Chapter 102

A few days have passed since the mission ended…

Chiba looks at the text on his phone

Isogai: Meet there today?

Sugino: We should…

Isogai: @chiba bring them along

Chiba: k

Sugaya: "k" ??? You good ?????

Chiba: Busu

Chiba: bush

Chiba: visy

Sugaya: It's okay, take your time

Chiba: *middle finger emoji*

Ritsu: Chiba's cat is asleep on one of his hands and another is blocking his view of his phone

Chiba: ye

Ritsu sent one attachment

Chiba: HEY!!' RITSU RELY

Hayami: Shirohi's gotten so big

Sugaya: no one:

Sugaya: Hayami: *knows all of Chiba's cats by name*

Hayami: Fuck off

Chiba smiles and lets out a soft chuckle as he carefully tries to move the two cats without waking them.

Chiba "Good kitties."

He quickly gets ready and knocks on his brother's door before opening it.

Tadashi takes off his headphones and looks at him "Hm? Ryuu-nii?"

"Come with me. We're going to the mountain."

Tadashi nods "Be downstairs in five."

Chiba goes downstairs to wait and sees his parents taking

Chiba "Hey Mom. Hey dad. Tadashi and I are going out for a bit."

Haruka flinches slightly at the sight of him then relaxes a little "I didn't hear your footsteps…"

Chiba tilts his head then realizes "Oh right! Sorry- sometimes I unconsciously walk using nanba…"

Tsukki "Nanba? What are you? A ninja?"

Chiba laughs a little "No but we learned a few ninja techniques and stuff. It makes it easier to pull off sneak attacks."

"Of course Ryuu-nii knows ninja stuff! He's an assassin after all."

Chiba "Hey Sen."

Senna's smiles normally "Ryuu-nii? You and Tadashi-nii are going out somewhere?"

He nods looking at her "Yeah. Just gonna run a few errands." 'At least she's cool with me being an assassin? Mom flinched when she saw me. Dad doesn't seem to be affected too much…'

Tadashi comes into the kitchen "I talked Ryuu-nii into buying me a movie I wanted."

Tsukki nods "Alright. Have fun kiddos. Stay safe and avoid the press."

The brothers agree and leave together.

Skip to them walking

Chiba subtly checks the area around them to confirm they're alone "Tadashi…"

Tadashi nods "Ya know… this is the first time we've been alone since…"

"Yeah. I'm sorry. I really wanted to talk to you and Hitoko earlier but with mom and dad freaking out? Haven't had a chance."

"Understandable."

"You really saved us back there. You and Hitoko. I just… I'm really proud of you, Tadashi. You risked everything just to save us. Thank you."

Tadashi's eyes water a little "I'm just really glad it worked out."

Chiba smiles and messes with Tadashi's hair "Yeah. Me too…"

"Hey! Stop that!"

He laughs and shoves his hands in his pockets "Sorry… I'm just…"

"Ryuu-nii… why are you going there… and why am I going too…?"

Chiba tenses a little "I… I left some stuff there… stuff that it just… it feels weird not having them… I need to go back…"

"Ok. Why am I going?"

"Cause mom doesn't know where I'm going. She thinks we're going to buy you a movie, which I am not doing."

Tadashi frowns "Rude. So why am I here."

"I have a lot of stuff to carry back."

"So shoulda brought someone with a car."

"Ughhh! Nope. I had to bring you. We needed to talk about it. You and Hitoko coming to our rescue."

Tadashi groans "Again?"

"Yes 'again'. The class is meeting today. I was asked to bring you and Hitoko."

"Oh no…"

"It's not bad! Tadashi, I promise."

Tadashi nods nervously and they turn to go to Hitoko's house.

Skip to them getting Hitoko and going to the mountain.

Hitoko "Soooo why am I here?"

Chiba "You deserve the truth. You two saved our butts back then. Tadashi told you enough for you to understand. But… we need to discuss it with my classmates."

Hitoko sighs "Do I have too? Can't I just take Dashi and go have fun with him?"

Chiba puts his finger to Hitoko's throat "I don't care if you saved us. If you do anything 'fun' with my little brother, you're dead."

Hitoko smirks at his threat "You're gonna kill me for wanting to take Dashi to get burgers?"

Chiba lowers his hand "Thin ice Nanasa. You're on thin fucken ice."

Hitoko laughs "Aww why last name? C'mon Ryuu? Ryyyyyuuuuuuu…… fine. Rude Ryūnosuke."

Chiba rolls his eyes and looks at his brother "Look. I support you. Love who you love. But why that?! Really?"

Tadashi crosses his arms "I like him so fuck off."

Chiba sulks then looks up seeing the mountain still gated off "You two know how to jump fences right?"

Hitoko smirks starting to climb "This is a piece of cake compared to climbing up the side of your house."

Chiba "I'm sorry WHAT?!?! YOU ARE LITERALLY 13?!"

Hitoko sticks his tongue out "Kidding! It's just so easy and so fun watching you freak."

Tadashi starts climbing the fence "Hito-chan. Shut up."

They get into the mountain and Chiba starts getting tense and messes with his bracelet. Hitoko and Tadashi share a glance knowing Chiba's habits.

Tadashi "Ryuu-nii? Are you sure about this?"

Chiba gulps "Y- yeah. I'm sure. We need to discuss everything. You two deserve the full story. You risked a lot to help us the other day."

Tadashi "Yeah yeah. You've said that a lot."

Chiba clenches his fists staying silent as they get deeper into the mountain.

"Chiba!"

He stops and turns to the voice "Okajima?"

Okajima smiles catching up to him "Finally! Oh- Sup Tadashi, Hitoko right?"

Hitoko "Sup random person maybe Okajima?"

Okajima "Sarcastic kid. I like him."

Hitoko "Thanks. But I'm taken."

"You're gonna be taken out with a paralyzing knife if you don't stop."

Hitoko nods, going quiet as Tadashi rolls his eyes.

Okajima looks at Chiba "Sugaya and Hayami ran into each other down the street of ya wanna wait for them?"

Chiba nods messing with his bracelet "Y- yeah. Sure."

Okajima reaches for him "Hey? You did what you had to."

"Still- there- there had to be another way…"

"There wasn't. That was the only thing that could be done."

Chiba clenches his fists "Because of it… kayano…"

Okajima sits him down on a fallen tree "Breathe. Hayami and Sugaya are coming. Mimura's already up there with Kayano and some others."

Tadashi starts hitting the tree beside him to a familiar beat and pays close attention to his brother.

Hitoko, who grew up with them, recognizes it instantly and smiles.

Chiba relaxes slightly and looks over to him. Tadashi offers a small smile.

Tadashi "I don't know what happened. You don't have to tell us. But Ryuu-nii, it's gonna be alright."

Chiba looks away unable to face any of them. Not after the thing he did… His fingers trace the charms on the bracelet. The knife, the moon, and the gun…

'Why can I accept what I did… it's not the first time I've pulled the trigger… I tranquilized Zaraki… I've used a real gun to fight Gastro… but I actually…'

A silent tear falls from his eyes but it goes unnoticed as it falls into his bangs.

"There you guys are."

He glances over to the voice

Okajima waves "Yo? Bout time you two got here."

Sugaya nudges Hayami "Woulda been here faster but someone couldn't keep up with my walking."

Hayami crosses her arms "I will not apologize for having little legs."

Chiba laughs a little forcing himself back "Sugaya does tend to walk fast sometimes."

"Whatever! Let's just go get this over with…"

The 4 students and 2 outsiders continue. By the time they get there, their nerves are a mess… They enter the classroom and see that everything is exactly the way it was when left the morning of their graduation.

Hitoko "Those books are ridiculously huge…"

Chiba nods going over to his desk and touching the advice book "Yeah. Korosensei…"

Hayami "He made them for us. The advice book is personalized for each of us…"

Hitoko smiles a little "You had a wonderful teacher."

After a few minutes, the remaining students arrive.

Isogai sighs "We should start… We've made arrangements. The mountain belongs to us. Legally speaking, it has my and Kataoka's names, but the mountain is obviously the classes."

Kataoka nods "We donated a lot to different places and everyone has gotten their share. We still have a couple billion left."

Hitoko's jaw drops and turns to Tadashi and whispers "you never said?? how much was the bounty??"

Tadashi smacks him "Shut it."

Isogai "Are there any other charities or other places we can donate to?"

Kurahashi "Did we already do the wildlife reserve?"

"The entire list."

"What about the homeless shelter?"

"Yup."

"Food drive?"

"Did."

"Veterans places? Animal shelters? Hospitals?"

"Done."

They go quiet trying to think of more places.

Isogai sighs "We can come back to it. Karasuma-sensei agreed that even after we give the money back to them, we can still take some if needed or if we find other uses for it."

Kataoka nods "We should move to the other reason we're here. Chiba Tadashi, Nanasa Hitoko."

The two flinch a little

Tadashi "Yes?"

Isogai "You both risked so much for us. You didn't know everything that was at stake, but you made the decision to help us. To thank you for that, we're giving you a portion of the reward."

Tadashi shakes his head "Thank you for the offer, but we must decline."

Everyone looks at him shocked. Hitoko's just completely lost. Chiba's a little tense at his reaction.

Tadashi "We didn't help you to get money. I did it for my brother."

Chiba smiles and puts a hand on his shoulder "Thanks…"

Tadashi blushes softly and looks away "You're still doing my chores for a while."

Chiba's smile changes as a vein pops and he jabs his finger into Tadashi's shoulder making him Yelp.

Hitoko shrugs "Ryuu? Can you not break him? Thanks. Also I just did it cause I wanted to spend time with Dashi. Thanks for the offer for money, but nah."

Chiba rolls his eyes and Hitoko's response.

Isogai raises an eyebrow "Are you sure?"

Tadashi rubs his shoulder annoyed at his brother "Completely. If something happens and we desperately need money, then we'll probably ask about it. But until then, no. Is that the only reason we're here?"

Chiba "You're here for the truth. Tadashi. I told you a lot, but some things… some things that happened that night…"

Tadashi looks him in the eye "You don't need to tell us. We trust you. Ryuu-nii, we're brothers by blood. Them?" He gestures to the class "They're your brothers in arms. Things like that, your mission, the things you did, that's things for them…" he hesitates for a moment "I can tell… Something happened. Something you feel really guilty about. But Ryuu-nii, you don't have to tell me what happened. You don't want to tell me, but you feel like you need to. Hito-chan and I… we aren't assassins. We only got involved in placing weapons. Basically what we did was a glorified Easter egg hunt. So don't feel forced to tell us what happened."

Chiba pulls him into a hug ignoring the classes looks

Hitoko smiles a little at them remembering everything they've been through 'They've both grown so much… aww I'm starting to feel like a dad fawning over his kids…'

He sighs then smirks 'Welp, might as well be a little shit' "So that's that, can I go home now?"

Chiba let's go but keeps a light grip on Tadashi's shoulder "Isogai? Kataoka?"

They share a glance "Chiba. They're your responsibility?"

Chiba shrugs "They don't want any of the reward for what they did. And they don't care much about the story either."

"As long as they swear to not speak of what they did or anything, then they can leave."

Hitoko nods "Yeah yeah, lips sealed!"

Tadashi "Of course! Let's go Hito-chan?"

Hitoko looks around, at the brother, the classroom, and the students before he speaks "Actually. There's one thing I want to know."

"Yes?"

Hitoko puts his hands in his pockets "I want to know what he looked like. I wanna see a picture. Dashi only said he was a giant yellow octopus. I'm not sure if he's crazy-"

"Hey!"

Hitoko smiles a little at him "But… if it's okay…I want to see just who 'Korosensei' is…"

Chiba lets go of his brother and opens the book on his desk "Hitoko."

He gulps, going to look at the page.

Hitoko smiles a little, eyes following the yellow tentacles wrapped around each student back to the source. The smiling yellow octopus…

'Joy… even behind the few annoyed looks… true happiness and… hope… hidden among the bloodlust…'

Hitoko smiles softly and backs away "Thank you. It makes me feel more at ease. Dashi?"

Tadashi looks over at his brother as if asking something.

Chiba nods "Yeah. Go ahead."

A kind smile forms on Tadashi's lips "I'll see ya at home Ryuu-nii."

"Later you little shits."

The two outsiders leave and now it's only the ex assassins

Chiba's gaze falls onto Kayano remembering what happened to her that night.

"Well… we really only came to talk about the money and tell those two the truth."

"But they didn't even care about that."

"Chiba. You really have a great brother."

"Hehe and brother in law."

Chiba snaps out of his thoughts "Oh… yeah… I suppose I do……"

Yoshida "Oi? These books and all our stuff is pretty heavy, we can put the stuff in my car?"

"You have a car?!"

"I thought you have a motorcycle?"

Yoshida laughs "I borrowed the small storage truck. We got a lot of stuff to take with us… books, stuff those two delivered for us, other weapons, gym clothes."

"Yeah, that sounds good. Where's the truck?"

"I parked on the far side of the mountain. I can bring it up if ya want? There's a pretty open path from the government bringing weapons and what not."

"That'd be great."

"Alright. I got boxes we can put stuff in. You guys start bringing stuff outside while I get the truck?"

They agree and begin working.

Some go to the locker rooms to get stuff from there. Others bring the giant books out.

Chiba opens his locker and reaches for his anti-sensei gun but stops seeing the real gun beside it…

"Chiba… there's gonna be an opening soon…"

"You need to make sacrifices to win"

"I trust you"

"I want to protect Korosensei!! I want to protect this place!! My friends!! My sister!! My teachers!!"

Tentacle piercing through Kayano

Blood dripping

The fear on her face

Maniac laughing

Gun shot

Sugaya reaches for him "Chiba?"

Chiba jumps at the touch and hits him away in panic.

Sugaya "Hey? It's over… you did the right thing that night…"

He shakes his head and slams his locker shut which catches the other guys' attention.

Chiba's voice is filled with panic "Kayano died. Why aren't you guys blaming me. Kayano showed me the vials with the seeds. I let her implant them. I- I let her die."

The boys tense and some avert their gazes.

"She would've done it anyway. If you didn't have that gun… all of us probably would've died."

"How did you even…"

Chiba gulps "During the infiltration. I… I stopped after taking down a guard. I didn't know why but I felt like our bullets and blades would be useless when we reached the strongest opponent. I thought it would be the one Karasuma-sensei warned us about. When we took him down, I relaxed a bit." His breath is ragged and words shake "I didn't need the real gun after all… but- but I still held onto it… then- Yanagisawa and 2.0- Kayano mentioned we need to make sacrifices- I let her. I let her die. If I missed that shot- if Korosensei couldn't save her-"

He grabs himself and sinks against the locker shaking.

"Chiba."

"Shit- Chiba breathe!"

Okajima "Fuck- Chiba!"

Mimura "Nagisa his pulse!"

Nagisa "It's too unstable! I can't time it right!"

Sugaya "Someone go get Hayami! Chiba, Chiba breathe. It's okay. It's gonna be okay."

Kimura runs out to retrieve Hayami

Blood drips down his arm from his nails digging into his skin "go away…" his voice is desperate and full of fear and regret "go away…"

Okajima 'Shit! This isn't good! The thing Tadashi did early? That song? Shit was the beat!'

The door swings open and Hayami runs inside "Ryuu!"

She goes over to where he is and kneels down. Her voice is soft "Ryuu. I'm here…"

Sugaya looks at his classmates then eyes the door. They get the hint and leave the two snipers alone.

Hayami cups his face "Hey?"

Tears stream his face "Rin… how… how can you be near me… I killed someone… I pulled the trigger on Yanagisawa… Kayano died so I could kill him… Rin… how can you be near me… I'm like Za-"

Hayami cuts him off "You're not like him. You saved us. Kayano is okay. She's alive. Yanagisawa would've killed us. You're okay. We'll get through this. I promise. I'm here for you."

He bites his lip and pulls her into a hug. His grip is tighter than normal but not tight enough to hurt her.

Hayami sinks into him and holds on whispering quietly.

Meanwhile outside…

The majority of the class is together…

Yoshida gets out of the truck "Hm? What happened?"

Sugaya "Chiba. The other day…"

Kayano touches her chest where she was pierced.

"Kayano. It isn't your fault."

Kayano shakes her head "I pressured him. I was hoping to be able to be able to distract Yanagisawa long enough for Chiba to shoot. I knew that would take a big toil on him… but I died… that… both of those combined then Korosensei… He was hit hard with that."

"Yeah… and Hayami too? Her past…"

"Yeah… Chiba was the one who's been able to help her but now…"

"I just hope they're okay…"

Nakamura silently grabs Sugaya and drags him away ignoring the confusion and protests.

They get to the other side of the building away from the rest

Sugaya "Uh? What?"

Nakamura "Rinka came over to my place last night. She was in tears and shaking like a lost kitten that was abandoned in the rain."

Sugaya nods "What happened."

"Since the day after graduation, she's been having nightmares. PTSD from her childhood and Zaraki. Chiba helped her a lot with overcoming it. When she saw him pull the trigger, she started to relapse. She came over yesterday and told me about it. I promised not to tell him… but I needed to tell you. You're really close to Chiba. Has he told you anything?"

Sugaya shakes his head "Chiba has hardly even responded to texts since then. Is Hayami okay? Being with him and all? I was worried about that…"

"I dunno. I think they'll make it work and help each other, but it might be shaky for a bit. Rinka knows he'll never hurt her. When Kimura ran in all he said was 'Hayami! It's Chiba! He-' Kimura didn't even finish. Rinka just threw her stuff down and ran out. She loves him more than anything. They can help each other… hopefully…"

Sugaya rubs his arm "I hope you're right. I really really hope they're gonna be okay…"

End chapter

Brothers and brothers in arms are two very different things.

@alpha099 Thxx

@lumigo akvo9504 I felt that. It's been stressful and gotta relax sometimes

I say while stressing myself

. I'm so glad you're loving the story!! And the hamsters are so cute I just- *cries*

@XoMidnightXo The Nakamura family gives 0 fucks. And Yee!

@Le055Li0n I- *cries* thanks!!! Senna… she's very interesting to write. I love my hamsters so much they babey!! As for procrastinating… oh man… I've been procrastinating writing and doing hw and now I'm just screeching