Bets and Debts 1

"What do you mean you don't know?" Tenko glares at the paperwork, wishing that destroying it wouldn't result in more work. He puts his cell phone and put it on the desk to free his hands. "You left in February. The case couldn't have taken more than a month." It's now May and Keigo still hasn't returned.

"Oh, that?" Keigo's voice is too light. Tenko knows he is going to hate whatever he has to say. "That was taken care of in a few days."

"What?" Then what has he been doing all this time? Tenko glares at his phone as if it could send his scrutinizing gaze over to him. He should have made it a video call.

"The weather was just so nice I decided to extend my services. Did you know? It never drops below 0 down here."

"It's the end of May," Tenko stresses the word May. Even if Keigo's reasoning is ridiculous, winter is over. It's quite warm across Japan so there's no reason for him to stay in Kyushu.

"Ah, but you see. I was planning on leaving, but I agreed to cover someone's medical leave of absence. They're lacking the number of quality heroes down here."

"You're not one to volunteer for overtime," says Tenko. Keigo is always ready to step up when needed, but he doesn't go out of his way to work more. Why the public loves him so much, Tenko will never know. That's a lie. He knows. He won't give Keigo the satisfaction of hearing it from him, though. Tenko can already imagine the teasing.

"You worry too much. You'll see me next month."

Some of the tension leaves Tenko's shoulders. "I thought you said you didn't know?" Forget future teasing. Keigo has been teasing him all along.

"Hm? I don't. But the Sports Festival is next month, and I got us tickets for the first years."

Tenko's muscles tense once more. He's ready to explode. He's not sure which is worse. Keigo's roundabout way of answering questions or that he wants them to watch the Sports Festival. He's only been out of school for a little over two years. Going back, even for a major event, isn't something he wants to do.

"We need to cheer on Sho-chan after all."

On second thought, even Keigo has good ideas sometimes. Tenko has been so busy he forgot about Shouto's enrollment.

"You promise?" Tenko can't remember the last time they were apart this long. He understands things change as they grow, but Kyushu is too far. It's worse because Tsunade is away too, which also means no Katsuyu. Even Kaina and Shouta are away on a mission.

"I'll do you one better. I'll bet on it."

Tenko wishes they wouldn't bet so much, but it's at least reassuring when Keigo does it. His luck is the opposite of Tsunade's.

"Stay safe," says Tenko softly.

"What was that?"

"Bye. I'm going now."

"That's not what I hea—" Keigo's words are cut off by Tenko pressing the end call button.

Tenko slouches in the chair and spins back to look out the windows. Many clouds covered the bright blue sky.

.

Thirteen years and things haven't gotten easier. Tsunade is the same age her sensei was when he died. She doesn't want to admit it, but she can feel it in her bones.

Tsunade steps on the vial. It shatters under her feet as the substance leaks out. She grimaces as she takes in the scene. She knew about it beforehand, but standing before it is another matter.

She hears steps approaching from the corridor on her left. "Kaina, call Tsuragamae. He can deal with clean up and collection."

Kaina had only taken a step into the room, but nods instantly. "On it."

Shouta doesn't wait to be told. He's already tying the hands of the five people knocked out behind their back and have them lined up. He tries not to show his loathing on his face, but he does tie their wrists a little too tight, interfering with their blood circulation. Nothing incriminating and nothing lasting…probably. However, he can't fight his revulsion at the sight of the dead children.

Or what he thought were dead children.

One begins to convulse and puke up some vile goopy substance.

Tsunade rushes to their side and does what she can to the sole survivor.

.

Tsunade places a cup of coffee on the table in front of him, which Shouta gratefully accepts. She takes the seat across from him. "It's not too late. You can always come back to working full time. You can't be getting much sleep." Her eyes narrow at his bags. "An overexerted hero is—"

"—is a doomed hero," Shouta finishes his words. Ironic coming from her. Shouta distinctly remembers how much of a slave driver she is. Though her training had been purposely removed from patrols and emergencies. While ironic, she isn't a hypocrite. Things would need to be really bad to get to that point. "And the first trimester is almost over, so I would say it's too late."

"Didn't you only agree because they nagged you for years?" Tsunade still isn't happy that Nezu klept them. Ten years working together and he moved on to his next phase in life. She understands. It's another step to his goals, but it had been a major loss for her. Oboro, she can understand. He always liked kids. Now that he was older, teens were starting to be grouped into that category. He took Hizashi too. Tsunade didn't think Shouta would cave.

"Reasons aside, it's working out." He didn't expect much going in, but it's fun in its own way. He finally gets to be the person crushing other people's spirits. He won't admit it to Tsunade, but he now understands the thrill she must have had tormenting him, and it isn't like the kids don't need a dose of reality. Better for them to learn now in a safe setting than to learn the hard way. "Its Foundational Hero Studies. I can do that. Not like I have to manage them in homeroom like Oboro. There's some particularly rowdy people this year."

"Your reduced hours are noticeable, but it's a gain for Nezu and those kids. Nurture them while you can," Tsunade grumbles, taking a sip of her tea.

It's odd. It's easy to forget how long it's been. He's grown up while she looks the same as when he first saw her. She also gave him a backhand compliment that he's more than willing to take. He has his own restrictions as a hero, so they don't come his way that often. "The Sports Festival is coming up. You can always take on more work studies and internships. You can whip them into shape and steal them for yourself."

Tsunade waves her hand side by side. "No thanks. I've done enough." She looks into her mug. There's clearly something else going on, but Shouta isn't about to dig.

.

"Redo these." Tsunade drops a pile of papers in front of Tenko.

"Again?" Tenko's voice is breathy. He's near his wit's end.

"Lady Tsunade." Rika, one of the office administrators, enters. She passes Tsunade the clipboard and pen. "Todoroki is still waiting for your signature, so he can do his placement."

"Todoroki?" Tenko perks up.

"Natsuo," confirms Tsunade. She takes the clipboard, scans the content and signs.

Tenko thinks. Natsuo started university a few months ago. Right, he's interested in health and welfare. It's kind of funny. "With who? Tsukushi? Koji?"

"Kai."

Tenko turns his nose up. "Poor Natsuo."

"Maybe wait to pity others until you dig yourself out of your own pit."

"What ever happened to doing whatever I want?"

Tsunade gives him a look of disbelief. "This is what you wanted." She wondered if Naruto reacted similarly. She was all for him taking the stupid hat, but she doesn't think he understood how much work it actually is. Ah well. Kakashi was left in charge, so whatever happens it's his fault.

They both hear knocking, so they turn to the window. Keigo is flying outside their window. His hand is in one pocket, a small wave with the other, and a smile as if nothing is wrong.

He's smart. Neither Tenko nor Tsunade dare break the window to reach him. Tsunade, however, incessantly taps her foot as she crosses her arms before raising one to her side to point down. "Here. Now."

Keigo gives a salute and hurries on his way.

"Don't kill him," says Tenko happy for a distraction. "I can't torture him if he's dead." Keigo should have been suffering with him all these months. Add in that he's been playing hooky for their agency while he's out helping out elsewhere without a word or warning, and he's been calling less often. Then he comes along like nothing is wrong. Yeah, Keigo is in for a pounding. Tenko has been picking up his slack.

Keigo enters the room. "Can I say how lovely today is? It would be a shame if anything ruined that."

Tenko throws a book at him. Keigo dodges with a sidestep.

Tsunade flicks his forehead.

"Ow!" Keigo brings his hand up to add pressure in hopes of stopping the throbbing. "I liked it better when you let me do whatever."

"I think you remember things differently from how they went down." Her arms are crossed once more.

Then Tenko curses Keigo. "You don't think he started a secret family, do you?" It doesn't matter that he's twenty. Tenko basks in Keigo's suffering by sticking out his tongue. He doesn't think it's the case, but he knows the right things to say to get Tsunade more on his case.

Keigo is generally a composed person, and he's really good with people, but Tenko knows his weakness. Keigo knows how to play the role for publicity, but one thing he'll never allow is ruining his reputation to Tsunade. It's a hard line to break, but not impossible.

"What? No!" Keigo brings his hands up in caution.

It's his own fault.

.

Oboro blinks. "You came!" He runs towards them with a huge grin. "Didn't think this was your type of scene."

"It's not." Tenko intervenes. It was meant to be an escape from the paperwork Tsunade has been forcing on him. Tenko expected to go, enjoy some food and games from the festival and then praise and shit talk the students with Keigo. There's so much press though. He should have expected it, but when it was him competing, he hadn't been thinking much about the broadcasters or media staff. He doesn't mind that Tsunade tagged along with all that in mind. What bothers him is, "They're in another betting frenzy." Tenko should say don't tell anyone, but he desperately hopes Oboro will tell someone that can stop him.

Who is he kidding? If that could happen, they would have stopped by now.

"You're always free to join in."

Keigo isn't helping!

Keigo snaps his fingers. "Sho-chan is in your class, isn't he? Where are they? We should greet him."

"Sho-chan?" Oboro repeats him in confusion before the lightbulb appears. "Ah, you mean Todoroki! Pft. Sho-chan." Oboro laughs full heartedly. He wipes the corner of his eye. "I'm going to remember that." He stands back up straight. "But even if I know you, I can't say. They have their own prep room." He lifts a finger. "There are no rules during intermission. If you want to strike, I suggest then."

Oboro's phone rings. He picks up on the first ring. "I'm coming! There's time. I'm not late." He puts his phone away. "Sorry. Got to get going. Let's catch up later."

They go to their seats and watch the students line up on the field.

"Shall we make another bet?" asks Keigo as the first round begins. "Who will get third place?"

"Third place?" Tsunade raises an eyebrow.

Keigo shrugs. "We can't both bet on Shouto, and the only other information we have is Sparky had the highest score on the practical. Third evens the playing field."

Tsunade eyes the students running through the obstacle course. The Bakugou kid is the year representative, but that's decided by the kids who took the entrance exam, meaning Shouto hadn't been factored in. She doesn't really know what most of the kids can do aside from some early displays. Based on limited information and having some semblance of knowledge of Shouto's powers, it is safer to bet on third place. "What wager do you have in mind?"

"Loser has to train a student during their work study?"

Tsunade doesn't like that at all, but she knows Keigo doesn't want to do it either. That's exactly why it made a good bet. Instead of it being a reward, it's punitive. She offers her hand and they shake.

They place their bets and continue to watch. A green hair boy from class 1-A comes first during the obstacle course by breaking his finger.

Tenko is sure Tsunade is seething at the act of self-harm to use the quirk. Especially at his age. Tsunade can probably understand a child first coming into their quirk, but she had done research to prevent this exact thing. Tenko knows even Boro-nii isn't so stupid that he hasn't brought it up to the kid. He wonders what Shouta's excuse is. He's about to make a joke about Tsunade going down there and breaking his bones herself to prove a point to him when she speaks up first. It's low, but she's seething.

"This has Toshinori written all over it."

Tenko's view of All Might has mostly recovered over the years, but it never became quite the same as it once was. He looks back down at the kid as others slowly trickle to the finish line. Tenko isn't sure if what he's feeling is relief or aggravation.

Pushing that aside, he returns to what he wanted to say. "So you wanna go down there and punch him? If you do warn me. I'll grab some popcorn."

Tsunade miraculously didn't go down to punch him, but something worse happened. The tournament finished with Tsunade and Keigo both losing, so they enacted sudden death rules, which including both needing to take on a student and have them fight on the last day of work study to prove the real winner.

Tenko still doesn't understand why they like gambling so much. This is essentially a loss for both of them and whatever poor students they get roped into this, yet their pride for victory stops them from cutting things short.

How is he the sane one?