Wedding Bells and Gunshots
There are only two times the most dysfunctional families come together. Both events are on opposite ends of the emotional spectrum, but they are no less important to the people experiencing them. They bring comfort and solace when the family members need it, and they can give them hope and aspirations for the future. These events are weddings and funerals.
But those times, to some, are nothing more than formalities.
The day was gray. It had been gray the whole week. It was like a prelude to that very day, with nothing but rain falling from the sky. Not a single ray of daylight cut through to the thick clouds. It was as though the whole sky was weeping, casting the whole area in a coat of fresh water from the sky. Everyone that was outside during that rain didn't dare or bothered speaking and cut through the sound of rain. The only thing that cut through the sound of rain were prayers of a single eulogy.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to lay our beloved brother, Albert O'Connor, to his final rest." The priest opened his bible as the casket started to go down into the ground. "May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. May the rains fall upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of His hand."
As the priest finished his prayers, the coffin that held the man was dropped down to the bottom of the hole that had been dug before the eyes of all those present. The green pastures around the graveyard made the scene all the more serene and lovable as a place of final rest, but those that were present were not all that moved by the scene. The members of the family only one group wore all black for the funeral. Most of them looked down, keeping their thoughts to themselves and making due with only a few glances at the one at the center of it all.
The lovely young widow. She sat down next to her father. She was dressed accordingly, covering her face with a black veil, wearing a black dress that showed off her young body and a good amount of her cleavage. She had an umbrella on top of her, blocking all the rain from touching her body and clothes. Her pristine flawless skin glowed like a pale lantern across the sea of green grass and black dressed men and women while her raven black hair matched her dress. Her brown eyes were watery as she saw the coffin that had her former husband into the earth.
But that was to be expected.
"They'll start to bury the coffin," her father whispered. "Would you like me to do the honors? I know you were fond of the man."
"Don't be foolish, father. I'm well aware of what I must do." She walked up to the hole.
As easily and effortlessly as most would throw away a spent cigarette, she dropped dome dirt into the grave. It was routine.
Izuku pulled a board filled with all the information that he, Mina, Alya and Alix had gathered about Hawkmoth and his operations. They had gathered in his apartment to discuss the situation and make some kind of progress about the search for the mole and their connection to the Parisian Kingpin. He was making sure to add all the recent discoveries and all the villains that were connected to the villain and the syndicate that he'd created. With red string, he had connected a net connecting everything to Adrien Agreste aka Hawkmoth and another shadowy figure that stood for the previous Hawkmoth.
"Okay, so this is all we know about Adrien Agreste's actions as Hawkmoth and the actions that Hawkmoth has done." Izuku pointed to all the different pictures and news clipping. "Thanks to Naomasa's research we know that the title of Hawkmoth has been used for a little over twenty years, with the last five being the time that Adrien Agrest took over. He installed a mole within the heroes to control the tide of the city and keep his activities hidden from everyone. What we need to find out is how Adrien came upon the title of Hawkmoth, how his Miraculous works, and what his plans are for the city. What do you guys think?"
"Oh my gosh, look at baby Izuku~!" Alya cooed at the picture of a young Izuku with his parents in a family picture.
"Damn it, kitty, you were adorable." Alix smirked.
"And look at that, your dad is a looker and your mom looks just like you." Mina pointed out. "I can see where you got your looks from. You really struck out, partner~."
"And look here, this is Izuku graduating from the police academy~. You look so handsome!" Alya held up the picture with a light blush.
"You were top of your class? Man, Izuku, you are the whole package." Mina pointed out.
"Not to mention he's an All Might fan, look at him in his little hoodie and costume~." Alix wrapped her arm around Izuku, pulling him into a hug. "It makes me feel like we corrupted you or something."
Izuku felt a bead of sweat roll from the side of his head. He couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious at the thought of three women being in his apartment. He knew that it was something that was inevitable when he got a girlfriend. However, he felt slight embarrassment at the way that the three girls were cooing and gushing about his pictures of him and his family and his younger days. A blush spread across his face as the three girls fuzzed about what they were looking at and where they were.
"Gotta admit, I often wondered what kind of place you lived in, Izuku." Alix looked over the apartment with curiosity. "It's a bit small but I can definitely imagine you working on your vigilante stuff here with no one to bother you."
"It is a bit snug for my taste but I could sleep here from time to time~." Alya plopped her round rear on the bed as her tail swayed. "It might be a bit of a tight fit, but three or four people could fit in this bed~."
"Girls, please." Izuku blushed as Alya tempted him with her allusions and sexy posture.
"Yeah, yeah, you heard him, ladies. We gotta focus." Mina clapped her hands. "We can have as much fun teasing and planning our nights of passion with Izuku afterwards."
"Mina…" Izuku moaned in defeat.
"Alright, alright, time to get serious." Alya got off of the bed. "According to my research, Adrien Agreste is the son of Gabriel and Emilie Agreste and lived in the Agreste estate his whole life and went to the top schools of Paris and London. He graduated with top marks from college and then gained a masters in business management and took over his father's fashion line before expanding it into the hero world. And has quickly become one of the top three companies that cater to heroes as well as regular people."
"Anything else about that bastard?" Aliz asked with venom in her tone.
"Sadly, no." Alya shook her head. "If there's one thing the Ageste family is good at is keeping their private lives private."
Izuku had to agree with Alya's words. He had tried to learn more about Adrien Agreste after he found out about his real identity as Hawkmoth. But all his efforts ended with little to basic information since he had no search warrant or authorization, he couldn't dig deeper. The man that Izuku wanted to defeat and bring to justice was enigmatic at best. But now he knew that the only way to get answers about Hawkmoth's inner workings was through the mole.
"So we have no idea about Hawkmoth's life, or how his family life was like. Couldn't we go looking for his friends? That guy must've had a buddy or ex-girlfriend somewhere along the line?" Mina asked.
"I'm more concerned about the bastard that made my family go through hell. Agreste has to know what happened to him." Alix tightened her fist.
"That's true. But since we can't just knock on his door and ask him, we need to focus on who the mole is." Izuku pointed to the pictures of all the female pro heroes in the top ten. "We know that the mole is female due to the manner in which they spoke on the recording."
"But that leaves four women to choose from." Alix pointed out.
Mina and Alya shared a knowing smile as Izuku coughed slightly.
"True, but based on the manner, we can infer that the mole is well educated, in her mid-twenties, and sees control at every instance. If she isn't being listened to or obeyed her demeanor changes into a more vicious one." Izuku explained. "That scratches Mirko off our list right off the bat given her brash and rude attitude to anyone and everyone. She would more likely do everything herself than go about sneaking. The psychology doesn't match."
"Okay, that's scary," Alix said. "What about the others?"
"Queen Bee matches the regal manner of speaking that the mole had, but her temper isn't on the same level." Izuku pointed out.
"Which is code for saying that she has a short fuse when things don't go her way." Mina clarified. "Also she loves the spotlight to death."
"I can confirm that. Back with the whole Simon Says fiasco, she wouldn't even let me out of her sight until she told her whole story." Alya shuddered remembering the experience. "And against all other evidence against her, she has a very intimate secret."
Alix perked her ears at the mention of the heroine having a secret. Her mind wondered what the annoying and always flashy Queen Bee had for a secret. A secret lover? A connection to powerful political allies? Blackmail? A part of her wondered if she should go after it only to mess with the hero.
"Well, what's the big secret?" Alix asked, planning how to steal it.
"She loves being a hero." Izuku revealed, making Alix shelf all her ideas.
Izuku took down the two pictures of the heroines that they'd already cut from the board. He looked at Foxthrob's picture, feeling a tug of uncertainty. Conflict plagued his mind as he knew that the mole had to be one of the two remaining women. The last thing he wanted was to ruin Bakugo's relationship with his girlfriend, but all the evidence pointed at her or Lady Dragon.
"So, which one of the top two lucky ladies will be going home in handcuffs?" Alix asked.
"Well, both women are very high up in the rankings, they have plenty of influence, and they both match the kind of person we're looking for." Alya pointed out. "Now we would have to start looking into their pasts and careers. If they met Hawkmoth somewhere in the past it's bound to be there."
"Um, yeah, yeah, that's our best chance at finding the connection." Izuku muttered halfheartedly.
"Why so glum, Izuku?" Alya asked.
Mina looked away, knowing why Izuku wasn't as thrilled as the rest of them when it came to going after the mole. Her eyes looked up at the picture of Foxthrob. She was one of the most mysterious heroes of the top ten heroes, but she was also dating Izuku's friend. She empathized with him not wanting to investigate his best friend's girlfriend. But they didn't have a choice.
Just then, Izuku's phone started ringing, saving him from his explanation.
"I-I-I gotta take this. I'll be right back." Izuku stepped into the kitchen to take the call.
"What's wrong with Kitty? Usually he's a lot more determined to bring a bad guy, or well girl, to justice." Alix pointed out.
"Is this somehow related to his childhood friend dating someone we know?" Alya asked.
"Yep." Mina replied. "I mean, you can't blame Izuku for it. How would you feel about having to investigate your bro's girlfriend?"
"Um, slightly in need of context here." Alix raised her hand. "Which one of these lucky or unlucky ladies is dating Izuku's BFF? Also, who's his BFF?"
Mina and Alya looked at each other, wondering if they should be the ones to tell Alix about who Izuku was worried about. Just then Izuku walked back with the rest of them.
"I just got called, they want us back at HQ immediately." Izuku explained.
"What's wrong?" Mina asked.
"A big case has popped up and they want us there for the briefing." Izuku handed Mina her jacket.
"Awesome, I'll drive!" Mina jumped in excitement.
"Hey, Kitty, who's your friend that's dating someone right now?" Alix asked.
"Oh, um, his name is Katsuki Bakugo." Izuku slowly backed away towards the door. "And he's dating Foxthrob." He walked out of his apartment, leaving a stunned Alix.
"What? What?! He's friends with the number two hero of Paris?" Alix shook Alya, before they pressed against each other. "Why didn't you guys tell me?!"
Alya shot her a look that spelled 'you know why'.
"Oh right." Alix sighed. "Man, I gotta get to know Kitty a lot more. At least you guys have had fun dates, right?"
Alya was about to answer only to feel her world freeze up. The foxy reporter realized that neither she nor Mina had gone on proper dates with the man they loved. She wanted to make the argument that all their time working together was the equivalent of at least ten dates. But the more rational part of her mind told her more romantic part that she needed to get serious. Their whole relationship was based solely on their carnal desires after skipping the romance.
"We are so going out on a date one of these days." Alya muttered. "I gotta buy a new dress and wash my hair to give him an amazing time."
"Girl, you and Mina sometimes scare me." Alix admitted.
Izuku and Mina had arrived at Police HQ just in time to see what the briefing was about. They looked at the news clippings, pictures of people and pieces of evidence, including those of a bloody knife, a bottle of poison and the silhouette of a body with a piano covering the upper part of it. The original Dynamic Duo looked at the evidence on the board, trying to connect the dots as to how they were all related. However, the picture that got their attention the most was that of a young woman with raven hair, brown eyes and flawless skin.
The room was filled with whispers until Kendo entered the room to put everyone on their best behavior. They all saw that she was serious but more than anything she was determined.
"Alright, listen up, earlier today we were contacted by one of our sources in the DA's office told us that the Nightingale Family is at it again." Kendo pointed to the board. "I'll give you a brief summary of the situation. The Nightingale Family was about thirty years ago a dangerous mob family that came over to Paris and quickly became synonymous with art smuggling, counterfeiting and fraud. They stole almost a billion dollars worth of money before the head of the family was arrested. Since then the family has laid low and lived a law abiding life, that was until eight months ago."
Kendo pointed to the picture of the young woman on the board.
"This here is Clara Nightingale, young, attractive, beautiful singing voice, sexy in all forms of the word and current head of the Nightingale Family." Kendo heard the whistling of several of the officers, making her sigh. "And a suspected blackwidow. Eight months ago, she buried her husband Albert O'Connor. He died due to an allergic reaction to something he ate. A year before that, her other husband, Jean-Louis Fleur, died by a mugging gone bad. And a year before that, her first husband, Rene Artroi, died by a piano falling on top of him."
All the people present couldn't help but feel like the last situation was slightly ridiculous if not a little cartoonish. It seemed to be a quick way to go to the pearly gates was to be married to the head of the Nightingale Family.
"Each of these deaths has taken place during or after the honeymoon. And each of these times, Clara Nightingale has been left with hefty sums of money." Kendo added.
"So, my guess is a prenup isn't an option for her?" Mina joked.
"Mina." Izuku shushed her.
"We know that she's looking for lucky husband number four and I've been authorized to set up a sting operation on her and her family. We believe that she's using the money from her dead husbands to fuel her family's criminal activities and her lavish life style." Kendo pulled out all the information they had on the three deceased spouses. "From what we've gathered, Clara likes a particular type of man to marry. Rich, shy, young men that are easily seduced by her outgoing attitude. We need someone that matches this description. They must also be non-threatening and easy to approach. Don't misunderstand, she may look like a pretty little bird, but she's a predator."
All the officers whispered amongst themselves and about what Captain Kendo was saying. She needed a volunteer to be bait and find out any and all information about the criminal activities of her family. A very tempting offer but one that no less carried the feeling of having the Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.
Izuku and Mina looked at the picture of the supposed blackwidow with curiosity as to how she could do something like that and somewhat of a form of disdain.
"I really hate women that toy with men like that. It's like she does it for fun at this point." Mina growled.
"Yeah, but sometimes that's the kind of thing that makes them all the more dangerous." Izuku muttered. "I can't let her get away with this. I have to stop her."
"What?" Mina asked as Izuku looked at the needs of the assignment.
"No one here matches her interests, her MO won't let her go for anyone that isn't a target she can control." Izuku pointed to all the officers. "They go there, she will see them."
"Izuku, what?" Mina asked.
"Captain, I volunteer." Izuku stood up.
"Alright Midoriya, we will need all the help we can get." Kendo said. "We know that Clara likes to frequent a nightclub called Midnight's. We'll go there and we'll try to catch her attention. Don't drink or eat anything she offers. Get her interested and keep her entertained."
As Kendo explained the situation and the plan to Izuku and the other officers about the plan, Mina kept her eyes on Izuku. She couldn't understand how he could offer himself up for such a case when they already had their own investigation going on. There was also something about the look she saw in his eyes at the moment he heard about what Clara was doing. She narrowed her eyes when she realized what he was doing. And she did not approve.
Midnight's was the nightclub of all the right and wrong reasons for people to go out. Styled in the bane of a luxurious dancing club with a high end elite lunge, the patrons danced around the black leather seats and the fancy statues of gothic fallen angels to the beat of the music while others drank at the dark wooden bar, mingling. The rooms of the nightclub were hosts and spectators to any one man or woman that wishes to have a more private conversation. The decor and the ambiance made this the perfect place for the elites to unwind after a long day at the office, even the most shy could become emboldened.
But the dark and mysterious atmosphere was also the perfect spot to hunt.
"Alright, everyone in position?" Kendo called over the radio.
"Here." Izuku replied, tugging at his collar.
Izuku was wearing a purple suit with a white shirt and a small black tie. He kept his eyes open while the other officers sounded off. He felt a little uncomfortable with the clothes he wore, but he had to toughen it up. He couldn't ignore the danger that Clara posed to the people of Paris, and he couldn't allow her to tarnish what many people saw as one of the holy institutions.
He spotted the other officers looking around for the woman of the hour. He could easily pick them out by their exuberance of cologne. He made sure to look as easy to spot as possible, but he didn't think the other officers were getting the idea. He did however feel the intense look of Mina behind his head. He felt that if he turned around she would pounce on him or hit him with the look.
Using the glass of his drink, he caught the sight of Mina's lioness-like stare. A chilling feel behind his spine told him that she wasn't the slightest bit happy that he volunteered for the assignment. But he couldn't dwell on that melting glare.
"Target is entering the club. Everyone, look alive." Kendo called over the radio.
Izuku and Mina turned to the entrance where the woman of the hour emerged.
Clara Nightingale entered the scene like she was born in that nightclub. Despite how beautiful she had looked in her picture, her face in flesh and bone was another thing all together. She walked in, turning the heads of everyone that wasn't dancing. She swayed her hips as she made her way into the dance floor. Like a singing song bird, she hummed while making her way to the stage. Her eyes slowly drifted from one end of the nightclub to the other.
"I see her." Izuku whispered.
"You and everyone else, Izuku." Mina muttered.
Izuku took this chance to look at his partner and what she was wearing. She was wearing a skintight sleeveless catsuit that covered her up to her breasts with a pink and blue camo coloring with a sleeveless coat, a pair of white boots and a white mask on top of her face. She looked like a superhero in his eyes. He even blushed as he saw her.
However, unbeknownst to both Izuku and Mina, Clara Nightingale had already chosen her next target. She danced around the men that had lots of cologne and that were too forceful. She moved around them like water around rocks. With the grace of a dancer, she made sure to keep them enthralled in the dance, but none of them made her want to stay and have fun with them.
A smile spread on her face as she watched Izuku keep to himself. She started thinking of all the boxes that he was crossing. Shy? Yes. Uncomfortable in big crowds? Check. Educated? Definitely. Filthy rich? She would see soon enough. She always did have a thing for the ones that looked more like scared little rabbits.
Back with Izuku and Mina, they weren't talking, just looking around awkwardly. The tension between them was just as bad as when Mina found out Izuku's secret. A knife wouldn't have been enough to make things more bearable between the two of them.
Izuku looked at his drink, hoping to get some liquid courage. He barely moved his arm when another patron knocked him back, causing him to spill his drink on himself. His pain was then followed by accidentally putting the empty glass on a tray, only for it to fall on someone else. He snatched a bunch of napkins trying to clean up after his mess, muttering apology after apology as he did. All he got was a slap on the face that caused him to knock a dancer into his partner, unleashing some more chaos.
Sighing in defeat, Izuku couldn't think of a way that the evening could get even more awkward for him.
"I gotta say, not being part of the mess is refreshing." Mina gulped her drink. "But a lot less fun."
"Yeah. You look nice." Izuku muttered.
"You too." Mina got up from where she'd been sitting before getting between Izuku and the dance floor. "So, are you going to tell me why you picked this assignment and why you've been acting weird? Or will I have to get it out of you under threat of melting you?"
"I don't want to talk about it." Izuku looked away.
"Come on. Tell me what's wrong." Mina gave him the softest look she could muster for the first time since the assignment began.
Izuku felt his defenses crumbling. He had stared some of the worst criminals in the face many times over. He'd tangled and graced death more times than any sane man should do so in life. But he was unable to say any form of lie to the woman before him. He no longer cared about the case if it meant telling one of the women he loved the truth.
"You're right. I'm using this case to get my mind off of our side project. I saw the pictures and the evidence. I see how she moves around and looks at the room and I know they're true." Izuku admitted. "But I also see this and I'm reminded that there is a chance that Foxthrob is using Katsuki the same way. Someone that manipulates others for nothing other than personal gain and to promote a hidden agenda. Betraying the vows that I grew up seeing as the ultimate declaration of one's love for someone else."
"Izuku…" Mina fought the urge to kiss him and tell him that everything would be alright.
"But you're right, I'm compromised and not thinking clearly. I'll pull myself off of the case." Izuku said.
"If you need anything, you just tell me," Mina said. "That's what partners are for. I'll go get rid of this drink and then we can walk out of here."
However, just as Izuku and Mina were about to move out of the way, Clara appeared before him. Like a specter at the end of a haunted film, she took the two officers completely by surprise.
"Hello there~" Clara said in a very flirty manner.
"Oh, um, h-hi." Izuku squeaked.
"Hey." Mina deadpanned.
"I'm sorry, I just saw you here standing all by your lonesome and wondered if you needed a drink. Want one?" Clara asked, showing off her cleavage.
"Um, I, um." Izuku stuttered as Mina growled.
"Midoriya, she's fishing for you! Bite the bait and get her!" Kendo called from the communicator, reminding the two officers that they were in.
Izuku was caught between a rock and a hard place. He couldn't screw this up.
"Y-Yes. I could use a drink." Izuku stuttered, looking at her in the eyes as a blush crossed his face.
"Awesome~!" Carla wrapped her arm around Izuku, bumping Mina away from him. "You have no idea how good some of the drinks in this club are. Some of them will knock your socks off. I didn't quite catch your name there~."
"I-I am Mikumo A-Akatani, nice to meet you." Izuku smirked as his face lit up with Clara's breasts pressing against his arm and side.
"Ooh, a scary name for someone so sweet. I like it~." Clara poked Izuku's nose in a small show of flirting. "My name is Clara Nightingale. Tell me everything about you."
"T-T-There's not much to s-s-say actually." Izuku tried to look away but Clara kept him from looking anywhere but at her.
"Nonsense! I can tell that there's more to you than meets the eye~." Clara smirked as they sat down by the bar.
Izuku cursed himself for his recklessness. He wanted to bring this woman to justice and stop her, but now he was caught in her crosshairs. He was paying now. The woman before him was eyeing him like a piece of well done steak. He wanted to move out of that spot, but he was with his back against a wall. His assignment meant that he had to catch her in the act of seducing a rich target. Which sadly that meant him.
"Well done, Midoriya. You've got her interested. Tell her about yourself to reel her in." Kendo whispered through the communicator.
"There's not much to tell, honestly." Izuku scratched his cheek. "So, um tell me about you. D-D-Do you have any hobbies? What do you do for a living?"
"Don't you know it isn't polite to ask questions while keeping yourself a mystery?" Clara got in Izuku's face. "Won't you tell little old me what you are all about, Mikumo baby~?" She pressed her bountiful chest against his chest while she playfully drew circles on his tie.
Izuku gulped as he felt the size and firmness of the two large objects pressing against him. He was no stranger to those feelings, but the knowledge that they were all a ruse to get him to lower his guard made him even more of a stuttering mess. He gulped as he heard Kendo's words in his ear.
"Midoriya, repeat what I say, word for word. 'I am a partner in a lucrative real estate agency called One Day Realtors. We manage different buildings and places outside of Paris and we've been looking into expanding into Paris'." Kendo said through the radio.
"I'm a-a-a partner in a real estate agency by the name of One D-D-D-Day Realtors and you probably have n-n-never heard of us. We manage and take care of a few locations, managing rents, and maintenance, that s-sort of stuff. But we're thinking of maybe checking a few places here in Paris." Izuku stuttered.
"Smooth." Mina muttered quietly while glaring daggers at the woman from a distance.
"Don't over explain stuff, Midoriya. Keep it simple and ambiguous." Kendo scolded.
"Oh, that sounds delightful. What sort of places do you manage?" Clara smiled like a cat that was inching closer to the family's caged bird.
"You manage the rent at a school in Nice. Three office buildings in Cannes. And five houses up north." Kendo detailed.
"Oh, um a few locations. A school in Nice where we manage the rent and make sure that the school follows the rules. Three office buildings in Cannes, and five houses in Northern France." Izuku repeated.
"And you came here in your finest clothes to snare up a few locations from the locals?" Clara asked as the drinks came for them.
"Yeah, my partner asked me to deploy my social skills to find people with locations that could be managed." Izuku replied, feeling that she was getting a little too close for comfort.
Clara smirked, taking a sip of her drink. She purposefully allowed a drop of condensation to fall on her large chest. She got a few looks from the people around them and more than a few blushes.
"Ooh~, I know you were special, Mikumo." Clara kissed him on the cheek.
"Why do you say that?" Izuku asked, feeling the kiss like the sting of a scorpion. "I'm probably not that much better than anyone here."
"I can tell. Care to know why?" Clara asked. "Because as soon as we got to talking, your stuttering disappeared. I'll be seeing you~." Clara snuck a card in Izuku's suit pocket before taking away his tie.
Izuku watched as Clara walked away from him with a pronounced sway of her hips. He had to admit that she was as good as the file said she was. She kept herself a complete unknown while making him spill everything at her feet. But he also realized that she wasn't a fool, she wanted more out of him and that meant taking the game a little longer. He felt like a fisherman after the piece of bait had only been nibbled on, awaiting for the fish's return.
He pulled out the card that she had stuck in his suit pocket. It had a phone number written on it with her name and the address of her 'real job'. Apparently she managed musical talent through a record producing agency called Nightingale Records. He wondered if it was true, but a part of him only thought that it helped sell her image of a woman with her life under control and wild as they came.
"That was painful." Mina sighed.
"But at least we get her attention. And she seems to want me to go after her." Izuku looked at the card before spotting Mina's pouting face. "Mina, are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I think I am." Mina turned away as he looked at her.
Izuku watched as she puffed her cheeks, keeping her eyes off of him. He hadn't seen Mina like that before. As she crossed her arms under her breasts, he figured out what she was doing. She was pouting.
"M-Mina, are you jealous?" Izuku asked.
"Maybe. I'm hotter than her, you know." Mina pouted.
Izuku smiled at her childish behavior. He had to admit that it was quite endearing and a little cute. He reached out to give her a hug, not caring that anyone could see him. However…
"Midoriya!" Kendo snapped. "Night's over, Clara Nightingale has left the club. Congratulations, we've got this woman interested in you. Nice work out there. Leave the club and meet up with the rest of us back at the station tomorrow to discuss our next step."
"Y-Yes, captain." Izuku sighed, dropping his arms in defeat.
Izuku and Mina couldn't help but feel stuck now. They had no way off of the case except to bring down the black widow and the rest of her criminal family. The night started tense between them but now they felt like fate wanted them to take care of some things before going after the Parisian Kingpin.
"This can't get any worse," Izuku said.
"Oh, I can think of one or two ways that this can get worse." Mina looked at him. "You want me to tell Alya and Alix or do you want to have that honor?"
Izuku freezed at the thought of telling Alya and Alix that he now had to go out with a notorious black widow. His mind quickly went through all the possibilities. He knew and he also hoped that they weren't extremely jealous women. He also knew that they would understand and know that he made a mistake because everyone made mistakes in their lives. Though, as much as he wanted to convince himself that the situation wasn't bad, he knew that there was a chance that he would be dead.
"I think it's best I tell them." Izuku sighed.
"That's the mature option." Mina patted Izuku's back.
"What's the worst that could happen?" Izuku asked himself.
"YOU'RE DOING WHAT?!"
Izuku was almost knocked back by the strength of their words alone. He felt tiny compared to their fiery gazes and their bearing fangs. He looked to Mina for aid but she only shook her head at him. With his safety line cut, Izuku realized that he had made his bed and now had to lay in it.
"I'm sorry, I screwed up." Izuku didn't bother holding up his hands to defend himself. "I thought focusing on this case would help me clear my head. I didn't think that she'd be the one pouncing on me from the very beginning."
"Babe, what is it about you that turns every woman near you into crazy women that just want you?" Alya asked.
"I think it's that he can go from being adorable to being a badass in a split second." Mina guessed. "But I can vouch for Izuku. When he came clean about why he wanted the assignment he was going to back out. That's when little miss thing came around to almost pounce on him."
"Is this chick really that bad?" Alix asked.
"We're looking at three dead husbands under extremely strange situations during or right after the honeymoon." Mina revealed. "According to the investigations, all the money went to the widow after they died."
"How strangely convenient are we talking here?" Alix asked.
"One stabbed with a knife in a mugging, one allergic reaction to their favorite meal, and one crushed by a piano." Izuku scratched the back of his head.
"I read about those deaths. They were all dubbed 'accidental'." Alya's eyes widened. "Babe, you are not getting anywhere near that woman."
"Yeah, only we can kill you. Also, we want to go out with you before that woman." Alix pointed at Izuku.
Izuku and Mina looked at her with curiosity and confusion while Alya just shook her head.
"Subtle." Alya muttered.
"What? We're his girlfriends and none of us have gone on dates and now we're supposed to let some black widow bitch to take our spot?" Alix asked. "Nope, not happening."
Mina realized it too. She and Izuku hadn't gone on a proper date either and now a killer was going to take him out to dinner. She felt jealous and protective of her man. She wanted to kick her ass all over the street before melting every one of those harlot dresses she wore.
"I only need to keep her intrigued until we get the evidence that she wants to kill me. And for that, I'll need to work overtime." Izuku pulled out the card she gave him. "And this is as good a place to start."
"Hopefully you'll get answers." Alya said. "This looks like a long case. The faster you find the answers the less we'll want to kill her."
Izuku chuckled silently, knowing that Mina, Alya and Alix were probably going to start thinking of ways to kill Clara. For this case to get done, he needed to get answers outside the work with the police. After all, who said that notorious vigilante Chat Noir couldn't look deeper into the clues that Izuku Midoriya or Mikumo Akatani couldn't?
As he changed into his suit, he could tell that the girls were not happy about this and were going to make him pay if it was the last thing they did. Either that or they were all plotting on ways to keep the head of the Nightingale Family away from him. He knew that they understood that things like this came with the job, but that also meant that they didn't have to like them. He made several notes to make it up to them one way or another. Either way, he was going to have to work on every angle to get out of this one alive.
As Chat Noir, Izuku ran through the night rooftops, making sure that he stayed out of the radar of any patrolling heroes. He had had enough close calls as of late and he wanted to work as quietly as possible. He pulled out the address on the card Clara had given him before looking around the area.
"This should be it." Izuku muttered, looking for the building in question. "Could she have given me an old card by mistake? No. She wants me interested and that means going after her. And like a total schmuck, I am."
Izuku turned his head before spotting the building that he was looking for.
The building was only five floors tall, completely white with bright pink letters spelling out the name Nightingale Records. The building looked in pristine conditions, but something felt off about it. There were only a few lights on but there didn't seem to have that many people inside.
Izuku fired his grappling hook, flying to the side of the building. He spotted an exhaust exit duct in the middle of the roof. He squeezed into the tight air duct, going deep into the offices of the record maker. The tightness of the metal duct was making his movements slow, but at least he wasn't stuck. Izuku moved as quietly as a mouse while keeping his eyes out for any opening or word that could be spoken by the skeleton crew working this late.
He peeked through one of the air conditioning openings, seeing only a janitor passing the vacuum cleaner over the carpet. His eyes landed on the directory on the wall next to the janitor. Spotting where the main office was located, he slowly made his way there through the ducts. But his progress was slow, each turn and split within the metal path was an arduous act of contortion and acrobatic movements. He grunted as he made his way into the area where he hoped to find information on the Nightingale Family or some form of evidence on the deaths of the former husbands.
After a twenty minute crawl, Izuku arrived at the door of the main office. He dropped out of the air duct, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. Stretching himself out of that cramped feeling was plagued with, he took a look at the front door. He reached out to open it, but as luck would have it, it was locked. Kneeling down before the locked door, he saw that the door was locked with a normal lock and key. He pulled out a set of lock picking tools from his belt. He was about to start picking it when he heard someone coming towards him.
Izuku jumped behind one of the muse statues and decorative plants, allowing the janitor to pass. He watched as the janitor approached the office, unlocking the door.
"Another night, another time to burn all the boss's dirty laundry." The janitor mumbled.
Izuku wondered what he meant, but his attention was dragged to the gun strapped to the janitor's side. He picked a rock from the plant before tossing it into the hallway, making noise.
The janitor turned around, reaching for his weapon. He narrowed his eyes before going on to check up on what had caused the noise.
Izuku used this chance to sneak into the main office. With the darkness of the room keeping his presence from anyone else, he set out to work. He searched the desk for any information that he could use. But all he found were application forms from different artists, a list of possible contracts and a pen. He opened the drawers, looking for information about the illicit actions of the criminal family, and he found something.
"What do we have here?" Izuku took out a report of the record producer's quarterly earnings.
Ever since the beginning of the last quarter, the earnings of Nightingale Records had steadily gone down with some artists even leaving for greener pastures. The producer was still making money, but not enough to keep financing the criminal enterprise of the family. There was also an influx of cash from royalties and ticket sales of artists that he had never heard of. He wrote down the names of the artists and the dates when the money was deposited.
Izuku kept searching through the drawers, before finding a hidden latch inside one of the drawers. He pressed the latch letting a list of names pop out before him. He didn't know how these people were, but under each name was a phone number and a price tag. He could only make assumptions as to why she had such a list hidden away. He copied down the names and the numbers before hiding away the list and all he'd found. He opened one of the ceiling tiles before anyone saw him leave.
The next day, Izuku and Mina checked all the names that he'd found through the police computer and were surprised at what they found out.
"Alright, so it seems that the names on that list are connected to people the Nightingale family has done business with in the past." Izuku explained.
"Great, let's get her down here to explain that and how they helped her off her past hubbies." Mina leaned back.
"We kinda need a reason to bring this up to the captain, we can't just drop it on her lap." Izuku pointed out. "And she wants hard evidence."
"Oh no." Mina grunted as Kendo approached them.
"Midoriya, we're ready for phase two. Time to put Operation Widow Killer in place," Kendo said. "My office for more details."
Izuku and Mina went to Kendo's office as she pulled out what appeared to be a movie script for a single character. They observed the piece and saw that it was all about Mikumo Akatani.
"This is Mikumo Akatani's whole life up until today. From here on out, you will go and date Clara while being our eyes and ears inside her little world." Kendo explained. "You'll keep our eyes open at all times. Understand?"
"I can't say no now, can I?" Izuku asked.
"No." Kendo and Mina both replied.
Izuku sighed as he went out to change for his assignment.
"This assignment can't last that long, can it?" Mina asked.
Izuku, now dressed as a rich young man, walked into the Nightingale Records through the front door. He didn't even bother looking back, knowing that Mina and the police van were outside keeping track of all his movements. He had a hidden camera and a mic under his clothes as he went in. His eyes looked around, noting the lack of cameras and the lack of armed janitors.
"You're doing great, Midoriya. Act natural." Kendo said through the communicator.
Izuku gulped as he was led to Clara's office. He kept his eyes moving, trying to look as shy and as embarrassed as he actually was. He knocked on the door after the assistant left him with a giggle. It felt like walking into the lion's den.
"Who is it~?"
"Um, it's Mikumo Akatani," Izuku replied. "We met last night. You took my tie and gave me your number and work address."
"Oh my gosh, come in!" Clara pulled Izuku into her office before tossing him to a chair. "I am so glad that you called. I thought that I spooked you. I'm sorry."
"No, no, no, you d-don't have to be s-sorry. I hope I'm not bothering you or anything." Izuku held up his hands as Clara sat behind her desk. "It's just, after you left, I realized that you had my tie and I don't know if you knew that so I called and-I'm sorry, this… this is so awkward."
"No, no, no, all good here baby. Let me see if I can find it." Clara searched around Izuku. "I could've sworn that I brought it with me after you called me." She bent down, showing off her large ass.
Izuku looked away, just like she wanted. He had to keep to himself, making sure that he did follow the script that Captain Kendo had given him. Playing the part of the shy young man being pulled into the thralls of a wild and very extroverted woman wasn't that hard for him, given his personality. But he did use this chance to learn more of the dangerous black widow. He looked around the office, spotting pictures of Clara, her father and some of the artists that she represented. He looked at the desk, hoping to give the camera a look at the list he had seen the other night.
"Um, maybe you put it in you… desk," Izuku said, as Clara gave him an alluring look.
"Oh, I doubt it. What makes you say that?" Clara asked innocently.
"W-Well, that's what I sometimes do. I always keep a spare tie in one of my desk drawers in case of a more formal meeting." Izuku moved towards the desk, not taking his eyes off of her.
"That's a little naughty of you~." Clara cut him off, planting her ass on the desk.
"N-N-Naughty?" Izuku asked, looking away only for Clara's hand to caress his cheek.
"Looking into a young lady's private affairs without consent~. Maybe I should punish you~." Clara winked at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I-I-I didn't mean to snoop around, it's just a dumb thought that I had." Izuku felt her pulling him towards her with her body. "I really should go, the tie wasn't that expensive. M-Maybe um." Izuku stuttered as she smiled at him.
He reached out to the secret compartment, making it pop out. His eyes landed on the list that he'd seen the night before. However, Clara didn't take his action very kindly.
She slammed the secret drawer closed before glaring at him like he'd just insulted her family's honor. The mask she wore cracked slightly, revealing the ruthless mafia princess that she was and all the harm that she could unveil. However, she wasn't one to kill the first time she met her prey. All she needed was to show she was as wild as she was sweet.
"I'm sorry, I was losing my balance and I promise not to do it again." Izuku apologised.
However, Clara quickly composed herself. She let out a sigh before pushing Izuku into her chair. She was very much like a cat playing with its toy, making him try to predict what she would do next. Her eyes knew that he had seen his mistake, giving her the reins.
"I'm sorry, it's just I wasn't expecting you to be so spirited so quickly. Also, we've had a few break in attempts lately, so I'm a bit on edge." Clara excused herself.
"It's alright. You don't have to apologize." Izuku said.
"Let me make it up to you. Dinner, Jaune Bison, eight o'clock." Clara poked Izuku's nose. "I don't know what it is about you Mikumo, but you are very much my type." She winked at him, making him blush.
"Um, yeah sure. We can talk then." Izuku was led out of the office as Clara waved goodbye at him.
As Izuku walked out of the recording studio, he made sure to look around for the accounting record room. He spotted it, watching as the accountant worked through the paperwork of the day. Quietly, he opened the door slightly so the camera and recording device could pick it up.
"It looks like we're running a little low on this month's earnings. Another one of our star talents has left us because of those jerks in the XY Records. And the amount of money left by monsieur Albert is about to run out. The boss lady better get this done quickly before we end up having to sell the building." The accountant poured over the whole accounting records. "The partners will not be happy about this one bit. They'll want their money back asap."
Izuku left before anyone could see him, wanting to get out of there and report it all back.
"Alright, so thanks to Izuku, we know that the Nightingale Family is currently suffering from low funds thanks to XY's having muscled in on their stars. They need money and have taken Izuku as their next meal ticket." Captain Kendo explained in the briefing room. "And thanks to Izuku spotting that list, we've been able to find out that those names belong to notorious criminal members of society. They must be using the record studio to launder their money and keep us in the dark."
Despite the progress of the case, Izuku and Mina were concerned about the following events that were taking place.
"So, does that mean that Izuku will have to keep pretending to be a shy billionaire?" Mina asked.
"Yes, we still need evidence that links her to the death of her previous husbands. We'll be keeping an eye on them all the time." Kendo assured Mina.
"This is going to be fun." Izuku muttered quietly.
"What fun." Mina added with sarcasm.
The first date took place in the Jaune Bison, a small fancy bistro in the middle of Paris that specialized in bison meat. It was a charming spot for lovers of all shapes and sizes, but one thing was certain, Izuku didn't feel all that charmed.
Izuku sat across from Clara for the whole time that they were there as Mina, and Kendo observed his movements from inside the van. He talked with her, making it seem like he was slowly opening up to her. But all the while he could feel a pair of glaring eyes aimed at his back. The walls were closing in on him, so he made a few rules for the mafia princess to follow at all times.
"So, you're only going to be here for a month, huh?" Clara asked as the waitress came in with the dessert.
"Well done, Midoriya, keep putting her to press up her strategy." Kendo said through the communicator.
"Just don't over sell it." Mina chimed in.
"I'm afraid so, I gotta make every day count." Izuku sheepishly admitted. "But it is nice to have you around for a few days."
"Oh, Mikumo, you are such a darling," Clara giggled. "I'll gladly spend as much time with you as possible. Maybe this can lead to more~." She traced her leg up his own.
Izuku almost forgot that there was a chance that she had murdered her last three husbands. He couldn't allow himself to show it or make any moves that made him seem like he was looking into her. To Clara and the rest of the world it had to look like a normal date between adults.
"Your dessert, babe." The waitress placed the chocolate cake in front of Izuku.
"Oh, um, thanks, but I think-." Izuku froze at the sight before him.
"Think nothing of it, monsieur." Alya winked at him while wearing a waitress uniform. "Hope you two enjoy~." She walked away, swaying her hips.
Izuku was freaking out on the inside, his jaw locked in place trying to keep him from reacting too much to the situation.
"Oh look, they put a little message on the cake," Clara said, getting his attention.
He turned to see the message.
Here's to looking at you, love~.
Izuku looked around the restaurant and everywhere his eyes could land on. He had expected some crazy stunts given his luck but he never expected Alya to just dress up and keep an eye on him like a waitress. He found the van where Mina and Kendo were wondering if they had caught sight of the event. But thankfully for him only Mina had noticed.
He sighed as he then spotted Alix sitting by her lonesome wearing a black dress and reading a book. As she winked at him, he could only guess that this was their way of keeping an eye on him and Clara.
"Here, honey, say ah~." Clara offered him a forkful of chocolate cake.
"This will be a long month." Izuku muttered, opening his mouth.
Izuku ate the cake as Clara gave him dreamy bedroom eyes the whole meal. He could already tell that she was planning several dates. Never had he begged for some dark and evil villain to appear before him now more than ever than he did at that moment.
Time went on and Izuku couldn't help but feel like he was living a roller coaster of possibilities. He went from pretending to be a single shy rich bachelor to being Clara's preferred loving plaything. The dates that she had planned for them were daring to say the least. And he wasn't the only one that appreciated them as such.
Their second date, they went to the park for a picnic in secret. Clara had managed to secure a small spot away from everyone to have some alone time with Izuku. The cloth was of a fine quality and the food that she'd brought was more than sandwiches or some slices of cheese and crackers. They laid there together with a bed of flowers next to them while under a clear blue sky.
Clara laid on top of Izuku, letting out dreamy sighs as she snuggled up to him like a lover on a real date.
Izuku, for his part, couldn't help but feel self-conscious about his lack of dating knowledge and situation.
"This is such a lovely day, isn't it, Mikumo?" Clara sighed happily.
"Yeah, this is a nice day to just lay back and relax," Izuku said, trying to keep things civil. "I hope I'm not taking away time you could be using working."
"Nonsense, I've got the whole day free of any possible distractions." Clara lifted her head, approaching his own face. "Besides, I know of a few locations nearby for you to look into. Maybe purchase them and manage them as rentals over the summer or other times~? A little love nest for honeymooners~?" She liked how he blushed.
"Well, I'd have to look into the people that are currently the owners of the properties. And then there's the licensing issues as more and more people are reconsidering summer rentals." Izuku muttered, trying to keep his face from being Clara's amusement. "But if they're good spots I'd be grateful."
Clara giggled as she kissed his cheek with the delicacy of a flower. She was starting to see the entertainment that came from having this new lover around. Every time she caressed his cheek, she was reminded of the adorable pet rabbit that her father had given her back on her birthday. His twitches and blushes whenever she got close to him, made her want to pin him down and see what reactions she got from which actions. Which eventually led to her wondering how good in bed he was.
"I can assure you, Mikumo." Clara licked her lips. "I am great at finding good spots. And I have a few ideas on how you could thank me~." She traced her hand down his neck, tugging at his collar.
"Um, y-you seem to be going rather fast. Do you treat all your guy friends like this?" Izuku asked.
"I've been married once or twice," Clara sighed. "Didn't work out though."
"Press her on, Midoriya." Kendo said through the radio. "We need specifics."
"Like divorce, that's a shame." Izuku mentioned.
Mina rolled her eyes in jealous anger at the sight of her man making a black widow fall in love with her. She sat down on a park bench in a nearby café, keeping watch on her partner.
"Lucky bitch." Mina growled.
Alya and Alix meanwhile were pretending to watch birds at the park while looking like complete tourists.
"Look at her, she's loving this." Alya sneered.
"Yeah, but kitty isn't." Alix pretended to spot a bird only for a pigeon to poop in her camera lens.
For the third date, Clara took Izuku to the Eiffel Tower while the sun was setting before their eyes. She arranged for Izuku and her to have a spot at the café just as the sun was setting for them. She felt impatient and wondered when she would be able to get him into bed, she wasn't exactly being subtle about it.
"So, this is the infamous third date. You know what that means, right~?" Clara batted her eyes at Izuku.
"Maybe," Izuku muttered.
"Don't you find me attractive?" Clara pouted with tears in her eyes. "Most guys usually want to get me into bed by now~."
"No!/NO!" Izuku and Mina snapped at the same time.
Izuku saw the shock in her face. He needed to find a way to dodge the bullet that would be sleeping with her.
"Ashido, give me that! Midoriya, under no circumstances can you sleep with her." Kendo snatched the mic from Mina as they watched everything happen from the corner of the Eiffel Tower disguised as tour guides.
"I-Um, promised my late mom that I'd only do that after marriage…" Izuku made up. "I'm sorry, I'd understand if you don't want to wait."
"Wait. It's not a deal breaker. It was also hard for my late husbands to take that step." Clara held Izuku's hand in a soft embrace. "But surely a kiss isn't something your dear mother didn't forbid you~? A kiss or two would make me very happy~."
Her words were like honey in his ears. But he knew that that same honey could be used to choke the life out of someone. Izuku knew he was out of options. He needed to learn more and for that he needed to give her something to keep her desires pinned on him instead of someone else.
"I-I-I guess one kiss wouldn't hurt." Izuku kissed Clara on the lips, making her moan.
The sound of steel being bent and melted got his attention, breaking away from the kiss. He caught Mina bending the tour guide flag as some of her acid started to melt it. His fears didn't stop there, his eyes spotted Alya and Alix making out under the guise of two lovers.
"That was just like fireworks, baby~." Clara dreamily batted her eyes at Izuku.
"She's so going down." Alya moaned into the kiss. "You can cut back a little, we aren't going to have sex here, Alix." She whispered, despite the blush on her face.
"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I can definitely see where Izuku got his great kissing skills." Alix licked her lips. "Besides, she's a bad kisser if a small kiss like that is 'fireworks'." She whispered into Alya's ears. "Let's give him a show, and blow that bird out of the water."
Izuku blushed, as Alya and Alix were making out on purpose while Clara was oblivious to them.
For their fourth date, Clara had taken Izuku on a small cruise sailing through the Seine where they would see the beauty of the city through the river. They sat at the very front with Clara snuggling up to Izuku with nothing short of a desire to imprint her scent on him. A small fact that Izuku didn't let that small act pass him by.
He'd been playing the act of dutiful lover and boyfriend with Clara for what felt like the longest month of his life. He knew that even one slip up could mean his death or that of someone else. Izuku was slowly getting more information about Clara and how she'd met her previous husbands, while keeping most of his true identity a secret from the mafia princess. Had he not been in his very own happy relationship with his own girlfriends, he would've seen these dates as a very charming attempt at making him feel loved.
"Oh, isn't this beautiful, Mikumo?" Clara asked.
"Yes, the city is very beautiful, Clara. But not as amazing and as beautiful as you." Izuku caressed her head.
"Oh, baby, you just know how I like it." Clara kissed him on the lips.
As the kiss rolled off of him like a melting sundae ice cream, he went over what he'd learned from his dates with Clara as she tried to make him another one of her conquests. She had met all her previous husbands through different dating websites and Midnight's and she had ensnared them all with her charms and attitude. Feeding their need for an extroverted woman that came looking for them and bringing them out of their shells, Clara had manipulated each and every single one of them into making her the center of their world.
Izuku tightened his hold on the railing of their bench. He still couldn't help but feel some form of resentment towards Clara for taking advantage of men with those tricks. She was the definition of a Femme Fatale and that was what made her dangerous. Even without a Miraculous, he could tell that she was dangerous and he was the latest in a long line of men that were killed off to pay the checks. But this also gave him an insight of the type of woman that she was.
"I hate that girl. I can't wait to kick her ass." Mina huffed as she hid inside a mascot costume. "Please, Izuku, solve this before this costume melts me."
Alya and Alix huffed in shared exhaustion as they watched the scene happening on the river as they walked from the street. Their legs ached as they tried to keep up with the damn boat on land.
"I told you we should've bought the tickets online." Alya panted.
"Look at it this way, all the bouncing bits will become toned and firm for our man." Alix wiped the sweat from her brow.
"But I like being bouncy." Alya whined and pouted.
Izuku and Mina stood before Kendo as she put together a large board of information and evidence on Clara Nightingale. Over the last few weeks, Izuku had managed to get the information out of Clara but nothing apart from circumstantial with a side of needless romance. They were happy enough to get the information they'd gathered but…
"It's not enough." Kendo clarified. "We're almost out of time before Mikumo Akatani fades forever and Clara goes away to hunt some other rich man. We need to bait her with something stronger."
"Why don't we just kick her ass and demand the answers out of her?" Mina suggested.
"Because we're not thugs, Ashido. I want this solved as much as you, but we won't be using the same tactics as the mob to get what we want." Kendo scolded. "We need to tempt her with something sweet. Something only she would want."
"Marriage," Izuku said. "I managed to catch one of her calls and the money is drying up fast. She'll probably propose to me if I give her enough of a reason to."
"And that would give you access to her house." Kendo saw the logic behind it.
"I don't like it. But it could work." Mina huffed. "That girl wants Izuku badly. I wouldn't be surprised if she just up and strips naked before him to get him in bed with her. Which you will not be doing, mister!" She poked at Izuku's face.
"I won't, I promise," Izuku said.
Izuku held up his hands in his own defense while Mina shot him a glare so sharp it would cut through a phonebook. He didn't like it any more than she did, but tempting Clara was the one way to get the answers he needed. The best place to find any evidence was going to be the house of the Nightingale princess. And the only way a shy bachelor that didn't do sex before marriage could get to a black widow's home was with a marriage proposal.
Izuku called Clara and got the address for her home after calling her. He gulped, feeling a frog in his throat. The idea of making someone propose to him was a crazy one but now more than ever he needed to use his skills to get answers. He looked at the house and understood that he was indeed in the land of the dangerous elite.
The home of the Nightingale family was a big house typical of American gangster films. It was two stories tall with a balcony on the front of the house, gray columns making it standing and intimidating. The inside of the house was filled with prizes of the family, ranging from old paintings from the masters and jewels of great value. But all the greatness was only reminders of the past. A legacy that was falling apart at the seams before Izuku and everyone that knew the owner's family past.
Izuku knocked on the door.
"Mikumo, how unexpected." Clara opened the door, laying on the edge of the door.
"I'm sorry for calling so late, but I…" Izuku started, trying to find the right words.
"Yes?" Clara asked. "Why don't you come inside and tell me everything." She gestured him into her home.
Izuku went in with her, lightly marveling at the works inside the home. He had only seen this kind of stuff in movies, but the only thing he could think of was how to make her ask for a proposal. He wondered how he could sound and act pathetic enough that she wouldn't think twice about it. As Clara led him to the lounge, his head came up with a strategy.
A strategy that he hoped to use with the right people, but he had no other options.
"So, tell me why has the mysterious Mikumo Akatani called me on my personal phone and asked me for a private meeting?" Clara crawled towards him as they sat down on the couch. "Could it be that my charms have finally brought you out of your shy shell~?"
Mina was meanwhile sitting in the surveillance van, listening to the conversation. She rolled her eyes wondering if Clara was going to try to just throw out her clothes and pounce on Izuku. But still she listened to Izuku's words.
Not far from where the van was parked, Alya and Alix were also listening in on the conversation.
"I can't believe that you bugged their phones," Alix said. "You're a fully rounded criminal, foxy~." Alix winked at Alya.
"It's not illegal putting trackers on the people you care about when you know they'll do something incredibly dangerous." Alya hid her blush. "I mean, with technology these days, no calls are safe. I bet parents are doing this all the time."
"I mean, if you wanna play the role of badass mama fox, I'm not gonna stop you." Alix shrugged. "Here it comes."
Back in the house, Izuku let out a deep breath. He was ready.
"Something like that. Clara, I know that the time we've spent together has been short. But the way you make me feel is something that I never thought I'd feel, or experience with someone else," Izuku said, imagining that he was talking to Mina, Alya and Alix. "The plan wasn't to fall in love. But the plan has now changed. You changed it. You all changed it."
Mina, Alya and Alix perked up at that sentence.
"Huh?" Clara raised an eyebrow.
"All of you, all sides of you, have made me embrace things I hadn't considered before." Izuku grabbed her hands. "Your spontaneous nature has made me embrace adventure because sometimes you need craziness. Your cunning mind makes me rethink my actions and take a closer look at all that I do and love. Your open heart and faith always dares me to take a leap of faith. I may have trouble showing it. But I love you, all of you."
Mina, Alya and Alix all blushed as they heard those words. They couldn't get it out of their heads. The man they loved was confessing to them while in the middle of a case. Their hands felt warm as if he was holding them with tender love. Their heartbeats went faster as they could only imagine themselves with him at that moment. The only thing that matched their love and desire to be in that room was the jealousy they felt for Clara Nightingale.
"Oh, Mikumo, that was wonderful. I love you too. Let's get married!" Clara kissed Izuku on the lips.
"I would love to." Izuku replied as Clara kissed him once more.
"Tomorrow." Clara added with another kiss.
"T-T-Tomorrow?" Izuku asked. "Isn't that a bit too quick?"
"What happened to a 'leap of faith'?" Clara teased him, tracing her fingers on his lips.
"Midoriya, seal the deal." Kendo called over the com.
"I would have to call a few people to see if they can make it. I kinda want to invite some friends to my wedding." Izuku smiled.
"Okay, you invite as many people as you want~." Clara smirked. "But now, we can finally make this official~."
"Let me do a raincheck on that." Izuku sheepishly smirked. "Wouldn't want to not have anything for the wedding night, would we?" He asked.
Clara weighed the possibilities in her head, wanting to respect her newest fiance and finally getting a taste of his manliness. She'd grown fond of the man before her and was more than willing to play the long game with him. She had been playing it for a long time with her other husbands but this one was special. The idea made her think back to the times that she had actually fallen for someone, and then she realized it.
She actually wanted to keep Mikumo around.
"Oh, I spoil you, you know that~?" Clara caressed his cheek. "Just be ready for tomorrow, wear your best tux and prepare for the first night of the rest of your life. I can assure you that I'll be waiting with baited breath~." She licked Izuku's neck, sending shivers through his body.
Izuku gave her a good night kiss before she walked him out.
As soon as Izuku was out of the house, Clara pulled out her phone. She dialed the first number on her list of contacts. She smirked knowing that her patience had finally paid off. Her mind started buzzing with all the things that she had planned for her wedding night with her new pet. Obviously he was more than that but for her near future, he would be no more than her beloved pet.
"Yes ma'am?"
"Rocco, get the wedding reception ready, the little rabbit has taken the hook line and sinker." Clara licked her lips.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this, ma'am? Me and the boys found all the stuff and it checked out, but there's something about that kid that don't sit right with me." Rocco explained.
"Don't overthink it, Rocco. Mikumo Akatani is just a lovely little pet for me." Clara brushed her hair. "And now that I've got him wrapped around my pretty little fingers, I'll get all the month's pent up desires released~."
"I hate that you tell me these things, ma'am." Rocco said.
"I will say that he looks a lot better than Albert or the others. I could feel a lot of muscles under those clothes." Clara hung up the call. "All that money is just a bonus for the family. Too bad I won't get another trophy for myself."
Unbeknownst to Clara, Izuku had stayed close to the door, hiding in the bushes to hear the entire conversation. He'd open a window to sneak the microphone in, picking up on the conversation. He knew that there was something inside that house and now he had more than enough reason to go in and look for it.
"Well done, Midoirya, now we've got a reason to get a search warrant." Kendo called. "Now, come back and get ready, you've got a wedding to attend to."
With those words, Izuku shuddered slightly at the thought. He needed to find the evidence and get it to the police before the marriage ceremony could take him.
Later that night, as Chat Noir, Izuku snuck into the house through the same window he'd taken the recording from. He tiptoed through the large house, making sure that no one noticed him. Moving as silently as a shadow, he rounded the corner into the hall, spotting the stairs to the upper floor. Keeping an eye out for any form of surveillance, he kept his head down as he made it to the stairs.
He felt like a pervert sneaking into the private room of a young lady. But he didn't feel as guilty when he remembered that the young lady in question was the head of a mafia family and a known blackwidow. Reaching her room was the easy part, but the hard part was to look around and find evidence while she slept.
Clara slept in a big bed with bright pink neon sheets, casting a beautiful image akin to that of a princess in a fairy tale. She didn't even seem vicious or capable of murder. But beneath those pink sheets lay the heart of a dangerous blackwidow. She smiled, clearly having a nice dream.
Izuku shook his head, as he silently searched her room. He didn't have any luck rummaging through her drawers, or her closet. Through, his eyes did land on the ample collection of wedding dresses that Clara had in hand. He couldn't help but cringe at the idea of someone having so many wedding dresses only to them murder their spouse. He heard a snore, freezing up. Slowly turning around, he saw Clara shifting in her bed with a smile unlike any he'd ever seen.
"Oh man," Izuku whispered only for his eyes to catch something.
Around Clara's throat was key.
Izuku made his way to her as silent as he could. He looked at the key, noting that it was for a safe. Holding onto his breath like a scuba diver, he reached out for the key. He grabbed hold of the key and the chain, slowly moving it over her head. But just as he was about to get the key, Clara rolled her head in the opposite direction.
Izuku cursed inside his mind as he tried once more. He snuck the chain over her beautiful skin, making sure to not wake her up. As he approached the top of her head once more, Clara let out a yawn, causing Izuku to freeze up.
But she didn't wake up.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Izuku pulled off the necklace. He examined it under the light of the streets. It was the key to an old safe that was more often used as a family antique than an actual spot to put your sensitive information or family jewels. But that was the best place for Izuku to look for. He silently made his way down to the first floor, looking for the old safe that matched the key.
After an hour of looking for the safe, Izuku came across the study room. He looked around and saw that it was filled with old books, family portraits and a large desk that was probably a carbon copy of the godfather. Izuku couldn't help but feel intimidated by the large looming portrait of Clara standing with her father.
"Guess daddy's little girl became all he ever wanted." Izuku spotted scratches on the wall behind the portrait.
He grabbed the edges of the portrait, pulling it down, revealing the safe on the wall.
"Bingo." He whispered.
He stuck the key inside the safe, slowly opening it. Inside the safe, he found files on the previous husbands, interests, turn ons, turn offs, background checks and pictures of their usual habits. He took pictures of the files as he then moved to the other objects that he was looking for, a vial of poison, the wallet of the second husband that had been taken and never recovered, and a pair of sharp scissors that could cut rope. He had struck gold. This much evidence was more than enough to stop the Nightingale family for good.
Now all that Izuku had to do was survive his own wedding day. And that thought made him shiver more than sneaking around a mafia house.
Izuku didn't like the idea of wearing a tuxedo for what could be his final day. He was being driven to the church where Clara was waiting for him. He didn't have much choice, but at least he knew where he was going and how Captain Kendo, Mina and the rest of the force were going to go in. He wondered how he would be able to get out of this before the priest said the rites of marriage.
"Keep calm, Midoriya. We are following you as we speak." Kendo said through the communicator. "Ashido is already ahead in position."
Izuku slightly froze up at those words. He didn't know if it was a good thing to know. He could only hope that Mina wasn't trying to get something done before he could get there.
Mina snuck into the church, looking to learn about all the ins and outs of the place. She made sure to dress like one of the bridesmaids or at least a dress that didn't make her stand out. Dodging the mafiosos that were already entering the church, she found herself inside the dressing room of the bride.
"Wow, look at this place." Mina gasped at the room.
The room was bigger than her bathroom and it was filled with many beautiful dresses. Her eyes landed on the big mirror with lots of makeup cases arranged around with bright lights.
"This place is crazy for a single day event." Mina looked over the products. "These things are more expensive than anything I use." She picked one of the mascaras and one of the lipsticks.
The door opened up, making Mina jump.
It was Clara in her wedding dress.
"Who are you?" Clara asked.
Mina quickly looked around for a way out before she thought of something. Her eyes landed on the makeup that she had been holding.
"Oh, I'm the makeup lady. I was told that you needed to look your best for your very special day." Mina explained, pulling Clara down to the chair, sitting her down.
"I don't remember asking for a makeup artist." Clara argued.
"Oh, Rocco thought you could use one. Just to make it all seem all the sweeter." Mina started applying the makeup on Clara's face. "I know this isn't my place, but how does it feel to be on this very special day?"
"I mean, this isn't my first rodeo. He certainly was harder to catch than the others." Clara smirked. "But my little bunny is sure to be a very fun one to have around."
Mina's eyelid twitched at her remark.
"Is that his nickname? Kinda cute. Is he like a bunny in bed or have bunny ears?" Mina put lipstick on Clara.
"Well, I hope it's the former. But to be honest he's more like a pet to me." Clara shrugged off.
"A pet?" Mina tightened her hold on the makeup, gritting her teeth.
"Yeah, a pet that I can keep on a leash. Don't tell him I said that." Clara narrowed her eyes at Mina. "Say, have we met before? You look familiar."
"No, no, no, we haven't met before Clara." Mina turned away from Clara.
"I never told you my name." Clara got up, realizing where she had seen Mina before. "You! You were at Midnight's when I met Mikumo! Who are-?!"
Mina punched Clara across the face. As the mafia princess fell to the floor with her lipstick smudged and a black eye forming, the officer started panicking. She rushed to the door, locking it.
"Oh crap. What did I just do?!" Mina panicked.
A knock on the door made Mina jump.
"Miss Nightingale? Is everything alright?" Rocco asked on the other side of the door.
"Um, yes, yes, Rocco. Everything is great. I just dropped one of my dresses." Mina softened her voice.
"Alright, the priest should be here soon with a pair of nuns for some reason. The groom is already in the chapel." Rocco cleared his throat.
"Great. I'll be there in a bit." Mina waited for Rocco to walk away before turning to the knocked out princess.
Mina needed to do something or else Izuku would be caught in the middle of all those gangsters. She wished she hadn't punched the damn bitch like that instead of knocking her lights out. If she'd been more careful then Clara would already be on her way to getting married with everyone being none the wiser.
A lightbulb lit up in Mina's mind. She knelt down tracing her hands over the dress and spotting the thick white veil. All the wedding needed was a bride.
Back down on the altar of the church, Izuku fidgeted not knowing why but his legs were slowly turning into jelly. He looked around, seeing key members of the mob family all around him, packing heat. Feeling naked amongst wolves, he could only hope that he could give Captain Kendo the order and then have the police storm the church.
"Nervous?" A man asked.
"Who wouldn't on their wedding day?" Izuku chuckled.
"Makes sense," the man replied.
Unbeknownst to Izuku and the mobsters, two nuns snuck into the church along with the priest. The two nuns revealed themselves to be Alya and Alix in disguise.
"You sure your plan will work?" Alya asked.
"Trust me. This plan is foolproof." Alix saw the bride slightly stumble towards the altar. "Heads up, the bitch is coming."
Alya and Alix watched as the bride walked down the aisle with the music playing.
Izuku looked back at the aisle and saw his future bride. He felt like he needed to run as far as he could as she walked towards him. But the look of the pistol of the 'best man' made him rethink that strategy. He gulped as the priest walked up to them.
"Dearly beloved, we're here to watch the union of these two young beautiful people in love. You two swear to love and cherish each other in sickness and in health, in the good times and the bad times, for better or for worse. Do you, Mikumo Akatani, take Clara Nightingale, to love and to hold until death do you part?" The priest began the sermone.
"I-I-I do." Izuku said.
"And do you, Clara Nightingale, take Mikumo Akatani, to love and to hold until death do you part?" The priest continued.
"I-I do. I really do." 'Clara' replied, causing Izuku to catch the change in her voice.
"Then by the power invested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife." The priest smiled. "You may now kiss the bride."
Izuku lifted the veil only to see Mina blushing at him.
"Min-" Izuku was cut off as Mina pulled him into a steamy kiss.
The people cheered as Mina kept her face hidden from them.
"STOP THE WEDDING!"
Everyone turned to see Clara Nightingale in nothing but her underwear. She was fuming at the mouth as she looked at the two people at the altar.
"That woman is an imposter!" Clara pointed to Mina as she finally ended her kiss with Izuku.
"Mina, what are you doing here?" Izuku whispered.
"Hey, can you blame me for trying to save you from being married to a black widow?" Mina shrugged.
Just then the doors were busted open with the French Police and SWAT team breaking through the mob wedding.
"Nobody move! Police, you're all under arrest!" Captain Kendo shouted as the officers began arresting the members of the mob.
They aimed their guns at the mobsters forcing them to drop whatever weapons they carried. They were all caught and put in cuffs.
A short while later, Izuku and Mina stood outside while Mina hung onto Izuku's arm. They watched Clara and the rest of her mob family being dragged into a car before being driven off.
"Good work you two," Kendo said. "Despite the hiccups, we caught the whole family and with the evidence we found in her home, we'll be putting her away for a long time."
"Yeah, I still feel bad for her." Izuku watched as his fiance gave him one last look of heartbreak. "She did actually want this to work."
"Not everything is as clean as we want it to be, Midoriya. That's a fact of life." Kendo advised.
"Well, not bad for our wedding. Though, I wish that my parents were there and that I met you mom before all this." Mina commented.
"You're telling me, babes." Alya and Alix walked up to their friends and lovers.
"Alya, Alix, what are you doing here?" Izuku asked.
"We wouldn't miss your wedding for anything in the world." Alix shrugged.
"Who are you two?" Kendo asked.
"Friends of the groom." Alya replied.
"They can be the witnesses to me and Izuku's wedding. I mean, after we change Clara's name for mine and all." Mina snuggled up to Izuku's arm.
Alix and Alya shared a worried look. They knew something that Mina was completely unaware of.
"Um, girl, about that," Alya began.
Just then the priest walked out wearing a biker's outfit and a helmet.
"How did I do, Alix?" The priest asked.
"The classes are really paying off, Sid. Thanks for the help." Alix said as Sid the priest got on his bike and rode off. "Hard to believe he's a lawyer and a part-time theater actor."
Kendo felt lost in the situation as it played before her. She turned to Izuku and Mina with an inquisitive look.
"I will have an explanation on my desk by tomorrow." Kendo walked away.
"Yes ma'am." Izuku and Mina flinched.
Later that night, Izuku, Mina, Alya and Alix were at the Broken Clock as Mina drank away her sorrows.
"How could you guys do that to me?! I was this close to marrying the man I loved!" Mina gulped down another pint of beer.
"Well, how were we supposed to know that you were going to knock the bitch out?" Alya and Izuku patted her back as Alix took the glass away.
"At least we don't have to worry about Izuku being married to anyone he hasn't truly confessed to." Alix pointed out.
"You three heard, huh?" Izuku asked.
The three girls nodded in unison.
"I'm sorry I worried you three. But I meant everything I said. I love you three." Izuku admitted. "I know this month hasn't been easy for you and I'll do anything to make it up to you three."
"Oh you don't say, Kitty." Alix wrapped her arms around him.
"Well, marriage would be nice. But we've had enough of weddings for one day." Alya tapped her chin.
"I say we break in his apartment." Mina smirked, wanting payback for the month-long jealousy that she'd been experiencing lately.
Izuku felt like a rabbit being cornered by the three women that he loved. But he didn't mind it, because he loved them all the same. And he would do anything to make them as happy as he could.
