Red Ink

Part 53 - Heart or Head

It was nice being back in the Commons— like going back to her roots.

Did Ray go a little overboard with security? Most definitely. The staple bar of the Underground now had intimidating-looking guards stationed in every corner, surveying the scene for anyone and anything that might look like a threat to Red.

It was her first time back in the Underground since the Red Raid and Dabi was still missing in action. Ray was elated to have her there, but clearly was equally paranoid about a potential threat to her safety. He'd always been the overly cautious type, especially with Y/N, but with the media now viewing the Underground as a confirmed threat and Red still in need of protection, he wasn't taking any chances.

That morning, Eijirou brought Red to the Commons to keep her under Ray's surveillance. He had an "agency business trip" that meant he had to go out of town for the next few days, and Ray was more than happy to let his men act as her bodyguards until Kirishima's return.

Lying to everybody made his chest ache, but it was the best he could come up with; after all, the Event Sector finals were tomorrow. He couldn't exactly act as Red's bodyguard while fighting tooth-and-nail in a sparring arena as the Underground's Prince.

He'd cleared it with Bakugou already— the agency believed he was visiting family while Red believed he was on a business trip. If he could just get through the next few days as the Prince, he'd be in the clear for a few months.

Since arriving, Ray had worked them to the bone moving boxes, cleaning dishes, and organizing paperwork. There was much he still had to catch up on after his time in the hospital and a few times he teased Kirishima with, "You're a hero, aren't you? Help out a bit before you go on your fancy business trip."

Eijirou was happy to help, of course. He could put up with any work if it meant he could do it with Red. She was much better at it than him; she had years of practice under her belt at running the bar, and more than once Eijirou had to snap himself out of ogling at her while she worked.

Ray always made a point of making every resource he could manage available in the Commons. The Commons itself was shifting and changing its purpose constantly; sometimes it was a medical station, like during flu season. During Winter, it was a warm place to stay. For newcomers, the Commons offered clothing and essentials. Ray would often meet with citizens of the Underground to go over their contracts, too— it was unfortunately quite commonplace for people to make dangerous deals out of desperation— and made sure that those under his wing were well taken care of.

Currently, the resource that the Commons was offering was a hot commodity: information. Not only could the TVs and radios in the bar act as news outlets after the recent bombing, but with the Event Sector fight only a day away, it would soon be jam packed with fans desperate to watch the match, too.

It was strange for Kirishima to see. It wasn't the Underground that was bombed, but the citizens in the common looked more restless than anyone up on the streets of Japan had. They were huddled around tables, gazes fixed on the dozens of TVs with wide eyes and white knuckles. They were scared, Eijirou realized— both of the heroes and of the Crimson Doves. They knew that the blame for this attack would fall to them.

The people of the Underground were stuck between a rock and a hard place. Down here, the Doves ruined their reputations and essentially used them as a shield. On the streets of Japan, they risked the wrath of misguided heroes and angry citizens.

"Has it ever been this bad before?" Kirishima whispered to Red, fidgeting with his baseball cap. Before they'd arrived in the Commons, Red had fashioned him with a hat and facemask; the last thing the people in the Underground wanted to see right now was a hero.