Wedding Bells

"Do we have a deal?"

July 9th, 19:15.
The Boss' house.

As soon as the man on the phone said on whose behalf that call was made, a thousand of questions struggled for space in Deku's mind. When he confirmed he was the hero Deku, this person robotically apologized for interrupting him from all the work he'd have...

"... but my boss asks if you would kindly come to meet him. He says you may have some common interests... and has something to share with you..."

... so he followed the employee's instructions and got out to the parking of the hospital, where a dark suited and expresionless man was waiting in front of a black limo. When he saw Deku, the chauffeur tossed his cigarette away and opened the door of the vehicle for him without saying a word. As silent as he arrived, he drove an intrigued Deku to his destination. The atmosphere inside the long vehicle of tinted windows was so silent and sinister Deku stayed on guard all the time, wondering if that would have been a good idea, but according to Nezu, this person had insisted that it was him who came to meet him in private.

Now he was being guided through a big traditional Asiatic style house. The place looked as amazing as the Todoroki's' residence, but it was hard to stay calm inside it knowing it belonged to the leader of the Yakuza. Deku could feel on him the eyes of the henchmen spread along the place, all wearing those long beaked masks that identified them as the criminals once acted under Overhaul's orders. If those walls could talk, they would tell decades of history of the Eight Precepts of Death, and there he was, wondering he would be doing there when he should with his friends thinking of a plan. In fact, with all the things they had discovered that very same day he hadn't thought of a detail: sure, Nezu knew he was there and could alert everyone if he was in trouble, but until then he would be alone against a criminal organization which, despite having been slowly eclipsed by the League of Villains along the years, was still the same Yakuza they once fought to save Eri.

No, they had no reason to attack him. And the Boss was the only known living relative Eri had, so whatever it was, if there was something he could tell him, that meeting was totally worth of his time.

The suited men finally brought him in front of the big wooden door of an office at the end of a corridor, guarded by another muscular masked henchman, this time one that was known to him. Kendo Rappa turned away from the door and took some heavy steps towards Deku to bring him face to face. That was one villain Kirishima had come to know as a large and dangerous opponent, but Deku didn't stutter when his ferocious yellow eyes met his green ones from the difference of height that separated their heads even now they were toe to toe. At that stage of his life Deku was a hero every villain in Japan, even the most hot blooded fighters, had learnt and been wise to take seriously.

"Move aside, Rappa" one of the suited men ordered. "The Boss is waiting."

Rappa took his time and kept his eye on the green suited hero everyone had heard of, but he obeyed and cleared the way so the suited man could come forward and knock the door.

"Let him in" an old yet firm voice answered from the inside. "And leave us."

The door was open for Deku again, who resolved not to keep his host waiting and came into the office, with the door closing behind him. Despite the quality of the furniture, the office was quite modest and not very different from All Might's. There was even an open sliding door that revealed a well cared inner garden that included a small pond, trees and even bonsais, illuminated by summer's Sun in all its glory, which helped to break with the tense aura Deku had being felt. It started to return though when his eyes finally met the man who had called him.

"I bid you welcome, young Deku."

Eri's grandfather was sitting on a motorized wheel chair he activated to get out from behind the huge desk that without a doubt costed far more than the cheap apartment Uraraka and him shared during their first months at college. The old man drove the chair closer to his guest and the beautiful view of his garden. His eyes and expression hadn't lost the temper and cold demeanor that would inspire respect and fear at the same level in the hearts of any villain or hero who had known the Yakuza on its prime. However he didn't look as strong and healthy as he did when Deku saw him for the last time; in fact, Deku instinctively moved in order to help this man when he picked up a walking stick and slowly struggled to get up from his chair, but the Boss energetically raised a wrinkled hand that made him stay where he was.