Chapter Text
“Tenko.”
...
“Tenko.”
Kurogiri huffed at the stubbornness of his young charge and slipped through the doors he’d had his head poked through. The window shades were still rolled down, and the strip of daylight reflecting off the sill was almost blinding in the dusky room. A faint hum pulsed in the otherwise silent room, courtesy of the sleeping computer nestled below a long but sleek desk. On the surface of the desk was a triple monitor setup that any teenager would envy. Rainbow lights pulsed through the mechanical keyboard and mouse and illuminated an impressively varied collection of video game-themed paraphernalia that spilled over the desk, onto the walls, and lay scattered throughout the room; it was a sort of organized chaos that only retained a semblance of order thanks to his own efforts. The actual owner of the video game cave was less bothered with neatness, and less than enthusiastic about his wake up call.
“Tenko, you need to get ready for school.” Kurogiri was standing by the bed now, arms crossed over his chest and mouth pressed in a firm frown as he tried to find the teenager buried somewhere beneath the nest of pillows. A brief staccato of movement and incoherent groan betrayed the refugee’s awakened state,
“I don’t want to.” A petulant whine rolled out and Kurogiri finally spotted a tuft of pale blue hair poking out from beneath a colorful pillow bearing the incredibly detailed cover art of a popular JRPG.
“It’s the first day; I can’t let you start slacking already.” The butler decisively pulled off the pillow and easily evaded the retaliating swipe for repossession of it. Securing the licensed bag of fluff under one arm, he set about digging his stubborn charge out of the warm burrow he’d sequestered himself in. Tenko grumbled complaints and refused to move even after he’d been unearthed,
“Kurogiri, you’re fired.” He spoke into the mattress.
“Very funny, but you don't sign my paychecks.” Tenko heaved a sigh before turning onto his side, back toward his human alarm,
“Just let me skip today.”
"You'll just be more stubborn tomorrow." Kurogiri had no mercy as he flipped back the comforter, at last revealing the Shimura heir in all his morning glory. Pale blue bedhead was splayed around his face, hiding his eyes, and his black pajamas were wrinkled and pulled askew, baring a pale strip of his midriff and lower back.
"Come on, up you get."
"You're an annoying NPC." The teen grumbled as he rolled over onto his front, pulled his knees under his stomach, then slowly curled up like a zombie rising from its grave. Even when he was looking up his hair was long enough to cover most of his eyebrows and the sides of his face. The rings around his eyes, dark and lined from his many hours of gaming, were only enhanced by the shadow of his fringe. Frankly, Kurogiri was surprised that the boy wasn't in need of glasses yet considering how much time he spent staring at screens,
"I've already packed your bag and breakfast is waiting downstairs. I'll leave it to you to wash up and change."
"I'm not a kid." Tenko muttered as he finally rolled out of bed, scratching his head absently. Kurogiri chose not to comment further, knowing that despite Tenko's petulant attitude, he really wasn't as bratty as one might be led to believe. He had his faults, surely, but he was a good kid overall.
"I'll leave you to it then." He dropped the pillow he'd taken hostage earlier and strode out of the room with long strides, pausing in the doorway when he caught sight of something on the shelf: a pair of hand knit yellow gloves carefully laid out in a glass box.
The butler was careful to maintain his tranquil air until after he had left the room and closed the doors behind him. With no one else to witness, he let his professional smile drift into a grim frown. Two weeks had passed since Nana's funeral and the media had finally stopped pestering them about the accusations. Kurogiri had very nearly punched a hole in the door when detectives barged into the estate. He had raised his voice and said a few choice phrases as he demanded that they have the decency to leave Tenko out of their interrogations so that he could mourn his mother, who had died just three days prior. He hadn't believed anything the police said, none of the estate's employees believed that kind, selfless Nana was capable of committing fraud. And siphoning money from one of her charities to fund drug cartels? They'd thought it was some cruel media joke until the police kept coming back with more questions. Kurogiri hadn't cared for their false pleasantries. He didn't care if it was their job to investigate. Just the thought of people slandering the name of the most compassionate person he knew was enough to get his blood boiling. He considered himself a calm individual, but for those couple weeks after her death, Kurogiri had been hard pressed to keep himself together in front of Tenko. The boy was sensitive enough and he was supposed to be setting a proper example.
Kurogiri shook off the dark thoughts as he entered the kitchen. There was no use dwelling on the past right now. He needed to be calm and composed. Carefully removing the plates he'd kept warm in the oven, he set out two places at the long mahogany dining table. Today's breakfast was American style — one of Tenko's favorites — complete with a glass of orange juice for Tenko and a cup of coffee for himself. The game addict didn't need any caffeine fueling his late night habits, thank you very much.
Leaning against the kitchen island, Kurogiri sipped his coffee and wondered what was taking the boy so long. He wasn’t a very image-conscious adolescent so his usual morning routine only took about fifteen minutes. The butler checked his watch with a frown. There was still time to spare, but not much. He was thinking about going up to check that the teen hadn't gone back to sleep when the sound of footsteps came down the hall. There were two sets, though, which brought on a frown.
"Are you sure you're up for going to school today, Tenko? You can take the day off if it’s too much." Kurogiri reflexively stood a little straighter upon hearing the deep baritone and set his mug down on the counter.
"Really? Kurogiri said I had to."
"I'm sure he's trying his best but ultimately it's up to you."
The stiff butler stepped out of the kitchen to meet Stepfather and Son as they entered the dining room,
"Master Wan." he bowed respectfully to the elder man. Older, but far from frail. Kurogiri was taller than average and quite fit, but for a man approaching his fifties, Master Wan was truly an impressive figure. Intimidating, even.
"Ah, good morning Kurogiri." his smile and voice had the gentility of a bear. It wasn't that Kurogiri was afraid or suspicious of the man; there was just the sensation that what he saw didn't completely add up with what he sensed.
"I suggested to Tenko that if he feels it necessary, he can skip school today. It's still so soon for him and the first day of classes aren't very important anyhow." Kurogiri only hesitated for a second before nodding politely,
"I see, I can call the school if you'd like?"
“Please do, I’m sure they’ll understand.”
“Of course,” he bowed again, then paused when he noticed the master of the house still standing by the table, “Will you be joining us for breakfast?” He was sure the man had a meeting to attend. Wan waved a dismissive hand,
“No, as much as I’d like to, there’s still a lot of work to be done. Maybe once this blows over we can have a nice family breakfast.” He beamed a winning smile. Tenko glanced up from the hash browns he’d just started cutting into,
“Don’t overwork yourself.”
Wan chuckled and patted the boy’s shoulder,
“Don’t worry about me, Tenko. Go enjoy the day with Kurogiri, it’s nice weather outside.”
Kurogiri escorted the master to his car before heading back inside to call the school, then finally sat down to eat his breakfast. It was mostly cold but he didn’t mind. His earliest years had been filled with too many hungry days for temperature to curb his appetite. It was a relief that even if Tenko might forget to eat with a reminders, he wasn’t a picky eater like some of the other privileged children Kurogiri had been exposed to.
“So, Tenko, what would you like to do today?”
“Arcade.”
Predictable.
“Alright, we can go after you’ve changed.”
“I am changed.”
“You only changed your socks, Tenko.”
“Tch. Fine. But you need to change too. I don’t want people staring at us cuz you look like a butler.”
“Fair enough.” Kurogiri agreed easily. Internally, he was trying to remember what clothes he had that didn’t follow his usual ensemble. The options were very limited.
When they rendezvoused in the entryway, Kurogiri had shed his waistcoat and tie and swapped his slacks for dark wash jeans; Tenko, unsurprisingly, appeared in a black hoodie and track pants. They drove about a mile into the heart of the city and left the car in a parking lot several blocks down from the arcade. In the middle of their trek, they encountered a large crowd in the courtyard of an outdoor shopping center. Kurogiri has expected Tenko to ignore it but the teen actually stopped and turned to observe the aberration. The butler followed his lead, expecting him to lose interest and return to their original heading. But to his surprise, Tenko stayed for a full twenty seconds and even asked,
“Kurogiri, what’s going on?” having the height advantage, the butler scanned the top of the crowd but couldn't distinguish much from the circle of people. It looked like they were congregating around — oh he could make out the cylinder of a top hat,
"Appears to be some kind of street performer, maybe a magician?” Tenko hummed, then stepped toward the crowd,
“Let’s watch.” Kurogiri blinked, dumbfounded for a few seconds before he shook himself out of it and caught up.
Tenko, despite his jaded pretense, was quite unpredictable at times. Kurogiri liked the happy surprises wherein he was reminded that the boy he was responsible for was not a completely inept individual spoiled by money. Kurogiri did not like the surprises Tenko wrought when he was feeling vindictive. That was when Kurogiri woke up to dyed shirts and glitter bombs. He was still finding flocs of sparkles around the estate, three months after he'd accidentally unplugged Tenko's monitor while cleaning the room. Honestly, the kid was a genius who refused to do his homework without someone reminding him but would, of his own accord, build a custom glitter bomb specifically for his own sadistic amusement. Hopefully he would be able to apply himself to something productive in the future.
"Ladies, gents, and others! Are you looking for a show?" From his voice, the performer was a man of around Kurogiri's age. He had good volume and clear enunciation, and definitely had the air of a showman.
Being well above the national average, Kurogiri had a clear view even from the edge of the crowd. The man was probably about equal in height to himself, though it was difficult to know for sure with the tall top hat he wore, adorned with a red ribbon and large white feather. The wide brim cast a shadow over a white mask which, as far as he could tell, didn't seem to have eye openings? Even if you missed the hat and mask, the yellow trench coat ensured that you had to be blind not to notice him in a crowd. And even a blind man would probably pick out the very showman-esque vocals from a sea of voices.
"Kurogiri," a tug on his sleeve brought his attention back to his side, "I can't see."
True, even if Tenko wasn't slouching he still wouldn't be tall enough to see much. With no sound other than a quiet exhale, Kurogiri knelt down with his back to the young heir and held his elbows slightly out. Tenko understood and climbed on seamlessly. The people around them were much too preoccupied with the performer to notice the teen getting a piggyback ride. They missed some of the exposition but it seemed that a young child had been chosen to volunteer, his parents cheering him on with phones posed for pictures. The street magician knelt down, holding a bright yellow box of candy between both hands. There was a flick of fingers, and suddenly there were two separate boxes of distinctly different colors and brands from each other and from the original box. Kurogiri stared. Tenko, he could feel immediately straighten. The crowd cheered. The child, needless to say, was ecstatic to return to his parents with the candy.
"Off you go, my friend, remember to brush your teeth! Now," the magician stood with a jump and spun on his heel. At some point in his spin a straight cane appeared in one hand, "might I have another volunteer?" Kurogiri felt a shift on his shoulders but dismissed it as Tenko's restlessness. Until the magician came to a stop and pointed his cane at him,
"Here we have it folks, our second volunteer! Come along, good sir!"
Kurogiri blinked and glanced around, but everyone was looking in his direction. He glanced up with impending dread, and there was Tenko's hand, having the gall to point down at him.
"Tenko."
"Go on, Kurogiri." The teen patted his head once, smug amusement clear in his voice, and shifted his weight so that the butler was forced to let him down lest he fall. Kurogiri sighed with exasperation but resigned to his fate and walked deeper into the crowd with Tenko trailing close behind. The magician greeted them with open arms,
“Good day, fine fellows! And what's your name?"
"Kurogiri."
"Nice to meet you Kurogiri! Out of curiosity, do you believe in magic, hmm?” The man’s head tilted to the side at a comical angle but his hat stayed firmly in place. Kurogiri shrugged,
“I suppose that’s up to you.” He deadpanned. The crowd chuckled. Somehow, he was able to perceive amusement from the magician, despite the latter not having moved and his face still covered by a mask. A moment later, the man stepped back and clearly expressed himself by placing his hands on his hips and laughing loudly enough for his shoulders to move up and down. It was obviously an emphasized act but didn’t sound exaggerated enough to break the immersion,
“I suppose it is. How about this, then: I’ve kept my distance from you, correct?" A nod. "Haven’t snuck anything into your pockets?” Kurogiri shook his head,
“Not at all.”
“Alright, pick a card in your head then — any card — you got one? Let’s see, is it the Ace of Hearts?”
Kurogiri frowned and shook his head.
“No? Well that’s embarrassing, what was it?”
“Seven of Spades.” Kurogiri smiles, not wanting to make the performer man feel worse. There were some consoling chuckles from the crowd but the magician didn’t seem too phased. He tapped the chin of his mask with a gloved hand, then held up his pointer finger,
“Oh, I know what went wrong. Check inside your sleeve will you?”
Kurogiri’s frown deepened with confusion but he lifted his right sleeve and peered inside the cuff. Nothing.
“Other sleeve, boyo. It’s from the heart after all.”
Huh?
The butler held up his left sleeve and — no way. He reached in with the opposite hand and pulled out an Ace of Hearts. Kurogiri’s eyes snapped up to the magician. Was it his imagination or had the mask changed? He would have sworn that the black line had been horizontal through the middle but now it was curved like a smile. As the audience’s applause died down, the magician leaned forward like a mischievous child,
“Now check your back pocket. Same cheek.”
... was that a wink? He couldn’t have possibly seen one through the mask but the mental image had very clearly popped up in his head.
Was I drugged?
Kurogiri reached into his back pocket, almost afraid to find out. His pointer and index fingers felt around the lip of denim, and brushed against the distinct plastic-coated edge of a card. He extracted it with a acquiescent smile and obligingly held up the card for all to see.
The seven of spades.
Cheers and whistles erupted from the crowd as Kurogiri, a card in each hand, stared at the magician with wonder. He shook his head in awe and held out the props for the magician to collect,
“I’m impressed.” A red-gloved had accepted the black seven,
“Have I got you believing in magic now?” He flicked his wrist and the numbered card disappeared. Kurogiri huffed with amusement,
“Maybe just a bit.” He held out the ace in offering but the magician stepped back with a gracious bow,
“I’ll leave that one with you — a souvenir if you will.” there was definitely a charm in his voice that sent a little tingle down Kurogiri’s spine. It wasn’t unpleasant, but he was beginning to feel a little flustered and that was not something he was accustomed to.
“Everyone!” The man spun to address the crowd, “a round of applause for our new believer!”
Kurogiri and Tenko stayed for Mr. Magic’s entire 15 minute routine. Neither one was able to figure out any of the tricks and it was almost a pity that such a talented man was so terrible at naming. Mr. Magic? Honestly? Kurogiri had left a generous tip regardless, courtesy of the Shimura estate's wealth. They would have to cut back on expenses in the future but for now, he could spare some of his savings.
Fate seemed to disapprove of his optimism. The butler and heir were waiting at the crosswalk to the arcade when a passing car picked up a stray paper from the street and sent it curling up into the air, before landing at Kurogiri’s feet. His eyes strayed to the page on instinct, and it was the image at the top, dead center, that slowed down time for him. There, in the monochrome print of a newspaper feature, was Nana Shimura, beaming like the sun. But her smile was ruined by the state of the medium. It wasn’t right for any image of her to be so crumbled and streaked with filth. His gaze moved elsewhere, and found the headline in big bold letters:
Nana Shimura: Philanthropist, Magnate, and FRAUD
Anger and fear spurred his brain into hyperspeed. His foot stomped over the slanderous text, carefully avoiding Nana’s image.
“Kurogiri?” Crap. The ‘WALK’ sign was lit and Tenko was looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
“Uh, go on ahead, Tenko. I forgot my watch back in the center.” He tried on a bashful smile but Tenko just looked at him like has an idiot.
“Kurogiri.” The boy's tone was completely flat and he knew that he'd been caught. He dropped the pretense with a quiet sigh and knelt down to pick up the newspaper. He was careful to keep the headline covered as he folded the sheet up and discarded it in the nearby recycling bin. They had missed their chance to cross, and stood in awkward silence for a few minutes until the ‘WALK’ sign re-lit.
“Kurogiri.”
“Hmm?”
“You don’t have to hide those from me.” Kurogiri spared his charge a side-long glance but couldn't see anything through Tenko’s hair. He didn’t know what to say as they crossed the busy street, but just before entering the arcade he felt the impulse to iterate,
“She didn’t do it.” Tenko paused at the entrance, then nodded,
“I know.”