Title: The Beginning of All Commotions - Act 6
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Greece/Japan, mentions of other characters and minor pairings in later parts.
Rating/Genre: PG-15 for this chapter / Mafia-AU, Humour, Action.
Warnings: Slight crack, gang warfare, language, booze & smoking.
In this act: Herakles learns that perhaps he and Kiku are more alike than not.
~.*.~
vi.
February 14, 2kXX. 14:39 PM
"Kiku?"
Herakles glanced hesitantly over the man seated next to him, concern pooling within his green eyes. Kiku blinked, and while his expression was as characteristically stoic as before, Herakles could see the disquiet in the other man's eyes, could hear the slight sharpness in his breathing.
A soft jingle came on the loudspeakers overhead, announcing the name of the station the train had arrived at. There was a shuffling of feet and murmuring of voices as several passengers squeezed through the crowd to exit the train.
"Are you all right?" Herakles asked, once the doors had slid close and the train jerked, moving forward again.
"Yes," Kiku said, sweeping the fringe back from his eyes, before bringing his hands back to clasp around the hilt of his sword. "I'm sorry to cause you any worry. I was… just recalling a few things"
"It seemed more like you were having a nightmare."
Kiku's lips quirked at Herakles' words. He bowed his head lower, before admitting in a softer tone, "They weren't exactly good memories, no."
"Do you already know who the culprit is? The one who stole the heirloom?" Herakles asked, even if he was unsure whether to voice the question.
He'd already suspected that Kiku knew exactly who to search for after their meeting with Lovino, that the culprit seemed very likely to be someone from within Kiku's own associates (family?).
But who was he to pry further into such things? He'd figured that even within the yakuza – just like within any organization, legal or otherwise – they had their own domestic grievances, maybe even their own black sheep of sorts. Kiku's initial reaction to Lovino's words certainly gave the impression of such.
Herakles himself didn't have any siblings, at least none that he personally knew of. His father, Romulus, was known for having many women (there were rumours too, of other men, and some say, possibly even a goat) in his life. Most were brief affairs; mere playthings, objects of his licentious desires. Few won his genuine affection and fewer still, his respect and admiration.
Herakles' mother, with her wit and her strength of will, was all of these to Romulus. But while she loved the man, she cared nothing for his empire, and much less for his glamorous lifestyle. A spirited, independent woman, she had wanted only to continue with her work as an artist and sculptor, to raise her son in the quiet, little shop she owned outside the bustling city mess of Londinium.
She was also sickly, and died just as Herakles turned eleven, leaving her son to fend for himself until Romulus took him under his wing.
Herakles shook his head – now wasn't quite the time to concern himself with painful memories. Then, as an afterthought, he supposed maybe he shouldn't have brought up the question of the heirloom again and was about to apologise when Kiku spoke again, and said softly, "We're not actually related."
When Herakles raised an eyebrow questioningly, Kiku continued on, "My father had known Yao's family for a long time, so Yao was kind enough to take me in as a child…"
He paused, before he lifted his gaze again to meet Herakles', disquiet still in those dark eyes.
In the last few encounters they've had, first with Miss Grimaldi in the bar, and then with Lovino and Antonio, Herakles had already noticed that being naturally reticent in temperament, Kiku preferred not to make eye-contact as much as he preferred not to have his personal space encroached upon.
So when Kiku didn't look away this time, he guessed the other man could probably sense and read the curiosity in his eyes, and was prompting him to voice the question on his mind.
"Did… something happen to your parents?" Herakles asked tentatively.
Kiku watched him silently for a little longer, before he finally averted his gaze to look out the window again.
"They were gunned down. My father was the wakagashira to one of Y-gumi's top family-bosses; his trusted right-hand man and personal bodyguard. Some were not entirely pleased with the oyabun's decision in choosing my father for the role, so they hired a rival clan to take him out."
Herakles said nothing, keeping his gaze trained before him.
"At any other time, my father would never have fallen to such lowly fighters," Kiku continued, and from his side view, Herakles could see the other man's fingers clenching slightly over the handle of his sword. "But he was trying to protect us, my mother and I…"
Kiku paused once more, shaking his head as if to dispel the ugly thoughts. "Ah, forgive my impudence. I had not meant to ramble off like that."
"No, it's fine, really," Herakles said, turning to glance back at his companion. "I'm sorry to hear about your family."
Kiku offered a wane smile at that. "It's an unfortunate reality for a life such as ours. An occupational hazard, if you will."
He raised his head to study the map plastered unto the wall before him, and Herakles wondered if he was silently counting the number of stops before they reached their destination.
"To answer your first question," Kiku said, not taking his eyes off the map, "I will not say I'm completely certain, but I do have a good guess as to who it may be."
And despite himself, he could only let out a resigned sigh, his brows knitted into a tired frown.
Herakles wasn't quite sure what to make this, but it did seem like Kiku was… dreading (?) to meet whoever it was they were going to see next. He studied the seriousness etched upon Kiku's face, pondering quietly.
"Chocolate?"
"Huh?"
There was a soft crinkling of plastic, and Herakles picked out a piece of chocolate from the small, slightly squashed package on his lap, holding it towards Kiku.
"Would you like some chocolate?" Herakles asked again, as if offering chocolates in the middle of a conversation was something he did every day. "I just remembered they'd been in my coat pocket since this morning. They're a little soft though – I may or may not have sat on them by accident earlier."
Kiku stared at him, unblinking, gazing from Herakles to the chocolate in his hand, and back to Herakles once more.
"Ah well, I don't think that– e-ehh..?"
He never quite got to finish his sentence, because Herakles decided then to gently press the chocolate to Kiku's half-parted lips. It had melted a little and was squishy to touch, but otherwise still sweet to taste.
Kiku froze momentarily in shock. But there was a sliver of chocolate drizzle, hanging precariously on the tips of Herakles' fingers, and in danger of dripping down and staining the front of Kiku's shirt. Herakles knew that Kiku probably knew that too, but neither of them moved nor said anything for five whole seconds.
Then, as colour began to rise to his cheeks, Kiku finally caved and dipped his head slightly, finishing the piece of chocolate straight off from Herakles' fingers.
"You are a very strange man, Mister Karpusi." He chided lightly when he finally drew back from Herakles' outstretched arm. He wiped at his lips with the back of his hand, before carefully straightening the front of his shirt, his face set into a somewhat neutral expression, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just occurred.
Herakles only smiled nonchalantly, licking off the last bits of chocolate drizzle from his fingers. "That would make the two of us then, Mister Fox."
~.*.~
:::
A/N: First off, I apologise for taking so long with the update – the combination of work and family issues kind of killed my muses for a while. Also, this is another relatively short update, but I hope you'll still enjoy (with more awkward-dark!fluffy Giripan)
A few notes about the yakuza
wakagashira – first lieutenant
oyabun– family boss
The yakuza adopts the traditional Japanese hierarchical structure of oyabun-kobun (lit. foster parent–foster child), where the kobun swears allegiance to the oyabun. Yakuza hierarchy chart: http:(doubleslash)en(dot)Wikipedia(dot)org(slash)wiki(slash)File:Yakuza_hierarchy(dot)png
It's a very complex organizational structure, where the overall boss, the kumicho, heads the syndicate with several advisors and bosses directly beneath him. The Wiki entry provides a more in-depth explanation if you're interested: http:(doubleslash)en(dot)Wikipedia(dot)org(slash)wiki(slash)Yakuza
Y-gumi – an allusion to the actual Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest and most infamous yakuza organization in Japan.