Chapter Text
For all he thinks himself to be high and mighty, a God amongst the mere mortals of the Beach;
for all that Chishiya looks down on people like he was born for it – always being the smartest in the room, the one connecting the dots. Always having an ace up his sleeve;
there is one weakness Niragi managed to find amidst his carefully crafted persona. One singular, huge disadvantage that Chishiya possesses:
He is one short son of a bitch.
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Niragi smirks behind his glass as he watches the blond stroll along the edge of the pool, Kuina right by his side, as always. She almost towers over him. Not necessarily due to her height, she only has a few centimeters on Chishiya after all.
But he seems to slouch at all times, making him appear even smaller than he already is.
Knowing him, it might very well be on purpose; making himself seem more approachable and less of the threat that Niragi knows he is. Because he does have a pretty face and innocent eyes when he plays his cards right. There is power in installing fear in people, just as there is power in gaining their trust.
If no one expects you to be able to even hurt a fly, then no one will spare a second thought on whether or not you are the one pulling the strings.
Niragi knows this.
And Niragi knows that Chishiya does as well.
The people at the Beach may not understand the blond the same way Niragi does, but he sees right through him:
The bitch is just as unhinged as him.
He doesn’t really care for other people’s lives that much, some might even argue he finds pleasure in watching the light leave their eyes. Niragi assumes it makes him feel superior. It’d certainly fit his character.
Maybe it was different once upon a time, back in the real world. Who knows? But the Borderlands change people. It brings out the worst in them. Their true character, that everyone oh so desperately tries to hide behind fake smiles and half-assed morals.
And despite everything;
despite the way he has perfected this detached, unimpressed expression of his, the way he has indirectly pulled the trigger many, many times before, and despite the way he manipulates people like he was created for it, Chishiya is still only human.
And that revelation comes to Niragi on a beautiful Saturday morning.
Right after having woken up from a good night’s rest after yet another game. He dreamt of the people, screaming and crying, turning on each other. The betrayal. The adrenalin.
It was truly a perfect start to his day. He gets off, once. And considers a second round but his need for coffee is stronger than the buzzing under his skin. For now, anyway.
Being part of the Hatter’s executive team comes with a few advantages. For one, more power. But apart from that, they have slightly more freedom, slightly bigger rooms, and – the best part about the position, especially on mornings like these – a private, albeit small, kitchen-like area.
To be fair, it’s just an old room on the same floor as their apartments. They took out the door to make it seem like more of an open area, bigger and more comfortable (definitely not because Niragi accidentally shot it a few times, some weeks back).
And aside from a fridge, table, and cupboards, inside, was the love of Niragi’s miserable yet nowadays exciting life:
A breathtakingly stunning, dark red coffee machine.
Normally, whenever Niragi sets foot into a room, the people inside scatter. His fellow executives, not as much. But it’s fine, despite what people think, he can play nice if he wants. As long as a certain blond isn’t involved anyway. He would prefer getting hit by a truck to seeing Chishiya's face first thing in the morning.
And so far so good, there is no one seated at the table from what he can make out trying to peer around the edges of the doorframe, without actually stepping into the room. So he decides to take his chance.
Now, normally when Niragi rounds a corner and comes face to face with Chishiya, his first instinct is to grab his gun and start shooting. Doctor's orders, really. The guy makes his blood pressure spike to dangerous levels.
And when he finally steps into the room his hand does almost fly towards the holster on his thigh, because while he was right - the table is empty, not a single soul in sight - the moment he drags his eyes to the cabinet in the corner of the room, he realises that it's time to bid his good mood goodbye.
Then, he blinks. He takes it all back. Because the sight he is blessed to witness right now makes him still in his tracks.
Fuck. He truly is one lucky guy, he thinks. All that past bullying? Worth it. He would live through it all again if it meant getting to experience this exact moment every day for the rest of his (probably very short) life.
It is a well-known yet never acknowledged fact among the people at the Beach that Chishiya is, indeed, small. How could it not be, he seems tiny even, sometimes, when he stands next to people almost a head taller than him. When he was first introduced as an executive, some people laughed, thinking Hatter was making a joke. It wouldn't be the first time.
After all, how could this mere teen be part of a group of highly important individuals? And if they were still in the real world, Niragi is sure that Chishiya would be the kind of person who gets asked for his ID every time he tries to buy something slightly alcoholic.
Yet, the blond has never before shown a single sign of feeling in any way bothered by it. When they laughed, he ignored them. When they questioned him, he showed his ability with the number of cards he brought back. Whatever lack of respect he received, he would find a way to gain it. Not even on purpose, he never argued to secure his status (like Niragi would), and he never threatened violence (like Niragi did), but the people still grew fascinated with him.
And anyway, Niragi thinks, his gigantic attitude certainly makes up for his lack of inches.
Right now, however, right before Niragi's own eyes; there stands the man in question. His mortal enemy in person.
On the tip of his toes, arm outstretched, struggling to reach the sugar that’s been placed on the highest available shelf.
It makes him question all that he thought to be true up until now.
(Niragi’s eyes definitely do not stray to the small of his back which is a teeny tiny bit exposed, with his shirt riding up and all – he doesn’t know why the blond isn’t wearing his jacket for the first time since he arrived in the Borderlands, probably, but he really can’t be bothered to care, not right now, when he knows that Chishiya’s skin would look so much better decorated with a few bruises and bite marks.)
He clears his throat, willing his dick to stay down (for now). The last thing he needs is for Chishiya to see him with a raging boner, just standing and staring right in the middle of the executive’s kitchen. Then again, it’s not like his reputation can get any worse.
Niragi relishes the way the other man jumps at the sudden noise and glares at him for a split second before he slips his perfectly crafted mask of indifference back onto his face.
(Which would look a hundred times better with tears dripping down his eyes and drool on his- Jesus Christ, he should have gotten off properly. He needs to get a grip. On his dick, preferably. With Chishiya’s hands.)
Yeah. Anyway.
Usually, Niragi would be annoyed by now. By the other man’s look, the pure arrogance he showcases every time he acts like this, like he’s above everyone else, untouchable and indifferent to whatever happens around him, even if it involves him personally.
When he devoids his face of any emotion, making him seem more like a doll than an actual human being.
But this? This is new. This is good. This is a very, very special situation. He has the power now; he’s at the top of the food chain, pulling the strings. He has the advantage.
It feels like being one step ahead of his rival, enemy; he thrives in the feeling of having a chance at beating the man at his own game, for once.
Because he has gained some insight:
Chishiya is too small to reach the top of the cabinet. And that information is critical, for you see; every room at the beach has pretty much the same interior. Meaning, the same tables, the same beds, and: the same cupboards.
Which means that every. Single. Room. Has at least one shelf that Chishiya cannot reach (at least not without help, and if he knows one thing, it’s that the blond hates making a fool out of himself).
Niragi wants to fall to his knees and kiss the ground at that revelation, thanking the Gods that he doesn’t believe in. Because he knows he’s a bad person, and probably the last person on earth who deserves to be bestowed with this sacred knowledge. And yet, he is the one standing before Chishiya right now. No one else, just him.
And may the aforementioned Gods strike him down if he doesn’t use this knowledge to make Chishiya’s life hell on earth.