Two new arrivals at the table. A fiasco at brunch. Roman continues with the second day of his goose chase.

[Chapter Five - Looming Shadows]

Ion was petrified the moment he laid eyes on the figure that only looked like a person with its smoke limbs and smoke torso and smoke head, all of which seemingly dissipating at the edges just as physics would dictate, yet at the same time defying it with enough mass to maintain its form.

Dread washed over the boy's face as he was seemingly ready to drop everything, jump out of his booster seat, and run as far as possible from whatever that is. Just as Ion seemed ready to dash for the exit crying and away from the non-existent threat that was threatening his life, the cluster of smoke became thicker in a blink of an eye; suddenly materialising into a quite terrified young boy.

"Oh, shi—!" Said individual didn't get to finish as he fell face-first to the ground with a very loud and, at least for the twins, amusing thud. A story in two parts: abstract nightmare; young boy splayed across the floor. He muttered another curse while picking himself up, "Shit-fuck."

"Isaiah, language!" yelled Miltia, suddenly standing on her chair.

"Shut it, you brat." A near unintelligible mumble.

"Miltia, sit down."

"You ok?" asked the other twin, though her concern was betrayed by a horrible attempt at not snorting.

"Brats," he growled. "Unbeliev— Neo, get off me!" Neo pursed her lips and gave Roman a little shrug, a nonchalant gesture that Roman returned with a grin before turning to the other newcomer.

Isaiah Israfel was someone who looked smaller than peers his age—height-wise he was perhaps a few centimetres shorter than other twelve-year-olds, just enough that one could just barely tell the difference, but it wasn't helped by his ever so slightly hunched posture not unlike the palm trees of a Vacuan oasis. The oversized dark green sweatshirt only furthered the undermining of his stature. Even though hidden by his hood, Roman was familiar enough to guess the signature look the boy had on right now; that ever-present scowl tugging down on his lips; his brows furrowed close as if melting into one another, and with it produced a nasty glare around poison green eyes that turned to Roman when he began talking to him.

"I thought cats are supposed to land on their feet, kid." The comment earned him a look from Neo, to which he just smiled at. "You're getting better at controlling it." It was a genuine compliment. Though, one which evidently went over the boy's head as he let out a dry laugh. With a smile, Roman continued, "I'm being serious, kid."

Scowl opened up to a sneer. His hood twitched just before he pulled it down, revealing a pair of curled ears atop chin-length hair of jet black. With overtly snappy movement and an out of character tone, he responded: "Gee! Really, Mr. Torchwick? I have been training a lot, so it's good that the results are showing!" The plastic smile dropped back to a more natural grimace as he shuddered. "Blegh…"

Roman kept his smile. "Taking compliments is clearly something you haven't touched on."

Isaiah sounded as if he hissed and scoffed at the same time.

"Whatever." Running a hand through his black strands, the boy strutted past Roman and towards the kitchen.

The redhead's attention turned to the other newcomer. She walked around the table, showing intent of getting to him but first stopping at Hei.

"Hey, Scoops." He patted her hand as she kissed him on the cheek.

"Hi there," greeted Roman as she approached, her expression a copy of his own smirk. The woman got behind Roman and he tilted his head back, staring directly at a pair of brown eyes. Neo placed a hand on Roman's cheek and a kiss on his lips.

"Ew."

"Aww…" the twins varied in their response.

"How's the kid been doing?" asked Roman, expecting another peck. Prying one eye open, he saw Neo pouting and smirked. "All right, all right. How've you been doing with that book of yours? Still stuck on that paragraph?"

In order: Neo shifted from a thumbs up to rocking her hand and then slouched down with a glower that rivalled Isaiah's own.

"Well, I can't comment on that," he chuckled, though it seemed to fall on deaf ears as Neo's attention completely turned to an unfamiliar, tiny, squishy face. "Ion, this is Neo. Neo, Ion."

It seemed the introduction was enough for them to resume their staring contest from earlier. This continued for a while, much so that Roman got to wonder who was winning. Or at least until he cleared his throat to regain her attention.

"I found him yesterday," continued Roman, causing Neo to lose the match as she slowly looked over her shoulder. "It's complicated, okay? Real rabbit hole. Anyway, just go grab a chair, will ya?"

"What's complicated?" Isaiah reappeared with a plate of grilled fish. He pulled back Ion's seat—the poor boy almost falling forward—and hadn't noticed the occupant until he had placed the plate down. His lips parted with bewilderment, and the nasty glare he had remained. The older boy looked to Roman with a look of disgust. "What the hell is this?"

Roman slowly blinked. "Who, Isaiah."

"That's Ion!" chirped Miltia. "Roman brought him yesterday. He's a friend!"

"What is it doing in my chair?"

From the corner of his eyes, Roman could make out the stern line that had formed on Neo's lips. "For gods' sake Isaiah, there are four other chairs at this table."

"It's my chair…" he growled.

"Boy, we're the only ones HERE," boomed the voice of Hei. "Just sit here next to me."

Roman could only raise an eyebrow as he hadn't a clue where this was coming from. But what he did know is that Neo wasn't amused. She stared at the boy, and him back at her, though only briefly—after which he seemingly shrunk and averted his eyes to glare at anything but the petite woman. He folded with a scoff, walking, almost stomping around the table to the seat next to Hei.

Amused, the redhead only turned to his partner with a questioning smile and in lieu received a smug smirk in response before she turned back to Ion. Roman almost didn't pick up the mumble to his left. Turning to the faunus, a little smile returned up his lips. "Isaiah, this is Ion. I met him in front of my house yesterday—"

"So you're just picking up mutts now?"

"—and right now I'm trying to get him home." Roman turned to Ion and patted the boy's head. "Though it's proving to be a lot harder than expected… ain't it, Ion?"

"I dunno," the boy mumbled without a word.

"Well, it is." Roman laughed. "But I promise I'll get you home."

"Huh…" He pursed his lips when Isaiah nonchalantly continued with his food. "Tough fuckin' luck."

"Language, boy. You're lucky my mother isn't here," Hei reprimanded without leaving the paper he was handed to. Roman snorted at how the boy ever so slightly twitched at the mention, and he certainly didn't miss Neo's smirk. Noticing this, Hei continued by tipping his chin at said woman, "You're lucky that eomeoni gave Neo here responsibility for your discipline."

Seemingly out of snark, Isaiah only grumbled before focusing on his food.

What followed was yet another long-winded explanation for the late arrivals concerning the events that occurred from his first contact with Ion, to right now, and everything in between—and between all that Roman didn't hold back showing his exasperation and great ire for not being able to find anything decisive. Roman expected some sort of teasing about his competence from Neo but none came. The woman too busy giving sympathetic glances to the younger faunus after every few sentences.

And Isaiah remained as uncaring as earlier. If Roman hadn't known better, he'd think the boy wasn't listening at all.

"Now," Hei paused to take off his specs, "what's the next step you got in mind?"

"Well, I…" Roman trailed, his gaze wandering off to all directions. He really hadn't thought of anything new since last night. In his defence, he already used his best cards—and the pot that he got was more questions steering him away from the truth. "Well… actually, I'm still figuring that out."

He received a look from Neo. She raised a finger, as if wanting to give an idea, but the woman was quick to scratch her own head. It earned a laugh from Roman.

"Welcome to my world…"

"Oi. Mutt. Stop staring at me," Isaiah told Ion off, sticking his eyes to the food.

"Police and orphanage still out of the question?"

"Absolutely."

"Well, think of something then. This can't be a permanent solution." Hei sighed. "Heck, this isn't even a solution at all."

Neo snapped her fingers, gaining the attention of the two before signing: "Yeah, and you have work."

Roman responded with a combination of a nod and shake of the head. "Yes, yes. There's also that."

"What? What is it? What's your problem?"

"Anything you might want to suggest?" asked Roman. The woman perked up—tapping her chin, letting out a near-silent hum, but after looking back to the seemingly distracted Ion, she could only give a weak head shake. "Well, it's not like we've got a time limit or anything."

"Roman, your little freak keeps staring at me!"

"Isaiah."

The voice, sharp and abrupt, was barely a whisper, yet it gained the attention of everyone at the table. They all turned to its owner, pale pink and white narrowed into a dangerous glare directed solely at the boy across the table; a look with an immediate effect that caused him to shrink in his seat. The ears laid flat atop his head as he suddenly found his last piece of food to be the most interesting thing at present.

A sharp exhale. "Outside. Now."

He was pitiable. Green orbs peered to Roman and Hei as if asking for help, but he knew better. A brief glare was directed at his younger counterpart as he stood up to leave the room. As he walked away, Isaiah looked up to the empty space to his left, smirking, as if someone who wasn't there just said something amusing.

"Exactly," he let out a small chuckle. "Exactly!"

Roman watched as Neo's visage dropped as soon as Isaiah had left, now replaced with melancholy; letting out a drawled sigh while rubbing the bridge of her nose. He placed his hand on top of hers and smiled as she glanced at him.

"I'll talk to him later." Neo's other hand dragged down her face before dismissively waving at Roman. "All right. But I'll still talk to him."

"Actually, Neo," interrupted Hei as he folded his newspaper. "The kids are about done eating, why don't you take them for ice cream? Might as well while Isaiah cools off."

Roman looked over just as she hummed and nodded. There wasn't even a split second of hesitance or quizzed look on her. Without missing a beat, she was already ushering the twins and Ion to finish their breakfast and leave the restaurant, but not without giving Roman a peck on the lips.

"Might take a while, just don't get me choco mint," he joked, earning an eye roll from Neo.

Hei waved the attendants off as they all began to quietly leave the private room. The door was opened for the quartet and then quickly closed behind them once everyone but Hei and Roman remained. Miltia's whispers of something to Ion were quickly drowned out by the clacks of hancock shoes and the ambiance of patrons outside.

Then silence once again, where the only thing that could be heard was the moving seconds of the clock and the blow of the air conditioner keeping the room at a cool temperature. Roman leaned in closer to Hei, an elbow propped against the table as both men began pulling their tobacco products; he a cigar and Hei with a pack of cigarettes.

Though alone in a soundproofed room, Roman still began with a near whisper, "So what's this about Woods?"

"Well, she—" Hei cut himself off with a sigh. With something that was easier to light, Hei took a puff of nicotine into his lungs before continuing, "I haven't told mother but things broke down last night. It all started all right, but she stormed out with her men when I pushed her about the drugs."

"What about it?" The cigar between his lips bobbed as he talked. "You're thinking she's cutting profits off you?"

"Cutting profits?" Hei exhaled. "Roman, she's cutting a deal with someone with that much powder." The man seemed hell-bent to be the first among them with respiratory disease with how quickly he was going through his cigarette. "The other families could be pulling wool over our eyes, that's for sure."

Roman finally managed to light up his cigar and took a puff of smoke. Chocolate and spices seared his tasting buds. "How're we approaching this?"

"I sent some guys last night to scour around for Woods' dealer and buy some samples. They should find something by tomorrow, and we'll go from there." Some of the embers fell onto Hei's lap, the man vehemently rubbing where they had landed to put it out and pat them off. "I would just have her lights shot out, but then the other families would accuse me as paranoid new blood getting rid of anyone and anything I see as a threat. It wouldn't do any good to mother's plans either if news reaches Mistral."

"Aissa, what a shitshow…" Roman cursed in Gojon. The tip of his cigar glowed as he took a quick drag, swirling the smoke before letting them out with a sigh. "But I guess it's better than dealing with politicians. You shoot to kill. Simple, like when I was in Vacuo."

Hei chuckled in response. "Different snakes and same skin, huh?"

"Tell me about it. But I do enjoy the influence of a kingmaker, thank you very much." Roman paused for another quick puff before continuing. "Well, anything you need me to do?"

"Not until we can get something presentable," Hei took one last drag of his cigarette before crushing it against the ashtray. "Cartel's assembling in a week or so. If we find anything, the plan's to accuse Woods then and there."

"Cargo manifests shouldn't be that hard to fabricate if you can get Wood's merchandise," Roman commented with a shrug. "Push comes to shove, I'll pull in some favours. Have the police chief arrest some of her guys."

"Rome, I'm telling you this as a heads up. This might get outta hand," Hei asserted as he began to stand up and collect his things. "It won't be that hard to keep you out of this, but on the off chance of something happening, you got a plus one with you."

"Yeah, don't worry too much about that one…" Roman had turned his head away when he began talking. A look on his face went away as quickly as it came, followed by a scoff.

Roman mimicked his friend making leave while putting out his cigar, slowly sifting the ashes before ridding the rest of the amber with care, before he returned the leftover cigar back to its leather case.

"Good thing it's the weekends…" he lamented with a sigh as he walked next to Hei. "Keep me up to date, will ya?"

"Yeah…" The sound of crowds once again flooded in when Hei opened the door. "Good luck with your goose chase, fringes."

A/N: This might come as a whiplash in retrospect, but yes, Roman and Neo are in a relationship. Perhaps to reiterate: I've planned out this whole bloody thing before Roman Holiday came out establishing the age of our favourite duo. I'm in too damn deep to change anything, so this is how it shall go. Roman's nearing his 30s in this and Neo... well, it's impolite to disclose a woman's age. Just know that she's no younger than he is.

Next chapter out on 14 May 2023

Thank you for reading, and 'till next time!