The Boss of Control 6 - (Chainsaw Man, SI)
Going personally at the boss' office was hardly a frequent thing for Quanxi, but today she made a point to show it was unusual for sure by ignoring Makima's glance as she wandered off to the room.
A surprise for sure, but not necessarily an unwelcomed one as Haru-san was busy fixing some papers as he gestured to her to take a seat. He didn't ask why she was there, nor why she looked quite annoyed due to the scowl firmly placed on her lips.
She waited patiently, waiting for the man to be done browsing on files. He sighed once he was truly clear with the task, turning his gaze to her with an equally irked look.
"I suppose this letter is not an early April's Fools joke," He half-asked, half-showed as he lifted the paper for her to look at. She nodded and the man turned the written words to his eyes to read aloud. "The Chinese Department for Anti-Devil Security has formally requested the support of Agent Quanxi to assist local agents in neutralizing a cult of Fiends that have set their base in Shanghai."
...
"Quanxi, from one to ten, how much do you think their trap is just by this letter?"
"Boss," The one-eyed Crossbow Devil lamented. "I get it, you are not happy, but I want to know that-"
"You're not going alone. This much I can guarantee," Haru-san interrupted, nodding to himself as to show he meant it. "Still, they are going to pressure us through our politics. China-Japan relations are warming up- wouldn't be unkind for us to just let these sour up because we are so 'greedy' with our agents."
...
"So?" Quanxi pressed as she saw the man smile. "Who're you sending with me? Kishibe? Himeno?"
"Good guesses, but all of those are partial to the answer. I will give you a hint- this picture."
He turned it, it was a picture they took a week ago since Himeno made it through 'the gauntlet' and got recognized as part of Special Division 1. A quick glance raised much more confusion than resolution.
"Y-You want to send all of us at them?"
Haru-san leaned back on his chair and smiled. "Quanxi, do be honest to me - do you think I hate you?"
A frown appeared and she shook her head. "N-No."
"You are part of the team. And I am quite sure you personally told Himeno that she is not dying under our watch. So, tell me, why do you think I would give you lil' protection when those Beijing morons want you captured, dead or worse?"
She bowed her head, annoyed by this teasing. "Sir, I... why?"
"You're part of the team. You are doing a brilliant job. And you are by far the most sane- hell, you are better than Makima at that."
Quanxi shivered as she could have sworn that the redhead was 'listening' on them as she was looking at them and... smiling a bit more at the comment.
"...Why?"
He rolled his eyes, then... slouched on the chair, and tilted his head to the side. "Because we care. Kishibe cares beyond being a perv, Himeno is a puppy that sees you as her new mommy, Makima is Makima, and I..."
"You...?"
Haru-san shrugged. "I find you a worthwhile companion. We don't spend enough times to call you a friend-friend but, if you asked me to smuggle smokes if you can properly handle those, I see why not."
"I see..." Quanxi mumbled, and then smiled a tiny bit at the honesty shown there. It wasn't friendship, it was comradeship. They were stuck with the same job, the same expectations and with a lot of political crap forcing them squeezed up against the tiny cubical floor they were tied to. We are all drowning together, each trying to make the other survive a bit more. "And what's your view on solving this 'issue'."
"The Chinese Friends have raised indeed a noteworthy concern - a cult that is sowing chaos in their big city? We will show our kindness by deploying our very best units to get that shit sorted out. What do you think?"
"Too theatrical. But I guess it is a matter of tastes."
"I think its cultural," The boss corrected, but then shrugged. "Oh well, if that's all-"
"One thing, actually," Quanxi interjected. "How good are you with engines?"
All this banter got something of an idea to Quanxi to 'make friends' with her boss. Without Kishibe being a nag.
-d-d-d-d-
"Not gonna lie, I am glad you found this one."
Quanxi held back a grin as she had just a hunch her boss would have been fine in this 'team-bonding exercise'. In a small garage area within her building, the Crossbow Devil had brought a Vespa 50 Elestart in need of some proper fixing. The thing had been disassembled, cleaned up, had some of its broken pieces replaced with some she bought and... it was far from fully patched up.
Considering her lack of experience, Haru-san's praise meant a bit more than in most cases.
"I am glad you like it."
"It's just the hard work for it that irks me," He whined, the human huffing as he handled some bolts with a wrench. "Like, wonderful scooter. But I kind of not see the point of having me slave with you to fix it."
"It's a team-bonding experience."
"Me bossing you all is an experience, this is just you taking a fat shit on my ego."
That one got a quick grin, but she held back from sporting it off. "Not a fan of hard-working?"
"If I don't get paid for it, then it is not my favorite," Haru-san whined dryly. "Let me ask you this, how would you feel if we got our paychecks cut by the government?"
"Betrayal-prone." She flatly admitted and, unsurprisingly so to her, her boss nodded in agreement.
"Yes. Why do you think I am bitching this much?"
A small amused noise escaped out of her lips, now the boss paused at Quanxi's current mood and her reactions.
"You're just teasing the fuck out of me, aren't you?"
"A bit. Can you blame me?"
He frowned, then looked back at the engine. "Nah. You're just enjoying having some 'power' over me."
"Many would think this means more than just 'teasing'."
"I am not Kishibe, Quanxi. And I am not a chick for you to scissor at night with enough persuasion," He harshly remarked, causing her to pout a bit at that thought. "Still, I appreciate the fact your sickly dark humor is coming out when you're off of work. Would have thought you were depressed or something."
"Lonely, maybe," The silver-haired woman conceded. "But hardly depressed nowadays. In the past? Maybe. But I am now just cynical and don't like being too open at work."
"A good mindset I hope you keep because I don't want you to corrupt Himeno the wrong way. And that also extend about making her your side-chick."
That actually confused Quanxi. "Wouldn't having her as a side-chick imply I have a 'main-chick'?"
"If you find someone you can truly call a 'main-chick'."
And now Quanxi wasn't bothering hiding a bit of a smile at the idea.
This man, this infuriating man, was good at bantering when it came to life situations. Is this why Makima was so protective of him?
"It's as if you are saying I can't do it."
"You have specific tastes. The world is to varied to provide you with the perfectly-bred woman with mind, tits, ass, and good abilities that would make her reliant on herself rather than be a weight for you."
"Eventually that will happen," Quanxi said, repeating the thought that had been going on with her mind for more than a century now. "It's only a matter of time."
"As you wish, Quanxi," He finally snorted, showing equal amount of delight in spending some time with her.
The work was far from done when he decided to leave, but they made progress with the engine and... she felt less compelled to plan a departure if things go south. As much as it pained her to admit since she had been betrayed so many times, Haru-san was easily warranting a lot of respect out of her. And he wasn't undoing anything by behaving in certain ways in private.
That crass and brutal honesty was refreshing to hear without people fearing she would slash and cut them apart, but then she remembered the man had seen 'worse' than her. That was how he greeted them all at Special Division 1.
There wasn't much known about the boss' past. Most of the cases he took part are redacted, and while Quanxi doubted he was indeed barking as much as he could be biting, she understood that there may be some truth behind his confidence. And, ever since he was joined by Makima in Special Division 1, he became quite a powerful entity.
Makima herself was someone Quanxi couldn't just 'identify', and she could tell that, when these two were uniting with a single goal in mind... she doubted any High-level Devil could be a threat to them. Concept Devils? That would be a stretch she couldn't make but...
They were really going to give her 'home' a final parting gift with this trip.
AN
C'mon kids, we're going to a fancy holiday in Shanghai! Hm? Do I hear new hires? Fresh meat? Halloween?!