Work Text:
"Please! Someone, you gotta help me!" a man in dark shades shouted at everyone who passed by him, pacing along the street and biting his nails.
For his nervousness, he certainly looked intimidating - probably explained why everyone seemed to be sidestepping around him, ignoring his pleas. But Kiryu could never pass up on at least listening, even if it had gotten him into more scams and schemes than he could count.
"What is it?" he asked, and the man sighed with relief.
"D'you know a place here where I can get my hands on the latest PoliCure figures?!"
Oh. An otaku, I guess. Not that he looks the type... at all.
"Uh..." Kiryu scratched his chin in thought, "Sorry, I don't... know what that is."
"Damnit," the man hissed, "What am I gonna do now...?"
"I could show you around town anyways, if you'd like. Maybe someone in one of the shops will know this... Pulley Cure thing?"
"Please!" he threw himself to the ground, bowing, "I'll follow you to the ends of the earth if it means my Miku gets what she wants!"
"S-sure," Kiryu nodded, taken aback. So maybe the guy wasn't an otaku, but his... girlfriend? was. As for him...
Well, we all have our quirks.
"What brings you to Kamurocho, anyway? I think I'd recognise a face like yours if you lived around here," Kiryu asked as the man stood again.
He seemed to blank for a moment, as if he didn't have an answer himself, before blurting, "My wife is here on business!"
"...Right." Wife, then, he nodded, "Let's get going, then."
An awkward silence hung between them as they walked, Kiryu wanting to fill it with something.
"So what do you do for a living?"
"Eh? I'm a househusband," he shook his head, "My wife's the one working, as a designer. You?"
"Oh," Kiryu paused to think, "I, uh, do a lot of things I guess. I've got a daughter to take care of, so any job that'll take me is worth it."
"Why wouldn't they take you? You seem a capable man. Only one who's heard me out all day."
"I-I mean... it's a little... complicated," Kiryu sighed. "Getting a bit more stable, at least. Picked up a job at, uh, a local construction company. Used to be out here just cleaning the streets."
"In a place like this?"
"Heh, yeah. It's not a pretty job, but someone's gotta do it. Keeps everyone safe... safer, anyway."
"No kidding. You wouldn't believe the sorts of things I've had to clean up."
...As a househusband? How much can it really compare?
"I guess..." Kiryu nodded, "Oh. I never introduced myself, did I? Uh. I'm Kazuma Kiryu."
"...Tatsu Kuroda."
Nice to have a name to put to his face. Just in case.
Kiryu scanned the signs around the two of them, suddenly pointing a thumb to a store across the street, "The staff here should know more than me."
Wide-eyed, Tatsu bolted in. Kiryu raised an eyebrow, and followed behind at a calmer pace.
"You! Clerk! What do you have on CrimeCatch PoliCure?!"
"CrimeCatch... PoliCure?"
"Yes! You know, that magical girl show where they're cops!"
"I'm sorry sir, we don't have anything on that one."
"Huh? You wanna run that by me again?" Tatsu's tone shifted, like he was making some kind of a threat. Kiryu's gaze intensified, ready to drag the man outside if need be.
The clerk visibly stiffened, but kept his voice calm. Must have had experience with a lot of enraged otaku over the years. "Sir, we don't have anything on that anime, I'm sorry."
Tatsu banged his fist on the counter, huffing, "Damnit! How can you not?! It's all the rage right now, and I need it for--"
"Hey, cut it out," Kiryu said, pulling back Tatsu by the shoulder, "If he says they don't have it, they don't have it."
He relented, sighing and bowing to the clerk as he backed off, "S-sorry. I just... I already screwed up her birthday, I... wanted to make this trip something special."
"Hm..." Kiryu pondered, "It's... not your PoliCure, but my daughter and I like this one called Miracle MagiHeart."
Tatsu looked at him, confused. "Didn't that end ages ago?"
"Huh?" Kiryu shook his head, "No, it's still going. But I guess I can understand why you'd think that, they did hit a lull for a little while..."
"I see... I guess we could give it a try."
This was where the client said to meet, right? Cafe Alps... it seemed like a cute enough place.
...To be honest, Miku wasn't really sure what she was doing here. It was a bit hazy, that entire meeting. The next thing she knew, she was here in this Kamurocho, looking for a Majima.
She opened the door, sighing contentedly at the sweet smells of the pastries. Oh, she could go for a boatload of those, but she had to have some restraint. Be at least a little bit professional, especially on a job this important.
"Hey!" a man waved her down, sitting at a table near the back, "You Kuroda-san?"
Riiight. I'm just a magnet for these guys, aren't I? she chuckled to herself as she approached.
"Yes, that's me! Sorry for running late on you, I got a bit lost on the way."
As they seated themselves and placed their orders, she asked, "So what is this job for, exactly?"
"Heh. Y'see, my boys 'n I, we're good at the buildin'. But makin' it all... nice, well. That ain't so easy. Need a gal who knows what she's doin'."
"I... see. Could you tell me more, so I know what you're working with?"
Definitely not just to satisfy her curiosity.
"Heh," Majima smirked, "Majima Construction, as I'm sure ya know. Nearin' 'bout two hundred men? Worked with a good chunk of 'em for years now. But our current project, Kamurocho Hills, it ain't workin' out," he sighed.
"Alright... What's gone wrong with it, how can I help you?"
"Tch, it's... complicated."
She sighed, leaning in and speaking quietly, "You know, my husband used to be a 'family' man himself."
"...Huh. 'Kay. So then ya get why it's complicated."
"I guess I do," she chuckled.
"Not to mention, my boyfriend's got a kid, 'n I wanna be there for 'em, not sink all my time in somethin' that ain't workin'," he sighed, "We got a lotta ambition, but that's 'bout all. But there's another project we wanna try, smaller. 'N for that we need some help."
"Alright, lay it on me."
As the two talked business, sipping away at their coffees - and Miku sampling a bit of the pastry menu, she just couldn't resist - one thing was clear.
She was totally in over her head with this... yet it somehow came so naturally. Trying to understand how she understood all of this felt as hazy as the meeting, as her ending up here. Maybe she would wake up and find this had all been a stress-induced dream - it wouldn't surprise her, given she'd had her fair share of those already.
No matter the case, Majima wanted her to see the place they were working with, get a better idea of his vision. Reasonable request. Maybe too reasonable for just an ordinary dream.
"So what's yer husband doin' now?" he broke the silence on their walk.
"Ah, he does the housework and all of that," she smiled, "I never... well."
He snickered, "Never got good at it?"
"Something like that. It's nice, though, he has a knack for it. Even if he can be a little dramatic sometimes."
"What, like complainin' real loud 'cause he's gotta do the trash again?"
"No, no, nothing like that!" she laughed, "He's not like that, no. He's happy taking care of things like that, taking care of me... it's just, he doesn't always know how to act around people, even me."
"Heh. Guess my boyfriend ain't too different..." he smiled, "Used to be in the same clan together, s'how we found each other. We both grew up 'round all this nonsense, fell into it real naturally. It's nice bein' away."
"I can imagine so... I remember what Tacch-- er, my husband was like when we first met. Even now a lot of things still set him off, o-or he just doesn't know how to deal with them. But I'm proud of him, he's come so far already."
"Same. Does so much work for everyone else, like he's been bottom rank all this time. But he ain't, 'specially not to me, so we're workin' on it."
All of a sudden, it hit her just how personal this conversation had gotten. Majima was just that sort of man, it seemed - easy to talk to, open up with, even when he was supposed to be on business. Not that it seemed like he had much idea of how to run this venture, but... he was trying. Digging himself out of that hole.
She could commend that.
"We're here! Oi, Nishida, where are ya?" he called out, and she couldn't help but chuckle. "Somethin' funny, Kuroda-san?"
"No, it's just... I think this is wonderful."
Knock knock knock.
Knock. Knock. Knock knock knock!
Kiryu opened the door with a yawn, "Yes, Goro?"
"Yer never gonna believe this!" Majima barrelled in, barely containing his laughter, "That designer I talked to today - her fuckin' husband's ex-yakuza like us!"
"Huh," Kiryu nodded, shutting the door, "I can't fault the guy, really."
"Not just ex-yakuza, a fuckin' househusband!"
What a funny coincidence.
"Maybe I should make ya my wifey, haw?" Majima teased, Kiryu's face reddening as he cackled.
"H-hey, don't wake Haruka!"
"Whaaat? I think ya look real cute in those aprons ya got! Just imaginin' me comin' home to ya..."
"I-I'm not going to be a househusband, Goro. Can't be your foreman if I'm at home all day."
Majima crossed his arms, "Ya make a fair point. I'd miss that sweet voice 'a yers too much..."
"W-well. How did it go, anyway?" Kiryu shifted gears, catching a smirk on Majima's face.
"Oh, Kuroda-san was lovely! She really knows her stuff, 'n she was thinkin'..."
...Majima kept talking, but Kiryu found himself spacing out. Kuroda-san... Designer. Househusband... Tough ex-yakuza type.
Suddenly, it hit him.
"I... Goro."
"Haw?"
"I think I met your Kuroda-san's husband."