It's here! Thank you for your patience and for your amazing support! Now, I have a question for all of you-
I can't decide if I should have Suga and Daichi be co-bosses of Karasuno, or if I should have Suga be the boss and Daichi be a cop. What are your thoughts on this? I have a plot line for both story options, I just can't decide. So, I'm going to leave it up to y'all! Which story line would you like to see more? Let me know in the comments! Now, enjoy the chapter!
Review replies-
TheJadeWarrior- Hey, C.J.! Thanks for the, once again, helpful review! I fixed those issues. Honestly fight scenes are a pain to write, but they're so fun to write too! So, I'm glad you liked it! You have no idea how excited I was to introduce Johzenji. That was a really fun interaction to write too. Thank you for complimenting my interpretations of the characters! That means a lot to me. I'm happy I was able to give your IwaOi loving heart some more fuel! Can you believe I've never written any kind of ship content before now? Also, yes I saw your review on "Kiss it Better" thank you so much for your kind words, it was so sweet! Have a lovely day! ~Kiera540
"We are now aligned with Fukurodani." Kuroo informed Kenma when he made his way back into the hidden rooms above the Cat's Meow.
"I figured he wanted something like that. What were the terms?" Kenma questioned while he lounged in a large chair with his face in his phone.
"All the usual ones. Access to Nekoma's digital empire, high clientele, and ten percent of our profits."
"A percentage?! Kuro, why'd you let him have that?"
"Trust me, that's the best I could do. I'm not surprised he added a fee, this business ain't cheap. It was almost twenty percent, but ten won't make that much of a difference to us. It's worth it, Kenma."
"He wanted more? How much exactly?" Kenma suddenly seemed interested in Kuroo's story. Kuroo didn't see what the big deal was. Who wouldn't want part of the profit of a shipment they helped to protect and deliver?
"Originally it was eighteen. He started higher than I thought he would if I'm being honest, who would give that much right off the bat?"
"He needs money." Kenma muttered so low that Kuroo almost didn't catch it.
"Hmm? What'd you mean?"
"Think about it. At first, Fukurodani only wanted an alliance with the deal being he would get information and important contacts from us, but now his second offer demanded a percentage. If he went that high right off the bat, then it means it's more than just an exchange of services in his mind. He's got to be hurting for funds."
"Why though? Don't get me wrong, what you said made sense, but we have nothing that proves that. They haven't had any bad jobs recently, they haven't had to buy anyone off. Why would they be desperate enough to try and highball me?" Kuroo waited for Kenma's reply. Seeing the smaller man's eyes almost glaze over as he retreated into the depths of his mind. All of this information made sense, but they were too many unknowns for them to actually act.
"They're not broke." Kenma muttered again, "They're planning something. They must be short the funds they need for some big operation."
"What the hell would Fukurodani be planning right now?"
"How am I supposed to know that off of the information we have, Kuro?"
"Why is every damn family on the whole damn planet planning something right now?!" Kuroo was close to screaming at this point. Why'd everyone have to go and get busy now that he was boss and it was now his problem to deal with it?
"You didn't think this quiet would last did you?" Kenma smirked at him. He was used to having to constantly watch the plots of the other families, but with Kuroo coming from the lower ranks, he had to remind himself that Kuroo wouldn't always have been aware of those plans.
"I just thought I'd be able to breathe more since I was the boss."
"How's that going for ya?" Kenma snickered at him. He was thoroughly enjoying their new arrangement. Kuroo decided that flipping him off was a better response than using his words like the adult he supposedly was.
"Yaku, come here for a moment." Kenma called ignoring the raven.
"What do you need, Sir?" Yaku asked as he left his spot guarding the door. He was one of the very few who knew the actual leadership situation inside Nekoma. It seemed like an insane plan at first, but he supposed it was necessary. The interaction with Bokuto was a perfect example, without Kuroo's quick wit and bantering attitude, Bokuto definitely would have tried to muscle Kenma into giving him whatever he wanted. Now, Yaku knew that Kenma would never had given in, and would have found a way to retort in his own way, but Kuroo clearly had an easier time than Kenma would have. The image of a mafia boss was so important that it made Yaku believe that this might actually work. Despite looking like an idiot and seeming childish at times to Yaku, he has been surprised with Kuroo's intellect and strength over the years that he no longer doubted him. That didn't mean he wouldn't kill anyone who tried to tell Kuroo that though, he had his own reputation after all.
"Do you know where Bokuto went after meeting with Kuroo?" Kenma asked pulling the other man out of his head, and pointily ignoring Kuroo's still raised hand.
"His guard wasn't having it, I know he was heading east." Yaku informed him.
"Speaking of his guard, he do that to you?" Kuroo interrupted, gesturing towards Yaku's bruised face.
"We might have had a small rooftop altercation. Nothing to be concerned about, Sir." Yaku snapped more than he had intended, remembering the other man with enough sass to match his own. He was honestly surprised they hadn't gotten into another scuffle during their bosses meeting.
"Don't," Kenma snapped before Kuroo had the chance to say something smart that would inevitable start an argument between the two, "East? That's not the direction of his territory from the club."
"No. The banks are though." Kuroo muttered thoughtfully. Kenma might just know what he's talking about.
"Everything alright, Sir?" Konoha asked his boss once he dropped down from his vantage point to walk beside him. They had traveled far enough away to ensure that Yaku wouldn't follow them, and he already checked for any other tails.
"I'm fine, it was just a mee- what the hell happened to you?!" Bokuto yelped out once he glanced over his shoulder to look at his guard.
"A short, snappy blond and I might have taken a few swings at each other." Konoha spat clearly holding resentment towards the other man as he brought his hand up to prod at his slightly swollen cheek.
"I assume he was the reason you couldn't make it inside?"
"Him and his damn chain." Bokuto had no idea what the second part meant, but he got the picture, he was about to speak again when Konoha continued, "What kept you anyways? Negotiations go bad?"
"Negotiations went fine. I stayed to watch a show."
"So you were watching a show, while I was getting punched in the face?"
"Apparently it was their best performer, Kuroo offered to have me stay and watch. I couldn't refuse that offer now that we are aligned."
"Sure." Konoha muttered sounding unconvinced. Bokuto ignored his jaunt, he wasn't exactly lying, Kuroo had offered him to stay and watch their best performer. He didn't have to stay for his entire routine, but between the show and good booze, he decided staying a bit longer was appropriate. Himself and Kuroo bickered back and forth, and drank a few more glasses, but Bokuto discovered he liked the guy. Sure his wit was as quick as a bullet, but they was more under the surface Bokuto could tell. Those taunts weren't random, he was paying attention and constantly gathering information to use even during their conversation. He was a little concerned about Nekoma having a new boss, but his meeting with Kuroo put those all to rest. He was looking forward to his new alliance.
"Uh, Sir? This isn't the right way, how many drinks did you have?" Konoha question when he realized that Bokuto was still walking on his original east heading.
"We're not going home. You good for one more stop?" Bokuto glanced at his beat up guard again as he asked.
"Of course, Sir. Where did you have in mind?"
"We're going to Datekogyo."
"Tell me, what brings the King of the Owls to my door?" Futakuchi asked foregoing a greeting when Bokuto was brought into the main room.
"Futakuchi, Aone, Obara, good to see you again. First tell me how fares Date?" Bokuto flashed a smile as he gave a proper greeting.
"The Iron Wall still stands strong." Obara gave the customary answer while Aone nodded his head at him. Bokuto wasn't expecting much, Date Tech was extremely guarded after all, outside members were never allowed into the family. They were fiercely protective of their younger members, and kept them hidden until they were prepared to present themselves in Dates bold colors. Date Tech didn't run as many ops as the other families, but they were by far the richest of them all. They had such an expanse of wealth they began making deals with the other families and loaning out their fortune, eventually becoming known as the mafia banks. Bokuto had yet to figure out where their vast wealth came from without them running ops, but at this moment he didn't care. He had a problem, and Datekogyo was the solution.
"What do you want?" Futakuchi demanded.
"What do you think? I need money." Bokuto snapped, pleasantries thrown out the nearby window.
"Then let's make a deal. What can you offer us?" Futakuchi smirked at getting the other man to drop the act so quickly.
"I have enough product that would easily cover the cost of the loan."
"You mean the same product that's constantly being moved, sold, and stolen? Try again. We require something much more permanent."
"I offer you half of Fukurodani's territory."
"That's too far away from us, we wouldn't be able to effectively hold it. I'd give it less than a week before you or someone else retook it. Try again." Futakuchi scoffed, he knew the other man had a better offer and was just trying to avoid it.
"I'll give you the entirety of Fukurodani's reserve of drones should this fail." Kohona's head snapped over to bore holes into the back of his bosses head at his words so fast that we was actually afraid he broke something. Fukurodani being known as Owls wasn't for shits and giggles, they ruled the skies. It was the most closely guarded secret of Fukurodani, the drones only being known to the highest members of their order. Kohona felt like smacking himself as the pieces suddenly clicked into place. Futakuchi wasn't calling Bokuto an Owl to tease him, he was hinting towards what he wanted. It worried Kohona that Date Tech seemed to know about their drones, but he supposed they would be the last ones to spill or act on that little fact.
Getting those drones was the hardest thing Fukurodani has done, and the operation effectively solidified Bokuto as the new boss. It was one of the first ops that Bokuto ran after becoming the boss of Fukurodani, everyone thought he was crazy, but those mummers quickly shut up when he returned triumphant. Konoha wasn't on that op, so he had no idea how they had managed to steal the shipment from the military. He remembered when Bokuto returned carrying some of the crates, with a large gash on the left side of his cheek. His new boss had been left with a permanent scar that went from a little above his top lip and stretched all the way across his cheekbone to disappear into his hairline. After weeks of ensuring the drones couldn't be tracked by the military, some sneaky reconfiguration, and avoiding patrols, Fukurodani finally had the opportunity to put their newest asset to the test. With the resulting resounding success, it became Fukurodani's greatest weapon. To have Bokuto offer it all up so lightly floored Kohona, especially after what the man himself went through to obtain them. He really hoped that whatever the boss had planned would be worth it.
"Third time really is the charm then. You have yourself a deal, Bokuto-dono of Fukurodani." Futakuchi smiled sweetly at him.
"He's gone." Kunimi whispered as he return to the bar.
"Where'd he go?" Kindaichi questioned him once he leaned besides him on the bar.
"To the upper levels. We can't follow him there."
"Then we're done here." Kindaichi glanced around the club one more time. They had been watching the interaction between Kuroo and Bokuto, but now that it was over, they needed to get out of here before they were discovered. Bokuto had left a few minutes ago and Kuroo remained in the same place, he spoke to one the severs and waited for an answer before he got up himself. Kindaichi hated that he couldn't get closer to the two men, but he knew that Iwaizumi would more than likely murder him if he exposed himself. So he waited, and observed. The meeting clearly went well, both men remained civil and parted on good terms. If the cheers they did right before the performers changed were any indication, then Fukurodani and Nekoma were now aligned.
His first instinct was to run out of the club to report, but that would definitely make them look suspicious. This wasn't normal club security. All of the security guards, bouncers, and even bartenders were also members of the Nekoma family. Security had already been tightened because Kuroo was present and it only got worse once they realized that Bokuto was with him. It was the tightest it had been in a long while. There was no way the two Aobajohsai members would have ever been able to enter if they hadn't happened to have arrived just twenty minutes before the two bosses made their entrance. It worked to their advantage. No one had even spared the two of them a glance, not with the meeting going on upstairs. Now that it was over, their chances of being discovered had increased tenfold. Being lower ranking members meant that they weren't well known and would be harder to recognize, but there was no way that they had never been seen before. They needed to get out.
Kindaichi finished his drink while Kunimi made himself busy watching the newest performer. After paying, Kindaichi watched the performer for a minute and scanned the area again. He felt Kunimi tap his thigh twice with his hand, to signal he had cleared his section and was ready to leave, Kindaichi returned the gesture. Kunimi crossed in front of him to lead them out of the club. Kindaichi put a hand on Kunimi's shoulder to avoid them being separated as they weaved through the sweaty dancing bodies crowding the club's floor. They continued their path, making a beeline for a side exit door. Someone pushed up against Kindaichi, forcing him to lose contact with Kunimi. Kunimi slowed his pace and turned around to watch Kindaichi get swept away by the dancing crowd, he saw Kindaichi force a hand up and flick a wrist at him, signaling him to go and he'll catch up. Kunimi nodded at him, Kindaichi will find a way. Either by making his way back, or moving with the crowd towards the main entrance and exit.
Kunimi turned around again, carefully making his way towards their original exit door. He was just a few steps away now. He glanced back over his shoulder, but couldn't see Kindaichi anymore, he'd just have to go to their rendezvous point and wait for him. Spinning his head back he forced his body to stop on a dime to avoid crashing into someone who had just entered the side door.
"Sorry." He muttered as he passed the shorter blond man. By the time Kunimi turned around, combined with his pace, he couldn't see the other man's face. The outfit told Kunimi everything he needed to know, this man was Nekoma. Kunimi didn't know who exactly he was, but he was definitely part of the higher ranks. Thankfully his attention didn't seem to be on Kunimi as he made his way inside. With his head turned before, Kunimi doubted the man had seen his face, but he didn't plan on staying to find out. He quickly walked out of the door and headed straight to the rendezvous point, not daring to look behind him as he went.
Once he deemed he was far enough away, Kunimi looked all around, searching for any indication he was being followed. Deeming it safe, Kunimi finally allowed himself to breathe normally again as he continue on his way. He was almost at his destination, and still had yet to see any sign of Kindaichi. That worried him slightly, especially after his own close call, but he figured Kindaichi was actually better off than him and just had a longer walk. If he went out of the main entrance, he'd have to go a few streets past their meeting point and then circle back around. That was the only way to reach the spot without finding some way to walk through buildings. If he pushed through the crowd and walked out the same side door, then he'd be a bit behind Kunimi. The thought of Kindaichi being captured flashed through Kunimi's mind, but he quickly shook his head to clear away those thoughts. He couldn't think like that. No. He knew he had walked faster than he normally did, so if Kindaichi went at his normal pace, then of course it'd take him longer.
After leaning against the wall next to their rendezvous point for ten minutes, Kindaichi appeared out of the shadows, calling a greeting.
"You're late." Kunimi snapped at him.
"Sorry. I got pushed out the front entrance and had to take the long way around." Kindaichi apologized.
"Were you followed?"
"Nope. We're all good. Ready to report?"
"Yeah. Let's walk while we do it." Kunimi would have smacked him for making him worry like that if it wasn't so much effort. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down and refocus for his report before he snatched his phone out of his pocket. He stole a glance at Kindaichi, and at his nod, called Matsukawa.
"What have you got for me?" Matsukawa asked in lieu of a greeting after checking the caller ID on his phone.
"Kunimi, with Kindaichi, ready to report on the meeting between Kuroo of Nekoma and Bokuto of Fukurodani, at the Cat's Meow." Kunimi voice stated through the phone in what could not be more of a regulations voice.
"Report." Matsukawa calming said, keeping his snickers from the difference in Kunimi's voice to himself.
"We couldn't get to them because the retreated to the second level, so we have no idea what exactly they said. However, we know the meeting had to have gone well. After talking for a while, and sharing drinks, we can confirm that they parted in high spirits. Nekoma and Fukurodani are now aligned."
"Where'd they part to?"
"Unknown, Sir. Kuroo snuck back into the upper levels of the Cat's Meow. We lost sight of Bokuto once he left the club."
"How's your cover?"
"I passed a Nekoma higher rank, but he didn't pay me any mind." Kindaichi's head snapped over to look at him at his words, he couldn't believe that had happened. When Kunimi raised an eyebrow at him, he realized he was voicelessly asking him a question, "Kindaichi says nothing more to report on his end." Kunimi finished.
"Alright, good work." Matsukawa praised them, waving Hanamaki over to him.
"Fancy a run, boys? Get back here ASAP." Matsukawa finished, hanging up on them.
"What's up?" Hanamaki question once Mattsun hung up.
"Report from the Cat's Meow." Mattsun relayed the same report he had received.
"Great. Now both of those troublemakers are friends." Makki groaned out.
"Yep. You report to Iwaizumi and Oikawa-dono, it's your turn to get a gun in the face." Mattsun told him, "I'll watch the other teams."
"You know that wouldn't happen if you just knocked instead of barging in." Makki teased him, but started moving anyways.
"Now where's the fun in that?" Mattsun flashed him a large smile that only grew larger when Makki rolled his eyes at him.
"You have a death wish, you know that?" Makki turned around to make the trek to his boss, leaving Matsukawa's to laugh his ass off by himself.
I hope everyone liked this chapter as well! Please, take a second and tell me your thoughts on the differing story line options! Chapter 7 is in progress.
See you next time! ~Kiera540