthur,”
Konro nudged the young captain forward, albeit with brief reluctance Benimaru was taught better. He and Konro chaperoned the 8th to the door - “Get home safe boys, and feel better soon Shinra. The 7th will always welcome you two for a spar, and the loach stew Arthur seemed to take an affinity to…”
Like a switch being flipped on, Arthur reawakened from his trance- “Yes please uncle—ah.. I mean Captain!” Arthur quickly realized.
Benimaru snorts but grinned all the while “Ahh, guess I’m at that age where that's warranted. Safe travels 8th, come back soon.”
"YES UNCLE BENI !!" Shinra and Arthur grinned from ear to ear.