Chapter Text
This… This was bad. Why did it have to be positive?
Lio was looking down at the stick he had pissed on, and had his hand on his lower stomach, feeling how it was bulging slightly. It wasn’t obvious, not yet, but it surely would be in time. And that would be a problem. He couldn’t leave his new job as a member of the Kakusei family, the mad mafia that ran the criminal world under the surface of the normal world. But he also couldn’t get caught. That would lead to a life of misery, and he would be forced to give up everything he had worked so hard for.
This was really fucking bad. And all because of a one night stand about 3 months ago.
The guy had been an idiot. Not too clever, loud mouthed, but kind enough and very good at what he had been doing. To be fair, that had probably been the best sex Lio had ever had, and while they had agreed on no names, no contact afterwards, no nothing, he wished he had kept in contact with the blue-haired idiot. Then they could at least have talked about everything. About what they should do. About the baby. Inside him.
Lio sighed in frustration in the bathroom stall of some sleazy nightclub, having locked himself inside it so that no unwanted eyes could be laid on his lithe form.
He didn’t want this child. Sure, it was innocent, but he wasn’t; far from it. And if he had any attachments, it would mean the downfall of him and the empire. People could rat him out to the cops, especially if they didn’t fear him enough. And that fear was of both his own people and civilians - What they were capable of.
Lio had to be tough. He had to be strong. He had to be intimidating. He had to-
“And then I told him, ‘she’s not your hoe anymore!’”
The door had been opened to the toilets, and Lio was startled when he heard the gruff voice of a patron, but he did his best to appear calm and collected when he appeared after he had put the damned pregnancy test in the front pocket of his hoodie.
The two men who had entered didn’t spare Lio a glance, to which he was grateful, but then one of them did an exaggerated motion with his hand, making it collide with the black cap Lio was wearing as he had tried to go incognito. It was knocked off his head, and he looked at it as it fell to the ground, then gave the man a glare.
“You gonna pick that up?” Lio asked, danger is his voice.
“What, the brat can’t pick up his shit after it fell?” One of the men taunted, and the other man snickered. But then he saw the steely eyes of the so-called ‘brat’, and his own eyes went wide.
“I’m sorry, Mr Fotia! I didn’t know it was you!” The second man quickly picked up Lio’s hat, brushed it off for good measure, then gave it back to the mafia member with a submissive stance.
The first man just looked confused from Lio to his friend, and while Lio really wanted to teach him a lesson, he didn’t have time for it. Instead he grabbed the offered hat quickly and put it on his head, tugging it down hard.
“Tell Karen I said hi.” Lio said, the thinly veiled threat lingering in the room, but he was already on his way out. While he walked he heard the shushed conversation behind him before he left completely.
“Who’s that kid?”
“He’s no kid! He’s Lio Fotia, the Kakusei’s newest weapon! He’s only been with the family for 3 months, but he’s already the boss’ favourite!”
Morons, Lio thought. But they weren’t important enough to punish, at least not right not right now. He had other, more pressing matters to attend.
-
After Lio had come back to his modest apartment near the Kakusei headquarters, he changed into something more classy and intimidating, complete with his black gloves that exposed his lower palm.
On the bed lay his oversized hoodie, the one he had worn at the sleazy club, pregnancy test forgotten in the front pocket. As he was about to put it away, he felt the plastic stick against his hands, the thin layer of fabric separating them. The feeling of his stomach growing cold and odd had Lio hide the pregnancy test in his drawer quickly, as he didn’t want to be reminded of it. It was too late, of course, but it could save his ass in the future. Until he was ready to do something about it.
And then the call came.
“What is it?” Lio snapped at the caller.
“Mr Fotia, it’s the boss! He’s… He’s…!”
“Out with it.” Lio didn’t want to waste any time, and his mood was bad enough as it was.
“He’s been shot!”
Lio felt like his stomach fell. “... What?”
“He’s calling for you. Please hurry, he doesn’t have much time left…!”
“But where’s the Kakusei doctor?” Lio said, frustrated.
“He’s out of town, something about visiting some family… He won’t be able to make it in time.”
“I’ll be right over.”
The call ended after that. Lio knew he had to hurry to the headquarters, they wouldn’t be able to rush him to a hospital, and if the boss had called for him personally, Lio would have to go.
The boss had been the one who had picked him up on the streets and cared for him, and even though it had only been a little over 3 months since he was welcomed into the family, he saw the man as his father figure and mentor. Everything (except for pickpocketing) he had learned from the boss, and he cared very much about him.
Good thing he was already dressed, because he didn’t have time to do much else than put on his shoes. And then he ran to the headquarters, thankful it was so close.
-
“Boss?” Lio was out of breath when he entered the room where his dying boss was laying, complete with a big bed and shrouded windows. Even the sun was setting outside as if to sympathize with the dying man.
Some medical monitors stood at the side of the bed, announcing his vitals to the world as well as keep track of his heartbeat.
A lot of people were inside the room, all with somber expressions on their faces, as they stood next to the walls to make sure they gave the boss some space, but could be summoned if he so wished.
The boss coughed, then reached out his hand for Lio, who quickly ran to the boss’ side, taking his hand with a heartbroken expression. “L-Lio… I don’t have much time left…”
“I know, boss. Take it easy, okay?” Looking down, Lio saw the big red patch on his chest, that was just growing bigger by the minute. He gulped, looking back up again as quickly as he could, right into the boss’ sad eyes.
“You’re… Like a son to me, Lio.”
“Boss…”
“That’s why I want you... To be the new boss of the Kakusei family.”
This surprised Lio, and it showed on his face as he took in the news. “Boss, I couldn’t possibly-”
“This is what… I want, Lio.”
“But boss, I’ve only been here for 3 months!”
“It’s my final wish…”
Lio didn’t have it in him to argue against his dying boss’ final wish, that would be very disrespectful. Besides, with all the people around, he felt like he needed to uphold a facade. He couldn’t let his emotions get the best of him, especially not when he didn’t know who he could trust.
Still, with these thoughts in mind, he gulped to try to sink the lump in his throat, but it didn’t help.
“As you wish.” Lio said, but he knew he’d have to get used to his new role.
“L-Lio… Can you get me, s-some water…?” The boss suddenly asked, and Lio nodded quickly, immediately going for the pitcher that was in the room to his right. As he poured the water into the glass, he heard a soft sigh, and with it, some people sniffling. Looking over at the boss with the glass in hand, Lio saw that the boss was looking straight ahead of him, but his eyes were blank, unseeing. And then it hit him.
The boss was gone, and now it was Lio’s job to avenge him.