Jinichi scoffed, slouching deeper into the back seat of the car, his cold gaze fixated on the small, run-down apartment building across the street. It was unimpressive, dilapidated, with chipped paint and rusted railings. Hardly the sort of place anyone from his family should have to visit. Yet, here he was, sent to observe and report, like some errand boy.

This is where he lives, well it's what trash like Toji deserves. The thought of his worthless brother makes him grit his teeth, his lips curling into a sneer as he taps the address into his phone, sending it to Naobito.

He tossed the device onto the seat beside him, crossing his arms over his chest, brows furrowed in irritation. Heat simmered in his stomach, threatening to boil over as he clenched his jaw.

He didn't belong here, not for something this trivial.

Who cares about that monkey of a brother? Toji had been cast aside for a reason. Why their clan head was interested in him now,

Jinichi couldn't comprehend.

It was ridiculous.

'Why am I here?' The question repeated in his mind like a bitter mantra, fueling his anger.

'Me, a member of the Hei, sent to handle something, this beneath me?'The frustration gnawed at him, seething beneath the surface.

There were more than enough servants who could have run this errand, even low-level sorcerers. Jinichi clenched his fists, the leather of his gloves creaking under the pressure.

"This is pathetic," he muttered, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the apartment. It was an insult, plain and simple.

The Zenin always kept track of their disowned, in case one ever thought to make a move against them.

Jinichi would have preferred they simply eliminate Toji.

Unfortunately, Today's society is too soft for that.

'It's a wonder the world is this pathetic'. His cynicism was sharp as a blade, cutting through any remaining shred of patience he had.

His fingers drummed restlessly on his thigh as he considered his next move. The old man wanted to remind Toji that he was always on their radar.

Especially now that Toji had dared to build a family. Adopted some street rat, no less. They knew little about this 'Harry,' beyond a marriage certificate linking him to Toji. Everything else was a mystery as if the man had simply appeared out of thin air. It was infuriating.

"Sir, it seems the target has left the building," his driver spoke up, breaking the silence.

Jinichi's eyes snapped up to the sidewalk, where a small man in a large hoodie had emerged, pulling a young boy along with him.

He recognized them from the pictures the informant had sent. He watched as they walked, quietly discussing something as they made their way down the street. Jinichi was about to order the driver to follow when the man, Harry, suddenly turned his head, locking eyes with him through the tinted window.

Jinichi jolted something in Harry's gaze sending an unexpected shock down his spine. The intensity of the stare, it was as if the man could see right through the car, through him.

For a split second, Jinichi's world tilted, and it felt like his whole soul was on display, and then just as suddenly, the weight of Harry's gaze vanished. He watches the man turn away as if nothing had happened, continuing to walk with the boy beside him.

Jinichi blinked, confusion and anger swirling in his chest. His head throbbed, a dull ache spreading between his temples.

When he looked down, the picture in his lap had burned away, reduced to ash in seconds.

A single note remained, scrawled in black ink, 'This is your only warning. Fuck off.'

That makes him snarl in fury, who the fuck does the runt think he is!

Fool probably thinks Toji will be able to protect him.

'Let's see about that'

They were walking home, the sun beginning to dip below the horizon, casting a soft golden light over the street.

Harry carried most of the bags, but Getou insisted on holding the small one, the one with Toji's gift. They'd spent hours shopping for school supplies, navigating between rows of pens and notebooks, but amidst it all,

Getou had been distracted. He'd stopped at a small stall, eyeing a simple leather bracelet. It was nothing fancy, but something about it had caught his attention. Harry had noticed the way Getou lingered and, with an amused smile, encouraged him to pick it up.

Now, as they approached their apartment building, Getou held the bag tightly in his hand, feeling a strange mixture of excitement and nerves.

"I still think he'll love it," Harry said with a soft chuckle, breaking the comfortable silence between them. Getou looked up at him but didn't say anything, only nodding slightly.

They were nearly home when Getou felt it.

At first, it was just a subtle shift in the air, something that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He slowed his pace, his eyes darting to the side, scanning the shadows along the alleyway they were passing. He hadn't noticed before, but now, there was a weight in the atmosphere.

A thick, oppressive feeling.

Beside him, Harry's steps faltered as well. His brow furrowed, and without saying a word, he gently placed the bags on the ground, his body immediately tensing.

Getou's heart started to race, and his grip tightened around the small bag.

Something was wrong.

Then, before either of them could react, the air twisted.

A grotesque form surged out of the shadows, its body writhing with countless dark tendrils. The creature lunged toward them with horrifying speed, its many limbs stretching impossibly far.

Getou's breath caught in his throat as the curse's foul energy washed over him.

One of its slimy, thick tendrils snapped out, aiming straight for Harry.

"Harry!" Getou shouted, panic rising as he watched the dark, shadowy limb coil around Harry's waist, yanking him off his feet.

The older man's expression twisted in shock, his hands scrambling to grab hold of something, but the creature was too fast, and before Getou knew what he was doing, his body moved instinctively.

His blood roared in his ears as a terrifying mix of fear and anger took over.

No.

He wasn't going to lose Harry.

Not like this, without thinking, his hand shot out toward the curse. He felt a pull deep within his core, a force he had never tapped into before, but it was there, bubbling to the surface in a rush. Dark energy swirled around his outstretched fingers as if answering his unspoken command.

The curse's tendrils, which had been tightening around Harry, began to twist and shudder. Getou could feel them, feel the foul, pulsating energy that made them move. It was as though he'd reached into the very soul of the curse, into the essence of its twisted nature, and in doing so, he had gained control.

Suddenly, the tendrils loosened, unraveling from around Harry as though they were compelled by some unseen force. The creature recoiled violently, its dark, writhing form convulsing in agony. Getou watched, breathless, as the curse began to dissolve before his eyes, its grotesque body collapsing inward, breaking apart into a pulsing black sphere the size of a small marble.

Everything grew silent, the oppressive weight of the curse lifting from the air, leaving behind only an eerie calm.

Harry was on his knees, gasping for breath, his face a mixture of shock and relief. He looked up at Getou, his chest heaving, and there was something in his gaze that Getou had never seen before…pride.

"Getou," Harry managed, his voice thick with emotion, "you… you saved me."

Getou stood frozen, his hands still trembling from the rush of adrenaline. He stared at them, feeling the lingering pulse of the power he had just wielded. He wasn't entirely sure what had just happened, but one thing was clear, something inside him had shifted.

He had done it. He somehow had controlled the curse, and he had saved Harry.

"I… I didn't mean…" Getou stammered, his voice faltering as he tried to process what he had done. His gaze flickered back to Harry, who had now pulled himself to his feet, his expression still filled with awe.

"You did great," Harry said softly, stepping closer and placing a comforting hand on Getou's shoulder. The touch was warm, and grounding, pulling Getou out of the whirlwind of emotions that had taken over.

He swallowed hard, still shaken but feeling an odd sense of satisfaction bloom within him.

Something else was nagging at him, something instinctual, pulling his attention back to the small dark sphere that had once been the curse.

Without thinking, Getou bent down and picked up the ball, turning it over in his palm.

It pulsed weakly, the last remnants of the curse's energy fading. Before he could even question his actions, he brought it to his mouth and swallowed it.

Immediately, his nose scrunched in disgust.

"Ugh," Getou groaned, the taste revolting, like a mix of bitter ash and something far worse. He grimaced, shaking his head as if that would get rid of the lingering aftertaste.

Harry, who had been watching the entire thing in stunned silence, suddenly burst out laughing.

The sound was so jarring, so utterly normal compared to the chaos of moments before, that it made Getou blink in confusion. Harry was laughing so hard that he had to brace his hands on his knees, his shoulders shaking with mirth.

Getou frowned. "Why are you laughing?" he muttered, wiping his mouth, "That was gross."

Harry managed to catch his breath, straightening up with a broad grin. "You just… you just ate it! Why on earth did you do that?"

"I don't know!" Getou snapped, feeling his cheeks heat in embarrassment. He glanced away, avoiding Harry's amused gaze.

"It just… felt right." He shuddered, still trying to get the awful taste off his tongue.

"But it tasted nasty."

Harry snickered, shaking his head as he walked over to where the bags lay abandoned on the sidewalk.

"You're something else, Getou," he said, a fondness in his voice that made the boy glance up, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

Getou rubbed the back of his neck, still feeling the remnants of the curse sitting uneasily in his stomach. "Do you think… it's dangerous to eat those things?"

Harry shrugged, picking up the bags with a casual ease that belied the chaos of the past few minutes. "I'm sure we'll figure it out."

"I'm just glad you're okay. And that you're a quick thinker." He gave Getou a teasing smile. "Even if you do have strange instincts."

Getou let out a soft huff of laughter, shaking his head as he picked up the last of the bags. Despite the weirdness of the situation and the fact that he had just eaten a curse, he couldn't help the faint smile tugging at his lips.

"Let's get home," Harry said, still smiling, "before you decide to eat something else cursed."

Getou reddens and laughs, this time more freely, and the two of them walk side by side down the street, the darkness of the curse left behind in the growing night.

"What do you think will happen?"

"Did it taste good?" Toji asks chuckling, looking at Getou with a mixture of amusement and disbelief as the boy squirmed under his gaze, sheepishly shrugging his shoulders.

Getou's cheeks flushed a bright shade of crimson, his eyes darting to the floor. "Tasted nasty," he admitted, scrunching his nose in disgust at the memory.

Toji let out a hearty laugh, the sound breaking the tension that had hung in the air just moments before. He catches Harry staring at him with awe and feels like he's on top of the world from that gaze alone, "Well, at least you took care of the curse."

"Most kids would have run away screaming."

Harry smiled at the light-hearted banter, grateful for the moment of levity after the chaos they had just experienced, nudging the boy's shoulder. "But I'm glad you did what you did."

"You were amazing back there." Getou's face brightened at the praise, his confidence visibly growing.

"I just… didn't want you to get hurt," he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper. Toji's expression softened slightly as he observed the bond forming between Harry and Getou.

"You're a good kid," he said, ruffling Getou's hair affectionately, feeling a strange sense of pride, when the brats' breath caught, "I'm glad I can trust that you'll be able to take care of Harry if I'm out," and the future brat but he doesn't want to put any pressure on the kid.

As the atmosphere lightened, Harry suddenly felt a shift in his thoughts. "Not that I need taking care of."

"But you deserve it," Toji replies smoothly and he hears Getou giggle when Harry sputters.

Changing the subject with a blush, one that always appears when Toji mentions how precious Harry is to him. Which is why he does it as often as he can, if old him saw how mushy he was, he'd probably kill Toji out of principle.

They watch as Getou slips into the bathroom when Harry tells the boy to try out the new shampoo they got.

Once the brat is in the shower, Harry turns to him, "Speaking of taking care of things… I think we should talk about that visitor," his tone shifting back to seriousness. "I suspect they sent that curse after us."

Toji's jaw tightened again, his playful demeanor evaporating.

"That bastard," he growled, pacing the room once more. "He has the nerve to show up after all this time and send curses after my family."

"He thinks he can just waltz back into our lives?"

Harry could see the anger simmering beneath Toji's calm exterior, the struggle to control his emotions palpable. "Toji, I know this is hard, but we need to be cautious."

"If Jinichi is involved, he'll want to test us. He'll want to see if you're still the same person he can bully."

Toji stopped pacing, his eyes locking onto Harry's with a fierce determination. "I won't let him hurt you or Getou."

"He has no idea what I'm capable of now, none of them do." Just then, Getou returned to the room, a puzzled expression on his face as he looked between Harry and Toji.

"What's going on? Are we in trouble?" Immediately Harry knelt to Getou's level, giving him a reassuring smile. "No, we're not in trouble. We're just figuring out how to deal with some unwanted guests."

A/n:

Soo, Toji's big bro entered the chat, and will he get his attitude checked by Harry and get a redemption arc or will he be a stubborn mule and go down with the Zenin ship?

Want a redemption arc?

Imagine Harry just summons death themself when the elder force his hand.

Death: oh mahgoraga, my offspring how are you.

Maggy appears holding a baby Megumi only intensifiing their fear: father I got a master I got a little master!

Harry: see what I deal with.